John works in a big city. He likes traveling. When he is 1 vacation, he usually spends much time traveling here and there.

    Last summer, the young man traveled in the countryside and he thought it was a 2 place. The air was fresh and the 3 were green. He liked the quiet country life, but he didn't like to 4 there. One afternoon, he was walking when it rained suddenly. He had to stay in a small hotel. The room was dark and the bed was 5. He could not fall asleep. So he sat on a chair. 6, he found a dead bedbug(臭虫) on the bed, so he called the owner in.

    "Look at this," said John.

    The owner had a look at it and said," But it 7 several days ago, you know."

    John wouldn't quarrel(争吵) with him. He was so sleepy that he had to lie down, but soon he 8 He found a lot of bedbugs. The next morning he said to the owner, "I want to 9 you about the bedbugs."

    "I know, sir," said the owner, "It was dead!"

    "Perhaps you're 10. But his friends had a memorial meeting (追悼会) for him and after that they had supper here!"

    I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a town of Italy.

    As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat beside us. He called the waiter over, saying, "Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the  1."

    We heard his order with  2  and noticed that he was served one cup of coffee  3 he paid for two.

    When he left, the waiter put a piece of paper on the wall saying "A Cup of Coffee".

    While we were still there, two other men entered and  4  three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had two but paid for  5. This time also, the waiter did the same thing. It was  6 unusual for us.

    After a few days, we had a chance to enter this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man  7  appeared homeless entered. He looked at the wall and said, "One cup of coffee from the wall."

    The waiter served a cup of coffee to this man with  8. The man had his coffee and left without  9. We were amazed to watch all of this as the waiter  10  a piece of paper off the wall and threw it into the bin.

    Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very  11  . The people of this town showed great respect for those people who needed help.

Just think about  12 this man wanted. He didn't have to lose his face to ask for a(n)13 cup of coffee.  14 asking or knowing who was giving him this cup of coffee, he only looked at the wall, made an order for himself,  15  his coffee and left.

    It's a truly beautiful thing – probably the most beautiful wall anywhere in the world.

A beautiful smile

    When I was thirteen years old, a girl gave me an important gift. It was a smile.

    It was the early autumn of my 1 year at a new school. It's also the first year of middle school. No one knew me. I was very 2, and afraid to make friends with anyone.

    Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt even more lonely. I could not talk to anyone about my problem, and I didn't want my parents to worry about me.

    One day, my classmates were 3 with their friends, but I sat in silence(沉默) and felt so down that everything didn't sound real. At that moment, a girl entered the classroom. I did not know who she was. She passed me and then turned back. She looked at me and, without a word, 4.

    Suddenly, I felt the 5 of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy, lively and warm. It was like a hidden treasure(宝藏).

    That smile 6 my life. I started to talk with other students. Day by day, I learnt to trust people, and they included me in their circle of friends. The girl with the bright smile has become my best friends now, and we stick together like glue. I can talk to her about my study, feelings and hobbies, pretty much everything. I am so 7 that I met such a nice girl.

    One day, I asked her why she smiled at me that day. She said she could not remember!

    Now I believe that the world is like a 8. It is just what you think it is. If you think you are lonely, you might always be alone. But if you smile at it, it will always smile back!

Face the Stress

    Have you had a headache during a test? Have you ever been so worried about something that you have a headache or even can't sleep at night? If so, then you know what stress is. Stress is what you feel when you are worried about something. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You may feel angry, sad, scared, or afraid—all of which give you a stomachache or a headache.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some kinds of stress are beneficial and others are not. Good stress might happen when you're called to answer questions in class or when you have to give a speech. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, you may do a better job in your test if the stress pushes you to prepare better before the test.

    On the other hand, bad stress can happen if the stress lasts too long. You may not feel well if your parents are fighting, if a family member is sick, if you're having problems at school, or if anything else makes you unhappy every day. That kind of stress isn't going to help you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Make sure you keep yourself in mind: Sleep, exercise, leisure, and food. If you get enough sleep and eat healthily, and if you exercise and leave and leave time for fun, you'll probably feel less stressed.

One day when Picasso was walking along a road, a woman passed by and saw him. She ran to Picasso for a painting as a gift. Picasso smiled and said {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(polite), "I'm sorry, Madam. I have nothing to paint. I am {#blank#}2{#/blank#}/ˈempti/ handed here. I may make you a painting some other time."

However, the woman didn't give up. She {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(keep) on, "Please, I am a big fan of you and I want to meet you for years." Hearing this, Picasso was moved and then took out a small {#blank#}4{#/blank#} of paper and a pen, and began to draw something. Within 10 seconds, Picasso finished {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(draw) and handed it to the woman, "Take this! It's a million-dollar painting."

But the woman thought Picasso was just playing a joke on her. How could it be {#blank#}6{#/blank#}/wɜːθ/ a million dollars just in 10 seconds? So she went to the market and was {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(surprise) to learn that it was true.

When meeting Picasso again, she wished she could be his student. She said, "Please teach me so that I can do the same thing {#blank#}8{#/blank#} such a short time."

Picasso smiled and said, "Dear, the drawing I made was not in 10 seconds {#blank#}9{#/blank#} my thirty-year efforts towards the arts!" The woman was speechless.

We fix our eyes on others' {#blank#}10{#/blank#}/səkˈses/ more often than the hard work and patience behind it. If we want to reach it, we need experience and struggle(奋斗).