I used to think that life in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, was filled with never-changing styles. I hated that everyone seemed to know everything about everyone else. Everyone seemed to enjoy talking about other people and their lives. I also didn't like the fact that people seemed very close-minded. I felt trapped. I felt like I was missing . It seemed to me that city life would be the opposite.

    Then I took my first trip to New York City. I couldn't wait to experience the city. However, when I arrived in the Big Apple, it wasn't at all what I had imagined. I knew it was home to thousands of people, but I hadn't had the least expectation to see so many people on the street at one time. All the streets were filled with people. I also felt a little surprised to see that everyone was in a hurry and everything moved at such a fast pace(步伐). When I took the subway for the first time, I said hello to the middle-aged woman next to me. She looked at me with dislike and didn't say a word.

    After just one day, I realized how important my small town is to me. Now I miss the familiar faces I see every day. I like the feeling of safety and belonging my town offers. Jim Thorpe gives me a sense of community and togetherness that the city doesn't provide. I realize just how much a simple hello does for a stranger — it really can make your day a little better.

    My big trip showed me that my small town really has its own values in me that I didn't even know I had. I never would have known what a big place my town holds in my heart if I had not taken that trip to New York City.

    Matt jumped into bed. His father sat down beside him.

    "What kind of day did you have?" he asked.

    "It was a bad day for me," Matt answered. "I had a fight with Ned. The teacher sent a note home about me. And Mom talked about it with me."

    "Yes, part of the day was bad," Mr. Gold said. "But there were good parts, too. Now it's time to go to sleep. So, tell me about the best thing today."

    Matt smiled. "After school I went fishing," he said. "No one wanted to go with me. So I had to go alone. I didn't think I would have any fun. But I did! I caught a fish!"

    "I'm glad you had a good time," Mr. Gold said. "Think about it until(直到)you go to sleep. Happy dreams!"

    "Good night, Dad," Matt said.

    His father kissed(亲吻)him good night.

    Every night, Mr. Gold and Matt have a little talk like this.

    Every night, Matt answers the same question. "What was the best thing that happened to you today?"

    Every night Matt goes to sleep thinking about the best thing. He has many happy dreams!

    Sometimes he has to think hard to find the best thing. Sometimes it is a very small thing. But he always finds one good thing to think about.

    Matt's father taught his son a good way to end his day. You may want to try it. If you do, why not begin this every night?

    Many years ago there was a smart prince. But he never listened to his parents when they asked him to clean his room.

    One day, a princess(公主) in another country was going to hold a party. She invited all the princes from nearby countries. The prince was excited, and prepared with great care.

    However, on the day of the party, his room was so messy(凌乱的) that he couldn't find his invitation. He looked for it everywhere, but couldn't find it anywhere. So he decided to clean his room. Luckily, he found it at last.

    When he finally arrived at the party, it was over. The prince was very sad and he decided to change himself.

    Sometimes not everything was bad. The princess had not found her favourite boyfriend at the party. And later she had another party. This time the prince got everything ready. He got to the party on time, and met the princess. Soon they fell in love with each other.

When you want to invite friends to a party, you'd better send them invitations. This is a good way to show your respect. Here are some ways of inviting friends to your party. 

Mailed Invitation: The most traditional way to invite your friends is to mail invitations. You need to write down all the information about the party, like the party time, place, clothes to wear, things to bring, phone number and so on. 

Online Invitation: You can also invite friends to a party through the Internet. You can buy some online invitations. Put pictures and videos in the online invitations and then e-mail them to your friends. 

Phone Call: If you want to save more time, you can just make a phone call. In this way, you can tell them more about your party. And you can hear if they are interested in the party. 

In person（亲自）: An in-person invitation can let you talk to your friends about the party and know their interests. But when you talk to the friends, you may forget some important information. So, you'd better prepare an invitation for them, too.