Last week I took a train home. My friend gave me her newspaper and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (say) there was an article(文章) I would like. I opened the newspaper. I saw a picture of a little girl and her mother, and there were some words {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the picture. It {#blank#}3{#/blank#} "Mom, do caterpillars (毛虫) know they become butterflies (蝴蝶), or does God surprise them? "I was very {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (surprised) to see these words. They let me remember something about myself.

    Two years ago, doctors told me that {#blank#}5{#/blank#} was very difficult for me to be a mother. But I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (real) wanted to be a mom. Would God surprise me and let me have a {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (child)? After two weeks, it was Christmas Day. My husband gave me a present. It was a butterfly ring. I liked it very much. A few {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (day) later, I learned I was pregnant (怀孕的). I had waited for four years. Finally, I had my own baby. Life is full of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (hope). Maybe some surprises are {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (wait) for you in the future.

    Tofu is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} kind of popular food in China. Here is one of the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(story) about how it was invented.

    In the Han dynasty, there was a man {#blank#}3{#/blank#} loved his parents very much. But they were{#blank#}4{#/blank#} old that they could only eat soft food, so the man decided {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(cook) some soybeans (大豆) for them. He mashed the soybeans and made them into a soup.

    The soybean soup didn't taste very {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (good) in the beginning because there were too many soybean crumbs (碎屑) in it. The man took the crumbs away, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} his parents still didn't like it. He thought and thought many times. At last he {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(add) some salt and heated it again. When the soup cooled down, it turned {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a piece of jelly (胶状物).

    The man was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (surprise) by its taste and his parents loved it very much. Finally, people around the country all learned how to make tofu. And this is how tofu was invented.

    Children today have many things to play with. They can watch television, surf {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Internet, or play video games. But what do you think children {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (do) for fun long ago? They read books. 

    Some of you might ask, "Are books {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (real) fun?" Believe it or not, books provide many things that television or computers cannot. Since books use only words {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (tell) a story, they can improve your imagination. You can picture the characters and background in your head and you can also imagine {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the characters feel.

    The words and sentences that are used in storytelling are also very interesting and usually cannot {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (find) often on television or on websites. They are sometimes so beautiful and touching {#blank#}7{#/blank#} they can bring tears to your eyes

    Books also help us to think harder and {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (deep). As we continue to read, we ask questions to {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (our) and try to find answers.

    These are some of the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (reason) why books are so fun to read. Remember: the more you read, the more you grow.

Dear Tom,

    I am {#blank#}1{#/blank#} China now. Everything {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (go) well with tile. I hope you and Peter are very well too. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} is Christmas Day today. I think you must get many {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (present).

    Things in Beijing {#blank#}5{#/blank#} different. I'm very happy {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (see) the white Christmas. There is snow(雪) here and there, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the snow is very thick(厚的) on the ground. 1 like to go out to play {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the snow with my friends. Now it must be very hot in Australia. Do you often go {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (swim)? I cannot swim here, but I'm learning to ski. It's {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (real) interesting.

    Please write to me soon.

Yours,

Daniel