The Phone Call

        It was getting dark. Paul looked out of the window and signed (叹气). Dad said he would come home by 5:30, but it was almost 7:00. Even if Dad came back, it wouldn't be much fun playing 1 in the dark. Paul walked into his room and threw his baseball into the corner. He tried to do some homework, but couldn't.

      The phone rang at about 8:00. It was Dad: “Paul, I'm 2, but I couldn't play baseball with you tonight. I have to finish my work at

the office. Maybe we can play this weekend. Oh no. How about next weekend?....”

       Paul couldn't understand why Dad was so 3. He threw himself into the sofa and soon fell asleep. His book was still opened to the

 first page.

      The next day at school, Paul didn't hand in his homework and 4 a test. Mrs. Green, his teacher, asked him to stay after school. “Paul, you didn't do your homework. You didn't pass the test and only got a D. This isn't like you. What's wrong?”

      Paul just sat there5 . “Paul, if you don't want to talk, I will. I know that something's worrying with you, but you have to get it out. You need to tell someone.”

      As Paul walked home, he thought of what Mrs. Green said. Maybe he didn't do his homework because he wanted to get his dad's _6 . He knew Mrs. Green was right. He decided to take her advice.

      When Paul got home, he 7his dad. But there was no answer. Then it went to voicemail (语音信箱). Paul began talking: “Dad, I can't play with you next weekend. I've got lots of problems with my homework. Also, I really don't want to spend another day looking out of the window and waiting. Whenever you 8our plans, Dad, it hurts me. It's not too late to rebuild our relationship, but we have to start small. Maybe you can help me with my 9sometime. Dad, I love you.”

      As Paul ended the call, he felt much relaxed. He didn't know whether his dad would be different, but it didn't matter. He himself __10. He expressed his feelings to the right person. He had a clear head as he was doing his homework that evening.

    Mike Tam is a 16-year-old boy. He has many good habits(习惯)－he 1 every morning and reads books every night. He does well in studies and his favorite 2 are science and history.

    Both of Mike's parents are good 3. When Mike was four years old, his father 4 to teach him how to swim. After two months of learning, Mike could swim 5 a fish.

    Each week, Mike has to spend at least 16 hours 6. He spends two 7 practicing swimming every day before school. After morning practice, he goes to school by 8. He likes riding bikes, 9 it is good for his health.

    On Saturday, he gets up at 7:00 a.m. He 10 in the pool for four hours. After that, he goes home to do his homework. He 11 watching movies, so he goes to the cinema(电影院) every Sunday. “It helps me to 12 to watch movies with my friends,” he said. His parents often go to the pool on weekends to encourage(鼓励) 13 when they don't have to 14.

    Mike doesn't 15 spending a lot of time practicing. “I love swimming, and practice can help me get good results in competitions(比赛),” he said.

    Have you ever heard of Zhou Yang? She is now well known as a(n) 1 short track speed skater.

    Zhou Yang is not an overnight 2. She was born in a poor family in Changchun on 9 June. 1991 and started 3 at the age of 8. She fell in love with the 4 at once when she put on her skate shoes to train for the first time. Soon her talent for short track speed skating was 5. Zhou Yang trained hard and made her way into the national team at last.

    In the World Championships in 2008. Zhou Yang set a world record in the 1,500m event. Zhou Yang 6 herself again at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Her performance gave China the first gold medal in the women's 1,500 metres in the Winter Olympics—China had 7 won the event before.

    "Winning 1,500m is my dream, 8 I still have one more dream, winning the relay (接力) competition," Zhou Yang said.

    Her "one more dream" came true when she and her 9 won the women's 3000m short track relay with a new world record. 10 a great player she is!

    "I have lots of dreams," said Laurie. He lay down and looked up at the sky.

    "Tell us about your favorite one, Laurie," Meg said.

    "Only if you tell me about 1," the boy replied.

    The girls agreed, so Laurie began.

    "I want to travel around the world and 2 lots of places. Then I'd like to become a famous musician. 3 wants me to be a businessman like him. But I don't 4 money or business. I just want to enjoy myself."

    "5 don't you get on a ship and sail away?" said Jo.

    "No, Jo," said Meg quickly.

    "That isn't right. Laurie, you must do what your grandfather wants. He loves you."

     "Perhaps you are right, Meg," Laurie said. "My grandfather is old and he doesn't have 6 else. He only has me. Tell us about your favorite dream, Meg!"

    "I'd like a lovely house, 7 of all kinds of nice things — good food, pretty clothes and 8 furniture," Meg said." And lots of money, of course. I'd also like to help people."

    "And what about a 9 and some beautiful children in your lovely house?" said Jo, laughing. Meg looked at Laurie and her face 10 red.

    "I suppose you want horses and books in your house, Jo!" she replied.

    "You're right! Lots of Arabian 11 and rooms full of books," said Jo. "I want to 12 books and be a rich and famous writer. That's my favorite 13. And yours, Beth?"

    "I dream about staying at home with Father and Mother and looking after the family. I don't want anything else." said Beth 14.

    "My favorite dream is to be a(n) 15. I want to paint wonderful pictures." said Amy.

    "Let's meet again in ten years and see how many of us have got our wishes," said Jo.

—taken from Little Women

An old farmer lived with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was always up early to read. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! What good does reading do?"

Grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out(漏出) before he got back home. Grandpa laughed, "You'll have to move a little faster next time." This time the boy ran faster, but again the same took place. It was an impossible task.

The old man said, "You're just not trying hard enough." So the boy tried a third time and failed. He said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless? Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had turned from a dirty coal basket into a clean one inside and outside.

"You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read, you will be changed, inside and outside."

Mother Cat has four lovely children. On a sunny day，she is playing games with her children in the park. Later，they are hungry，so she asks her children to get some bananas on the tree，but no one wants to do it. Mother Cat has to do it herself. 

After some hours，Mother Cat gets a lot of bananas. She asks her children，"Who would like to take these bananas home？" But they don't want to do it ， so she takes the bananas back home. After getting home，she asks，"*Who will make fruit salad with the bananas？" They all say

After she makes the salad，she says to them，"who wants to eat the salad？""Me!"， "No，you can't. You don't want to do anything before making the salad. You must know 'No pains