"Don't sleep in class, Jack!" shouted the teacher. "You are 1, sir," Jack stood up and said, "I'm thinking about the question now. I'm not 2."

    "I'm sorry," said the teacher. "Would you like 3 my question?" asked the teacher. "Certainly," said Jack. "What is it?" "Why does the moon sometimes look like a(n) 4 and sometimes look like a sickle(镰刀)?" asked the teacher. "Oh, this question is 5," said Jack. " 6 it is full, it looks like a plate. It 7 like a sickle when it is 8, just like my stomach." Jack's answer made the class 9. The teacher was unhappy.

    "Why do we have the sun in the 10 and don't have the sun at night?" "This question is easier than that one," said Jack. "When we work in the day, we need the sun. When we go to bed at night, we don't need the sun."

    Charlie came from a poor village. His parents had 1 money to send him to school when he was young. The boy was very2 . Mr. King lived next to him. He knew it and lent some 3 to him. So the boy could go to school. He studied hard and 4all his lessons. When he finished middle school, Mr King introduced him to his friend in the town,  5 he began to work.

    Once Mr. King was hurt 6  in an accident. He was dying and he asked Charlie to take care of his 7, Sharon. The young man agreed and several years later he married the girl. He loved her very much and tried his best to make8  happy. He often bought delicious food for her. He was good at cooking and he cooked 9 for her. So she became very fat. And one day she found there was something wrong with her heart and she had to go to 10 at once. The doctors looked her over and told her 11 eat meat, sugar, chocolate and things like these. She was afraid 12 the doctor's words , so she wrote all the names of the food on the paper. When she got home, she put the paper on the table and 13. When she came back home that afternoon, she found many kinds of 14 : meat, sugar and chocolate in the kitchen. Charlie was busy 15 there. When he saw her, he said happily, "I bought all the food you like, dear!"

    A poor woodcutter and his wife lived in the forest in a small hut. It was 1small that it was only large enough for him and his wife2 in.3a cold night, somebody knocked at the door.4woodcutter opened the door and wanted to let the stranger in. His wife said, “I'm afraid we don't have that much space.” The man laughed5 said, “Two can sleep well, three can sit.” And then the stranger6 to come in and they all sat telling stories to each other.

    Then came7 knock. The woodcutter told the stranger, “Friend, open the door.” And the man said, “But there is no space.” The woodcutter said, “8 three people can sit 9 four people can sit a little10”.

    The stranger opened the door, and a man entered. Suddenly, a strange knock11did not seem to be human's was heard! The woodcutter said, “Open the door. I know who12. It is my donkey.” Everyone said, “13is the donkey going to stand?” The man said 14 all stand when the donkey15 in.

    US President Barack Obama came to Shanghai on the night of November 15, 2009 and began his four-day visit to China. This was his first visit to China 1 he became US president. In the following days he was very busy, 2 he still spent some time visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. It took him nearly one hour to 3the Forbidden City on Tuesday. 4 Wednesday afternoon, he took a quick 5of the Great Wall at Badaling. There, he enjoyed a moment of peace. His visit to Chinese places of interest showed his respect (尊重) to 6 culture. And it was a good time for him to relax during a 7 trip as well. He said, “The Forbidden City is magnificent (华丽的) place to visit and I will 8 with my girls and my wife.” When he stood on the Great Wall, Obama said, “It's magical (不可思议的).It reminds (使想起) you of the sweep (进程) of 9.”

    In fact, Obama has always dreamed of visiting the Great Wall. Now he is really a 10 man. Just as the Chinese saying, “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.”

The Tradition

    Luis's whole family meet every June to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. Before everyone sits down to eat, each person has to tell a personal story they have about1. Some family members tell the same story year after year. Luis, for example, had his usual story about the time Grandpa taught him how to take care of a vegetable garden.

    The stories are a tradition. And now that most of the grandchildren are old enough to 2, the tradition could go on for quite a while. Last year, it took three hours. Luis tried hard not to yawn (打哈欠) as he listened to all the same old stories.

    This year, Uncle Frank and Aunt Teresa have dinner ready early and call everyone to eat.

    "What about the 3? Luis asks.

    "There's just not enough time this year, with so many people," Uncle Frank says.

    After hearing this, Luis feels relieved (如释重负). But he also feels a little4as he sits down at the long dining table. Without the tradition, Grandpa's birthday feels like any other holiday the family share.

    Luis looks at the plate of vegetable salad. "You know, I wouldn't know how to pick a tomato right if it wasn't for Grandpa," he says softly.

    "I wouldn't know how to drive a car," says Aunt Teresa.

    "I wouldn't know how to turn a paperclip into a safety pin," adds Uncle Felix. "That sure saved the day at Edna's wedding (婚礼)!" Everyone laughs and smiles at each other at the reminder of that well—known family story.

    It was a 5birthday. Conversations run like water, and the food is wonderful. But something tells Luis that next year, the tradition of telling stories will6.