Summer vacation is coming. The Parkers are taking a 1 to Sanya. How will 2 go there? They have 3 ideas. The son Dale says, “Let's take the 4. Taking a journey by train is really relaxing. We 5 enjoy the beautiful scenery（风景） from the window.” The daughter Alice says, “ But the train station is far from our 6. If we go there by train, we have to 7 early. So let's drive a car.” “8?” asks Dale. “Because we can stop at any time we 9,” answers Alice. “But I think taking a journey by car is 10. What about taking a bus?” asks Dale. “Oh, I don't like that. There are always 11 people on the bus, and it 12 a long time,” says Alice. Then they go to ask for their 13 ideas. Mr. Parker wants to take the plane because it's the fastest (最快的) way. He says that they shouldn't spend too much time on the way, 14 they won't have much time to visit the city. But Mrs. Parker wants to go by ship, because it is cheap (便宜的) and they can save some 15. Which do you think is the best way?

    Mr. White with his wife was now living at a small Italian hotel. Last year they had stayed in Italy for months on holiday. One night he went out for a walk1. It was late. The small street was dark and 2. Suddenly he heard steps behind him. He 3 his head and saw a middle-aged woman with wild hair， who quickly walked past him. The woman was 4 out of sight when Mr. White suddenly found that his watch was 5. He thought it was the passing woman who had taken his watch， 6 he ran quickly after her and soon caught up with her. As he knew 7 Italian， Mr. White had to ask the woman to8 the watch in another way. He showed the woman his strong arms and pointed to her watch pocket. The woman thought a while and gave the watch to Mr. White.

    Mr. White returned home and told his wife 9had happened. He was greatly 10 when Mrs. White pointed to the watch on the table. Now he found it was he himself that had taken the Italian's watch.

    Long long ago, there was a swan（天鹅） with golden feathers（金羽毛）. She lived in a lake. A woman lived in a small house1the lake with her two daughters. They were very poor. They worked hard all year round, 2 still, they lived a hard life and sometimes they even didn't have enough3to buy food.

    The swan was4to see that. She said to herself, "I'll give one of my5to them each day, then they can live a happy life with the money selling my feathers." That evening, she6to the poor woman's house and left a golden feather on the table without saying7. From then on, the swam came every day and gave them a feather. The woman was very happy because their life was much8 than before.

    But day after day, the woman became greedy（贪婪）. She said to her9."The swan may fly away one day. If so, we will be poor again. We should take all10feathers when she comes next time."

    "Oh, no, Mom!" cried the daughters, "This will11the swan. She helps us a lot!" But the mother wouldn't listen. When the12came as usual, the mother caught her and took all her feathers. But suddenly, the golden feathers13chicken feathers. Then, the Golden Swan said, "Poor Woman, I came to14you, but you wanted to kill me. Now, I am leaving and will15come back. Never be greedy!" With these words, the swan flew away.

    About five hundred years ago, an earthquake (地震) happened in a small village. Luckily for them, nothing was destroyed (毁坏) and no one was hurt. But a huge stone fell from a nearby mountain and stopped in the middle of the road.

    When the earthquake stopped, many people came to the road and saw the stone. Some of the strongest men tried to lift the stone out of the road. But they couldn't move it. They tried to push it but failed. They tried to pull it with ropes but nothing worked.

    "Well," they said sadly, "there's nothing we can do about it. We'll have to change the way."

    At this time a boy about 12 years old said, "I think I can help you to move the stone away.

    "You?" they shouted. "What are you talking about?" The men all laughed at the boy.?

    The next morning, some people came into the road. One of them shouted, "The stone is gone." More people ran out to see what had happened. It was true. The stone wasn't on the road any longer. It wasn't even near the road.

    The boy walked over to where the stone had been and said, "I buried it."

    The people looked rather surprised. "You see," he said, "I dug a deep hole next to the stone and I dug a small incline (斜坡) up to the stone and the stone rolled (滚) down into the hole itself. Then I covered it with earth."

    The villagers shouted, "Clever boy! Clever boy!" And some of them said, "Why didn't we think out this good idea?"

    I used to feel hopeless and frustrated. Last year my mother became 1ill and had an operation on her brain. I felt my whole world turn upside down and I had no 2what I could do to help her to reduce her pain. My eyes were filled with tears 3I was alone.

    Last month I 4a watch, which was an 18﹣year﹣old birthday gift from my father. I could not fall asleep for a couple of nights because I felt5about the loss.

    There have been many bad things like these in my life. I could never know how to deal with such tough things6I read" If You Have a Lemon, Make Lemonade".

    "When the wise man is handed a lemon, he says, 'What 7can I get from this? How can I improve my situation? How can I turn this lemon into a lemonade?'" the author wrote.

    I suddenly 8that life is full of ups and downs, so I need to stay positive all the time. Now when I think of my past, I wish I could have done with things 9. When my mother was fighting against her illness, I should have held her hands in mine, telling her things would get better10hiding and crying.

    Several weeks ago, I took part in a school singing competition. I didn't 11a prize. If I had not read this article, I would certainly have felt 12again. But instead, I smiled after the competition. I was happy that 13I had got some stage experience.

    Life is not just a bed of roses. There are thorns （刺） 14, but these thorns help us become brave and strong. When life 15us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.

    My name is John. I was a quiet boy at school. I wanted to do well in my study, 1it was not easy. I was trying to make high grades. However, I just could not find a 2 to do as well as the very smart kids. I became 3 and lost hope. I just started not to care about the grades and4 I would graduate(毕业) or not.

    Then one day I suddenly realized there were not5days of school left.  It scared me. I was6 an F in my English class all because of nay attitude(态度). I tried to blame(责备) it on nay7 , but the fact was that the only person stopped me from8 the exam was myself. So, I wanted to change. From that day on, I started working really 9 . And I kept asking for 10 when I couldn't work out the problems. A few weeks later, I was glad to see my grades go 11little by little.

    At the end of the school year, my teacher 12 me in the hallways. She told me she was proud of my coming back and she was glad to see my 13 . What she said to me made me feel so good. When I graduated from school, I felt I was the 14person in the world.

    Believe in yourself and try your best. 15 good studying ways and hard work, everyone can learn better and better.