Different people have different skin（皮肤）. Some have black skin. Some have yellow skin, and some have white skin. There was a woman in Alaska. Her skin was orange. It was almost the color of orange juice.

    How did her skin become orange? She ate lots of tomatoes, carrots, and squashes (南瓜). She ate too many orange things. That's why her skin turned orange.

    The woman didn't want her skin to be orange, so she went to see the doctor. The doctor said. “Stop eating orange things. Eat some green things.” The woman did so, and her skin wasn't orange any more.

    A school was near my home and I often watched the kids from my window when they played basketball. One day, I saw a little girl playing with boys. 1played very well and no one could stop her. Sometimes, I saw her play 2 She often practiced by herself until dark.

    One day I asked her 3 she practiced so much. She said, “I want to go to university. The only way I can go is to get a scholarship（奖学金）. I like to play basketball. If I play well, I can get a scholarship. My Daddy told me that if the 4is big enough and work hard for it, I can be successful.” Then she smiled and ran to go practice. 

    I watched her through junior high and into high school. Every week, she and her school team won in the basketball matches.

    One day, I saw her 5 in the grass. I went over there and sat down beside her. I asked her what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” she answered, “I am just too short.” The coach told her that she would probably never play for a university team，so she should 6 her dream about university.

    She was sad, but she told me that her father said those coaches were not 7. They did not understand the power of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good university, and wanted a scholarship,8could stop her.

    The next year, when she and her 9went to the Northern California match, a university recruiter（招生官员）noticed her and10 her a full scholarship. Her dream finally came true.

C

    My name is Lin Tao. I am a Chinese boy. Now I'm studying in America. There are many kinds of clubs here. When I first come here, I don't know anything about clubs. I'm a shy boy, so I can't speak English well. In my first year in America, I don't like to speak to others. In my second year I have to change (改变) myself by doing some new things. I realize that school is not just about getting good grades (成绩), it's also about being part of a club. One day, when I go to the Media Center with my classmate Jim, he tells me something about the club. It's interesting, so I join it. I am in many clubs now. It's good to be part of a club. These clubs help me to make new friends.

    Mr. Brown is a teacher. He is from New York, America. He would like to work in China because he likes our country. He thinks Chinese people are very friendly and he likes to live in China. He is happy to work in our school. He likes the school life here. He teaches English. There are 50 students in his class. Mr. Brown is kind. He and his students are good friends, too.

    Now some of Mr. Brown's students are playing sports on the playground(操场). Bill and Mike aye playing tennis. Tom and John are playing ping-pong. The other students are playing basketball. Mr. Brown is happy to play basketball with them. They really have a good time.

    Tyler was a troublesome student. He sat in the back row. Every time I called him to answer questions, he'd reply with a flip(轻率的)answer. If he got it wrong, he would get very angry.

    Usually kids could sit quietly in class. However, Tyler was just loud. One day, Tyler was talking while I was teaching. I said to him, "Tyler, why not join in our discussion instead of having one of your own?" He got up from his chair, pushed it over, and shouted something I can't remember. I sent him to the office and he received a week's out-of-school punishment.

    The week was a wonderful time for me, but when it came to an end, I began to feel worried. So I came up with a plan. On the day of his return, I told him I wanted to start over with him. If he felt like he was going to lose control in class, he could step outside the door for a moment.

    From then on, Tyler was a changed student in my classroom. In fact he was a smart child and he even stopped a fight between two students one day. And he never used the privilege(特权)to leave the class for a moment. I believe that just letting him decide for himself made all the difference. When the year was over, he wrote me a thank-you note about how good the year had been for him. I still have it today and find it very moving to reread when I get stressed about teaching.

    Dale is seven. He can go to school. On the first day, his teacher teaches him three words "I, you, he". The teacher says, "I am your teacher. You are my student. He is your classmate, "After class, Dale goes home. His mother asks him, "What does your teacher teach you today?" Dale says, "Listen, mom, I am your teacher. You are my student." He points at(指着) his father and says, "He is your classmate." His mother says, "No, dear. You are not right." Then she says, "I am your mother. You are my son. He is your father. "The next day, Dale's teacher asks Dale to make sentences. Dale stands up and says, "I am your mother. You are my son. He is your father." All the students in Dale's class laugh.