It was a cold snowy morning after the winter vacation. And it was my first day at my new school. I was walking alone slowly and worrying about lots of things. It was early and there weren't many people on the road. Suddenly a girl who was riding a bike on ice fell down. She was trying hard to get up but fell again. Without thinking, I went over and helped her. She said" thank you" with a smile and then rode away. Her words warmed me a lot.

    Finally, I got to school. The teacher led me to the classroom and introduced me to the class. Then he asked me to sit down beside a girl. I felt so nervous that I didn't dare to look at her. Soon the first class, English, started. Their textbooks were different from those in my old school. As I was wondering what to do, an English book appeared in front of me. "Let's share," the girl beside me said. "Hi, I'm Carrie." I looked up. It was the girl I helped this morning. Later on, we became good friends.

    From that I learned: To help others is actually to help ourselves!

D

B

    Most of us have ever imagined the life on a desert island. We sometimes imagine a desert island to be a sort of paradise(天堂) where the sun always shines. “Ripe fruit falls from the trees and you are free to sit around without any work. This is really a beautiful picture, isn't it? However, the other side of the picture is quite the opposite. Life on a desert island is awful. You either starve to death or live like Robinson Crusoe, waiting for a boat which never comes.

    Perhaps there is some truth in both these pictures, but few of us have had the chance to find out. We can only experience it in the story like the following.

    Many years ago, two men spent five days on a coral island and they wished that they could stay there longer. They were driving a badly damaged boat from the Virgin Islands to Miami to have it repaired. During the journey, their boat began to sink(下沉). They quickly put food, matches, and cans of beer into a rubber dinghy(救生筏) and rowed for a few miles across the Caribbean until they arrived at a tiny coral island.

    There were hardly any trees on the island and there was no water, but this did not seem to be a problem. The men collected rainwater in the rubber dinghy. As they had brought a gun with them, they had plenty to eat. They caught lobster and fish every day, and they thought they lived just like a king. Five days later, a tank passed by and saved them. However, they felt sorry that they had to leave

    There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it. A Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were resting their arms on it, and talking over its head. "Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse, "thought Alice;" only, as it's asleep, I believe it doesn't mind."

    The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it. "No room! No room!" they cried out when they saw Alice coming. "There's plenty of room!" said Alice angrily, and she sat down in a large armchair at one end of the table.

    "Have some wine, "the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.

    Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. "I don't see any wine, "she said.

    "There isn't any, "said the March Hare.

    "Then it was impolite of you not to offer it, "said Alice angrily.

    "It wasn't very civil of you to take your seat without invitation, "said the March Hare.

    "I didn't know it was your table, "said Alice;" it's laid for a great many more than three."

    "Your hair wants cutting, "said the Hatter. He had been watching Alice for some time.

    "You should learn not to give your personal ideas, "Alice said seriously;" it's very rude."

    The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this; but all he said was, "Why is a raven(乌鸦) like a writing-desk?"

    "Come, we shall have some fun now!" said Alice. "I'm glad they've begun asking riddles(谜语). I believe I can guess that, "she said loudly.

    "Do you mean that you think you can find out the answer to it?" said the March Hare.

    "Exactly so, "said Alice.

    "Then you should say what you mean, "the March Hare went on.

    "I do, "Alice quickly replied;" at least-at least I mean what I say-that's the same thing, you know. "

    …

    Finally, they all began to laugh at Alice.

——From Alice in Wonderland

    For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.

    But then we had Matthew, and Marvin, and the twins, Alisa, and Alan, and then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

    Money was tight (拮据的), as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree in the yard？Money doesn't grow on trees, you know."

    Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.

    Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow (垂柳), because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on — and I couldn't believe what I saw.

    There was a money tree in my yard!

    I went to have a look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. There was also a note among them, "Thank you for your time, Mom. We love you."

    Later, my children bought me tools, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.

    That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and take care of my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.

    I live in a city where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers, I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes— every time.

    I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!