When Helen was in the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} grade, she joined the city {#blank#}2{#/blank#} competition. She practiced dancing {#blank#}3{#/blank#} five hours every day and her dancing teacher came four times a week to help her. Then the big day finally {#blank#}4{#/blank#} .She was so nervous when they called her name. She went up and started to dance. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} she was dancing, everyone sat quietly and watched carefully. She danced {#blank#}6{#/blank#} making any mistakes. Then she waited for them to called out the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} of the competition. When she heard her name, her heart was beating so {#blank#}8{#/blank#} that she thought she would stop breathing. She {#blank#}9{#/blank#} believe it. She {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the first place in the city dancing competition. It was the happiest day of her life.

    David received a parrot for his birthday. The parrot had a poor vocabulary, and many were not {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. David tried hard to change the bird's words and was often saying polite words, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} soft music, trying anything he could  think of to set a good example. But nothing {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. He shouted at the bird and the bird just got angry and became{#blank#}4{#/blank#} less polite .Finally，without any hope，David put the bird in the fridge. For a few moments he heard the bird kick and cry {#blank#}5{#/blank#} in it. Then suddenly it was quiet-not a sound for half a minute. David was frightened that he might have hurt the bird and quickly opened the fridge door. The parrot quietly {#blank#}6{#/blank#} out onto David's arm and said，"I believe that I may have made you angry {#blank#}7{#/blank#} me about my impolite language and {#blank#}8{#/blank#} . I will try my best at once to be polite. I am really sorry and beg {#blank#}9{#/blank#} pardon. "

    David was surprised at the bird's change，and he was just to ask what had made such a {#blank#}10{#/blank#} change when the parrot went on saying, "May I ask what the chicken in the fridge did?"

    My birthday was a few days ago. Now I'm 24 years old and I'm 46 {#blank#}1{#/blank#} with teaching. I didn't remember my birthday until the morning of the 20th. It was just like a normal day, no gifts, no party, no cake... and 1 prefer it that way. When I was younger, I always felt sad that almost 47 {#blank#}2{#/blank#} remembered my birthday, not even my family. But now I don't care anymore, from 23 to 24, not much difference. This month I have several foreign students {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Chinese with me. I give lessons privately, so I {#blank#}4{#/blank#} to do quite a lot of work before each lesson. So far I'm getting more {#blank#}5{#/blank#} in teaching foreigners Chinese, and I think it's a very cool job. When I was at {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, I wanted to follow these native English speakers. They can {#blank#}7{#/blank#} to foreign countries and get teaching jobs easily almost anywhere even {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they're not real teachers. I complained Chinese people didn't have as many chances as people from the West. But now things are {#blank#}9{#/blank#}. As China is becoming stronger, Chinese is becoming more and more {#blank#}10{#/blank#}, and maybe, in the future I can get teaching jobs in foreign countries. I'll study more and get ready.