As we all know there are all kinds of clubs in US middle schools, such as music club, sports club, chess club, swimming club. But do you know homework club? It is a popular club in many US middle schools. More and more students spend(花费) their afternoons at homework clubs. The US middle school students need a quiet place to study. But games, computers and TVs are all around kids at home. So the homework club is just for them to do their homework. The club is quiet and it's good for students to study. Some teachers are there, too. They can answer students' questions and help with their homework.

    After the students finish their homework, they can go home. Then they can play games or watch TV happily.

Kian Hamer, 14-year-old, has become one of the youngest members (成员) of Mensa. Mensa is an international organization (国际组织) for IQ (智商). Mensa has about 110,000 members all over the world. Only eight percent of the members are under 16. Kian's IQ is 162 and it's two points higher than Albert Einstein's.

Mensa sent a letter to Kian's home. The letter wrote, "Kian is one of the cleverest people in the world." Kian is really excited to join Mensa. He always works hardest on everything he does. Although people call him a genius (天才), he still wants to be a football player when he grows up. He loves playing football very much.

His dad Rich Hamer said, "Kian is clever but I'm not calling him a genius like others. I want him to keep his feet on the ground. He needs to study hard all the time. Never be proud (骄傲). He always does well at school. He works really hard and always tries his best."

I was feeling a little blue because my mother had lost her job.

One day, while I was 1 in the street, I heard the piano music and singing rising above the noise of the people. I walked more slowly to 2 where it was coming from. Then I saw a young lady sitting at a piano.

She was singing songs about love, 3 yourself and keeping on trying. The way she was singing made me a little comfortable. I stood there 4 , watching her playing on such a crowded New York square. I thought that she must be 5 enough to perform(表演) in front of so many people.

She noticed me. I walked over and told her how good her 6 sounded. "Thank you," she said.

"I have been going through a hard time, 7 you've made me hopeful again," I said to her.

"I'm glad that I could help," she replied. "Why are you so 8 ?"

"Well, my mum has lost her job, and I'm not sure what to do..."

"Did you notice the 9 you were walking? Your head was down," she said. "Don't be upset, because 10 comes in different ways and if your head is down, you might not see it. You should 11 more... Lift your head up."

I looked 12 her, amazed at how she was encouraging me. "13 are you playing the piano here?" I asked her with a smile.

She 14 that she saw a lot of unhappy people in the world and she tried to cheer 15 up by playing music.

I smiled a little wider, realising that no difficulties could stop me from going on.

Xiao Qing is a schoolboy. His brother works in a hospital of Beijing. This summer his brother lets him come to Beijing. Xiao Qing is very happy. He comes to the hospital for the first time.

One evening Xiao Qing's brother gives him a ticket for a football match. It begins in the Capital Stadium (首都体育馆) at eight clock in the evening.

Xiao Qing likes to watch football matches very much, but he doesn't know the way to the Capital Stadium. He asks a young man at the bus stop, "How much is the ticket to the Capital Stadium?" "Three yuan. "Answers the young man.

Xiao Qing finds only two yuan in his pocket. He has to run to the next stop. When the bus comes to the stop, he sees the young man again. He asks the young man, "Now how much is the ticket?"

"Four yuan," the young man says with a smile. "You run in a contrary direction."(相反的方向)

In China, Spring Festival is a very big event. We usually celebrate 1 with the sound of fireworks and crackers. But do you know 2 people from many more countries around the world also celebrate Chinese New Year?

 This winter holiday, I 3 to Bangkok, Thailand. 4 I first arrived in the city center, I was amazed that many windows had posters saying" Happy Chinese New Year". Many people were wearing red clothes and qipao. And there was 5 sign saying" Lucky Chinese New Year" in the biggest shopping area in Bangkok! So I 6 put on my qipao and walked down the street to enjoy the atmosphere. Many people from different countries smiled at me and said" hello" to me in Chinese.

 At night, there were beautiful fireworks 7 the river in the city center.

 The next day, it was surprising 8 a message from a pen friend in the UK. He told me that they knew Chinese culture and customs 9 and were taking part in the celebrations.

10 unforgettable Spring Festival for me! It is great to be a Chinese.

Last week I went to an art show. A painting caught my eyes. To my amazement, it was painted by Steven, one of my {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Then many things about him came into my mind.

Steven was from a poor family. His parents{#blank#}2{#/blank#}not afford to buy him some basic things that he needed. Once our school provided gloves for poor children. I put Steven's name on the list. He was so {#blank#}3{#/blank#} when he received a pair. He loved to wear them and they were always {#blank#}4{#/blank#} than anybody else's. 

Steven had a gift(天赋) for painting and he could {#blank#}5{#/blank#} understand what I described in class. But he didn't have money to buy the paper for painting. So sometimes, I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} him some. He parctised hard. And I often showed his paintings of the class. He was greatly {#blank#}7{#/blank#}.

One day just before the summer vacation, he came to {#blank#}8{#/blank#} some art books. When the new term began, he showed some of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} paintings to me. I felt shocked . They were very good. Then we talked a lot. He said he would keep on. 

Later he was admitted(录取) to a famous art university. After graduation, he had many difficulties, but he never gave up. He was always {#blank#}10{#/blank#} his best to improve himself. His hard work and strong mind led to his success.