In most countries, people usually have {#blank#}1{#/blank#} food on special holidays. A special day in the United States is Thanksgiving. It is on the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Thursday in November, and is a time to give {#blank#}3{#/blank#} for food in the autumn. At this time, people also remember the first {#blank#}4{#/blank#} from England who came to live in America about 400 years ago. They had a long, hard winter, and many of them {#blank#}5{#/blank#} . In the next autumn, they gave thanks for life and food in {#blank#}6{#/blank#} new home. These days, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} still celebrate this idea of giving thanks by {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a big meal at home with their family. The main dish of this meal is almost turkey, a large bird.

    Growing up in England, the happiest thing for my classmates and I was reading stories. Among them, The Ugly Duckling (《丑小鸭》) was a popular one.

    The classic story of The Ugly Duckling describes a poor young bird. All the ducks {#blank#}1{#/blank#} for his ugly appearance—small and grey. Feeling sad, he begins a journey of self—discovery. Finally one day, he looks down into a pond. He {#blank#}2{#/blank#} his reflection (倒影) in the water. He was never an ugly duckling, but a beautiful swan.

    This great children's fairy tale has been a hit for years. It's even been {#blank#}3{#/blank#} a musical and Disney film. In fact, this year is the story's 175th birthday. Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen wrote it in 1843. The story teaches us many valuable lessons. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, we should not judge a person by his or her appearance. It is inner beauty that makes a person special. What's more, one should think of other people's feelings. The story's positive messages are saved by the world. Today, we use the phrase “ugly duckling” as a metaphor {#blank#}5{#/blank#}poor or bad that grows into something successful or beautiful.