Until last year, the saddest thing of my life was that my wife Alice and I couldn't have any children. So we always {#blank#}1{#/blank#} all the children in our street to our house for Christmas breakfast.

    Last year, Alice died. I was very {#blank#}2{#/blank#} and decided not to invite the children for Christmas breakfast. But Kathy and Pete, my next door {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, asked me to join them for dinner {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Christmas Eve.

    As soon as I arrived and took off my coat, Kathy asked me, “Do you have any milk at your house?”

    “Yes,” I {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. “If you need some, I'll go and get it right away.”

    “Oh, that's all right. Come and sit down. The kids have been {#blank#}6{#/blank#} for you. Just give Peter your keys and let him do it.”

    After a happy dinner with them, I went home. When I opened my door, I found my house had been decorated by Peter! It was just as {#blank#}7{#/blank#} as each Christmas before. At that moment, I wished that I could still serve the Christmas breakfast, but I had {#blank#}8{#/blank#} no preparations (准备) . Early the next morning, a little boy with a bag of candies {#blank#}9{#/blank#} my bell. Before I could ask him what was happening, he was joining by two of his friends. Within fifteen minuets, my house was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} of children, and I had all the food I needed for the usual Christmas breakfast. I had a happy breakfast with the children again.

English

    World language

    Once people {#blank#}1{#/blank#} a language that everybody in the world could understand. Now, for the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} time in human history, perhaps there is one -- English It is the official language in more than 50 countries and 250-300 million people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} it as a second language. Some say that half the world will be speaking it in the year 2050.

    Difficult to master?

    English is not the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} language to learn -- most of its common verbs are irregular and it has a large vocabulary -- at least 200, 000 words are in common use.

    User-friendly

    But some things make {#blank#}5{#/blank#} easy. For example, nouns don't have gender ( 性别) and the usages of verbs are simpler than other languages. There is {#blank#}6{#/blank#} one form to speak to someone directly -- "you". Adjectives don't agree {#blank#}7{#/blank#} nouns, and many nouns are often also verbs.

    English Is Everywhere

    Some other languages may have more speakers, like Chinese. But English {#blank#}8{#/blank#} in many different areas. It is the language of transport: most airline pilots and air-traffic controllers use it. At {#blank#}9{#/blank#} English is the international language of communication.

    The Future of English

    What is the future of English as a global language? Will {#blank#}10{#/blank#} language ever replace it? Many think not -- it is already too popular.