Keeping a diary in English is one of the effective ways to improve our English writing ability.

    Compared with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(little) time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. If we persist in this practice, gradually we'll learn how {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（express）ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(difficult). In the first place, it often happens that we have trouble in {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(find) appropriate words and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(be) many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. And it is extremely hard for us to put them into English {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(proper).

    As far as I am {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(concern), my suggestion is {#blank#}8{#/blank#}we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary within easy reach. Whenever something beats us, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also ask our English teacher {#blank#}9{#/blank#}help, if necessary. In short, I believe that it is of great use to keep a diary in English for {#blank#}10{#/blank#}development of our writing skills.

    An old Japanese man kept a sparrow{#blank#}1{#/blank#}which he was very fond. One day it flew away. He went out,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (look) all over the place for his sparrow. At last, he met his sparrow. “I missed you very much, sparrow.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}you follow me home ? "{#blank#}4{#/blank#}the sparrow was happy to see the old man, it shook{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(it) head. There were many other birds. They all looked healthy. "I am glad you have good companions, dear sparrow." said the old man. When it was time for the old man to leave, the sparrow gave him a basket as a present. "Well," said the old man's wife{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(anger) when he returned, "where have you been all day?" "I have been to the home of my lost sparrow”, replied he. When he opened the basket he was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(amaze) to find it was full of gold. The old woman was very greedy. But she used to treat it very badly. She unashamedly asked for a present. “Alright”，replied the sparrow, “I offer you two{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(choose). One basket is light and the other is heavy{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(pick )one out，and you can take it home.” The greedy old woman cried out, "I'll take{#blank#}10{#/blank#}heavy one. " So the old woman carried the heavy basket breathlessly all the way. But when she arrived home and opened the basket, it was full of stones.

    She is widely seen as example that good looks can last forever. At nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa. The health of the famous picture, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (paint) by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1505, is getting {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (bad) by the year, according to the Louvre Museum where it is housed.

    Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as secret as the smile. Da Vinci {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (him) loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (final) sold to France's King Francis I in 1519.

    In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} took it out of the museum placed under his coat. He said he planned to return it to Italy. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} painting was sent back to France two years later.

    During World War II, French {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (hide) the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

    Like many old {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (lady), the Mona Lisa has some interesting stories {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (tell).

    More and more public schools in America make it a rule that students must finish a certain amount of community service {#blank#}1{#/blank#} they are allowed to graduate from high school. They work on projects like making the environment better or {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (feed) homeless people.

    Many school systems in the United States now ask students {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (do) some kinds of community service as part of their studies. Students involved in service projects help {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (they) as well as their communities. They learn about the needs of people and aid {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (organize).For this reason, holidays {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (become) the prime period for volunteer work so far. Volunteers get no pay, but experts point out that it is {#blank#}7{#/blank#} excellent opportunity to learn and practice new skills.

    According to the statistics, more than 60% of young Americans have participated {#blank#}8{#/blank#} different kinds of community service, such as cooking for homeless people, or painting old buildings, etc. Some students like to do their volunteer work in {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (centre) parts of America, but the majority of teens prefer to do it in their hometowns. Tom, a 16-year-old middle school student in California, often {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (do) community service in a local hospital. He works 16 hours every week either receiving calls at the information desk, or helping push patients back to their wards (病房).