A Welcome Gift

    Dario and his mother loved their new apartment. The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them 1 side by side at the piano. They played jazz music to celebrate their new home. The loud 2 filled the room and made them feel very happy.

    The next morning, 3, their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a 4 under their door during the night. One of their neighbor had written to complain(抱怨) about the sound of the piano. Dario's mother asked the building superintendent(管理员) if he knew anything about it. But he said that they were all 5 people and he couldn't imagine any of them had done that. Later that morning, Dario suggested that they write a letter to their 6 and apologize for their playing.

    “Maybe we could go and 7 everyone in person.” his mother said. “What if we invited them to come here for a 8 instead? Dario asked. They both loved the 9. Over the next few days, they sent out invitations and prepared desserts 10 their guests. They decorated the apartment with streamers(彩带) and party lights.

    Finally, the day of the party 11. Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to 12. One woman, Mrs. Gilbert, 13 Dario's mother with a book of piano music by Chopin.

    “I heard you playing the other night,” she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed. I 14 that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note. I hope you don't think I disliked the playing.”

    Dario's mother smiled at Mrs. Gilbert. “I think maybe we 15 you an apology.” she said. “I didn't 16 how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.

    “You play, you play!” Mrs. Gilbert said. “I like what you play! Just not so loud at night.” She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such 17 music.”

    “These songs are beautiful music.” Dario's mother said. “We will be 18 to play them in the evening.”

    “And we won't play so loud or late!” Dario said. He was already looking forward to 19 the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big smile on his mother's face. It gave him a feeling of 20 and made him feel that they were home at last.

    A businessman, with a lot of money, was walking through a remote(偏远的) area. Upon1 this, a thief followed him, planning to2 his money at a certain time. The businessman(商人) noticed something was 3 and he started to pay much more 4to the thief.

    The businessman asked the thief if he5help find some water nearby, and when the thief went to6 the water, the businessman put all of his7into the thief's bag. Then the thief returned and told the businessman8the water was.9the businessman left to get some water, the thief quickly 10 the businessman's bag. Certainly, there was nothing that the thief 11

    The thief was12 but he still did not give up hope. After some time, the businessman returned and they both 13for a long time. Then the businessman got tired and 14 under a big tree. The thief again checked the businessman's bag and still did not find any money. So the thief 15 that the businessman did not actually have any money with him.

    Finally, they arrived at a city. When the thief went after a job and left his own bag behind, the businessman 16 in and took back all of his own money he had put there17When the thief came back, he was surprised to see that the businessman was 18some jewels with the money in his bag. The thief couldn't 19asking the question, “I didn't know you had money on the 20.” The businessman smiled to him, “Of course you didn't, because it is not yours.”

    Mrs. Brown was tired after her day's shopping in London, so she went into a restaurant for a cup of tea 1 catching the train home. When she had ordered her tea, she suddenly remembered that she had to buy some 2 for her husband, who had a cough.

    “Is there a chemist's near here?” she asked the waiter. “Yes, madam.” the waiter said. “It's only about three minutes' walk away. Turn right when you go out of the restaurant, then take the second turning to the left. You'll find a big chemist's about a hundred yards up the road on the right-hand side. It closes at five, but if you 3, you'll just get there in time.”

    Mrs. Brown followed the waiter's directions 4 and found the chemist's shop without any difficulty. She bought the cough mixture and started to 5 her way back to the restaurant. But after she had walked for about ten minutes and there was still no 6 of the restaurant, she realized that she must have made a mistake.

    “Oh! I am 7!” said Mrs. Brown. “I've left all my shopping in the restaurant and now I'm lost.”

    She was still wondering what to do when a policeman came 8 and asked if he could help. Mrs. Brown 9 what had happened.

    “Well, first of all,” said the policeman, “we had better go back as far as the chemist's”. “Now,” suggested the policeman, when they got to the chemist's, “let's go in this direction. It leads to the main road, where we shall probably find your restaurant.” When they reached the main road, the policeman said, “I think you'll find the restaurant you are looking for along there, on the opposite side of the road.” Mrs. Brown thanked the policeman for his help. “I can't 10 how I went wrong,” she said. The policeman smiled. “It's quite easy,” he said, “to get lost in a big city like London.”

    White clouds filled the sky. The sun's rays 1 through them, spreading cheer and 2. After the meal, Olivia lay back on the blanket, 3 the amazing sky and Dad was 4 the picnic food.

    “Dad, that 5 over there looks like a rhinoceros（犀牛）! There's a horn（角）, two ears and a long tail.” Olivia said.

    “Is there? I can't see it.” Dad sighed and 6 his head.

    “Oh, look, Dad. That cloud looks like a penguin.” Olivia turned to her father.

    “Do you see any 7 in the clouds, Dad?”

    “I see a turkey.” He rubbed his cheeks and 8 her closer with his warm hands.

    “Dad, I see a fighting lion, a running giraffe and a 9 parrot.”

    “I'm sorry to stop our fun, 10 it looks like rain” said Dad, 11 the picnic basket “Clouds don't get big 12 they're going to drop rain on us.”

    A raindrop 13 on Olivia's forehead.” You're right, Dad. I'll 14 the blanket.” The two rushed for the 15. On their way home Olivia 16 out of the window. “Is the sky always that 17 before a storm, Dad?”

    “Beauty is in the eye of the 18, my little angel.” It is 19 that there are some people who would never have seen a rhinoceros or a turkey in clouds. 20 the eyes of the child, the world is fresh and appealing each day.

    From an early age, Parker always said that he would be an astronaut when he grew up. But no matter how much he studied and took tests, he was never 1 to fly in space. 2 , he grew over the maximum age for taking the selection tests. In other words, he would never be able to fulfill his 3 .

    Thinking about all the time and 4 Parker had put into trying to be an astronaut, people felt 5 for him. Despite what he was told about having to 6 his ambition, Parker continued training and studying, 7  he was going to have the tests next month.

    He 8  as he got older, and when he was a very old man he heard that they were doing some very important 9 experiments. For those experiments they needed a very 10 astronaut. Parker, who now walked with a 11 was the only old man in the whole world who was 12 to fly in a rocket. Therefore, Parker found himself flying in 13 , all with the help of science. It was clear that the 14 gained during those missions helped to cure one of the worst sicknesses for old people, and Parker was 15 as a hero.

    Photos of the astronaut with a walking stick and no teeth 16 all over the world, and became a 17 of how you can never train or learn too much. It showed that 18 effort always brings 19 even though it may not be in the form we had first 20.

    Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.

    Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they1for a long time. They discussed the2they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, "I had a3house built for Mama." The second said, "I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer (奔驰经销商) send a4to her." The third said, "I built a beautiful 5for Mama." The fourth said, "You know6Mama loved reading poems and you know she can't read any more because she can't 7very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot that can recite many8. It took him 12 years to9it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years,10it is worth it." On hearing that, the other brothers were11by his good thought.

    After the holidays, their mother12 her thank -you notes, which read，"Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to clean the whole house. It's a (an)13job. Thanks anyway." "Marvin, I am too old to14.I stay home and have others work for me, so I'll15 use the car. The 16was good, although not realistic. Thanks."

    "Michael, you gave me an expensive building for many people to17plays or I watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I've almost18my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I won't use it. Thank you all the same.

    "Dearest Melvin, you are the19 son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so20. I liked it very much. Thank you."