I've dreamed of becoming a writer since I was a teenager. But {#blank#}1{#/blank#} isn't easy to get a book of mine published. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I've tried hard, none of my books have been published. This is really {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (upset).

    This morning, I received a call from a publisher and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (tell) once again that there was no way my book would be published. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (feel) sad, I left home and went to the park near my apartment. At the park, I sat down on the bench near the grass.

    While I was sitting there, I saw a little boy about one and a half years old. He was running on the grass, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} his mother not far behind him. He looked so happy when he enjoyed the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (free) of running on the grass. He then fell on the grass, but he quickly got up and continued {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (run) as fast as he could again even without looking back at his mother. He was still running with a smile on his face, as if nothing {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (happen).

    Seeing that, I was truly inspired. I {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (sudden) realized that I shouldn't get discouraged after experiencing failure. Instead, I should cheer up and keep on trying.

    In our daily life, we often meet with difficulties. Some people do nothing but wait, while others try hard to conquer{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Personally, we should face with difficulties positively and make every effort to overcome them.

    My memory drew me back to five years ago when I was {#blank#}2{#/blank#} middle school student. At that time, I had great trouble studying English. First of all, I felt it hard to memorize English {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (word). Besides I didn't dare to say anything in class when I{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (ask) questions. What annoyed me most was that I failed exams{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (constant). I was about to give up{#blank#}6{#/blank#} my English teacher found my problems. He encouraged me and gave me some good advice.So {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (inspire) by him, I decided to settle my problems. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (follow) his advice, I made progress gradually. I owe my achievement{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the teacher whose encouragement was of great {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (important).

    Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to sail a boat Wind is one of our cleanest and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (rich) power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills (风车) {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(begin) to be used in ancient Iran back in {#blank#}4{#/blank#} seventh century BC. They were first {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (introduce) to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (use) wind power.

    For many {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (century), people used windmills to grind (磨碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (they) to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radio. Today, there is a{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (globe) movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.

    April Fool's day is a day {#blank#}1{#/blank#} people can play jokes on others. No one knows for sure how this holiday began. Some English people hold the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (believe) that it began on the day during the 1200s. At that time, King John of England was in {#blank#}3{#/blank#} habit of making a road out of nearly every path he walked regularly. The citizens of one farm village were aware of this. To protect their grass and farms from being destroyed, they built a fence that prevented the king from walking through their countryside. The king sent a group of soldiers to inform the villagers to remove the fence. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} hearing that, however, the villagers developed a plan of their own. When the soldiers arrived, the villagers ran around and shouted wildly with things {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (throw) away everywhere, behaving as if they {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(go) mad. The soldiers reported to the king that they were so mad as to be beyond punishment. The villagers saved their farmland {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (success) by tricking the king. Now April's day {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (remain) in fashion, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the tradition only allows tricks from midnight to noon on April 1st. Those who try to play tricks in the afternoon act as {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(fool) themselves and are usually laughed at.

Cathy: Stan, do you have a minute?

Stan: Oh, hi, Cathy. What's up?

Cathy: Well, I am really {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (disappoint) with the situation in the office.

Stan: I am not in that very often. It is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} noisy that I can't work.

Cathy: Yeah. I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} have finished my papers yesterday, but Jack kept {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (ask) his students to come in and out.

Stan:  Has anybody spoken to him about it?

Cathy: No, not yet. So we should come up with an idea {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(stop) him doing that kind of things.

Stan: Yeah. I am not able to do my work and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} are you.

Cathy: Could we ask for a kind of meeting room? When teachers have to talk with their students, they could use the meeting room instead {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the office. You know, there is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} room down the hall.

Stan: You mean that little storage room? Oh, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} would be too small.

Cathy: Are you sure? With those things taken out, it might be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (big) than it looks.

Stan: Good idea.