阅读理解

    One day I got in a taxi, and we left for the airport. We were driving in the right lane（车道）when, suddenly, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver stopped his car at once. The tire（轮胎） made a very loud noise, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the back of the other car.

    I was frightened. But then I couldn't believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, turned his head and started yelling at us. I couldn't believe it! But my taxi driver just smiled at the guy. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost sent us to hospital.”

    This is when my taxi driver taught my what I now call, “The Law of the Rubbush Truck（垃圾车法则）.” He explained that many people are like rubbish trucks. They run around full of rubbish, full of anger and full of bad feelings. As their rubbish piles up, they look for a place to throw it away and sometimes they'll throw it at you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their rubbish and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

    Successful people never let rubbish trucks change their moods. Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love those who love you and pray（祈祷）for those who don't.

    My mother is a teacher. On weekdays, she gives lessons at school and on Saturdays she works in clubs. On Sundays, she is still busy.

On Sunday morning, mum gets up at six. She cooks breakfast for us first. And then it's time for cleaning. After that, she has breakfast with father and me. At 9, she goes to buy food for lunch in the supermarket. She can have a short rest after lunch. In the afternoon, mum doesn't go out. She helps me with my lessons. She does some reading, too.

    Mother watches TV at about 7 when she finishes (完成) the housework. But at that time she is always tired and falls asleep (睡着) in the sofa sometimes.

    A soap opera called "Tiger Mother and Cat Father" is popular in China now. The tiger mother is pretty strict with her daughter and the little girl is not allowed to watch TV or play computer games. On the other hand, she makes all efforts to buy the expensive house near the key school, in order to let her daughter have a better education. However, the cat father has an opposite view of how to raise their child. He gives her daughter more independence and doesn't make many rules for her. Which one is better, "Tiger Mother" or "Cat Father"?

    In China, it seems that in each family, there is tiger mother and a cat father, even worse, some families have two tigers. Children can't decide anything for themselves. What's worse, Chinese mothers believe key school will bring a better future to their children. This soap opera fully shows us a common problem in China. And maybe it is the real reason why such kind of TV shows can get popular.

    Whether the tiger mother or the cat father, respecting(尊重)children and growing together are the keys to family education. Confidence, kindness, honesty and independence are the most important qualities to develop a child, not the grades. Just like a poem said, "Educating children is like walking with a snail(蜗牛), and the steps are gentle and slow."

I still remember my first day at school. My sister, Sandy, studied there too. Dad and I waited for her at the school gate after school. Every day, she ran out of the school ha ppily with her 1 . I wanted to paint too. 

I was five years old when I 2 school. Most children started school in September, but I started school in January because I was born in December. Three other children started school on the same day as me. I was really 3 about my first day. I had my new uniform* ready: a black skirt, a white T-shirt and a new red bag! When we got to school that day, a teachermet 4 at the school gate. 

Dad said 5 to me and went home. I stayed there with the other children. I didn't talk to anyone 6 I was afraid. Then Mr Wilson took us to our classroom. All the other children were there. Everyone looked 7 us when we walked into the room, I was a bit sad and really wanted to 8 . 

But soon, I began to play with children on the playground and our teacher read us some stories. Later we drew pictures with 9 . At lunch time, I made a new friend called Megan. At the end of the day, I happily 10 to the school gate just like Sandy always did. 

Once there lived a wise man who had a very lazy son. The wise man was worried about his son's 1 for the son did nothing all day long. One day he said to his son， "There was some treasure in a faraway place and I want you to find it 2 ， no matter how long it takes you. I have drawn a map to guide you and it will be your only partner. " Then he gave his son a bag. Inside the bag there 3 some food， a little money and the map. 

His son set out on his long journey the next day. He had to travel across forests， rivers and mountains. Along the way，he was helped by some with food and by some with shelter（住所）. He also saw changing scenery（风景）and different seasons. Finally， he reached the place his father4 . He spent two days digging for the treasure，but found 5 . 

Feeling 6 ， he had to go home. On his way back， he sometimes would stop to enjoy the beauty of nature. He also learned to hunt and make meals. He had to fix his own shelter by himself. He was able to tell 7 by the position of the sun，find his way out by the marks he made and protect himself 8 wild animals. Also，he met the same people who had helped him 9 . This time，he helped them in return. 

After he reached home， he apologized（道歉）to his father because he didn't find the treasure. "There wasn't any treasure in the very first place，my son，" the father answered with a smile. "10 I think you have found your life's true treasure. "

Once a traveler wanted to go across desert. He had walked in the desert for three days without any water. He was exhausted (筋疲力尽的) from walking. When he felt hopeless, he suddenly found a small house. He pulled his tired body inside. This was a small airless house and in the corner he discovered a water pump (抽水机) . 

He was so excited and went forward to draw (抽取) water, but no water came out no matter how hard he tried. Too tired to do anything more, he fell to the ground. Then he saw a small bottle. On the bottle was a note, which read. "You must pour the water from the bottle into the pump before you draw water! Don't forget, before you leave, refill the bottle with water!" He opened the bottle and found it was filled with water! He was so happy. 

At that moment he thought, "It might be a little selfish (自私的) , but as long as I drink the water in the bottle, I can be sure to leave this room alive! However, if I do as the note says and pour the only water into the pump and no water comes out, I will die of thirst. Should I take the risk or not?" It was five minutes later that he chose to pour the only water into the pump and began to draw water. After a minute, water started to come out He made the right choice. 

After he had drunk enough water, he refilled the bottle. He added the following words after the note: Before you get something, you should first learn to pay.