SCENE I

One dollar a week

The doorway of the house where Chandler has a room. He is dressed in his best clothes, ready for his evening out. He is going out as his friend, Jeff White, comes in.

WHITE         What are you doing this evening, Towers?

CHANDLER      (Smiling) Tonight I'm going to live like a man with a million dollars!

WHITE         What are you talking about? You haven't got a million dollars!

CHANDLER      How much money are you and I paid each week, Jeff?

WHITE         Eighteen dollars. Why?

CHANDLER      And how much of that eighteen dollars do you spend each week?

WHITE         All of it, of course.

CHANDLER    Well, I don't. Each week I save one dollar out of my eighteen. Then, every ten weeks, I can buy myself an evening to remember.

WHITE         What do you do?

CHANDLER   I put on my finest clothes, go to one of the best restaurants in New York, eat the most expensive food on the menu, drink the best wine, and then take a taxi home!

WHITE          (Surprising) Why?

CHANDLER     Why? Because it makes me feel wonderful to sit with some of the richest people in America, and to make them think that I'm rich, too.

WHITE          You're crazy!

CHANDLER     (Laughing) Perhaps I am!

Mrs Black comes in.

MRS BLACK      Ah, Mr Chandler. I wanted to see you.

CHANDLER      Good evening, Mrs Black. What a lovely evening!

MRS BLACK   Lovely evening perhaps, but you haven't paid me for your room this month. When am I going to get the money?

CHANDLER     Soon, Mrs. Black. Very soon.

Mrs Black looks at Chandler's clothes.

MRS BLACK      You can spend money on expensive clothes, but you can't pay for your room. Is that right?

CHANDLER    (Hurrying away) Good night, Mrs Black!

    A heavy rain hit a small village. The floods (洪水) started to rise. A priest (神父) was praying (祈祷) in a church (教堂). The flood was almost above his knees. A rescuer (救助者) shipped to the priest and said, “Godfather, come up or you will die.” The priest said, “No, I'm sure God will save me. You may leave for others.”

    After a while, water covered his shoulder, the priest had to move onto an altar (祭坛). This time a policeman came over in a yacht (游艇) and said, “Come up or you will die!” The priest said, “No, I have to keep my church. I believe God will save me. You just go and save other people.” A moment later, his church was flooded. The priest had to hold firmly (牢固地) the cross on the top of the church.

    A helicopter (直升机) was flying over him where a pilot put down a rope ladder and shouted, “Godfather, come up! This is your last chance! We don't want you to die!” But he said firmly, “No, I have to keep my church. I believe God will save me. You just go and save other people. God will be with me.” Great flood soon came over. The priest was killed.

    The priest went to Heaven (天堂) where he saw the God. He asked angrily, “God, I served you honestly, but why didn't you save me?” The God said, “Didn't I? The first time I gave you a ship and you refused. The second time I gave you a yacht you refused again. The third time I sent you a helicopter you still didn't accept. So I thought you wished to stay with me in a hurry.”

    In fact, the obstacles (障碍) in our life are because we are stubborn (顽固) and ignorant(无知).

    Things didn't go well for Henry, the village pancake maker. The Great Pancake Contest(比赛) was today. People from different places would try to win the contest .The villagers wanted Henry to win, but Henry had problems. There was not enough wood in the oven to make a pancake. Mice ate half the flour(面粉) during the night.

    The villagers saw that Henry was having problems. The woodsman brought wood for the oven. The farmer gave Henry more flour. This was all very good but he was still missing one more important thing. There was hardly enough time for Henry to make his pancake and take it to the contest. But Henry decided to have a try.

    As fast as he could, Henry put the wood in the oven. When he made the pancake, he thought, "When I had no wood, the woodsman brought me wood; when I had no flour, the farmer brought me flour. My good friends helped me."

    After Henry finished making the pancake, he ran as fast as he could to the contest. "I'm sorry, Henry," one of the judges(评判员) said. "You are too late." Henry's friends were sad for him, but Henry just laughed. "I' m not sad! In fact，I'm happy!" he shouted. "I have good friends who helped me. Now, I have a wonderful pancake to share with them."

Rock climbing（攀岩） did not become a sport until late in the 1900s. But now it has become a popular outdoor activity. While rock climbing may still be necessary for mountain climbing，most people just climb low mountains for fun. 

If you have ever done rock climbing，you will know that it is not a very easy sport. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing both need practice. What most people don't know is that rock climbing is one of the sports that depend on your body and mind（意志）. 

To climb successfully，one must use wonderful skills. One of the important rules is to always have three parts of your body on the rock face. Another important rule is that your arms only hold you close to the rock face while your legs are pushing you up，the closer you are to the rock face，the easier it is to climb. 

Rock climbing is a wonderful sport. Once you start to learn how to climb，you'll find more fun. People who like games such as chess playing or problem—solving may love rock climbing，because they are nearly the same in the way of thinking. For anyone who wants to get into beautiful shape，rock climbing is a fun and good way. Anyone who enjoys a difficult game and loves the outdoors should think of taking rock climbing as a new hobby. 

This story took place during the Warring States (战国) period. At that time, kings would often 1 each other's sons as hostages (人质) to protect their kingdoms (王国).

Now it was the prince of Wei's turn. He was going to Handan, the capital of Zhao, as a hostage. Pang Cong, an official, was going with him. Before they 2 , Pang Cong said to the king of Wei, "If someone comes to report that he has 3 a tiger in the market will Your Majesty (陛下) believe it?"

"Of course not," the king answered.

"If another man comes to say the same thing, will Your Majesty believe it?"

"I'll start to 4 about it."

"Then, what if a third man comes with the same report, Your Majesty?"

"Maybe I will think it is 5 ."

"Well, we all know that no tiger dares to go to the market. But since three men have said the same thing, everyone now 6 that there is a tiger there. Handan is much 7 from our capital than the market is from the court (王宫), and more than three people will talk against me behind my 8 . When I'm away, Your Majesty will not fail to judge (判断) what you hear, will you?"

"I know 9 to judge," the king said impatiently.

Then Pang Cong said 10 to the king and left Daliang, the capital of Wei, with the prince. But as soon as he had left, the king's ears were 11 with words against him.

After a few years, when Pang Cong 12 to Wei with the prince, the king would not see him again. He was no longer 13 .

So, "three liars (说谎的人) make a 14 " is used to say that if a lie is 15 often enough, people may start to believe it, even though it is not a fact.

Friends are a part of our lives. In my life，I have a best friend named Lucy. She means a lot to me. My life would be less colorful without her. Although we sometimes argue，we still treat each other as best friends. 

We met each other four years ago. She said hello to me with a sweet smile. I guessed that she was a gentle girl. And she really was. When I was in trouble，she always stood by me and made me feel better. 

This winter holiday，we went to the amusement park Happy Valley together. We had fun together on the roller coaster （过山车）. We held each other's hands and shouted loudly when we were riding the roller coaster. It was so exciting. The ride made me feel a little sick, so she bought a bottle of water for me. This experience left me with a lot of good memories（回忆） and made our friendship stronger.

There is a line in the movie Soulmate that says， "If you step on someone's shadow，you will never leave each other. " So I will try my best to "step on her shadow". Many adults think that children can't be friends forever. But I don't believe this. 

Maybe we won't always spend all of our time together. But I will enjoy the time I spend with her and the good memories she has given me.