Steve found a job on a farm. He's the strongest and youngest. He ate most, sleeps most, but worked 1.  He hated to use his 2 and knew little. He had to do some unskilled(无技巧的)  work. He always said he's tired and hoped to have a 3 rest. So he 4 less money than his workmates.

    Winter came. The workers were told to get ready 5 the next year. Only Steve did 6. The farmer told him to cut down some trees in the forest. The young man went there with a chair. He felt lonely in the forest and was afraid of the 7. During his work, he looked around and sang 8, and nobody knew what he was singing.

    Three days passed. Steve didn't cut down any trees. The farmer felt strange. He decided 9 to find out how the young man was doing there. To his surprise, Steve was cutting a tree, sitting on a chair.

    "Why are you 10 here to cut the tree?" asked the farmer angrily.

    "Because I can't work if lying down sir!"

    Set your imagination free. Children's imagination is amazing. They can always create things that surprise everyone. To 1 children's imagination ,New York City will hold an activity called the Inventgenuity Festival (创意发明节) for children.

The Inventgenuity Festival is all about thinking and 2things. It's held for children aged from seven to sixteen. Parents are also able to 3the festival.

    There will be many different kinds of workshops in the festival. Children are 4to create things in those workshops. For example, they can make things 5funny hand-made T-shirts or cartoon toy dolls. No one will tell them6to make these things. They create everything with their imagination. Besides making things, children can see a wonderful movie called A trip to the Sun in a 7during the festival.

    In the festival, children are asked to do most of the work by themselves.8, if the work is too difficult for them, they can ask their parents for 9 .

    To take part in the festival, children need to register (注册) first , and then 10the workshops they like on the website. One child can take part in two workshops at a time.

Mary and Lisa are sisters. They like the same colour— blue. They like the same sports— swimming and basketball. They go to the same middle school. But they aren't in the same class. They like music and art. Art is their favourite subject. 

But Mary and Lisa have a big difference (不同之处) . Mary has many friends. They like to play with her. But Lisa doesn't have any friends. Their mum sees the difference. She says to Lisa, "My dear, your smile (微笑) is very beautiful. Why not smile often?" Lisa says OK and she tries smiling often. Children come to Lisa. They like her smile. They want to make friends with her. Now Lisa has many friends. She is very happy.

Dancing is popular all over the world. People dance in theaters, in parks or in their own living room. But Yang Liu, a woman in Guizhou, dances in an unusual place. Her stage is a single bamboo pole. 

Yang is a performer of bamboo drifting (独竹漂). It is a traditional skill in the girl's hometown. In ancient times, the local people crossed the rivers by riding on a bamboo pole. Now, bamboo drifting has developed into a folk sport.

Yang started to learn bamboo drifting at the age of seven. The bamboo pole is very slippery and it never completely stops moving. Yang fell into the water again and again. But the girl didn't want to give up. She always got back up on the pole and tried again. She practiced hard every day for three years. Finally, she was able to keep her balance on the pole. 

But Yang didn't just stop there. She wanted to live out her dream of becoming a dancer on a bamboo pole. The girl practiced many difficult movements on the pole. She failed countless times, but she never stopped trying. 

Her hard work finally paid off. Now 26, Yang has made a name for herself as a dancer on a bamboo pole. People can't believe their eyes whenever they watch her performances. Through Yang's dances, many people now know about bamboo drifting. They have discovered the beauty of this traditional skill.

Be a Friend

Friends are important (重要的). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Friends are people you know and like. Do you know how to make friends with others? Here are some good ideas.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

Introduce(介绍) yourself to others. See if they want to be friends with you. Then ask questions and know each other.

Have fun together

You can play sports or games with your friends. What is your favorite thing to do? {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

Help each other

How do you feel today? {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. When your friend is not happy, cheer him or her up (鼓励). And ask your friends for help if you need.

Do you know this? Friends do not have to be the same as you. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may like different things. So what are your friends like? Tell us about them please!