People normally think of dogs as man's best friend, but to Brian Wilson, his two pet parrots are his best friends.

    It all began in 1995, when Brian was still a firefighter. A car accident caused serious damage to his brain. After several months of treatment, Brian's doctors said that he would never talk again and that he would have to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home.

    However, according to Brian, his two pet parrots didn't give up easily. They kept talking to him day and night, until one day, he said one word, then another, and all of a sudden was talking like a normal person again!

    Brian was so thankful that he decided to set up a home for birds which are not wanted by their owners. Now, his house is home to about 80 birds, including a great variety of birds like several macaws, cockatoos and African gray parrots. The birds fly around from room to room, some cackling (咯咯叫), others talking like humans. Though they all have big cages, Brian lets them fly freely inside the house.

    Over the years, Brian has developed a special relationship with birds. The birds that bite other humans, seem to like him and can get along with him well. He is now called a bird whisperer (鸟语者). Brian pays for most of the costs of looking after the birds with his own money, but has recently established a foundation (基金会) to accept donations. He and his birds also earn money by performing at birthday parties, weddings and other social events.

    For people who want to adopt (领养) Brian's birds, they have to volunteer at the foundation for three months before they can take the pet home.

    Walt Disney began to make cartoon films when he was a young man. But he didn't have much money then. One day a mouse ran near his desk while he was working in his small office.

    "Would you like to be my pet?" Disney decided to make a cartoon about it.

    "I am making a cartoon about a mouse named Mortimer," he told his wife.

    "Mortimer Mouse? I think Mickey Mouse would be a better name," she said.

    "You are right," Disney agreed and made many Mickey Mouse cartoons.

    People all over the world saw Mickey and loved it. Mickey Mouse made Disney famous. Then came Donald Duck, and Goofy Dog and others. Disney began to make long cartoons. Then he made cartoon films for television.

    In 1955, Disney opened a wonderful amusement park in California. Real boats, castles, trains, mountains, rivers, all are in one beautiful park. Millions of people came to Disneyland.

    He died in 1966, but the world will not forget him. Mickey Mouse and all his cartoons will help us to remember him.

Hi, I'm Hu Bin, a student of Class l, Grade 7. At school, My teachers and my classmates very 1to me. My school life is very 2. I like it very Classes begin 3 8:00 a. m. I have four classes in the morning and two classes in the afternoon. I study Chinese, English, math, politics and 4 other subjects. English is my favorite subject, and I often 5English with my classmates. I also like P. E. and music. 6 I don't like math. I think it's 7 difficult and boring. What do you think?

After school, I often play 8 basketball with my classmates. It is my favorite outdoor activity. Sometimes I swim in the swimming pool. Sometimes I 9 with my friends in the park. I go to the school library every Tuesday and Thursday. I think my school life is very interesting? What about 10? Can you tell me something about it?

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(几个月前), I read a book. It made me feel it's a {#blank#}2{#/blank#}to always buy more things than I need. I started cleaning my house and got lots of unnecessary things. It's a w{#blank#}3{#/blank#}and trouble for me. And then I{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(考虑)what to do with them.

This question made me think of Garage Sale for Orphans. It helps people clean out their houses and t{#blank#}5{#/blank#} things into money that can help homeless kids{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(全世界). It r{#blank#}7{#/blank#}me. So I ask my boys for help, and they loved the idea of helping others.

They walked from door{#blank#}8{#/blank#}door to ask the{#blank#}9{#/blank#}/'neɪbəz/ for the things they don't need. At first, I wondered if we{#blank#}10{#/blank#}able to fill a box or two. Finally, however, we had ten boxes full of different things. Then it was time{#blank#}11{#/blank#}the yard sale.{#blank#}12{#/blank#} (即使；尽管)we had ads in the newspaper and online, I was still not sure whether whether anyone would come. {#blank#}13{#/blank#}(令我们惊奇的是), so many people came to our yard sale. I p{#blank#}14{#/blank#}to get 400 to 500 that day. At last, we got $743.23! We sent the money to the poor children in Haiti. Thanks for all the people who{#blank#}15{#/blank#}helped us.

    Julia and Lisa have a picnic on Sunday. At 7: 00 o'clock, they have {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(早餐)Then they take some picnic food {#blank#}2{#/blank#} them to a park(公园). In the park, they s{#blank#}3{#/blank#} many flowers(花). Lisa wants to pick (采摘) some.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Julia tells her not to do that. At 12: 00, they{#blank#}5{#/blank#}[hæv] their lunch. Their picnic food is very {#blank#}6{#/blank#} [nais] .Eggs and hamburgers are {#blank#}7{#/blank#}  (they )favorite {#blank#}8{#/blank#} [fu:d]. After(在……之后) lunch, they fly {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (kite) in the park. At 4: 00 in the afternoon they go home . Their mother {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (ask) them, "Do you have a good time?" "Yes." they say. They are very happy.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Rose. She loved1 but she didn't have paintbrushes(画笔) or paper. She always painted pictures in the sand2 tree branches(树枝). One day, an old lady saw Rose and said, "Hi! Here's a paintbrush and some3 for you."

"Thank you!"Rose said. She felt so4 ."Hmm, what will I paint?" she thought. She5 and saw a duck in the river. "I know! I can paint a6 !" So she did. Suddenly, the duck flew off the paper and into the river."Wow!"she said."A magic paintbrush!"

Rose was a very 7 girl and she painted pictures for the people in her village. She painted cows for the 8 , pencils for the students and toys for all the children.

The king9 about the magic paintbrush and he sent a soldier(士兵) to find Rose. "Come with10 ," said the soldier."The king wants you to paint some money for him."

"But he's so11 ," said Rose. "I only paint to help poor people."But the soldier still took Rose to the king. "Paint me a tree with lots of12 on it," the greedy(贪婪的) king shouted.

Rose was brave and said, "No!"13 the king sent her to prison(监狱). But Rose painted a key to the door and a horse to help her run away. The king14 her with his soldiers.

She took out her paintbrush and 15 a big hole, and splat(啪嗒声)! The king and the soldiers fell into the hole.

Rose only used her magic paintbrush to help those people who truly needed her help.