A young man went to visit a wise man living deep in the mountain for the wisdom of life.

    “Excuse me! Could you please tell me what the most 1 day in our lives is? Is it the day when we were born or the day we 2 ? Is it the day when fall in love or the day we succeed?” The man asked.

    “Neither. The most important day in our lives is 3.” The wise man replied calmly.

    “Why?” The young man felt more than 4, “Is it because there is a moving event taking place today?”

    “No. Nothing has happened today.”

    “Is it because of my visit?”

    “Even if nobody visited me today, today is 5 very important because today is the only wealth we have . No matter how memorable yesterday is, it has gone by like a ship going down into the sea; no matter how bright tomorrow may be, it is yet to come, but no matter how common today is, it is under our 6.”

    The young man still wanted to ask something, while the wise man 7 him and said, “When we are talking about the meaning of today, we have 8 a lot of it.”

    The young man nodded and then went down the mountain.

    Actually, today is the only 9 we have. So, what we should do now is to 10yesterday and tomorrow and catch fast today!

    A girl complained to her father about her hard life. She didn't know 1 she had to do and wanted to give up. She felt 2 of fighting and fighting. One problem had been finished but another came. Her father 3 was a cook took her into the kitchen. He poured water into the pan（锅）and boiled it. While the water 4, in the first pan he put carrots, in the second he put some eggs and in the last he put some coffee. He waited for them for 5 minutes without any words. The girl closed her mouth and waited 6. She didn't know why her father was doing that. After about 20 minutes, her father turned 7 the stove, took out the carrots and put them in a bowl. He took out the eggs and put them into another bowl. After that the coffee8 into a cup. Turning back to 9 daughter, he asked, “What do you see?” “Carrots, eggs and coffee,” she answered.

Her father told her to close her eyes and let her 10 the carrots. She did and felt that the carrots were soft. After that he asked her to take eggs and break them. Then, she got boiled and hard eggs. At last, the father told her to smell the coffee. “What's the meaning, Father?” He explained that each one had 11 same unlucky experience—the boiled water,12each had a different reaction（反应）. The strong and hard carrots had become soft and weak after13in the boiling water?” The eggs became hard in the boiled water. The coffee was very special and it 14 change the water. “Who are you?” asked the father, “When calamity（厄运） 15 at your door, what's your reaction? Are you carrots, eggs or coffee?”

It was sunny last Saturday. Mr. Black {#blank#}1{#/blank#} his children to the zoo. When they {#blank#}2{#/blank#} there, they saw many people and animals.

The children went to the lake first. There they saw many fish {#blank#}3{#/blank#} in it. Jane was really happy, "Look, how beautiful the fish are! I hope I can swim {#blank#}4{#/blank#} them." Then they went to the bird garden. There were different {#blank#}5{#/blank#} of birds in it. These birds were not {#blank#}6{#/blank#} when people were near them. Mr. Black bought some bird food for the children {#blank#}7{#/blank#} them. The children were very happy. After {#blank#}8{#/blank#} many hours in the zoo, the children were hungry. Then Mr. Smith took them to a {#blank#}9{#/blank#} for lunch. The food was expensive {#blank#}10{#/blank#} very delicious. All in all, they had a great day.

The moon was behind a cloud. And there weren't many stars in the sky. It was a dark night. I saw a glow (光) in my neighbor's kitchen. I thought he was having a night meal. So I went back to my bed.

Soon there was a smell of burning in the air and I thought there was probably something wrong. I jumped out of bed quickly and went out to make sure. I saw fire coming out of my neighbor's kitchen. Then I shouted, "Fire! Fire!" But no one in the neighborhood heard my shouts for help.

I ran into my house, called the firemen and went back to my neighbor's house. I knocked on the door hard and called out my neighbor's name, but there was no answer. Finally I got into the house and saved a cat and a dog.

I tried to pour water through the kitchen window but it didn't work. It was a big fire. Luckily, the firemen arrived over ten minutes later and stopped the fire.

When my neighbor came back, he was sad for his kitchen but he thanked me for calling the firemen and saving his pets. He wanted to give me some money but I did not accept it.

Weeks later, my neighbor had a new kitchen. He invited me to see his new kitchen and we enjoyed a big meal there. It made me very happy. After that, he became my best friend.

Four people died and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 97 were injured in a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that hit the sea area near Hualien in China's Taiwan on Wednesday morning. One driver was killed by {#blank#}2{#/blank#} rocks, while the other three lost their {#blank#}3{#/blank#} on a road inside a major tourist attraction in Hualien, according to local media. 

Taiwan's meteorological agency (气象厅) recorded the earthquake as measuring 7.3 magnitude, calling it the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} earthquake to hit the island in 25 years {#blank#}5{#/blank#} a deadly earthquake struck on Sept 21, 1999. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the earthquake, the Ministry of Natural Resources warning center sent out tsunami (海啸) warnings. 

According to Taiwan's meteorological agency, the earthquake was tracked at a {#blank#}7{#/blank#} of 15.5 km. The epicenter (震中) was {#blank#}8{#/blank#} in the south-southeast of Hualien. The maximum strength recorded was 6 magnitude in Hualien. Local authorities have announced the stoppage (罢工) of work and school classes in Hualien. 

Strong shakes {#blank#}9{#/blank#} across Taiwan. Xinhua reporters in Taipei experienced strong shakes as buildings shook continuously for over a minute. Elevators in the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} apartment building were stopped from operation (运转). Parts of some residential (居民的) buildings has fallen off in Hualien, forcing the moving out of hundreds of residents.

Song Lian was a famous litterateur (文学家), historian and thinker in the late Yuan Dynasty (朝 代) and early Ming Dynasty.

Song Lian loved reading. But he was from a poor family, he could not afford to buy books. He borrowed books from others and returned them on time. He never broke his promise. One day, Song Lian went to borrow books from Mr. Liu who was a rich man. But he never lent books to strangers easily. Mr. Liu thought Song Lian was a hard-working man so he agreed to lend Song Lian a book. Song Lian told Mr. Liu he would return it in three days. Mr. Liu thought for a while and said nothing. Finally, Song Lian borrowed the book home.

After he returned home, Song Lian couldn't wait to start reading. He didn't go out to play and stayed up to read.

Finally, on the third morning, Song Lian left early and returned the book to Mr. Liu. Mr. Liu was very happy and praised Song Lian for his integrity (诚信). It's great to be a person with knowledge, but it's more important to be a person who keeps his promise.