Edison had quick mind about inventions, but not always about other things.

    One day he received a notice. It said he must pay some money to the government by the next day. If he was late, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Edison went to the city office. Many people were waiting there in line to pay. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, his mind was busy with ideas about a new invention. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, the man behind it said to Edison “Young man, what's your name?”

    Edison looked at the man in surprise. “ I don't know,” he said.

    “Then I can't help you,” the man said, and told him to leave.

    Other people paid the money, but Edison stood there, and tried to remember his name. The day ended, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    In the street, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. He had to ask the friend what his name was.

( B )

    When you stay away from your home for a long time, you start to miss your good old bed, your good old parents… Believe it or not, you're feeling homesick. You can help yourself to feel less homesick. Here's how:

    Hello, everyone! I will tell you something about my trip to the U.K.

    When I got to London Heathrow International Airport, I began my visit. First, I went to a senior high school. I was happy on the first night there because I lived with a kind family, the Whites. It was a big family. They were very friendly to me. They helped me do many things. When I wanted to write to my friends, they let me use their computer. When I lost my camera, they helped me look for it.

    After some days, I went to another two schools. I lived in the Smiths' house. There were four people in the family. I was surprised that the parents were from two countries.

    It was a nice trip and I was happy to be with the two families. They would be my friends forever.

    Language is always changing and developing. This isn't a bad thing. If English hadn't changed for a long time, we won't have words to describe telephones, washing machines, computers or some other new things.

    Language changes for several reasons. First, it changes because the needs of its speaker change. New technologies, new products, and new experiences need new words to express them clearly. Another reason for change is that different people have different language experiences. People use different sets of words and expressions, because they have different ages, jobs, education levels(水平) and so on.

    How does language develop then? On the one hand, many of the languages changes begin with young people. When young people communicate with others of their own age, their language grows in grammar, words and expressions that are different from the older people's. Some have a short lifetime but others can influence the language for long. On the other hand, we get new words in many different ways. We borrow them from other languages, we create them by making words shorter or combining words and we make them out of proper names.

    Languages that don't change over time are considered dead languages. The fact that English changes so much shows that it is alive and well.

    Mr. Black lives by the sea. He has a big family and has to work hard, or his wife and children will be hungry. After breakfast he leaves for the sea by a small boat every day. He always hopes to catch more fish.

    One morning, the man got to a good place for fishing. He threw a long rope (绳子)with many hooks(钩子) into the water. He found it heavy and pulled the hooks out of the sea. He saw there was a gold chain(金链) on the hooks. He was of course very glad. "I′ll sell the gold chain for much money, "he thought to himself. "I'll build a new house and buy lots of expensive things. 我将成为世上最富有的人".

    His boat began to sink. But Mr. Black went on thinking and didn't notice what was happening. As he was pulling the gold chain, the boat sank( 下沉) into the sea.

    He lost not only the gold chain, but also his boat and life!