There was a big tree in the forest. It was tall and  1. Next to it was a small herb(小草). One day, the big tree said, “I grow well. No one can 2 me.” While the herb replied, “Dear friend, you shouldn't be so3yourself. Even the strongest tree will 4 one day.” But the tree didn't listen to the herb and he continued to praise5 .

    One night, a strong wind began to blow. It was so strong that almost 6was blown in the air. 7 the tree stood firmly(稳固地). Then the 8 came. It rained heavily, however, the tree 9 stood strong. At the same time, the herb bowed low against the ground. 10 this, the tree began to make fun of the herb.

    On another day, there was a storm in the 11. The storm kept growing stronger and the tree finally fell down. When the storm 12 and everything was in silence, the herb stood straight. He 13 and found the fallen tree. Then he said, “Now you know 14I told you is the truth.”

    We should realize that sometimes15 down doesn't mean you are not strong enough. It's a way of protecting yourself.

    Ralph and Edward were in Grandma's house in the countryside. It was snowing outside. So they 1stay in the house all day.

    When they 2  , it was still snowing. Every time they woke up during the night, they could 3  the wind whistling around the house. 4  the next morning it was a sunny day. "Oh, grandma! Please do quick breakfast. We are going5 to build a fort（城堡）, " cried the boys. They were soon out in the snow, and what6 good time they had! When grandma called them in to dinner they didn't know why the time flew so fast. After dinner, Ralph was looking out of the window, when he saw two little7 sitting on a tree.

    "Oh, Edward! Come here," he called. "See those poor little birds. They look so  8. "

    "Poor little things," 9 Edward. "The snow really brought 10  a happy time this morning, but you see it covered everything up so that these poor birds can't get their food. Don't you feel11 for them?"

    "Let us get some food  12grandma and throw it out to them," said Ralph, "  13they can find it." Then they did so.

    The little birds were soon flying 14. It sounded like they were saying, " 15."

    Zhang Peng is a Chinese driver in Xi'an(西安). When he checked the online wallet of his Wechat app(微信应用软件), he saw that one of his passengers had paid 6, 500 yuan for a1pay. That meant the passenger paid about $ 950, but in fact, the passenger only needed to pay$ 9.50.

    Zhang Peng guessed that the payment was a 2. According to the time of the payment, he guessed that the four foreign travelers did it. He3the four travelers, from the train station and dropped them off at a nearby4.

    When he5to call the four foreign passengers, Zhang Peng directly went to the hotel again where he had dropped them off. Then in the hotel he6what had happened to the waiter at the front desk.

    Just at that time, the traveler7made the payment came downstairs. She was 8  to hear about her mistake. It was her first time to visit the Chinese city, and she said that it was also her first time9the app's online payment function(在线付费功能)to pay for the ride.

    She was10more surprised when Zhang Peng refused to get a reward(报酬)and 11 her all her extra(额外的)money.

    12is true that the traveler had a wonderful 13 of using Wechat. "I can't believe it," the woman traveler said."14some people, money is their only dream, and $ 950 is a lot of money. I felt very excited yesterday15the taxi driver came back to return the money in person. I am really grateful."

I hoped to be set free one day,so I was nice to the Lilliputians.Gradually,     ▲     .Sometimes the children even played hide-and-seek in my hair.

One day,the king said to me,"Gulliver,I invite you to watch an important performance.It is a contest called Rope Dancing".In the contest,a thin rope was tied between two poles very high above the ground.People had to dance on this rope.Each dancer tried to jump higher than the others.I had never seen such a dangerous sport.

"Your Majesty,"I said,"many dancers must fall and be hurt or killed."

"Yes,"he replied,"But I will give the best jobs in my kingdom to the men who are not afraid and jump the highest."What a strange way to choose who will work for the country!"I thought.

Then,as the king watched,I tied each corner of my handkerchief to a strong stick, and pushed the four sticks into the ground.My handkerchief was now under the rope but above the ground.Any dancer who fell would land on the handkerchief and not get hurt. The king was very pleased with my invention.His family and many other people watched the rope dancing.

Would you and the queen like to see better?"I asked the king.I gently put them on my hand and held it beside the rope.They had a good view of the dancers.One very skilled performer held on to the rope and flipped(翻转)his body right over it.The king and the queen clapped loudly and cheered.Later the king told me that he made this man one of his chief(首要的)advisors.

The king and I met often.He seemed to enjoy our conversations.One day,I said again,"Your Majesty, please set me free."This time he answered,"I have talked to my

advisors.We agree that you have been good to our people."