If you think of after­school activities as a waste of time, you are wrong! After­school activities help us grow up in many {#blank#}1{#/blank#}．Above all, they offer us chances to practice{#blank#}2{#/blank#}we learn in class.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} various activities, we can also learn more about today's society and a lot of new things that we can't learn from our books. What's more, they help to develop our abilities that we need {#blank#}4{#/blank#}for our studies now and for our work and life in the future.

    We are busy with our studies in school, so after school we all need to {#blank#}5{#/blank#}ourselves. After­school activities just make it possible {#blank#}6{#/blank#}us to breathe {#blank#}7{#/blank#}air and remove tiredness. Then, we can pay {#blank#}8{#/blank#}to our studies and achieve good results.

    Some after­school activities will make us useful {#blank#}9{#/blank#}helpful to others. Some can keep us strong and healthy, some may even change our life. So, all the students, get out and take {#blank#}10{#/blank#}active part in various after­school activities!

    One day, Confucius (孔子) led his students to the State of Chu. When crossing through a large forest, they saw an old man {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (stand) under a tree, catching cicadas (蝉) with a bamboo stick. Confucius said, "You are very good at {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (catch) cicadas. You must have some special skills."

    "That's right!" the old man answered. "The cicadas are clever little insects. If they hear the noise of the leaves in the wind, they {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (fly) away. Therefore, people who want to catch cicadas {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (train) their hands to hold a bamboo stick without shaking. If you can place three pellets (弹珠) on top of the bamboo stick without falling off, you might be able to catch cicadas; when five pellets {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (place) on top without falling off, catching cicadas is as easy as {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (pick) a ball up from the ground."

    He then added, "But that is not enough. People must be good at hiding themselves. Right now, I {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (stand) under a tree like half of a tree stump (树桩). Last of all, one must be attentive(专心的). When I am catching cicadas, I only see their wings. No matter what {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (happen), nothing will disturb me."

    Hearing this, Confucius {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (turn) to his students and said, "No matter what you do, you can only succeed if you love what you're doing and pay enough attention to it. This is what this old man {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (teach) us."