I did very1 at school. My headmaster thought I was simple and when I was 14, he said, "You are never going to be 2 but a failure."

    3 five years of low jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle­class girl. It was the best 4 that could have happened to me. I decided I wanted 5 something positive with my life because I wanted to prove to 6 that what people said about me was 7, especially her mother, who had said to me, "You have 8 in everything you have ever done." So I 9 hard with my writing and went to college. My first novel came out while I was at college.

    After college I taught during the day in high schools and attended evening classes at London University. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of 10 that job to write full time at a university. I began to feel proud of myself.

    Now I am rich and famous. But what does it mean? I just wish all the people that have put me down had said, "I believe in you. You will succeed."

A barking (吠)dog does not bite (咬)

Tom is a little boy of eight. His father is a doctor. He works in a hospital. He is often very busy (忙).{#blank#}1{#/blank#} After dinner, he says to Tom, "Tom, it's a nice evening. Put on your cap and coat.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}."

Tom is very glad.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} He puts on his cap and coat and says, "Dad, I am ready." Then Tom and his father go out to the park. Suddenly, they see a big, black dog.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Tom is very afraid (害怕) of the dog. He wants to run home. His father, says, "{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Don't you know the proverb (谚语), ‘A barking dog doesn't bite'?"

"Oh, yes! Dad," says Tom. "I know the proverb, you know the proverb, but does the dog know the proverb?"

Little George lived in a poor village. One summer day George's mother sent him to the field to pick up some dried wood for the fire.

George worked very hard. By the time the sun was high, he was very hot and wished for a cool place to rest and have some food. As he walked along, he found some shade, and by it were some fine, wild strawberries. "How good these will be with my bread and butter," thought George. He picked up all of the strawberries. As he was lifting the first strawberry to his mouth, he remembered his sick mother, alone in her dark, cold room in the village.

With this in mind, he put the strawberry back. "Shall I save them for her?" he asked himself.

He thought how refreshing they would be for her, yet was still looking at them with a longing eye.

"I will eat half, and take the other half to her," he said. He divided them into two heaps(堆), but each heap looked so small. He put them together again.

"I will only eat one," he thought.

But, as he again lifted it to his mouth, he saw that he had taken the finest, and he put it back.

When the sun was beginning to sink, George set out for home. How happy he felt that he had all his strawberries for his sick mother.

He heard his mother's faint voice calling him, "Is that you, George? I am glad you have come back. I am thirsty, and I want some water."

George ran to her and joyfully offered his wild strawberries.

"And you kept them for me, didn't you?" said she, laying her hand softly on his head, with tears in her eyes.

Could the eating of the strawberries have given George half the happiness he felt at this moment?

 Yang Hongwei is a woman who lives in Weifang, a city famous for its long history of kite— making. She was born in a family known for its kite— making.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}  Each kite is a piece of art with its own story.

 As a child, Yang often spent her free time in her grandfather's workshop, watching him create magical kites." Every kite has a story to tell," her grandfather said, and these words left a lasting impression on her. And she practiced her skills with love for many years. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

 Later, with her grandfather's encouragement, Yang decided to open her own kite shop." Our kites are not just for fun," Yang explained." They carry the spirit and stories of our ancestors(祖先)." Her kites are very special. They have popular designs like butterflies and birds.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} .

 One of her most famous kites is a large phoenix with 50 small pictures of famous women from Chinese history on its wings.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}This kite, which took her many months to create, is an excellent work. It shows her skill and love for traditional Chinese culture. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, she goes to Germany and New Zealand. Travel takes her a lot of time, but she likes to share the stories behind her kites." It's important to share our culture with others,' Yang says.

A. In her spare time, Yang travels to many countries.

B. Each woman has different clothing, hairstyles and expressions.

C. At the age of 16, she started learning the art of kite— making from him.

D. Some kites also have special scenes from Chinese myths(神话故事) and history.

E. Since she was a little girl, she has been interested in the colorful kites in her home.

F. Yang has not made kites for many years because of her poor health conditions.

I'll never forget the day when I went on a hot- air balloon trip. It was a birthday gift from my aunt. 

I had to 1 early, but it wasn't a problem. I couldn't sleep because I was so excited. 

My parents and my aunt came to 2 . They waved (挥手) as I got into the balloon. There were five other people and the pilot (飞行员) in it. When we took off, it was quite 3 and I couldn't hear anything. Then it became much quieter, I can't describe the 4 . It felt like a dream. The sky was blue and clear. I could see all the people below us. They were getting smaller and smaller 5 we got higher and higher. 

6 , a rainstorm began! The balloon started to drop. The pilot decided to land as quickly as possible, but he couldn't control (控制) the balloon. The wind was 7 us to the sea. It was very scary (吓人)!

Very soon, the 8 changed direction and we were finally able to land on a hill. We got out of the balloon. Luckily, no one was hurt. I could walk back to my 9 and show them I was OK. 

Was I 10 ? Yes, a little. Will I ever do it again? Not sure!