My name is Peter. I live in a small village. In my village, there aren't many cars or buses, and the streets are clean. I 1 all the neighbors and at the end of the day, we get together and talk. We go to bed 2 because there isn't much to do in the evening There aren't any theaters cinemas, museums or clubs. But the children can play in the streets or in nature (大自然). They can 3 keep animals at home. There is no noise (噪音). We can hear a lot of beautiful sounds from nature 4 the birds singing and the rain pouring (倾盆而下). In the evening, we can  see lots of clear and beautiful 5 in the sky.

    My penfriend Ken lives in a big city. He says there are more workplaces in the city, better schools, 6 shops, finer restaurants and hundreds of cinemas, theaters and museums. Children can go to clubs and parks to 7 themselves. I went to the city to visit Ken last month. He took me to the biggest shopping center and we bought some nice gifts for my 8 For example, a cool T-shirt for my dad.

    "Which is better, the city or the village?" many of my classmates asked me when I came back. I'm not sure, 9 I know that I like the clean streets, friendly neighbors and fresh air in my 10 better.

    A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a lot of small glass 1. The girl had some candies with her. The boy told the girl that he would2her all his balls in exchange for (交换) her candies. The girl thought that was a good3.

    But the boy didn't give4of his balls to the girl. He kept the biggest and the5ball in his pocket and gave the others to the girl. 6the girl gave him all her candies.

    That night, the girl had a 7sleep, but the boy didn't sleep well. He kept thinking whether the girl had 8some candies from him.

    You think in the way you do things. If you don' t give your hundred percent(百分之百) in a relationship, you'll 9 keep thinking if the other person has given his or her hundred percent. This is true for any relationship.

    Give your hundred percent to everything you do and you'll find that you can always10a lot of happiness.

    Hello, my name is Diana. I have a brother, Steve. We grow up together,1we are very different. For example, I'm outgoing, but he is2. I love English. I3studying English when I was little and I'm studying harder now. My brother didn't like it at first. However, when I learned some English songs, I often sang to him. Now he not only loves to listen to English songs, but4likes to sing! My brother can swim very well. I was not good5swimming in the past. Last summer, he took me to the6every day and helped me learn 7to swim. Now I can swim8than all my friends! I enjoy telling jokes. My brother can never remember a9, but he likes to listen to them. Every day I make him10by telling him jokes.

    Jackson and Thomas are two good friends. They always 1 each other.

    One evening Jackson says to his wife, "Thomas got married (结婚) last month. He doesn't have 2 money. I'd like to give something to him in his 3.

    "Oh, that's a good 4," says his wife. "But don't tell him," says Jackson. "If he knows I put things there, he will 5 take them.

    So, later that night Jackson takes two bags of fruit and food to Thomas's kitchen.

    The next day, he 6 something strange (奇怪的).

    "I took two bags of fruit and food to Thomas's house last night, 7 I still have the same number of bags in my house. 8 did that happen?"

    Jackson 9 to take the things again that night. But the next morning, he sees the 10 number of bags again! "That's strange," he thinks. That night he 11 again.

    He carries a large bag of fruit and food in his hand. With the bright moonlight, he can see 12 person coming down the road. He is carrying something in his 13, too.

    "Thomas!" Jackson cries. "What are you doing?"

    "I'm worried about you, Jackson", says Thomas. "Your family is 14 than mine. I think you need more food and fruit. The two friends quickly know what happens to them.

    They both laugh happily. "It is15 to have a friend like you," they both say.

    An old man went to India. When he got there, he saw a lot of fruit for sale, but much of it was very 1. Only a big basket of red fruit was cheap.

    "How much per kilo?" the old man asked. "Two rupees(卢比，印度货币单位), "the shopkeeper answered. Two rupees in India is almost2, so the old man bought a whole kilogram and started eating it.

    However, as soon as he started eating, his3began to burn, his eyes began to water, and his whole face became as4 as the fruit. As he coughed and struggled to breathe(呼吸), he5up and down, screaming(尖叫)："Ah！Ah！Ah！"

    And yet he6to eat the fruit！

    Some people saw him and said, "Those are chili peppers(红辣椒)！You can't just eat them by the handful！"

    The old man said, "I7for them, so I must eat them."

    This old man must seem pretty stupid. But are we much smarter？All of us have8money, time and effort(努力)into something maybe a relationship, or a business, or a job-and sometimes, 9we know there's no hope that things will change, we still continue with it. Why？Because we've put in all that money, time and effort.

    What we can learn from the old man is this：If you've lost a lot for something that doesn't work, let it go and10. It's better than continuing to lose.