It was last June. I went into a supermarket to buy some vegetables, when a young man asked me, “Can you tell me where the  1 counter is?”

  “Well, the milk is in the lower right corner,” I replied. Picking up my things, I finally came to the milk counter where I met the same man. He was 2 almost 10 bottles of milk in his hand. I asked, “Do you need a 3?” “Sure, thank you.” he answered.

    I was 4 he was still picking more bottles and after a few minutes his trolley had 24 bottles of milk. I laughed and asked, “Why so many bottles?” He smiled and said, “These are 5 my street dogs. Today I want to be a Santa for them.”

    I said, “Well, it's too 6 for you to be a Santa. It is still June and Christmas comes in 7.” He 8 at me for a second, but he left the counter without 9 anything.

    10, we met again at the bread counter. “So these bread and cakes are also for the street dogs, Mr. Santa.”  He smiled and said, “Yes. These are also for the dogs and I love to be Mr. Santa in the month of June. Santa is a representation(象征) of surprises and 11. We always hope Santa comes before 12. But in real life there is a Santa in each one of us. He is always ready to help us at any time, no matter(不管) which month it is. Maybe when you offered a trolley to me, there was a Santa in you. When we 13 food to a poor man or a(n) 14 to someone who is caught in the rain, we are being Santa there. So when you offer help to others or get help from others, just think that Santa has come all the way for you.”

    He left and I was 15 that I met him. It was right to understand that Santa can come before Christmas. We just need to know that he is around us by giving happiness and love to others.

    I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was1and when I was 14, he said, "You are2going to be anything but a failure."

    After five years of3jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle— class girl. It was the best4that could have happened to me. I decided to do something positive with my life because I wanted to prove to her what people said about me was5, especially her mother, who had said to me, "You have failed at everything you have ever done.” So I tried hard with my6and went to college. My first novel7while I was at college.

    After college I taught during the8in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a9in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of giving up that job to write full time when I was offered a part— time job at Leeds University. I began to feel proud of myself—it was a working— class boy who had left school early, now teaching at the university.

    My writing career(生涯)10when I realized my own style. Now I am rich and famous, have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. 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.

I work in a foreign company in my city. My company is big and I always have lots of work to do. However, no matter how 1  I am every day, I won't forget one important thing. That is to 2  my daughter Sally at her school gate on time. I hope that she can see 3 as soon as she rushes out of her school. After we get home, Sally 4  her workbooks and starts to do her homework at once. After she finishes it, we go to the park in our neighbourhood. There Sally plays with other kids. I 5  wait for her. Every time I tell her that it's 6 to go back home, Sally answers, "Five more 7  , Dad!"I always smile and say"OK"to her.

 "What a 8 father you are! Your kid is so lucky to have a father like you!"Every time I hear such words, I feel that being a father makes me really 9  .

I didn't spend lots of time 10  Sally, in fact. I didn't change 11  Tom's son died in a traffic accident. Tom told me that he almost had no time to stay with his son, not even five minutes a day. I can never 12  Tom's sadness. At that time I decided not to make the same 13 as Tom had made. I think that when my daughter wants more time to play, I have more time to 14  being with her.

Life keeps on changing. 15  knows what will happen tomorrow. So, please give someone you love another five minutes today.

Naomi, Australia

One country (国家) that I really want to visit is Vietnam. In fact, I‘ve never been to Asia (亚洲). But I‘ve seen a lot of photos and videos of Vietnam online and it looks really beautiful. I think I can take relaxing boat rides around the small islands there. Also, I've heard that the food there is really nice!

Akane, Japan

The country I‘d most like to visit is England. I‘ve heard many things about it because my parents went there on their honeymoon (蜜月). And they have very good memories about the country. Besides that, I can speak some English, so it would be nice to get in some practice there.

Martin, U.K.

I‘d like to visit New Zealand when I have time. New Zealand looks like a gorgeous country. The Lord of the Rings, one of my favorite films, was filmed there. I‘ve never been south (南) of the equator (赤道), so I wish to visit New Zealand one day!

Todd U.S.A.

If I could visit any country in the world, I‘d like to go to Canada. I‘m from America, and Canada is our neighbor to the north (北). I have many Canadian friends. I‘d really like to see their country for the first time!

There once lived a rich businessman who had a lazy son. The businessman wanted his son to realize the value of labor. 

One day, he told his son, "Today, I want you to earn something. If you fail, you won't have your meal tonight. "

The boy didn't want to find a job, so he asked his mother for help. She gave him a gold coin. In the evening, when the father asked his son what he had earned, the son showed him the gold coin. The father then asked him to throw it into the well (水井). The son did as he was told. 

The father guessed that the gold was from the boy's mother. The next day, he sent his wife to her parents' home and asked his son to earn something. Since no one helped him, the son had to go to the market to look for a job. A shopkeeper told him that he would pay him a coin if he carried heavy tools for him. The son accepted. As he returned home and gave the coin to his father. he was asked to throw it into the well. The boy cried, "Dad! My body is aching. I'm tired. How are you asking me to throw my hard-earned coin into a well?"

The businessman smiled. He told his son that one feels pain only when the fruits of labor are wasted. The son realized the value of hard work. He promised not to be lazy any more.