It was nearly seven o'clock, when a man walked into a bar, ordered a drink and turned to watch the television.

    The seven o'clock news was on and it was showing a man standing on top of a tall building. He was looking down at the crowd of people below.

    On the ground, a police officer with a megaphone(扩音器)was trying to tell him not to jump.

    "Let's talk about your problem," the police officer was saying. "Perhaps we can help you."

    The man turned to the bartender(酒吧侍者)and said, "I bet you a hundred dollars he doesn't jump.

    The bartender looked at him. "You're offering me a hundred dollars if he jumps? Is that right?"

    "Yes. I don't think he'll jump."

    The bartender smiled. "OK. You've got a bet."

    The man turned back to the TV and watched it carefully. The bartender, however, did not seem to be very interested. He continued washing glasses and serving the other customers.

    Then, after about five minutes, the man on the building threw himself off the building and fell to the ground.

    The man in the bar turned to the bartender.

    "He jumped," he said. "You win."

    He held out a hundred dollar bill to the bartender, but the bartender would not take it.

    "I can't take your money," he said. "I knew I couldn't lose. That story was on the six o'clock news. I saw him jump."

    "Well, yes, so did I," the man said, "but I didn't think he'd do such a stupid thing twice."

On the day of the interview, I got up at 6:00 in the morning. I got to the interview place without having1. l was the 24th interviewee(应聘者) and the 22nd was a short ordinary- looking girl. I greeted her by2my head. I asked her where she graduated. She told me in a low3, "I graduated from a junior college， the only one without getting a bachelor' s degree(学士学位) among the 50 interviewees.

I didn't4he interview would last so long. As I didn't have breakfast, my stomach started to ache. I had to sit by the table for a5. Just at that time, the girl asked me6happened, I told her, "I didn't have breakfast this morning, so my7comes to me.

    After a while, a worker came in and8me a bottle of milk and a piece of bread. It was certain that they were bought by the girl. I felt9all over my heart because I hadn't imagined she would be so nice to help me- her rival(竞争对手).

Luckily, I got the job. The first day I went to work, I was10to see the girl there. She also got the job. Later I asked her why she got the job. She said11a smile, "That day when I bought you the12, an interviewer went to the toilet with papers in hands. He asked me13I could help him to copy those papers while he was in the toilet. I helped him. After I came back to him, he asked me why I took the food in hands. I told him the14. Then I got the job." At that moment, I came to know that when the girl helped me and the interviewer, she also helped15.

    Helping others will benefit yourself as well.

"What will you be in the future? "Mrs White asks the students in her class. And here are three of the students ‘answers.

Nick: I love playing computer games. I will be an e-sports(电子竞技) player, My parents don't think it's a good job, but 1 like it.

Elsa: I will be a traffic policewoman and work in the sky. There will be lots of small planes in the future. It will be cool to work by plane. 

Ben: I will be a football player. I will play in the national football team and win the World Cup with other players. It's not easy, so I must practise hard now. 

The 2024 Spring Festival Gala official mascot (吉祥物), "Loong Chenchen", was announced by the China Media Group on Wednesday. The name "Loong Chenchen" includes the Chinese character "Loong", which translates to "dragon" in English. The dragon plays {#blank#}1{#/blank#} important role in Chinese culture. In ancient times, the emperors of ancient China loved dragons and their clothes {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (cover) with pictures of dragons. We are proud to call {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (we) the "descendants (传人) of the dragon". In Chinese, "excellent" people are often called "dragons". The mascot "Loong Chenchen" shows great meanings of good luck, health and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (happy). It also means that the country is rich and the people are at peace.

The mascot is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (careful) designed (设计). It takes two months to finish designing the mascot. The designer draws ideas from China's deep and rich traditional culture. For example, the design of the dragon claw (爪子) in "Loong Chenchen" gets ideas {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the pattern of the Nine-Dragon Wall of the Palace Museum in Beijing. The pattern on the dragon stomach is from the cloud and thunder (雷声) shapes in the Western Zhou Dynasty. The dragon fin is based on a Tang Dynasty (618–907) artifact (历史文物) which looks like a moving gold dragon. 

The color of "Loong Chenchen" has special Chinese name, "Chengxia". It means red or rosy clouds in English and {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (stand) for youth and strength (力量). The color of "Chengxia" is a symbol of spring, hope and growth.

The Spring Festival Gala or "Chunwan" is such a popular TV show that it has become a must-watch program of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which is loved by the Chinese people. During the Spring Festival, no matter {#blank#}8{#/blank#} far families around China are from their homes, they will come together. There are more than one billion people {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (watch) the Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve, the Gala on that day. It symbolizes a time for family get together and the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (meaning) beginning of the new year.

Alex set his lunch tray on the table near his friend Leo. "Trade you some fries for some pretzels" Alex said. 

"Deal," said Leo, taking his bag of pretzels out of bis lunchbox. 

Alex noticed a folded piece of paper at the bottom of Leo's lunchbox. 

"What's that?" asked Daniel, another boy in their class. 

Before Leo could answer, Daniel grabbed the paper. He unfolded it and read in a loud voice: "Dear Leo, I hope you have a great day. Love. Mom."

Daniel snorted. "Your mom puts notes in your lunchbox?"

"Yes," Leo said. 

Daniel read the note again, to himself. It almost looked as if he wanted to keep it.

"Give it back to Leo," said Alex. 

"Well, who wants a note anyway?" Daniel said. 

"I do," said Leo. 

Alex liked getting notes too. 

Daniel tossed the note and it fell to the floor. 

Alex picked it up. He handed it back to Leo, who put it into his pocket. 

On the bus that afternoon, Alex thought about what had happened. 

Alex's older brother, Mateo, arrived home just after Alex did. "How was your day, little dude?" Mateo asked. 

"A boy in my class was mean to Leo," Alex said. He explained the way Daniel had acted. 

Mateo shook his head. "How would Daniel like it if people picked on him for getting a note?"

"Daniel never gets notes," Alex said. Suddenly, he had an idea. "That's it! I know how to help Leo and Daniel."

Alex explained his idea to Mateo. Mateo agreed to help, and they worked on the plan all afternoon. 

At lunchtime the next day, Alex hurried to the cafeteria. He set out 23 folded pieces of paper on a table by the entrance. Each piece of paper had the name of a classmate on it. 

"What are these?" asked Mira. 

"We all have notes," said Sabrina. 

Alex watched as Daniel picked up the note with his name on it. Alex knew that the note said Daniel,  ▲  Have a great day.

Alex saw Daniel smile as he put the note into his pocket. 

"Great idea, Alex," said Leo. 

"Now everyone knows how it feels to get a lunch note," Alex said.

Bill is a 7-year-old boy. There are 1 people in his family. They are his parents and him. He likes doing exercise. He brings a 2 to school every day because he loves it very much. After class, he often plays basketball with his classmates at school. His favorite color is 3 . So he has a blue schoolbag and some other blue stationary. 

Bill wants to have a dog, but his mother doesn't like it. One day, his friend Gina asks him to look after her dog Coco. Coco is very clever. When you 4 , "Coco, come here", it is coming. 

Bill plays with it very happily. But Coco is 5 at night. Bill looks for it everywhere, but he can't find it. He buys a new 6 . It 7 Coco. The next morning, Gina comes and 8 her dog back. When she gets to Bill's home, her Coco comes out of nowhere. Bill tells her the story. She doesn't mind and says thanks to him for his help. Then she goes 9 with Coco. "But what can I 10 the new dog? "Bill asks.