My Room

    Once, in a small village, lived a family with two children, James and Jack. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} of them loved painting very much, but the family was so {#blank#}2{#/blank#} that it was impossible to send both of them to study at the art college at the same time. After many discussions, the two boys finally worked {#blank#}3{#/blank#} a plan. They would throw a coin. The loser would go to work in the mines（矿井） to support his brother's studies at the college. Then, when the brother at college {#blank#}4{#/blank#} his studies after four years, he would support the other brother's college studies.

    James {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, and so Jack went down into the mines. James worked with all his heart, and his paintings were soon much {#blank#}6{#/blank#} than those of most of his teachers. By the time he graduated, he was beginning to make a lot of money from his paintings.

    When James returned, the family held a big dinner to {#blank#}7{#/blank#} his great success. Soon after {#blank#}8{#/blank#} dinner began, James stood up from his seat to drink a toast to his dear brother. He said, "Jack, now you can go to the art college and your dream will come true. I will take care of you."

{#blank#}9{#/blank#} Jack said softly, "Brother, the four years in the mines has done too much to my hands, so it's too late. Now I can't even hold a glass."

James was heart-broken. One hour {#blank#}10{#/blank#}, he drew a simple picture of his brother's hands. This drawing is today known as the famous picture named The Praying Hands.

When the teacher asks a question in class, Wang Xiaobin never raises his hand and this situation is very common at middle schools. This 15-year-old boy always waits for other classmates or the teacher to give the answer. "What if my answer is wrong?" Wang asks.

Wang said only six or seven students in his class raise their hands when a question is asked. "I think it is a problem that may affect（影响） our studies, but I am afraid of making mistake s in front of my classmates," he said.

When we asked the teacher, Hu Wei, why the students didn't raise their hands, he said, "They lack（缺乏） of confidence（自信）. They are afraid of showing off, or they're afraid of losing face by giving wrong answers."

To encourage students to raise their hands in class, Hu suggests that teachers should repeat the question, then try to guide and encourage students to offer their answers. Hu also advises students not to be shy, but brave enough to try.

Sun Pin, 16 of Fujian, always raises her hand as soon as she comes up with the answer, even if she isn't sure she has got it right. Sun can't understand why some of her classmates keep silent in class. She enjoys raising her hand a lot. "It keeps me active and confident to express my idea," Sun said, "Raising my hand has really made me excellent."

A three-year-old boy's dream of flying like the Superman came true.

The boy is Luke Campbell. He's really 1 to see his dream come true. However, 2 unlucky about him is that he has serious heart disease（病）.He 3 going to hospital when he was just six years old. Now,even the doctors are not sure 4 he is able to live.

A charity（慈善机构） heard about Luke and5 to help him. When they asked him about his 6 ,he chose to fly as the Superman. It is because his7 always calls him "Mom's little superhero" or "Super Luke".

On that day,his mother helped him8 like Superman. With a rope and with a special machine（机器）,the charity made him 9 in the air just like the Superman. When Luke was flying, 10 smiled happily and said, "I'm flying on my own,aren't I?"

It was 11 to see him being so happy and enjoying himself,and there was no one there 12 .He 13 do anything he wanted.

His mother said, "The wish made Luke be a child for the day,away from 14 and doctors."

Luke isn't going to stay with his family forever（永远），15 he left a special day for them to remember.

I think our school days are the best and happiest days in our life. We should learn not to waste this wonderful period of time. 

Be active. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Instead, we should be interested in the school life and school subjects. We should join lots of activities. It will make us look friendly if we walk around the school with a smile. Remember that the school isn't a vacation spot（度假胜地）. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Keep fit. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If we don't get enough sleep, we will feel sleepy in class. In order to keep our body fit, we should also eat less junk food. 

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Some students always say that they will study hard tomorrow. Actually, if we fall behind, it's very difficult for us to catch up. 

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Everyone fails in some tests, loses some matches or has some bad days. We should try not to let small things influence our mood（情绪）.