My neighbor is a doctor. He and his wife are some of the1people I have ever met. A few years ago, we started this kind of "favor war" where one of us would do something kind for the other, such as2the driveway or building a shed, and next time the other would3to top it with another favor.

    Yesterday morning, it snowed heavily and I remembered he shoveled (铲) my driveway for me. So I took out my shovel and took care of both our driveways and sidewalks because it was my turn to do a favor4. It took a while but I finished it and got into my car for work.

That night I got a5on my door, it was my neighbor. He immediately shook my hands and thanked me for shoveling his driveway and sidewalk, so that he was able to get to work earlier and6a boy.

    "As soon as I started the car early this morning, a call came through that a young boy in our neighborhood was seriously ill.7, my partner and I were only about 2 minutes away, but the closest ambulance 10 minutes," added he. "A young boy got to live his life because you did me the favor."

    It wasn't too much8to shovel a driveway, but what I did got a young boy to see his family again, go back to school again and live his life again.9favor is too small. Even the smallest favor can make the biggest10. One favor will always be followed by another.

    Facebook says it is working on technology to allow us to control computers directly with our brains. It is developing "silent speech" software to allow people to type at a rate of 100 words per minute, it says. The project, in its early stages, will require new technology to detect brainwaves without needing invasive operation. "We are not talking about monitoring your random thoughts," assured Facebook's Regina Dugan. "You have many thoughts, and you choose to share some of them. We're talking about monitoring those words. A silent speech interface(界面) — one with all the speed and flexibility(灵活) of voice. "

Ms Dugan is the company's head of Building 8, the firm's hardware research lab. The company said it intends to build both the hardware and software to achieve its goal, and has employed a team of more than 60 scientists and academics to work on the project.

On his Facebook page, Mark Zuckerberg added, "Our brains produce enough data to stream four HD(高清) movies every second. The problem is that the best way we have to get information out into the world-speech can only send about the same amount of data as a 1980s modem. We're working on a system that will let you type straight from your brain about five times faster than you can type on your phone today. Finally, we want to turn it into a wearable technology that can be produced in quantity. "

Technology is going to have to get a lot more advanced before we can share a pure thought or feeling, but this is a first step. Other ideas detailed at the company's developers conference in San Jose included work to allow people to "hear" through skin. The system, comparable to Braille, uses pressure points on the skin to pass information. "One day, not so far away, it may be possible for me to think in Chinese, and you to feel it instantly in Spanish," Ms Dugan said.

"Sunrise gold" is a color that means a lot to me. The color mixes gold with a bit of red and yellow. I like it because it gives me peace, energy and hope in the face of difficulty.

When I was in the eighth grade, I took part in a speech competition. Although I made all my efforts, I didn't win. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I had trouble falling asleep that night. It was 3:30 in the morning, and there was nothing but me and my unhappy heart. I got up and went upstairs to the roof (屋顶) top to clear my mind.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} At first, it was orange and red, but after a short while, the sun awoke from its sleep and painted the sky with its gold colour. The sunlight shone on everything—trees, roofs and streets. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The rays of light woke up the gentle morning wind and sent it moving across the field, touching my face and everything gently. It also woke up the early birds, which were singing happily.

There and then I realized that past is history, no matter how much we regret it. I thought to myself, "Maybe I can start once more, just like the dawn(黎明)." {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Now, whenever I face difficulties, I remember what the "sunrise gold" made me understand that morning.

A. So I never doubted I could deal with it.

B. I tried to remember all of what I heard.

C. The failure hit me hard and made me feel painful.

D. I went downstairs, feeling energetic and hopeful.

E. I stayed there until a ray of light appeared in the sky.

F. I felt its warmth flow through my body and into my heart.

My name is Wang Jialing. My English name is Alice. I'm a 1 in a middle school in Beijing. I have a good friend 2 school. Her full name is Mary Smith. Mary is her3 name and Smith is her family name. She is 4 English girl. She is from Lon- don, but now she is in Beijing with her mom and dad. They are English teachers in our school. Mary and I are in the same class. We often go to school together (一起). She often 5 me with my English, 6 . She wants to learn Chinese well, 7 I often help her with 8 Chinese. Now she can speak some Chinese.

Mary is a 9 girl. Mary likes China very much. Sometimes we talk with each other(互相) in English, sometimes in Chinese. Mary and I often help each other. I'm very happy to make 10 with her.