Rosa liked making up stories. She was sosure that her classmates believed her from time to time. In fact, the wholeclass believed her! At first she supposed it was1. Now, as she got up to talk before theclass, she knew that making up stories had some way of coming back to make yousad.

    Rosa's parents were separated. Nine monthsout of the year, Rosa lived with her mother in an apartment on Anderson Street.But when summer2, she went to her father's farm inArizona.

    The farm was great! Rosa rode horses andhelped with some farm work. Her father, however, was so3 that he couldn't find time to go to otherplaces with her. When she arrived each summer, her father would meet her at theairport and take her out to eat. And the day she went back to the city he wouldalways buy her a present.

    When summer came to a close, Rosa returnedto her mother. At school she heard lots of stories her friends told about theirfamily trips. Rosa wished she had a4totalk about too.

    Not long after5 began, Rosa was looking through travelmagazines in the school library. They talked about many exciting places, likeEngland and Germany. When Rosa's friends asked what she had done in the summer,she made up something that was not6. Remembering the travelmagazines she had read, she told her classmates that she and her father hadgone to England.

    When the class began studying England, MrThomas asked Rosa to tell all the things she could7 about her trip to England!

In the past, I thought I was terrible at many things, such as maths, French and science.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I was good at drawing, I wasn't the best in my art class. I {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(want) to find out who I was, what I liked and how I could do it well. So, in that winter, I took {#blank#}3{#/blank#}notebook and kept my diary. When I filled that notebook, I started another one, and then another.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(keep) a diary helps me a lot. Studies have shown that people who keep a diary sleep and feel much {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(good). It helps people remember what once happened such as {#blank#}6{#/blank#} ( dream ), friendships and happiness. Writing about bad feelings can also help brains get over {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(they) and move on. Personally, I learn more about myself and my relationships with others {#blank#}8{#/blank#}keeping a diary. For example, if I want to compare myself with my classmates, I'll write something like, "I might not have clear skin, but I {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(true) like my eyes."

Right now, you might be thinking: It sounds great, {#blank#}10{#/blank#}I'm not a good writer; or I'd love to keep a diary, but my handwriting is terrible, Don't worry! Keeping a diary is not like doing your homework — there are no rules, so do whatever you feel best.

My best friend is Jenny. There are a lot of rules in her family. She has to {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(get) up at 6:00 in the morning. She mustn't leave the dirty {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (dish) in the kitchen. After dinner, she must read a book before {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (watch)TV. She knows her parents are strict but they make rules to help her. So she is happy to follow {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (they).

To study English well, Jenny {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (go) to an English club last year. She spent two hours {#blank#}6{#/blank#} her spoken English(英语口语) with her new friends every day there. What's more, she {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (read) English loudly (大声地) in the morning. Now Jenny is confident(自信的) and does {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (good) in speaking English. Listen! Jenny is singing {#blank#}9{#/blank#} English song in front of her classmates. How beautiful! 

Everybody is smiling and applauding(鼓掌){#blank#}10{#/blank#}her!

Two students were asked to meet their teacher at the end of a forest.There were two paths.One was short and easy, and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}other full of fallen trees.One student chose the easy one.He felt he was clever as he walked through without {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. He finished first and felt proud of {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.The second student chose to take time to jump over every fallen tree in his path. After{#blank#}4{#/blank#}at the finish line, he felt tired and regretted choosing that path. The teacher nodded and smiled at them both. He asked them to get a prize by a river in three days.

When the{#blank#}5{#/blank#}arrived, they were {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to hear that they needed to jump over a river which was a few meters wide. The teacher said, "Everything that you have done until now should have prepared you for this moment. This is a jump which will lead you to greatness."The first student walked away immediately, as he knew that he hadn't prepared well{#blank#}7{#/blank#}for the jump. The second student looked at his teacher, ashamed of his former(先前的) regret. He knew now by choosing to deal{#blank#}8{#/blank#}challenges instead of avoiding them,he was ready{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the jump.He ran towards the river and jumped as far{#blank#}10{#/blank#}he can. And he made it!

 Dear Mike,

 Today is a big day. We have a new family member. He is my little brother, Austin. My parents Michael and Sherry are very happy. My dad says I am a big brother now. But what's a big brother?

I ask my mum about it. She says, "A big brother is like a good friend. You talk and play with   him. In summer, you can go swimming with him. In winter, you can play with him in the snow. You look after him."

I think it is interesting. And I am very glad to have a brother. I want to be a good big brother!

 Do you want to come and see my little brother?

 Love,

 Peter

How do US kids start to talk with their new {#blank#}1{#/blank#} ? They always start with nice words. 

 For example, a US kid says, "I love {#blank#}2{#/blank#} pencil box. Where is it from?" The new classmate likes to hear this. He or she says something about the pencil box. Then the talk really {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. 

US kids also talk about their breakfast, family{#blank#}4{#/blank#} and so on. A smile can {#blank#}5{#/blank#} them start a talk, too. So just say"hi" and smile when you meet new classmates in your school.