My family lived in a big city, and we had no garden, but I often {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (go, went) to a small park near my home. There {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (are, were) a lot of trees in the park. Early in spring, those trees{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (get, got) green. I liked to see all the green leaves. In summer there were flowers everywhere. I often {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (read, reads) picture hooks on the bench. In autumn, the leaves turned yellow and red. I often {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (take, took) a walk with my parents. I also{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (like, liked) to walk after supper with my grandpa. He {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (know, knew) a lot of stories. Every time we had a walk together, he{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (tells, told) me an interesting story. When I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (am, was) young, I {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (have, had) a good time in the small park.

An old carpenter was ready to retire. His boss was 1 to see the good worker go. He asked the carpenter 2 he could build one more house. The carpenter said yes, but his mind was no 3 on his work.

    He used poor materials and worked on the house 4. When the carpenter finished his work, the boss 5 the front-door key to him. "This is your house," he said. "A 6 for you."

    What a surprise! What a 7! If he had known he was building his 8 house, he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house he had poorly built.

    9 it is with us. Sometimes we build our 10 carelessly. At important points we do not try our best. Then with a pity we look at the situation we had 11. We find that we are now living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a 12 to make it all over again.

    Think of 13 as the carpenter. Think about your life. Build it 14. It is the only life you will ever build because life is a do-it-yourself project.

    Your life today is the 15 of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.

A terrible smell caught Ariana again, she tried to hold her breath. She moved away a bit, but Ashley only moved1 and went on talking. Ariana felt it2 to make the decision. She wanted badly to tell Ashley that she didn't smell very good. But how could she do that3 hurting Ashley's feelings? She stood up and decided to tell her the truth, but she stopped at the last minute.4 , she put the remains of her lunch together to throw in the trash bin, thankful for the5 to get some fresh air. She looked back to see Ashley eating there. Ashley's hair was tangled*, and her clothes were6 . Ariana forced herself to go back to the table and take her7 , hoping that she wouldn't sit with Ashley tomorrow.

When Ariana got home from school, she complained to her mother, "There's a girl named Ashley who likes to sit next to me in school, but she smells bad."

"She must have a difficult day and8 from it," said her mother.

"No, it's not just one day. She smells bad a lot," Ariana explained. "9 else likes to sit next to her, either."

"I don't think you understand Ashley's situation, so let me ask you this…" her mother said

10 . " Who makes sure that your hair is combed* every morning so you'll look nice?"

"You do," answered Ariana.

"Who makes sure you're bathed and your clothes are washed properly?"

"11 and Daddy," Ariana said again.

"Do you live in a nice home and have enough to eat?"

Ariana12 her head, beginning to feel sorry. She was starting to13 now. Ashley couldn't help her situation because she was only seven years old—the same age as Ariana. Grown-ups14 take care of kids, because it is their duty.

"Why doesn't her family15 her ? " Ariana asked.

"Not all children live in the best situation," her mother said. "The best thing you can do for Ashley is to treat her with kindness and love." Ariana began to get her mother's point.

Some students are talking about ways of learning English in the English club. Paul from Class 2 thinks the best way {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(learn) English words is to make word cards. Most students agree {#blank#}2{#/blank#} him. Li Lin from Class 5 says she improves her English a lot by  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(write) to her American pen friends often. Zhao Guang from Class 8 is worried about his listening. Other students all advise him {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(listen) to tapes every day. Lucy couldn't pronounce {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(good) before. But she improves her {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(pronounce) by talking with her friends in the club. Once she thought, "How about {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(watch) English films?" She has a try and it turns out to be helpful (有用的). Lily from Class 1 is good at grammar. She thinks making {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (sentence) is a good way to learn grammar. Besides, it may be a good idea {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(ask) your American friends to check the way you write and give you some suggestions. Students here always say, "Let's {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(talk) about how to learn English well." So, why not come and join us?