There is a bar (酒吧) with the name “The White Horse (马)”. A picture of a white horse is on the door (门) of the bar. It is Mr. Webster's. Few (很少) people go to the bar.

    One day, Mr. Wilson comes in, drinks (喝) a cup, watches the bar, and then says to Mr. Webster, “Few people come here. Take down(拿下) the picture of the white horse and put (放) a picture of a black horse.” “But the name of the bar is 'The White Horse',” Mr. Webster says. “Yes, but do it,” says Mr. Wilson.

    After that, Mr. Webster goes to a store and says, “I want a picture of a black horse.” The next day, a picture of a black horse is on the door of the bar.

    The next morning, a man comes in and asks, “The name is “The White Horse”, but why do you put a picture of a black horse on the door of your bar?” The man sits down and asks for a cup. Then a second man comes in and asks the same question, and then a third man .... Many people (许多人) come in and say, “The picture on your door is not right.” After that, they all sit down and drink in Mr. Webster's bar.

    I used to be the shyest person in the world. I hid1 my elder sister whenever I had to speak to a stranger. When asked to speak in class, I could hardly 2, much less speak. Even among the few friends I had, my high, timid (怯怯的) voice earned me jokes —about being a girl.

    Then in the seventh grade, my sister suggested I 3 voice lessons. After considering it for a short time, I did. I began a series of vocal exercises.

After exercising a lot, I finally gained 4 in my voice.

    A few months later, I was asked to sing for some retired people, I thought I would do better than before 5 the voice lessons. I opened my mouth and —nothing. I couldn't remember the 6! My face turned hot. The kind pianist whispered a prompt (提示), and I remembered just enough to keep singing.

    Then the thought struck me: I've already embarrassed (尴尬) myself enough. There's really nothing else to 7. So in my second song, I just relaxed and felt the energy of the song lift me. And I did much better.

After that, I started singing to myself as 8 as I could in my own room. That's something I would never have done before. One classmate even said that I 9be in the school's talent show.

    I am not a shy person 10. Singing has made me more outgoing. Today, I can also stand in front of the whole class and give a big speech. I am proud of myself.

    Bill Fuller, the postman, whistled(吹口哨) cheerfully as he pushed his bike up the hill towards Mrs Dunley's house. His work for the day was almost finished. His bag, usually quite heavy when he set out on his road, was empty now except for the letter that he had to deliver(递送) to Mrs Dunley. She lived over a mile from that village so that, when Bill had a letter for her, he always finished his day's work much later. He did not mind this, however, because she never failed to ask him in for a cup of tea.

    When Bill entered the gate of Mrs Dunley's house, he was surprised not to find her working in the garden. She usually spent most afternoons there when the weather was fine. Bill went straight round to the back of the house, thinking that she might be in the kitchen. The door was locked and the curtains were drawn. He returned to the front of the house and knocked hard on the door. There was no answer. Bill thought that this was very strange because he knew that Mrs Dunley hardly left the house.

    Just then, he noticed that her bottle of milk, which was delivered early in the morning, was still on the doorstep. This worried him. If Mrs Dunley had not taken in her milk, perhaps she was ill. Bill walked round the house until he found an open window. He squeezed(挤) through it. Then he went into the hall. There he almost fell over Mrs Dunley, who was lying at the foot of the stairs unconscious(昏迷不醒的). Realizing that there was little he could do for her, Bill rushed out of the house, stopped a passing car and told the driver to telephone for an ambulance(救护车) as soon as he got to the village.

    Do you know Zhang Yunlei? He is a crosstalk performer(相声演员) in Deyun Club. He learns from Guo Degang and is one of his best disciples(徒弟). Now many people like to go to Deyun Club to watch his shows.

    Zhang Yunlei is 27 years old this year. He is from Tianjin.  He is really handsome He is over 180 cm tall, and he is kind of thin. He has a long face, a big nose and he has small eyes. He doesn't wear glasses.

He is funny when he speaks crosstalk, but he is shy in his real life. He works hard to bring happiness to people.