My Stay in New York

    After graduation from university, I had been unable to secure a permanent job in my small town. So I decided to leave home for New York,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}I might have a better chance to find a good job. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (earn) some money to pay the daily expenses, I started work in a local café as a waiter. I believe that30．{#blank#}3{#/blank#} I was offered a good position, I would resign at once.

    Over time, the high cost of living became a little burden on my already  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (exhaust) shoulder. On the other hand, my search for a respectable job had not met with much success. As I had studied literature at university, I found it quite difficult to secure a suitable job in big companies. Mother had just said that {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I want to have a better career advancement, I had to find work in the city. Perhaps {#blank#}6{#/blank#}my mother had told me was deeply rooted in my mind. I just did as she had expected.

    Soon I had lived in the city for over six months but I still did not like it. Apparently, I had difficulty{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (adapt) myself to life in the city, let alone finding a job to my delight. After nine months of frustration, I eventually decided to go back to my small town. Not until I returned {#blank#}8{#/blank#}I realize that a quiet town life was the best for me.

    People {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (live) in different countries made different kinds of words. Today there are about fifteen hundred {#blank#}2{#/blank#} in the world. Each contains many thousands of words. A very large dictionary, for example, contains four {#blank#}3{#/blank#}five hundred thousand words. But we do not need {#blank#}4{#/blank#}these. To read short stories you need to know only about two thousand words. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}you leave school, you will learn only one thousand or more.

    The words you know are called your vocabulary. You should try to make your vocabulary{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (big). Read as many books as we can. There are a lot of books {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(write) in easy English. You will enjoy them. When you meet{#blank#}8{#/blank#}new word, look it {#blank#}9{#/blank#}in your dictionary. Your dictionary is your {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (much) useful book.

    Henry Bond was about ten years old when his father died. He lived {#blank#}1{#/blank#} poor life with his mother. When in fourth grade, Henry wanted a grammar book in order to join a class in the school. But his mother didn't have money {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (buy) one for him. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(trouble) by it, Henry started thinking about {#blank#}4{#/blank#} could be done.

    One morning, it snowed {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (heavy) and the cold wind blew hard. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (look) at the deep snow, Henry said to {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (he), “It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.”

    He ran to the house of a neighbor, and offered his services to clear a path in front of his house. The offer was accepted. After {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (complete) this work, he received a tip. Then he went to another place for the same purpose, and then to another, until he earned enough to buy the book.

    When school {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (start), Henry was in his seat, the happiest boy in the class, ready to begin the lesson in his new book.

    Henry was always one of the top students in his class. He knew no such word {#blank#}10{#/blank#} “fail”. Having the will, he always found the way.

    Chinese proverbs are rich and they are still widely used {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Chinese people's daily life. Behind these proverbs, there are often interesting {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (story). For example, the proverb "plucking up a crop to help it grow" is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (base) on the following story.

    It is said {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a short-tempered man in the state of Song was very anxious {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (help) his rice crops grow up quickly. He was thinking about it day and night. But the crops were growing much slower than he expected.

    One day, he came up with an idea that he would pluck up all of {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (he) crops a few inches. He did so the next day.

    He was very tired after finishing doing this for a whole day, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} he felt very happy since the crops did "grow" {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (high).

    His son heard about this and went to see the crops. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (unfortunate), the leaves of the crops began to wither (枯萎).

    This proverb tells us that we should let things go in their natural course. Being anxious to help an event develop often {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (result) in the contrary to our intention.