My grandfather is a {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(retire) worker. On summer evenings, we often sat together outside the house {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(enjoy) the cool air. It  was the time that he told me lots of his experiences before liberation.

        When my grandfather was fourteen years old, he worked in a coal mine. One day, when he and his two workmates were working in the tunnel, an{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(fortune) thing suddenly happened. A part of the tunnel fell down, and they were shut init. They had no food {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(eat). When they were hungry, they only drank some water there. It was very cold in it. In order to keep warm, they hugged one another. In the darkness, they didn't know whether it was day{#blank#}5{#/blank#}night, they only felt they had stayed there for a very long time. They were too hungry to speak or move, and thought they{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(die). At last, the tunnel{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(dig) through. They weresaved. They had been there for fourteen days! My grandfather said they weren't let out at once. If{#blank#}8{#/blank#}, they would have died. They were kept at the entrance to the tunnel {#blank#}9{#/blank#}it was very dim, and they were fed {#blank#}10{#/blank#} some thin porridge. After a day or two, they had recovered a bit, and they were helped out.

    Christmas is the most important festival in the western world. It{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(fall) on December 25^th . When my mother and I stayed in America, we{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(invite) by one of my mother's friends to observe Christmas with an American family. We bought some{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(present) for our American friends on our way{#blank#}4{#/blank#} their house.

   They had prepared different kinds of gifts for their family and guests when we got to their house, such as Christmas candles, cakes, cards, little toys, biscuits and so on. A Christmas tree was placed in{#blank#}5{#/blank#} corner of the brilliant hall.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} beautiful it was! We were impressed by these. We had a big meal. After dinner, they told us some interesting stories about Christmas.

    We learned that Christmas had something to do with Jesus. We went to bed at midnight{#blank#}7{#/blank#} we knew the Santa Claus was not true, we were still waiting for the Santa Claus{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(bring) us presents. And we received many beautiful presents the next morning.

    This Christmas was really {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(forgettable). Not only {#blank#}10{#/blank#} I have a good time, but also I knew something about foreign culture.

    Cyclist Agustin Navarro was coming fourth in a race in Spain. But as he approached the finish line, he saw that his competitor Ismael Esteban had suffered a flat line and was running toward the finish line{#blank#}1{#/blank#} his bike over his shoulders. Agustin Navarro slowed down and refused{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (pass) him. Instead, he rode behind Ismael Esteban{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (allow) him to win the bronze medal.

    The people standing along the way applauded for Agustin Navarro's{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (behave) and cheered the two men as they made it toward the finish line —{#blank#}5{#/blank#} on foot; the other, on his bike. Mr. Esteban later tried to give{#blank#}6{#/blank#} prize to Agustin Navarro,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} he refused it.

    Agustin Navarro{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (praise) online for his unusual act since then. In a television interview, he told people that he didn't want to win like that, so he braked out of respect for somebody who had been{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good) than himself. That's{#blank#}10{#/blank#} the spirit in a sport lies: respect competitors, teammates, coaches and even themselves.

    Keeping a diary in English is one of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(effect) ways to improve our English writing ability.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(compare) with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes less time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. If we persist in this practice, gradually we {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(learn) how to express ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(difficult). In the first place, it often happens {#blank#}5{#/blank#} we have trouble finding and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there are many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. And it is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(extreme) hard for us to put them into English properly.

    As far as I'm concerned, my {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(recommend) is that we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary {#blank#}8{#/blank#} easy reach. Whenever something beats {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also turn to our English teacher for help, if necessary. In {#blank#}10{#/blank#} word, I believe that it is of great use to keep a diary in English for the development of our writing skills.

    Joe's plane landed on time at Heathrow Airport. He had {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (exact) one hour to get out of the airport and go across the centre of the airport and the centre of London to catch his train to Manchester. He hurried through the airport, and then raced {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the taxi sign.

    Unfortunately, at that moment, his luggage broke and dirty socks, shirts and underwear were all over the airport floor. Joe was so {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (embarrass) that he quickly put everything back into his luggage. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (push) his way through the crowds of people, he finally made it to the taxi rank. He jumped into the nearest taxi, shouting, “Euston Station, quickly, pleases!” The taxi set off at such {#blank#}5{#/blank#} high speed that Joe {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (throw) back-ward, hitting his head against the glass .The taxi sped on and finally arrived in the city centre, and also the middle of a traffic jam! {#blank#}7{#/blank#} would be quicker to walk there, Joe offered {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (pay) the driver, got out of the taxi, and ran along the pavement and past all the shop {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (window). At last, he could see the station opposite.

    He {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (reach) the station just as his train was leaving. He got on the train with seconds to spare. He sighed with relief—he would be home in time for Christmas.

Do Yao Ming, Liu Xiang and Justine Henin have anything {#blank#}1{#/blank#} common with people like us? You probably answer "NO!"

It seems that top athletes live in a world that is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (total) different from ours. However, if we could see into their minds, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} would be clear that they are actually just like us. Just how they become successful {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (mean) examples for us all. To achieve their goals, sportspeople not only have to prepare physically, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} mentally.

We may not be sports stars {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (we), but we have to face the same problems. We set goals for ourselves and think about personal {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (develop). We have to manage our fears before big exams. We worry about our friendships with both classmates and teachers.

Like sportspeople, we try {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) mentally strong and bring out our {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good). There is much we share with sports {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hero).