I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I thought that the act of writing is the coolest thing in the world.

    Years later, during her final illness, my mother kept different things for my sister and my brother.“ But the desk，” She said, “it's for Helen.”

    Although I knew she loved me and she only showed it in action, I wanted heart­to­heart talks between mother and daughter. But they never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional (易动感情的)”，but she lived “on the surface”．

    I had my own family later. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she forgave me. I posted the letter and waited for her answer. It didn't come.

    My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and finally, peace—it seemed that nothing happened. I wasn't even sure if the letter had got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I never heard from her!

    Now the present of her desk told, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside—a photo of my father and a one­page letter, folded and refolded many times.

    Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.

    Chuck was not an ordinary frog. He did love eating flies, but he didn't like catching flies himself. He didn't like snapping them from the air while they were flying around. Some frogs thought Chuck was lazy. Others thought he was strange.

    That didn't matter to Chuck. Each morning, Chuck hid himself under the spider's web between the cattails. Then when Lady Eightlegs went off, Chuck ate flies from her web.

    One morning while Chuck was enjoying the flies, Lady Eightlegs returned and caught him. She cried, "Go and catch your own". Chuck jumped back into the pond.

    Now there was an idea! Why not make his own web? Chuck got some vines. He put them together until they looked like a spider web. He worked on his web for hours until mid-night. And then he fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, he was stuck inside and couldn't move.

    "Help!" he yelled.

    Lady Eightlegs got there and saved him.

    "No matter how hard I try,I can't spin a spider's web," Chuck said.

    " Of course not," Lady Eightlegs said. "You're a frog. Frogs can't spin spider's webs any better than spiders can swim, I guess. How I wish to swim in the middle of the pond and float (漂浮) peacefully under the sun like you!"

    Chuck smiled, "I have an idea."

    From that day on, Chuck carried Lady Eightlegs out to the middle of the pond, where they floated and played together. When they returned to shore, they shared a breakfast of flies. It wasn't exactly an ordinary friendship.

    Beakley gets a letter from his grandma. It says, "Please come and visit me soon."

    Beakley puts his green toothbrush and socks into his bag. He takes his favourite toy Bunny too. His friend Weber goes with him.

    They take a yellow taxi to the airport. "This airport is very big," says Beakley, "I am scared(惊恐的) of flying. Maybe we should drive a car there." "No," says Weber, "it's too far. The pilot can fly over buildings and trees just like a bird."

    Flying is fantastic and soon they land(着陆). And then Beakley takes a big purple boat with Weber. It crosses the sea to a big island(岛). On the island, Beakley and Weber take a train. After getting off the train, they rent(租) a bike. "This goes very fast and this is fun." says Beakley.

    Finally they get to a pink house and Grandma waits for them.

    It's 8: 00 in the morning. Mr. White goes into the classroom and finds Tom isn't in. Then he begins his lesson. He asks the students to read their English books.

    "May I come in, sir?" a boy asks at the door.

    "Come in, please," says Mr. White. "You're twenty minutes (分钟) late, Tom."

    The boy is often late and every time he makes an excuse. "I am sorry, sir," says Tom. "I'm late because the traffic is bad, and I have to wait for (等待) the lights to turn green."

    "But why don't you catch an earlier (更早的) bus?" asks Mr. White.

    "I just take the earlier bus. But the later (晚点的) bus often overtakes (超过) the earlier one!" answers Tom.

    Mary is an American schoolgirl. She is now in Beijing with her parents. She doesn't know Chinese, but she is trying (努力) to study and speak it. She often tries to speak Chinese to her Chinese friends. Sometimes they don't understand (理解) her, because she can't speak Chinese well.

    It's Saturday morning. Mary goes out. She is on her way to the park. She is going there to see a flower show (展览). But she doesn't know how to get there. She asks a Chinese boy. The boy can't understand her. Then she takes out a pen and some paper. She draws flowers on it, gives the picture to the boy and says something about it. The boy smiles and then shows (指给) Mary the way to the park.