On a sunny day, Linda and Jack were to try the new boat on the river.Linda jumped out of bed excitedly, got dressed quickly and woke up her brother Jack.

    After1Linda and Jack arrived at the riverbank and2the new blue boat waiting for them.They got into the boat and packed their picnic under the3.Linda started the engine and4they went into the wide, brown and unknown5of the river.

    Suddenly, they found the boat sounded6round a bend in the river.On the distant sandbank they saw a long dark creature7in the sun. It opened one eye at them and then suddenly disappeared into the8.

    “What was that?” shouted Jack.

    “It looked like a crocodile to me!” said Linda.“We'd better be9.”Just as they came round the next10, the engine11and came to a stop.Linda12to start the engine again. But it wouldn't start. They were13.

    “Let's get the wooden oars,” said Jack. “Maybe we can 14 the boat free.

    They tried but failed.

    “We're stuck on a sandbank,” said Linda. “We'll just have to sit here having our15and wait for the water to16.”

    “It's boring!” said Jack.

    Suddenly, they felt the boat move .It moved slowly off the sandbank. And the engine started again. Just at the same time they noticed a black17by the boatside and in no time it disappeared in the brown water ahead.

    They18heir journey down the river. It was so exciting .

    At noon they saw a small river19the main river. It wasn't on the map . “Let's20there!” said Linda.

    The boat turned and went into the smaller channel .On both sides grew thick unknown trees.

    Robby was 11 when he took his first piano lesson.I1 students begin at an earlier age,2 I explained to Robby.Robby said it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano.So I took him as a student.

    Much3Robby tried,he4 the sense of tone and basic rhythm.But be dutifully reviewed his lessons.

    Over the months he tried and tried,and he'd always say,“My mom's going to hear me play someday.”But it seemed5.He just did not have any inborn ability.

    Then one day Robby stopped coming.I was glad,as he was a bad6for my teaching!I 7he had decided to pursue something else.

    Several weeks later,my students were to have a recital（演奏会）.To my surprise,Robby came,asking to play in the recital.

    “It is for 8 pupils,but you dropped.”

    “My mom was sick.But I have been practicing.I've just got to play!”he insisted and I agreed.

    The night for the recital came.I put Robby up just in the program9I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece.I thought I could save his poor performance through my "curtain closer".

    The recital10well.Robby came up on stage.His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked dirty.“How could his Mom...?”I thought.

    Robby began and it was Mozart's work.I was not prepared for what I heard next.His fingers even11 on the keys.After six and a half minutes he ended and people were all on their feet in wild12.

    13and in tears I ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy."I've never heard you play like that,Robby! How did you do it?"

    Through the microphone Robby explained:"Well,Miss Hondorf,remember I told you my mom was sick?Well...14she had cancer and15this morning.And well...She was born deaf,so tonight was the 16 time she ever heard me play.I wanted to make it 17."

    There wasn't a 18eye that evening.I thought to myself how much 19 my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil.However,he was the teacher,for it is he that showed me the meaning of20and love and believing in oneself.

     “Daily Star, sir” called Jason, carrying some newspapers under his arm. The little boy had been running up and down the street, but there were still twenty 1 left. His voice was almost gone and his heart was 2. The shops would soon close, and all the people would go home. He would have to go home too, carrying the papers 3 money. He had hoped to sell more papers tonight to make more money to buy a4for his mother and some seeds for his bird. That was why he had bought the papers with all his money. He 5 as he thought of his failure to sell all his papers.

     “You don't know the 6of selling papers. You must shout, “Hot news! Bomb bursting!” another newsboy Chad told Jason. “7 it's not in the paper at all,” replied Jason. “Just run away quickly 8they have time to see, and you'll 9out and get your money,” Chad said.

    It was a new 10to Jason. He thought of his bird with no 11 and the cake he wanted to buy for his mother, but was 12 that he would not tell a lie. Though he was 13 a poor newsboy, he had been 14 some good things.

The next afternoon Jason went to the office for his papers 15 Several boys were crowding around Chad, who declared with a 16 smile that he sold six dozen the day before. He added that Jason 17 money because he would not tell a lie. The boy 18 at Jason. “You wouldn't tell a lie yesterday, my boy?” A gentleman at the office came up and patted Jason's shoulder 19.”You're just the boy I am looking for.” A week later, Jason started his new20. He lost sale of twenty papers because he would not tell a lie, but got a well-paid job because he told the truth.

    Anna was very picky(挑剔的)about food. She never ate the wonderful pizzas or ice creams her mother made, which was her parents'1. She just ate other things. Anna was2 ， but her parents were both fat. Their likes were her dislikes. 3 ， everyone wondered who she had taken after…Anna's parents thought she was ill.

    One day, they went to see a4. He took them to a machine. Then he put a plate of fish in front of them, and5on the machine.

    It started playing sounds: waves'6sound and the songs of seabirds. After some time the doctor7the fish with fruit and vegetables. The sounds of the sea8 ， and there came the sounds of gentle wind, birdsong, and rain. All of them9the beautiful sounds of nature, but the doctor10the plate again, and this time it was a dish of meat. The machine started making lively sounds: the sound of11animals. Still quite pleasant. Then the doctor brought a strong smelling pizza. The machine seemed to 12down. Instead of beautiful sounds, out 13noisy sounds. The noise was so disturbing that the family had to ask the doctor to change the14of food. The doctor brought them ice creams, burgers, and candy…but they thought the sounds were still15. Finally Anna's parents16 the doctor to bring fruit back.

    "Anna isn't ill, "said the doctor. "She can understand each type of food's own17. It comes from where the food was born, raised, and18. Anna wants to eat the foods whose music is 19. That's why she's slim and healthy."

    These days, they all look slim, 20from then on, in the house pizzas, burgers, puddings, and ice creams were replaced by fruit, vegetables, and fish.

    What did your dinner sound like today?

The Little Angel

    Sally jumped up the moment she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She asked, "How is my little boy?"

    The surgeon said, "I'm 1. We did all we could, but your boy didn't2 it."

    Sally 3 into the chair. The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time with your son before he was transported to the 4?" Sally nodded. While saying goodbye, she ran her fingers 5 through his thick curly hair. "Would you like a lock of his hair?" the surgeon asked. Sally nodded yes. The surgeon cut a few hairs, and handed them to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to 6 his body to the university for study. He said it might 7 somebody else. "I said no at first, 8 Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.'"

    "My Jimmy had a heart of 9, always thinking of someone else, always wanting to help others if he could." she went on.

    Sally walked out of the hospital. She put the bag with Jimmy's 10 on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was 11. It was even harder to enter the 12 house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room 13 where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, 14 herself to sleep.

    It was around midnight when Sally 15. Lying beside her on the bed was a letter. The letter said,

"Dear Mom,

    I know you're going to 16 me, and me too. I will always love you, Mom, even more 17 each passing day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to 18a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's OK with me. He can have my room and old toys to play with.

    Don't be sad thinking about me. I don't hurt any more. The cancer is all19. I don't have to stand that 20 any more. The angels in Heaven are so tender. They say I'm a Special Angel! I love you, Mom."

    A friend was cast in The Sound of Music. Tim suggested our daughters might enjoy being a 1 of the musical.

    "You can try out for the band," he said.

    "No, I'm trying out for the show." I answered. But there was one problem with my 2: I'd never been in a musical. And I'd never sung 3.

    My daughters wanted to 4, so we memorized show tunes and prepared to audition (试镜). As our audition 5, I felt nervous and wanted to give up. But I knew 6 would set a bad example.

    "Whether you're 7 or not isn't important-doing your best is who 8," I'd been telling them. Now I had to live it.

    I walked into the audition. To say I was 9 would be an understatement. After all, my last audition had been in high school. I sang my song, trying to look confident. My daughters did a good 10. Then we waited for the result. The good news is that we all 11 it! Not only was I cast-I was a lead!

    To prepare, I 12 to the cat, the shower and the dishes when alone, I knew I'd have to get over my 13of performing in public. After all, this'd be my first time to sing in public. I was a little nervous.

    I told friends and family about the 14. I didn't want the theater to be 15, but I didn't necessarily want it packed either. 16, if it were full, I preferred to fill it myself with 17 faces.

    The show was successful. Friends and acquaintances all 18 us. After that experience, I 19 more auditions and even learned to enjoy singing on stage. And I filled my life with the sound of 20.