Hello, everyone! My name is Jenny Green. My first name is Jenny and my last name is Green. I am {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（十）years old. I like {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(夏天) and I can swim. I often go swimming on{#blank#}3{#/blank#}（星期天）. There is a swimming pool (游泳池) behind my home. It is{#blank#}4{#/blank#}（小的）. but I like it. Look at the{#blank#}5{#/blank#}( 照片) in my hand. This is my father. He is a{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(医生), he works in a{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(医院). It is{#blank#}8{#/blank#}( 在….附近) my home. He is{#blank#}9{#/blank#}( 四十) years old. My father and I are going to see my{#blank#}10{#/blank#}叔叔) tomorrow. He is a good policeman.

    Plenty of people dream of going to Mars(火星). {#blank#}1{#/blank#} different from those people, 13-year-old Alyssa Carson has been working {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (happy)for that dream since the age of 4, according to a new report which {#blank#}3{#/blank#} made by the BC not long ago.

    Alyssa tells the BBC, "I hope {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (go)to Mars because it is a place that no one has been to before. I want to take that first step. "According to the BBC, she {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(attend)USA's three world space camps so far.

    Her father, Bert Carson, tells the BBC that Alyssa plans to be on the first long journey to Mars, which is expected to take place in {#blank#}6{#/blank#} year of 2033. "We are proud {#blank#}7{#/blank#} her, "he says." We have the next eighteen {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (year)planned out. "One of those plans is Alyssa attending the International Space University.

    Of course, Alyssa's dream could come with {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (big)sacrifices(牺牲)than others. If Alyssa goes to Mars, maybe {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is very difficult for her to return to Earth. Still, her father says, "If that's the only choice she has, she still wants to go." Alyssa agrees.

Why Short Stories Are Best for English Learning

    You get more time to focus on words. When a text is short, you can have more time to learn how every single word is used and what importance it has in{#blank#}1{#/blank#}text. This is more useful for those{#blank#}2{#/blank#}are beginners of English.

    You can read a whole story at a time. Attention length is very important for learning. And the ability to finish story gives you more time{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(understand) it. Short stories are written to give you{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(much) information with less effort.

    It is best for consistency (一致性). It is much easier to read one story every day than trying to read a big novel that never{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(seem) to end.

    You can share them easily in a group. Since short stories can{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(read) in any place, they are perfect for book clubs and learning circles. Most of the time these groups do not work because members have no time to read. Short stories are perfect way for them.

    You can focus more on ideas. Language is less about {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(word) and more about the meanings behind them. If you spend all your time {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(learn) vocabulary and grammar, you will never be able to speak a language {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(smooth) because you will have little to talk about. Short stories give you the chance to understand big ideas in a short text.

In a word, short stories will not only improve your English reading comprehension (理解力){#blank#}10{#/blank#} also open your mind to different worlds.