Many musicians meet and form(组成)a band because they like to write and play their own music. They may start as a group of high school students and practice their music in someone's house. Sometimes they may play to passers—by in the street or subway so that they can get some money for themselves or pay for their instruments (乐器).

    However, there was one band that started in a different way. It was called the Monkees and was formed in 1965. It began as a TV show. The TV show had planned to find four rock musicians who could act as well as sing. But they could only find one who was good enough. They had to use actors for the other three members of the band.

    Since some of these actors could not sing well enough，they had to ask for help from other musicians. So at first，the band just pretended (假装)to sing. Anyway，their performances were excellent and they got lots of fans. Each week on TV，the Monkees would pretended to play and sing songs written by other musicians. After a year or so，they became more serious about their work. They started to play and sing their own songs like a real band. Then they produced(制作)their own records and started touring and playing their own music. In the USA they became even more influential and popular than the Beatles and sold even more records.

    However, the band broke up around 1970，but happily they reunited(重聚)in the 1980s. They produced a new record in 1996 to celebrate their time as a band. It was very successful. Today the Monkees are still making music for their millions of fans.

    When my daughter, Sophie, was admitted to a college we were very happy, but a little worried about becoming empty nesters(空巢老人). I knew I had to do something, starting with the summer before she was away from home.

    Sophie had a pack of colourful blouses. I knew she wouldn't wear them anymore, so I decided to make a quilt(被子) out of them. I tried to work on the quilt when Sophie 1 – which turned out to be often. She was very busy with her friends. Even when she was at home, her door was shut more than usual. This made me feel a bit hurt.2 we didn't have much time together before she went to college.

When we arrived at the college, a wave of emotion flooded me. Sophie saw it in my face. She took a beautiful 3 from her bag. "I made this for you, Mom," she said. Then I knew why she had been staying behind a 4door that summer. It was an album of photographs recording the life of our family over the last 17 years.

    I broke into tears. Some of it was sadness at having to let her go, but some of it was 5I knew that our connection was more 6 than ever as we would always be connected by the strongest link, the love that went into every stitch(针脚) of her quilt and every photo in my album.

In Sophie's dormitory room I unfolded the quilt on her bed. For a moment she was speechless. Then she threw her arms around me. "Mom, I love you," she said. One of her new friends was calling her outside. Sophie turned, and I let her go.

    Katy Sullivan is an actress, an athlete (运动员), and a person who also refuses to accept the words no or I can't.

    She was born without the lower half of her 1 and has worn prosthetic (假体) ones all her life. She grew up in Alabama, US and had a(n) 2 childhood. She kept up with her sisters and brothers at the gym and the swimming pool. She feels lucky 3 her family treated her in just the same way as the other members.

    When a person is born without legs, there are plenty of things that are 4 to do. But Katy believed she could 5 anything. So she chose two jobs that are difficult, 6 with both legs. As a teenager, she once saw a good movie. Before it was 7, Katy had made her mind up to be a(n) 8.

    She did a degree in theater and then moved to Los Angeles, where she has played 9 in theater, television and movies. She has a positive (积极的) view of life. She thinks that if you believe 10 can do something, you should 11 it. So when Katy's friend asked her 12 she'd like to try running, she said "yes". She was given a pair of running legs and she 13 her new life.

    Katy was the first person in the world with two prosthetic legs to 14 running as a competitive sport. She entered the final of the 100 meters in the 2012 London Paralympics.

    Katy's family, friends, and fans look up to her as an 15 of someone who has overcome her difficulty and achieved her dreams.

    Once upon a time, there was a swan(天鹅). She lived in a lake. A woman with her two daughters lived in a1small house the lake. They lived a difficult life. Sometimes they 2 money to buy food.

    The swan was 3 to see that. She 4 to help them. Every day she came to the woman's house and left a golden feather (羽毛) without 5 anything. The woman sold the feather 6 bought food. She was happy because her life was 7 than before.

    But the woman became greedy (贪婪的) . One day when the swan 8, the woman caught (捉住) her and took all her golden feathers. Suddenly the golden feathers 9 common (普通的) feathers.

    The swan said, "I came to help you, but you wanted to kill 10. I will never come back. Never be greedy." With these words, the swan disappeared (消失).

    Washington was the first president of the United States. He was very 1even when he was still a 12-year-old boy.

    Once a thief2some money from Uncle Post, Washington's neighbor. The door of the house was not broken, and things in the room were in good order. Washington 3that the thief must have been one of the villagers.

    That evening at the villagers' meeting he said, "We don't know who stole the money4.

    God does. God sends his wasp(黄蜂)to tell good from5Every night the wasp flies6us but few people notice it. "Then, all of a sudden Washington waved his band and cried out, "Look！The wasp has landed on the thief's7It is going to sting(叮咬)!"

    Everybody turned to 8the thief. But soon the noise died down. All eyes were 9on a man who was trying hard to drive the "Wasp" off his hat.

"Now we know10stole the money, "Washington said with a smile.