Thomas was a good student but he didn't respect others. One day，his aunt gave him a1as a birthday gift. He went around the classroom playing his drum. When others asked him to keep 2or play somewhere else，Thomas refused.

    Thomas's classmates couldn't 3the noisy drum，so they stopped playing with him. Joe, one of his classmates，invented special earplugs (耳塞)which allowed people to hear normal sounds, but stopped the bad ones. Thomas got very4with Joe. He even had a big fight with Joe.

    A few days later，a clock was put into the classroom，just next to the desk of Thomas. The clock was making the5like “Tick tock, tick tock.” Thomas couldn't concentrate on his study at all.6 ， the others，with their special earplugs，were OK. Soon Thomas started to 7how much he had disturbed his classmates with the drum，and how silly it had been to fight with Joe. In order to change the situation，Thomas decided to say8to his classmates. What's more，he9played his drum in the classroom. Seeing Thomas's great changes，his classmates10forgave (原谅)him and decided to play with him again. From then on，Thomas changed a lot and got along well with his classmates.

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卷上将相应的字母编号涂黑。

    A little boy sold magazines. He walked up to an old house, whose owner hardly ever came out. The boy knocked on the door and      1. As he was about to leave, the door suddenly opened.

     "What do you want?" an old man asked. "Sir, I am selling these magazines, and I 2 if you would like to buy one."

    As they were talking, the boy noticed some dog figurines (小雕像) inside the house. Then he asked the old man  3 he collected dogs. The old man told him "yes" and they were all he had.

    The boy then felt 4  for the man, as he was very lonely. "Well, here, I have a magazine for collectors. And I also have one about 5 since you like dogs so much." The old man was ready to 6 the door and said, "No, boy, I don't need any magazines, now goodbye."

    Sad for the old 7 man in the big house, the next day, the boy came back with a little dog figurine. He knocked on the door 8 , and this time the old man came right to the door, shouting angrily, "Boy, I thought I told you no magazines" The boy handed him the figurine, and the old man's face 9 . From that day on, the old man started coming out and meeting people.

    This simple nice act 10 the old man's life forever.

    It was my 14th birthday and I would have the biggest party ever. The number of the 1 had quickly grown from seven to seventeen. Nearly every girl in my class was 2.When each guest excitedly 3 the invitation, I was especially happy.

    The 4was full of shouts and laughter. We had just finished a game of Twister when the door bell rang. I was so 5 and I could feel my face turning red, because when I6the door, there at the front door stood Sarah Westly the quiet girl who sat next to me in music class﹣and she was holding a 7.I thought about the guest list. How did I 8to invite Sarah？

    I remembered that I only added a name to the 9 when someone showed an interest in me. But Sarah had 10 done that. I accepted the box, a gift from Sarah, and asked her to join the party. "I can't 11," she said." My dad's waiting in the car. "At that moment I felt bad about forgetting to invite Sarah and really wanted her to rest for some time in my room." Thanks, but I have to go, "she said, turning 12 towards the door. "See you Monday."

    I didn't open the box until the party was 13. Inside the small box was a ceramic(陶瓷) tabby cat. It was the best gift I had received 14 I didn't like cats. I later 15 that the gift looked exactly like Sarah's cat, Seymour. I didn't know it then, but now I realize that Sarah was my true friend.

Painting from Memory

    I was born in Damyang, a beautiful place known for its bamboo forests in Korea. I spent much time in the forests painting pictures of the 1 . Painting is one of my talents. I lived there until last year when my family moved to New York. My mother, a scientist, was asked to come work here.

    "There are no bamboo forests," I said, "there is nothing to 2 in New York."" Don't worry, you will find many things to see and paint there," my mother said. I still felt 3. "But I will miss home," I said. "Then you can paint pictures of your favorite places. They will make you feel at home even in New York," she said. So when we moved, I brought my forest paintings with me.

    New York was not easy at first. I missed home a lot. Yet when I looked at my paintings of bamboo, I felt much better. 1 soon 4 friends at school too. They also like painting, and we now paint in a group after school.

    Last month, we had a new neighbor, Varvara, an old lady who moved from Russia, to be closer to her daughter. She was sad to leave her home. My mother and I often visited her. She told us her unbearable homesick and everything about her hometown Vyborg. I could5 her home in my head.

    Varvara missed her home so much that she became ill. I worried about her and I wanted to do something for her. I had ever been in her6 before. At least, I had my forest paintings of home. However, she didn't even have that. Unless. A few days later, I met Varvara on the stairs. She looked better but still sad. I gave her my gift: a painting of Vyborg. I had painted it from her 7.

    She began to cry as she saw the painting. At first, I was worried that she didn't like it. Later, she told me that those were 'cars of joy. I knew just how she8 -wherever you go, hometown is always with you.

    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.