"Never give up!" It is my law(法则) of life. It has brought me 1. I learned the law from my father's 2 story.

    My father was 3 in a poor village in the north of Jiangsu, in China. When he was a young boy, he went to school in the morning, then 4 in the fields till sunset. And then he did his homework 5 midnight. Life was hard, because they had no 6!

    At the age of 14, my father heard of the United States of America. It was the land of gold, the land where 7 people can become rich.

    "8 don't I go to America?" he thought to himself, full of hope.

    So my father came to America. “I had thought it was easy to 9 money in America," he told me. "But when I arrived there, I realized it was not true.  They did not like to hire (雇佣) me because I spoke 10 English. Later, I worked in a small restaurant, cleaning up tables, 11 dishes and sweeping the floor. Life was 12 for the first few years. I worked from 10 a.m. to 11 p. m. I wanted to go to school to learn English, but it was impossible. I couldn't  13 the schooling (学费). "

    My father 14 working hard, and reached his goal.

    "Alan," he often says to me. "If you want something, you have to work for it and never give up. Things do not come 15 in life." That is what I learned from my father.

    Good morning, boys and girls. I 1 your English teacher. My name is Alice Brown. Alice is my 2 name, and Brown is3 last name. Look! What's this? Yes, it's a photo of my4. This is my husband. He is a teacher,5. He is6 P.E. Teacher. But he is not in our school. I have a son and a daughter. This is my 7. His name is Jim. And that is my daughter.8name is Gina. They are9the same grade, but in different10 . Jim is in Class 3, and Gina is in Class 7.They like sports very much, and they often do sports 11 their friends after school. Jim likes Yao Ming . So 12 is his favorite（最喜欢的）sport. Look at his T-shirt. Its size（尺码）is 13. If（如果）you want to play and need help, call 14. Gina loves books. She is always in the 15.

    One day, a lady on a carriage saw a young man walking on the rocky road.1 the young man didn't wear shoes and it seemed that there was 2 wrong with his feet.

    She asked the driver3him up, and said she would pay4 him. Then she asked the young man 5. He said he was going for the nearest sea-port, to offer himself as a sailor.

    Twenty years 6 on the same road, a sea-captain 7 was on a carriage saw an old lady walking along, and he made the driver stop his horses. He pulled up8old lady, saying, “I'll pay the money.”

    After 9 on the carriage, the old lady thanked the captain, “for,” said she, “I am10 poor to pay for a ride now.” The captain said, “I remember, twenty years ago when I was a poor man, near this very place, I 11 a ride on a carriage along the road by a kind lady.” “Ah,” she was 12“I am that lady! But things13with me since then.” “Well”, said the captain, “I have made some money, and have come home to enjoy it. I 14you twenty-five pounds a year if you accept my offer.” The  old lady's eyes were full of tears, and 15accepted the sailor's offer.

    I know a Catherine who is smart, educated and interesting. But I avoid her because she never1 complaining(抱怨)! For years, I fought against my feelings, because I really like and admire her, but I've found I just can't be her friend. Her world is 2 “buts…”. The trip would have been nice, but the drive was too long. The food was good, but the light of the restaurant was too 3. The hotel was too hot, the bed hurt her back and the room service was too slow. Her complaints were 4 changing me. Months ago, my best friend Daisy was listening to me complaining about Catherine 5 she just became really angry. “Either break up with her, or leave me alone.” She shouted at me, “I'm tired of listening to your complaining.” Her honesty surprised me, and I began to keep myself away from Catherine. Later, I did6 her.

    Now I try to remain happy and positive (积极的) about life, and find friends of the same. There's been scientific research lately. It shows that people who find7 to be thankful for their lives are actually happier, and I believe that is true. Endless complaining seems to control your life if you let it come into your brain. And too much complaining will actually make your life 8 .

    Some people take “gratitude (感激之情) walks” every day, where they9 their lives in a positive way. By developing a grateful attitude, you can be turned away from what's troubling you, and10what makes you happy. Then you will have a beautiful life.

    Most parents send Care packages(包裹)and gifts to their Children when they're away at university. Terri Cox, from Leonardtown, Maryland, isn't one of those 1.

    A few weeks ago, Terri sent her son 18-year-old Connor, who's now 2 at Westminster College in Pennsylvania, a package. 3 Connor first got the package, he thought it was a usual gift filled with necessities(必需品).

   "I was 4 because it's like Christmas when you get gifts from 5 especially when you're in College," he said. But as Connor 6 the package, he found the things inside were quite different from what he had 7 It wasn't a gift or a Care package. It was something he'd 8 while at home for the Christmas Break- his rubbish.

    The box was filled with trash(垃圾)-everything he was too 9 to take out when his mother had asked him to over Christmas.

    In fact, Connor didn't do all of his 10 at home at all. So Mom Terri got the idea to post his rubbish to him to 11 him. Connor didn't understand 12 his mom did this to him until he gave her a Call." 13 isn't usually strict, and I didn't see this as a Big punishment(惩罚). It was more of a(n)14 reminder(提醒)that I have duties(职责). And we have a good laugh on the phone," he said.

    Connor later said that the rubbish he had 15 in the Box was only a part of what he was asked to take out. Where was the rest? They were hidden in his Bedroom drawers(抽屉).

    Thinking what happens to rubbish if left for a long time, let's hope Terri find the rest fast.

    I live in a big city. It's noisy and dirty and I am very1. At weekends, I like to leave the city and get some2air and a good rest. A few weeks ago I decided to go to visit my3.

    I was really looking forward to it.

    My parents live far4. I went to visit them with James, a friend, and we drove away on Friday night. In the middle of the journey, it began to rain. The road became very5and it was difficult to drive. We arrived at my parents' home after midnight, feeling very6.The next7it was still raining. James took his8to a garage(汽车修理厂) which was very good.

In the afternoon the9became better, so we wanted to go for a10. My parents lent us their car. That was no good. Their car didn't11.We rang up the garage. "Oh," they said, "your car12be ready till tomorrow." So it wasn't13to go for a drive. We decided to play a word game. When we didn't agree about a word, we looked for a dictionary. But it wasn't there.14my mother remembered, "I lent it to your sister. She took it with her when she left."

    The word game wasn't any good15a dictionary.

    On Sunday my mother dropped a heavy box on her left foot and we had to hire a taxi to take her to a hospital. When James and I drove back, we got stuck in a car accident. Next time I want a rest,

    I'll stay at my home.