Mike is a factory worker. He is often very tired after a day's work. His wife, Jenny, has no job, so she stays at home to cook the meals. Every day he can have his dinner when he gets home from his factory.

    One day, Mike came home very late because he was very busy in the factory. He was very hungry when he got home.

    He was not happy when he found his dinner was not ready. He was very angry with his wife. He shouted at her, "I'm going out to eat in a restaurant." "Wait for five minutes," said his wife. "Why? Do you think that dinner will be ready in five minutes?" asked Mike.

    "Of course not," she answered. "But I can be ready to go with you in five minutes." 

    Mrs. Smith is Jim's mother. She loves her family very much. She often buys food, fruit and clothes for Jim and his father. Now many clothes are on sale at good prices.

    Mrs. Smith comes to the store and she wants to buy some clothes. It has sweaters in all colors for ￥15 each (每件）and sports shoes for only ￥28. Mrs. Smith likes the red sweater and she buys one for herself. She buys a pair of sports shoes for her son. The T-shirts in the store are just ￥18! She buys a white one for Mr. Smith. And that's not all. The socks, in all colors, are ￥2 each. She buys five pairs.

    Walter Dean Myers，born on August 12，1937，was an American writer of children's books．He was known for young adult literature （文学） He wrote more than 100 books，including picture books and non﹣fiction．"I care about writing for young people because I remember how much I needed help and guidance at that time in my life，"Myers said in his book．

    Myers loved writing．He got up at five o'clock every morning．He worked at home in a small office that used to be his son's bedroom．

    Myers would first write an outline for every book．He called this prewriting．He imagined what the story would be and wrote down ideas in a notebook．To make sure there's enough action and dialogue for a good story，he thought of 30scenes．He wrote a short description of each scene in his notebook．

    He also cut out pictures of real people and put them on his office walls．He looked at those pictures and came up with ideas．Once he knew what the story would be and who the characters were，he began to write the book．He wrote five pages a day on his computer．

    Myers usually worked on three books at a time．When he was not prewriting or writing a book，he might be rewriting something he had already completed．Then he would send the story to his agent （经纪人）．He or she made suggestions for the story．After these final changes were made，the book was published and made its way to bookstores and libraries．By that time，Myers would begin to write his next book．"I want to do the best that I can with my writing．"said Myers．

    After a while attention to Tom ended, and the usual school murmur(嗡嗡读书声) rose upon the boring air once more. Now the boy began to steal secret glances(偷看) at the girl. She noticed it, made a face at him and gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she slowly faced around again, an apple lay before her. She pushed it away. Tom gently put it back. She pushed it away again, but with less animosity(敌意). Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it remain. Tom wrote on his paper, "Please take it. I got more." The girl glanced at the words, but made no sign.

    Now the boy began to draw something on the paper, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time the girl refused to notice, but her human curiosity soon began to show itself by hardly noticeable(明显的) signs. The boy worked on, seemingly not aware. The girl made some non-committal(含糊的) efforts to see, but the boy did not display that he was aware of it. At last she couldn't bear it and whispered: "Let me see it."

    Tom partly uncovered the picture of a house with some smoke rising from the chimney(烟囱). Then the girl's interest began to fasten itself upon the work and she forgot everything else. When it was finished, she gazed a moment, then whispered:

    "It's nice! Draw a man."

    The artist created a man in the front yard. She was satisfied, and whispered:

"It's a beautiful man—now draw me in it."

    Tom drew an hour-glass(沙漏) as the body, a full moon as her head and some arms added to it. The girl said:

    "It's ever so nice. I wish I could draw. No one has ever taught me that."

    "It's easy," whispered Tom, "I'll teach you."

    "Oh, will you? When?"

    "At noon. Do you go home for dinner?"

    "I'll stay if you will."

   "Good, that's a deal. What's your name?"

    Bill is a farmer. He can't write or read. One day he goes to the city {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (buy) something. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} noon, he bas lunch in a restaurant. He {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (sit) down at a table and looks around. He {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (see) some old people put glasses on before reading their books. "Oh I {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (know) why I can't read or write. I want to have a pair of glasses," {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (say) to himself. Then he doesn't {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (eat) anything and can't wait {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (go) to the shop. All the glasses {#blank#}9{#/blank#} very expensive. But he still buys a pair. When he puts on the glasses, he still can't read. He is angry and asks the salesman, "Why can't I read with the glasses? {#blank#}10{#/blank#} there anything wrong with your glasses?" "Excuse me, but can you read?" the salesman asks. "No, I can't." The salesman laughs and says nothing again.