Jim is an American. He is now living(居住) in China. He gets up at about half past six and has breakfast at seven o'clock. After breakfast, he says goodbye to his parents and leaves home at half past seven. He usually walks to school. He gets there at five minutes to eight. He has his first class at eight.

    Morning classes are over at ten past twelve and he has lunch five minutes later，at about a quarter past twelve. After lunch he plays with his friends.

    Afternoon classes begin at half past one. Usually there are two lessons in the afternoon. They finish at half past three. Usually he plays games or other things at school，and he gets home at about a quarter past five. He has supper at six and then does his homework and then watches TV. He goes to bed at about half past ten.

    I volunteer with Meals on Wheels every Friday. A week ago, I had the pleasure of helping one of my customers (顾客). She is in her eighties and is very weak and I always bring her lunch on Fridays. She looked worried when she opened the door that day. She told me her phone was broken and that she couldn't receive the call from her doctor. She went to her neighbours, but they were not at home. She thought maybe the mailman could help her, but he didn't come. She was disappointed.

    Having heard her story, I decided to do something for her. I called the phone company immediately and made sure they knew that getting this phone fixed was urgent (紧急的). I took down her phone number and her name just to make sure I could call her later to make sure that the phone had been fixed.

    I called the phone company twice that day. They told me they had checked the phone line and got the phone connected. The old woman was so thankful that she was in tears (眼泪), hugging me for nay help. After that, I called her every day to make sure she was fine.

    My heart is filled with love and happiness. It does not take much time or effort to help someone like a neighbour. Sometimes, all that is needed is a smile, a hug or a phone call.

Dear Yang Kai,

    Would you like to go out for a picnic with my brother and me at 3: 30 on Sunday afternoon?

    We will have the picnic in Yingze Park. You know where it is, don't you? You can take the No. 6 bus to the park. After you go into the park, walk straight on for about five minutes until you come to a small but clean river. There is a bridge over it. Go across the bridge and turn left. After walking for ten minutes, you will come to a hill. Walk to the other side (边) of the hill and you will see a lake (湖). We will have the picnic by the lake.

    I'm sure you will find us easily. Don't forget (忘记) the time.

Yours,

Hao Gang

    In ancient China, a woman told the best stories. She married an emperor(皇帝).Sadly, one day, this woman became ill and died. Everyone thought the emperor would soon find another favourite among his wives, but the emperor was very sad. He spent more and more time in his garden, and less and less time caring for the needs of his people. Everyone in the kingdom was worried.

    One day, a priest(牧师)passed when some children were playing with their dolls. The dolls made dancing shadows on the wall. This gave the priest an idea. He knew the stories the emperor's wife used to tell. What if he could bring those stories to life？

    The priest made a puppet(木偶)out of bits of clay(黏土).He painted the puppet to look somewhat like the emperor's wife. When the puppet was finished, the priest silently walked into the emperor's garden, carrying his puppet, a candle and a curtain. He placed the curtain near the emperor's chair. He placed his candle, his puppet and himself behind the curtain. He waited for the emperor to appear.

    The emperor did not even notice the curtain at first. The dancing shadow drew his eyes. As the priest moved the puppet behind the curtain, he told wonderful stories as the emperor's wife. It seemed as if his wife had been spending time with him. The emperor was no longer sad. At the end of each busy day, the emperor went into his garden to visit his shadow wife and hear her stories once again. That is how shadow puppets first began.

    At the beginning of the world, a man named Ekon lived in Luzon. He liked to build things. He thought it would be a very good idea to build a bridge to the sky.

    As he wanted the bridge to be strong and last a long time, he built it of stone. He worked for years and years to build the bridge. His wife and children, nephews and nieces, uncles and aunts, all helped him. Though they worked very hard, the sky always seemed to be a long distance(距离) away.

    When Ekon became an old man, his wife and children told him that he would never finish it.

    "If I can't finish it." he said. "my children's children will do so. "

    But just before he died, his wife and children told him that they could not find any more stones.

    So Ekon became very angry and disappointed. Though he was very old and weak, he pulled down the bridge. It came tumbling(倒下) with a great roar(吼叫).

    The stones made great heaps(堆) all over the country. These great heaps of stones are what we now call mountains. Ekon was buried under one of them himself.