When I was ten, my mother worked all day so I had to take care of my younger brother. At that time my little brother was about four years old and he missed mum all the time.

One day, after I had given him his dinner, he started crying for mum. He was so young and really needed mum. So I dressed him, put on his shoes, carried him on my back and walked out. Soon he fell asleep. About half an hour late, I found that he had lost a shoe while sleeping. I took him off my back and put him down. I knew we needed to find that shoe, for our mother couldn't afford new shoes. We had to go back to find it, so I told my brother to Wait right here. A man heard it and stopped me just before I walked off. He asked me, ”You are leaving your brother here to find the shoe? What would you do if he is not here when you return?" I did not know how to answer that question. He continued,It is OK if you can't find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother.”Then he sent us to mum's workplace by taxi.

I have depended on the kindness of many strangers in my whole life. I feel regretful that I cannot find them and say thank you. I don't even remember what the man's face looked like, but he taught me a lesson—people are more important than things.

    A man lived in a village. He had an old cat at home. The cat couldn't run fast and bite，because she was so old. One day, when she saw a mouse, she jumped and caught it. But she could not bite it. The mouse got out of her mouth and ran away.

    Then the man became very angry and began to beat the cat. The cat said, “Don't beat your old servant. I know I'm old and can't kill a mouse. But I have worked for you for many years, and I still want to work for you. Be kind to the old, and remember what good work they did when they were young."

    When the man heard that, he realized that he was wrong.

Finally Home

    Last year, my parents moved to this town. I had to go to a new school and found no one to be friends with because I wasn't interested in the topics most of my classmates liked.

    “Maybe I'll never have real friends,” I thought. I closed my eyes and imagined playing my drums. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a guitar. I followed the sound and found out that was a band. I recognized(认出) the guitar player at my first sight and so did he. “Hey, you're Cassie from my class!” his voice surprised me.“I'm sorry,” I said. “I just haven't heard any live music in this town before! You sound great — did you guys write that song?”“Yeah — well, we're still working on it. I'm Matt.” He stood up and held out his hand.

    “Mind if I listen in?” I asked in a low voice. “Not at all,” Matt said, smiling. “Maybe you can give us some suggestions!”

    The song was pretty good and I could really improve it with my drum skills. Behind my drum set was the one place I felt completely like myself. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to open that door to the world.

    “Hey, do you play drums?” Matt asked suddenly. His question surprised me. How did he know? And then I followed his eyes to my hands, which had been beating a rhythm (节奏) on the floor. I tried to say no, but my heart stopped me from refusing. “Sure, I've been playing for a few years,” I said finally.“Oh, wow! You've got to join us!” Matt said. “I have some drums over here.”

    I looked at their shiny faces. “Clearly. I would love to play!” I replied. “One, two, three, four!” Matt counted and began singing, and I knew I was finally home.

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。

    Issumboshi was a one-inch boy, and he was so small that he could not do any useful work on the family farm. His grandfather became tired of feeding such a useless man and sent him away to the city.

    “Learn to become a warrior(武士),”he told his grandson.“Then perhaps you will grow into a man of normal height.”

    To help the little man on his way, his grandfather gave him a cup to use as a boat on the river, his mother gave him two long grains of rice to use as oars and his father gave him a pin to use as a sword.

    Issumboshi's journey was long and dangerous. However, because he was so brave and clever, he at last reached the city safely.

    To his surprise, the streets were empty. The people of the city were hiding in their houses from a powerful giant.

    Immediately, brave Issumboshi went out to meet the giant. The giant tried to pick him up and eat him, but Issumboshi was so small and quick that the giant could not get hold of him.

    Issumboshi struck again and again at the giant with his sword. Before long, the giant fell to the ground and died from a thousand wounds.

    “Oh, what a great warrior he is!”the people of the city shouted as they came out of their houses.“What a great hero this young man is!”Hearing this, Issumboshi felt so proud that he stood up straight. He told himself, “I am already taller than I was. How wise my grandfather was to send me to the city!