In the past there lived a man in a small town called Zheng. One day he {#blank#}1{#/blank#}to buy himself a new pair of shoes. He measured (测量) his feet with a ruler first and wrote down his {#blank#}2{#/blank#} on a piece of paper. Then he went shoe shopping.

    When he arrived at the shoe shop, he reached into his pocket (口袋), but he {#blank#}3{#/blank#}the paper was not there. So he said to the salesman, "I have left the measurement at home and don't {#blank#}4{#/blank#}the size. I'll go back home to take it."{#blank#}5{#/blank#}these words, he ran out of the shop.

    He ran back home, found the paper and then ran to the shop {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. But it took him a few hours and the shop was closed (关闭). He{#blank#}7{#/blank#}the afternoon on the way and did not buy his shoes at last.

    Someone asked {#blank#}8{#/blank#} "Did you want to buy the shoes for yourself?"

    "Of course," he answered.

    "Then {#blank#}9{#/blank#} don't you try the shoes on by yourself?"

    "I trust (相信) the ruler {#blank#}10{#/blank#} than my feet," he said.

    Grandma was a kind and loving woman. At the age of 16, she married a 40-year-old man. But she{#blank#}1{#/blank#}her husband one year later. Luckily, she had a son.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, her son died, too. By the age of 25, she lost everyone in her family.

    Since then, Grandma had concentrated her life on adopting(收养) the homeless{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. I was one of them. Last year, my grandma was 83 years old. When she heard I would get married, she was very{#blank#}4{#/blank#}and said she would take care of my kid, too. But one night, she had a fall and{#blank#}5{#/blank#}her right hand badly. All she could do is to sit quietly. It made us feel sad because we used to see her doing all the{#blank#}6{#/blank#}by herself.

    There was hardly a month left for my wedding. Grandma became very{#blank#}7{#/blank#} because she was afraid if she would see the wedding. All of us said that she could be the{#blank#}8{#/blank#} person to bless(祝福)me at the wedding.

    Sadly, several days{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the wedding, Grandma died. At my wedding, we had to put a(n){#blank#}10{#/blank#}in front of me and my husband. With tears in my eyes, I said nothing. I knew I would have my dear Grandma's blessing forever!

    There is a park near my house. In the park, there are some bushes(树丛). I{#blank#}1{#/blank#}enjoy doing some reading on the bench (长凳) beside the bushes, but now I always tell myself{#blank#}2{#/blank#}the bushes.

    Last Sunday, I went to read on a bench there. I was{#blank#}3{#/blank#}reading my favorite Sherlock Holmes when I suddenly heard something{#blank#}4{#/blank#}from the bushes. I thought it{#blank#}5{#/blank#}be a cat or something like that and took no notice of it. Suddenly, a yellow four-legged, cat-like animal ran past me. I couldn't help shouting! I{#blank#}6{#/blank#}what it was. And{#blank#}7{#/blank#}as fast as I could.

    People can imagine life without water. Without it, the earth we live on would be a dead one. There would be no trees, no crops, no animals and no people. So water is considered to be next to{#blank#}1{#/blank#} in importance.

    Although nearly three quarters of the earth's surface is covered with water, it is sea water and {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The demand for water is increasing, while water{#blank#}3{#/blank#} are scarce.

    Agricultural production needs enormous amounts of water, so does industry. Besides, the rapid growth of population makes it more and more difficult for people to{#blank#}4{#/blank#}because of the water shortage. So water shortage has become one of the most serious problems.