It was Christmas Eve. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world was over for me. I didn't have enough money to buy myself the1 that I had wanted that year.

Dad came back in and there was ice in his beard（胡子)."You've been by widow（寡妇）Smith's house recently?"he asked. Widow Smith 2two miles down the road. Her husband died a year ago and left her with3children.

“I rode by just today,"Dad 4 “Little Jack was out looking for wood. They must have used up wood, Tom.”

We filled our sledge（雪橇）high with 5. Then we went to the store and Dad bought some food and a small pair of shoes. I tried to think about6Dad was doing. I knew we didn't have enough money, so why was Dad buying them so many things?

We 7 widow Smith's house and went in. "We brought you a few things, madam."Dad said, and 8 the bag of food on the table. Then Dad handed widow Smith the pair of shoes. At that moment, tears filled her eyes and started running down her face.

My throat seemed to be filled with 9, and there were tears in my eyes, too. Just then, my dream gift seemed very unimportant. Dad had given me the look on widow Smith's face and the smiles of 10three children. He had given me the best Christmas of my life.

    The students of seventh grade walked into the hall with laughter and voices. We were told to listen to a speech by Mrs. Marks about bullying(欺负) and peer pressure (同伴压力). During the whole year, our grade had listened to speeches on these topics over and over again. My friends and I sat back, preparing to sit through another  1 speech.

    But as soon as Mrs. Marks started talking, she caught my attention. She talked in the way as if she knew how to reach into our minds and make us  2. And for once, I actually began to think about what she was talking about.

    One boy, especially, came to my mind. Every day, this boy came to school late. The students in the class would always make fun of him. They said, "Hey, man! Where have you been?" And then another added a more unfriendly joke. Their jokes would continue until the teacher 3 them to stop. But it was always too late. The boy would put his head down on his desk in 4.

    I felt really sorry for this  5 boy. Then I turned my attention back to the speaker and listened carefully till the end.

    "Now, before I leave today, I would like to give everyone here an opportunity to say something on the subjects of bullying or peer pressure. You may apologize(道歉) to or thank someone. And I can promise that no one will 6 at you this time.

    The silence in the room made me believe her. Slowly I saw a few hands rise. One girl wanted to apologize to a friend, and another thanked a boy for his kindness. It was then that my moment of 7 happened. The speaker called on me, and I began to talk.

    "What you said today 8 makes sense. I know that it's true, because I see it every day in class. There is one person who is always made fun of." My voice shook, I think that everyone here has made fun of him. I know I have. And now I really 9 it. To us, it may just be a game, but to him, it must hurt. And I think well, I think we need to stop."

    There was a silence for several seconds, but then, clapping quickly spread through the crowd.

    Later that day, the boy thanked me . And from then on, the other students began to 10 him better. They stopped playing jokes on him and greeted him with a friendly "Hi". I was pleased I had voiced something that everyone was feeling.

    A farmer had some little dogs to sell. As he was putting up an advertisement on the fence of his yard, a 1 happened to pass by.

    “I want to 2 one of your dogs, sir.”

    “Well, " said the farmer, "these dogs come from fine parents and cost a lot of 3.”

    The boy 4 his head for a moment. Then he reached deep into his 5 and pulled out（退） some change（零钱）. “I've got thirty-nine cents（美分）. Is that 6 to take a look?”

    “7," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle（口哨），“Here, Dolly!”

    Dolly ran out of the dog house 8 by four little dogs. The boy's eyes danced with joy.

    As the dogs made their way to the fence(栅栏）, the little boy noticed something else moving inside the 9. Slowly another little dog 10: this one much smaller. It was doing its best to 11.

    “I want that one, "the little boy said.

    The farmer said, "Boy, don't want that dog. He will 12 be able to run and play with you like the other dogs would.”

    The boy rolled up（卷起）one leg of his pants and showed a steel（钢）13. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see, sir, I don't 14 too well myself, and he will need someone who 15.”

    I'm Tony. I love weekends! I always get up late on weekends. For breakfast, I only have 1. It's usually an apple. I have a big lunch. After lunch, I like to eat ice-cream. It tastes 2. In the afternoon, I like to 3. I usually play basketball. 4 I swim. In the evening, I clean my room. I like 5 rooms. I always go to bed late.6 my sister doesn't like weekends. She has a job in a big store and she always 7 on weekends. She never goes out 8 her friends. She usually gets home from work at 22: 00. After taking a shower, she 9. Sometimes she reads in bed. But don't ask her 10 she reads. She always falls asleep(睡着) after reading one or two pages.

    I know the saddest moment in my life. Three years ago I was in Grade 6. I arrived at my school that morning. As soon as I walked into the classroom, I felt sad and uncomfortable. I knew exactly why the mood felt this way. The people around me were 1 their feelings. Today was the day when our teacher would leave and move to another school. Mr. Smith was finally saying goodbye to our school after five years' 2 here.

    Mr. Smith was a lovely man. He would tell a lot of jokes during the class 3. So you would remember them. He was very easy to talk with. He was cool, relaxed, and was always 4. When you would see him. It was 5 not to like him.

    That day began with our class song as usual. I felt sad and uneasy. I couldn't even imagine how things were going to be 6 him. All the good times I've had with him, the jokes he told that made me laugh, the countless hours of watching him play the guitar and the warm 7 he kept on his face… These thoughts went through my mind, and I became inspired. Why did Mr. Smith have to go? This is the 8 day of my life! I was lost in my thought.

    "Hey, are you all right?" My friend Peter 9.

    "Yeah, I'm all right. I'm just kind of sad," I 10.

    "Yeah, me too. I wish he was our teacher forever. Mr. Smith is the best, "he said.