My name is Brad. I'm 1 Sichuan. I'm a(n) 2 monkey and I am only one year old. I like eating 3 and bananas are my favorites. I like forests(森林),but now I live in a 4 . I am in a big cage(笼子) 5 other monkeys. People like me and often give me some fruist to eat. 6 I'm not really happy. 7? Because I can't live with my parents and I can't climb trees(爬树) here. Every day, I get up in the cage. I eat food in the cage. I 8 and relax in the cage. I really want to 9 my parents and climb trees in the forests. Dear people, animals are your 10. We live in the same world. Please let us live in the forests, not in the cages.

The Phone Call

    It was getting dark. Paul looked out of the window and signed ( 叹气 ). Dad said he could come home by 5:30, but it was almost 7:00. Even if Dad came back, it wouldn't be much fun playing1in the dark. Paul walked into his room and threw his baseball into the corner. He tried to do some homework, but couldn't.

    The phone rang at about 8:00. It was Dad, "Paul, I'm2, but I couldn't play baseball with you tonight. I have to finish my work at the office. Maybe we can play this weekend. Oh no. How about next weekend?

    Paul couldn't understand why Dad was so3 He threw himself into the sofa and soon fell asleep. His book was still opened to the first page.

    The next day at school, Paul didn't hand in his homework and 4 a test. Mrs Green, his teacher, asked him to stay after school. "Paul, you didn't do your homework. You didn't pass the test and only got a D. This isn't like you. What's wrong?"

    Paul just sat there 5"Paul, if you don't want to talk, I will. I know that something's worrying with you, but you have to get it out. You need to tell someone.

    As Paul walked home, he thought of what Mrs Green said. Maybe he didn't do his homework because he wanted to get his dad's 6He knew Mrs Green was right. He decided to take her advice.

    When Paul got home, he 7his dad. But there was no answer. Then it went to voicemail(语音信箱). Paul began talking, "Dad, I can't play with you next weekend. I've got lots of problems with my homework. Also, I really don't want to spend another day looking out of the window and waiting, whenever you 8our plans, Dad, it hurts me. It's not too late to rebuild our relationship, but we have to start small. Maybe you can help me with my 9sometime. Dad, I love you. "

    As Paul ended the call, he felt much relaxed.  He didn't know whether his dad would be different, but it didn't matter.  He himself 10 He expressed his feelings to the right person. He had a clear head as he was doing his homework that evening.

When I was little，I was really little.But my dream was big.I dreamed of being a basketball player.I tried out for the teams at school，but I was never given a chance.

As I got older，I did grow a little bigger，but not a lot bigger.On my 12th birthday，I decided to try a new sport：running.I told Grandpa，"I'm going to be a sportsman.""

"Dave，"Grandpa began gently，"if you can't be big，you can do something big."

I ran 12 miles on my 12th birthday.On my 13th birthday，I did it again，but I added an extra（额外的）mile.On my 14th birthday，I ran 14 miles.15 on my 15th，16 on my 16th，and you guessed it—17 miles on my 17th birthday.All this running inspired（激发） another big dream.Someday，I'd run the Boston Marathon（马拉松赛）.I told Grandpa about my decision."But，Dave，you haven't trained for the marathon.Are you sure you're OK？"Grandpa asked.But he was still sure to walk over and cheer me on.I ran fast that day.But I fell at Mile 18 and the workers sent me to the hospital.Later that night，I called Grandpa and told him I failed."No，"he said calmly，"you didn't fail.You discovered something."I did？"I asked.

"Yes，you discovered that big dreams don't just come true.They take work.If you train and work hard，I am sure to wait for you next year and cheer you on."

I trained every day，running miles and miles.Sadly，just two months into my training，Grandpa died.He wouldn't be waiting for my second Boston Marathon.I decided I'd run for him.

That day，I ran fast，"Keep going!You can do it!"His words filled my head as I forced my legs to make each painful step.As I crossed the finish line，I threw my arms in the air and cried， "Grandpa，I did it!"

You must have heard of me. I'm Li Bai. I'm famous for my poems, but looking back on my fall and exciting life, I'd say friendship has been just as important as poetry.

One of my friends is He Zhizhang who is forty-two years older than me. Once we were having such an interesting conversation that we decided to continue it over dinner. After finishing the meal, we realized that neither of us had brought any money. He immediately took off the golden tortoise (龟) decorated on his waist and used it to pay for our dinner. I knew the golden tortoise was given to him by the Emperor. His generosity touched me. This showed how much he valued our friendship.

A letter started another of my friendships. The letter was from Wang Lun. He wrote to invite me to enjoy the ten-li peach blossom (桃花) scenery and the ten thousand restaurants in his area. I was expecting to see the special scenery and taste all kinds of food and wine so that I accepted this invitation at once.

But when I arrived to my surprise, I found that this clever man had used word-play to trick me into visiting him! The ten-li peach blossom referred to a lake named Peach Blossom Lake, which was about ten li away. The ten thousand restaurants were just a restaurant named WanJia, meaning "owned by Mr. Wan"! I was impressed by his cleverness, and we enjoyed a good laugh together.

Although my friends and I don't have many opportunities to get together, we keep one another in mind.

I have invented robots which improve the work of cars. My love of making things began when I was a kid. I really became 1 about inventing after I learned about Thomas Edison.

In Grade Four, we 2 a project by our teacher in class. We had to write to a company and learn about the products. I chose the Thomas A. Edison Company. Soon after,3 company sent me a book about the life of Thomas Edison. 4 excited I was!I enjoyed reading and re- reading about his inventions. I like the recorded sound and the electric light best.

My dad 5 my interest in inventing and encouraged me. He showed me 6 I could turn my ideas into plans and then into new things. Once, I surprised 7 witha model plane I made. Later, we found a similar model plane 8 a store. I learned that different 9 often invent similar things. I also learned that not all great ideas work. Failure is a common part of the inventing.

My dad is always looking for a better way 10 a simple job. His guiding hands, together with my interest in inventing has led me to become an engineer and inventor. Of course, I also thank Thomas Edison. He is my hero.

As a child, cultural historian and writer Sofia Ake l often stayed at the local library." The library near the East London estate(庄园) where I grew up was where I developed my interest in reading as a child," she said.

Akel soon realized that many people couldn't afford books. Later, she started the Free Books Campaign, an organization with the goal of giving books to those who can't buy them." We've donated(捐赠)6,000 books to people in the UK and Ireland so far," Akel said.

The organization is funded by donations, and anyone càn request a book they'd like to read. Akel believes that reading should be something that everyone can take part in." Without the library, my worldview, my imagination, and my vocabulary would have been reduced," she continued.

In its third year of operation, the Campaign held the Free Books Festival in Peckham, Southeast London. Over a weekend, they gave away about 3,000 books.

Estelle, a biochemistry graduate, went to the festival with her friends." It's important that events like this exist," she said." With events like this, it means I'm able to enjoy my love for reading and find new books." When asked about her book selections, Estelle said,"I chose Good Intentions by Kasim Ali.I got my book signed by him during the event. It was very exciting because I'd never met the author of a book I'd read in person."

Data suggests that accessing books at a library has become increasingly challenging. According to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), library book stocks.(储存) reduced by 11 per cent across England, Wales and Scotland between 2021 and 2022. So organizations like the Free Books Campaign are making a huge difference in the lives of many people around the world.