It was Sunday afternoon. My brother and I were alone at home. My parents went for a party and asked me to look after my brother. I was doing my homework while my younger brother was watching TV. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Ding-Dong! My brother thought that it was our parents, so he opened the 1soon.

    A tall man wearing a black raincoat stood outside. He said that he came to sell books and asked politely2 our parents were at home.

    Without thinking, my brother said, “No.” Then the man asked if we would like to 3some story books. I refused him. When I wanted to close the door, he suddenly pushed the door very 4and came into our house. He took out a 5and ordered me to tie up my brother's hands with a rope. I tied up his hands in a special way so my brother could untie 6easily. The man then tied my hands up and locked 7of us in the kitchen. Soon, he went upstairs to 8money. I taught my brother to untie the rope on his 9. He then untied me. I rushed to the telephone to call the police,10the line was dead. The doors were all locked from the outside. It was lucky that the man 11to lock the kitchen window. We got out of the house through the kitchen window and went to the 12 pay phone to call the police

    Soon 13came to our house and the man was caught. By that time, my parents had come home. We told them the whole story. My parents were 14that we were not hurt. They told me that I should stop my brother from 15the door to strangers. I learned a lesson on safety.

    In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the filmmaker Walt Disney. He had a(n) 1 voice and he wanted to work in Disney s cartoon film for children. When Walt Disney heard Nash's voice, he said, "Stop! That's our 2!"

    The duck was the famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and 3 his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audience liked him because he was 4 and greedy (贪婪的) and he lost his temper (发脾气) very quickly. And they loved his 5 when he became angry with Mickey's eight nephews. Soon Donald was more 6 than Mickey himself, probably because he wasn't a goody-goody like Mickey.

    In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto 7 hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational films about the place of the USA, and 8 in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice 9 —there were no more new cartoons.

    Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today's children can still see the old cartoons on 10 and hear that famous voice.

    "What you want," she said," isn't always what you need." My mother always told me.

    1my husband and I were talking 2Christmas. "I want a real tree," I said.

    "Why?" he asked. "What's wrong with our fake(假的)one?" "A real 3makes a perfect Christmas." "Fine," he muttered(咕). So we4one home and set it up. Then I poured a bottle of water in the tree.

    "That's plenty," said my husband. "No," I said, "a little more." I began pouring again. Then suddenly, the tree started to swim. We5 the water with every towel(毛巾)in the house. "Sorry," I said. He didn't reply. 6later the floor was dry and he was7to me again. "The tree smells good," he said. I 8. Then we finished the lights and put the angel on top.

    Still, it wasn't quite…9So the next day I added snowflakes10the tree. It's still not perfect, but it's done. And I'm done, 11. But it's still not perfect. The lights on the tree are in a mess. The top snowflakes are showing their age. The berries are falling on the floor. 12at least it smells good. I will always remember that lovely 13 and the look my husband gave me.

    My mother was 14. What we want isn't always15we need. I don't need a perfect Christmas. I only need the perfect gifts that Christmas brings: joy and laughter with family.

    It was a cold winter. An eight—year-old boy got a 1from his grandfather. It was a very lovely little turtle(海龟). The boy was so happy to2the little turtle. He wanted to play with it very much.  3the turtle retracted(缩回)its head and feet into its shell. The boy wanted the turtle to4 out of its shell, so he pocked(捅)the turtle with a stick. But it didn't5. The turtle just stayed inside its shell. They boy was very6.

    Grandfather saw that, and he said to the boy, "Don't do it in that way. I have a good idea. Let me help you. "Grandfather7the little turtle into his room and put it near a warm fireplace(壁炉). After a few minutes, the little turtle8warm and showed its head and feet.

    "Sometimes.  9 are like the little turtle, "Grandfather said, "So don't be so rude. Be kind and friendly10them."