Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun 1 — to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

    Most of the class considered turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the 2 of most of her students' art. And they were. But in her class there was a different kind of boy, Douglas. He was always unhappy. When other children played together, he was likely to stand close by the teacher's side. The boy drew a hand in his picture. 3 else. Just an empty hand.

    Whose hand 4 it be? His abstract (抽象的) picture made classmates really 5. One child guessed it was the hand of the6, because they raise turkeys. Another suggested police officers, because the police 7 and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went — 8 the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.

    When the children went on to other projects, she 9 at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him 10 hand it was. The little boy looked away and said in a low voice, "It's 11, teacher."

    The teacher recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "12 my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me 13 you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.

    Hearing the boy's words, tears ran down the teacher's face. She brushed aside a tear and went on with her work.

    The story speaks of 14 than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship. They might not always say 15, but they'll remember the hand that reaches out.

    Sara lived in a village with her mother. When Sara grew up, she was tired of boring  1 life. She wanted to go out. One morning, she secretly left while her mother was still 2.

    Unluckily, the world outside was not as 3 as she had expected. Ten years later, Sara 4 home. It was midnight when she came back home. She saw weak light 5 the window. She knocked at the door softly but no one 6. Then she tried opening the door and the door was easily opened. She Was 7 "How strange it is! Mum never8 to lock the door in the past." At this time, Sara saw her mother sleeping 9the cold floor.  Sara couldn't help crying "Mum!". Hearing the sound, her mother opened eyes and saw her daughter.

    Sara complained, "Mum, 10didn't you lock the door tonight? "The mother answered, "I am afraid you can't open the door if you return at night. I have not locked the door for ten years." From that day on, her mother began to lock the door again and slept with a smile.

    Kierman was born in Sydney, Australia, and grew up near the sea. For more than 40 years, he raced in international sailing competitions.

    In 1987, Kierman was competing in an around-the world race when he began to 1 the huge amount of rubbish in the world's oceans.  When he returned to Australia, he 2 to do something about it.

    He organized a community 3 called "Clean Up Sydney Harbour". On Sunday, January 8, 1989, more than 40,000 volunteers came out to 4away rubbish. The next year, Kierman made the clean-up a national event. It was a huge 5 Across Australia, about 300,000 people spent the day improving their local 6.

    Since then, "Clean Up Australia" has got 7every year. In 2002, for example, 800,000 people cleaned up almost 15,000 tons of rubbish from Australia's beaches, parks and streets.

    Kierman was 8 with the success of his project. In 2003, he started an even bigger program. With the9 of the United Nations Environment Program, he introduced "Clean Up the World", an international program that supports communities around the world in cleaning up and protecting the environment. "Clean Up the World" has grown 10 and his wonderful idea has now spread from one city to the whole world.

    After school on Friday, I waited at the school gate lo walk home with Jemma, as usual. Then I saw 1 talking and laughing happily with some other girls. She glanced (瞥了一眼) at me and left me alone there I knew fight then that I had 2 my best friend.

    At dinner, Mom asked. "Is Jemma coming by tomorrow?"

    I shrugged (耸肩) and said nothing.

    The next morning. Mom asked. "Today is 3. What are you and Jemma going to do?" I shrugged again. "4 is Jemma?"

    Mom took a look at me. Them she said, "Will you take these magazines to Grandma, please?"

    5 I walked down the street, a new girl in the neighborhood came towards me, smiling. But I just went 6 her.

    Grandma welcomed me at the door with a warm hug.

    Sitting on the sofa, I noticed a(an) 7 of kids in old-fashioned clothes on the table . Grandma pointed at a girl with short fair hair.

    "That's Beth Lambert," she said. "My best friend. Until a week before we took this photo." I was 8 at that.

    "Beth and I were best friends in school. We did everything 9. Then one day, she made new friends and said she didn't want to hang out with me anymore. Nothing hurt 10 that."

    I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I knew I'd start 11 if I opened my mouth.

    Grandma hugged me again. "Simone, sometimes friends grow 12. It might happen to anyone," she continued. "Then, see him?" Grandma's finger 13 to a boy with glasses in the photo. "He lived near me. When I was walking home by myself 14 this boy was, too, I said 'hello'. And we became friends."

    "So, if we want to start a new friendship," she smiled. "One 15 is all it took."

    As I was heading home, that new girl appeared again. I went towards her and spoke, "Hello."

    I am Tom. I'm a student in a middle school. It's nice 1 you here. First let me say something about my family.

    There are five people in my 2: my mother, my father, my sister, my brother and I.

    My father is an 3 worker. My mother is a teacher 4 English. My sister is eighteen and my brother is sixteen. I'm fourteen. We 5 in the same middle school. We all study hard.

    My home is at West Hill. There is a big river near our 6. And behind it there is a pear tree and the small 7 are apple trees, 8 there aren't any pears or apples on them.

    9a photo of my house. In the photo, you can see three 10 in my bedroom. We like them very much.