After some time, another official climbed up to the platform and spoke to me. From his signs I understood that they were going to move me. The King of this country（which was called Lilliput）had ordered his people to carry me to the capital city, about a kilometre away. I made signs to ask whether(是否) I could be untied, but the official politely said "No". While I was eating bread, a platform had been prepared to carry me. The people of Lilliput, known as the Lilliputians, are very clever with their hands. For me, five hundred men built a special wooden platform with twenty－two wheels. Nine hundred of the strongest men worked for about three hours to lift me on to the platform, and one thousand five hundred of the King's largest horses（each eleven and a half centimetres high）pulled me to the capital. I did not know about any of this, because they had put a sleeping powder in my wine, and I was in a deep sleep. (An Extract from A voyage to Lilliput )

    It seems very natural that if you have two dollars and add two dollars to them, you have four dollars. But do you know it too men millions of years to be able to think so? In fact, one of the most difficult things to teach children is the idea of numbers.

    In ancient times, when a man wanted to tell how many animals he owned. he had no system(系统) of numbers to use. He put a stone into a bag for each animal. The more animals, the more stones he had. It may explain why the word "calculate" comes from the Latin word "calculus", "calculus" means "stone."

    Then, man used lines to count. People would just draw a line for each thing they wanted to count, but they had no word to tell the number.

    Later on, people used fingers. Again we have word that goes back to this. The word "digit" comes from the Latin word "digitus". It means "finger"! And the fact that we have 10 fingers led to the use of 10 in the system of numbers.

    The number system we use today was invented by the Hindus in India thousands of years ago and was brought to Europe during 8^th to 11^th by Arab traders(商人). In this system, people count things with ten numbers. 1. 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.and 0. It is decimal system(十进制), that is, it is built on the base of 10.

    Everybody has different hobbies that they like to do for fun or just to relax. There are many kinds of activities like volleyball, basketball, swimming, or baseball. It all depends on each personality. For me, basketball is a part of my life and it means a lot to me.

    Since I was a little girl, I started to play basketball in the school team and also with my friends in the neighborhood. My mother told me that I liked kicking the ball around and had so much fun with it when I was only about two years old. Since then, playing basketball is my favorite sport. It is my hobby whenever I have free time.

    Playing basketball also helps me to relax and be confident. I often play basketball with my classmates in the playground. After doing my homework or when I come home from school, I play a little bit with my friends outside of my house or we go to the park to play it.

    Whenever I play basketball, I feel healthier and stronger. Besides, I meet new friends from the neighborhood. I not only like playing basketball, but I also enjoy watching basketball games on television.

I was walking along a busy road when I noticed a young man standing near the crossing selling toys.1I would hurry past such sellers. But I found this young man was 2, so I stood for some time without crossing the street. I wanted to see how he sold his things.

Soon, a young mother with a little girl came by and the child set 3 eyes on one of the teddy bears. The mother asked the 4 and it was only one dollar. She 5 out a 10­dollar note from her handbag and told the young man that she was giving him 10 dollars and wanted the 6 back. I was wondering how he was going to do it. He told the young mother to put the money in the bag 7 around his neck and take out her change.

I realized that this young man depended on believing people would not cheat him. There was no way for him to know 8 someone took out more than they should have done. I was so 9. I bought a car model from him that I did not need. As I walked down the street, I gave the car model to a kid walking with his father.

I kept thinking that the world would be a better place if we could all learn to 10others more, like the young blind street seller.

I'm enjoying my staying in Canada. It is my first experience of studying abroad, and I am trying to 1  as much as possible. Classes here are much more fun and very different from classes in 2  . There are very few chances to practise 3  and listening in China, so although many Chinese students have good 4  , their speaking is not good. Studying English at Fern is much more practical. We actually 5  the language we are learning. I couldn't speak any English at all when I arrived here. 6 after about a month, the situation changed. Things started getting 7  and I made friends and started to settle in(安顿下来). I am really 8  to learn English here and Fern is a very good language school.

I have always wanted to have a sister. In my Canadian host family my dream has 9 . On the first day when I arrived, my host family welcomed 10  warmly. All the family members were 11  and helpful, and they made me feel at home at once.

My " 12 " , Joise, is very kind. She often explains their manners to me. Her mother explains ordinary things like housework. Together they 13  me to study and understand Canada. Joise told me a 14  . Last year, she met a Chinese student on a plane. She said she felt sorry 15 she did not say anything to the girl.

I'm happy to live in Canada. I think it will be an important experience in my life.

As a child, I love playing the piano. I ask my parents to buy me a piano, but 1 have no money. It is too expensive for our family 2 one. I feel sad about that.

 In our school, there 3 a piano, but we can use it only in the music class. After class, our music teacher Mr Smith locks(锁) the door to the piano room, 4 nobody can use the piano.

 Every day, when I pass by the piano room, I always stop and look at the piano. I can feel my 5 dancing at the piano and they look so beautiful. Mr Smith 6 me do that often. He asks me to come to his office and gives me a key to the piano room 7 Monday. I can get into the room before and after school to play the piano. I jump with happiness when I get8 key.

 Now I go to school half an hour early to play the piano and I'm playing very 9 . Mr. Smith's kindness means a lot to me. 10 kind teacher he is! All I want to say to Mr Smith is" Thanks".