Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20^th century. In his short life he wrote 1 300 songs and an opera.

    Xian was born in Panyu, Guangdong, China in 1905. Because his father died before he was born, Xian moved from place to place with 2 mother. He began learning to play 3 violin when he was 20 years old. In the beginning, his violin was 4 cheap and badly made that he5not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not stop 6 and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first Chinese students7studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he 8, Xian became the school's best student 9 won several prizes for his talents.

    In 1935, he returned to China and helped fight against the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan'an 10 music at a college. 11 there were no pianos in Yan'an at that time Xian still wrote 12 of his most important music there, including The Yellow River, his most famous work.

    In May 1940, Xian 13 to the Soviet Union by the Chinese Communist Party to write music for movies. In the Soviet Union, life was very 14. Xian got sick and later died of a lung illness 15 October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian's music, however, lives on in the people's hearts.

    Gordon stands in the hallway(走廊). No one is there. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's 8: 10 a. m. He is late for class. He has to go to the music room, but he doesn't know where it is.

    He knows the music room isn't on the first floor. His classroom is on the first floor. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} He knows he has to walk quickly. The teacher will be worried(担心的).

    Gordon goes to the second floor and he turns(转弯) to the right. He goes down the hallway. On the left, he sees a door. "It may be the music room," he thinks. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A young teacher is in it. Gordon asks the teacher, "Sorry, I'm new here. Do you know where the music room is?"

    "Sure," the teacher says. "It's on the third floor. Go upstairs and turn left. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} That is the music room. "

    Gordon thanks her and goes upstairs. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} "There you are!" Mr. Lewis says. "Your music teacher Mrs. Green asks me to find you." Gordon says, "I find you first!"

Birch is a great pianist. His music is welcomed all over the world. Every year, he holds many concerts in different cities. But a ticket to his shows is always hard to get. 

This year, Birch will have a concert in the city of Flint, Michigan. Birch spends lots of time preparing for it — he knows lots of his fans will come and enjoy his performance (表演) , and he won't like to let them down. 

The big moment finally comes. Birch comes into the hall happily, wearing a smile as usual—he will meet his music lovers soon. Suddenly, he stops and his smile is gone. There are still lots of seats left, and the audience (观众) are fewer than half! 

Standing there, Birch is so disappointed. Isn't his performance so popular in this city? 

Just after a short while, Birch walks to the front of the stage and says to the audience smilingly, "Oh, your Flint City people are so different! I see each of you buy two seats. I now know how rich (富有的) you are!"

On hearing this, all the people laugh with a thundering applause (掌声雷动). 

Nowadays, a lot of people often find it very hard to fall asleep at night. Why do they often have this problem? Because they are usually under too much {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (压力) from their work and life. In fact, the color of their bedroom walls can help {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (解决) this problem. 

Grey may be the most popular color at {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (现在)，but painting your bedroom grey could actually stop you from getting your eight {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (小时) sleep. Grey should not be considered when you want to decorate (装饰) your bedroom, according to a sleep expert at mattress company called Sealy. And {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (虽然) it's dark while you are sleeping in your room, the light from streetlamps and an untidy room could both {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (影响) your sleep. If you want to paint the walls of your bedroom, you should {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (避免) grey and other colors like red, brown and purple. 

Sealy told Femail, "While your room is dark when you go to sleep, you may {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (花费) an hour or more in your bedroom with the light on before going to sleep. At this time, the color of your bedroom can prevent you from going to sleep. The color that is too bright can make you feel {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (激动的), which can last long after you've turned the light off and can no longer see the color. The best choice of the color for your bedroom is blue, which is {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (容易地) picked up by ganglion(神经节细胞) in the retinas(视网膜) of your eyes. The cells then send a message directly to your brain, telling you that you're in a calm environment. 

Visiting My Farm Home Come and see where I live!

I live on a farm. It's a big, happy farm with lots of animals and plants.

I always wake up with the roosters every day. The roosters(公鸡) wake us up. Their crowing says," Time to play and work!"

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They eat breakfast while I pet their soft fur and feathers.

My grandfather plants seeds on the farm. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. We water them and wait for them to grow into big, green plants.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} After we finish our work, my friends come over. We play and have lots of fun in the fresh air.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Before dinner, I pick the best vegetables from our garden. They taste so good with mom's cooking. We all sit down for a big meal. We talk and laugh, and it's the best time of the day.

At night, the farm is quiet. I look at the stars before I go to bed, and they twinkle back at me.

Which is your favorite farm animal and why?(15 词以内) {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Four years ago, l, a 17-year-old girl, arrived at Wellesley College. I cried when my parents dropped me off in my dormitory (宿舍). I thought to myself, "This is what loneliness feels like." Just at that time, I had forgotten how excited I was for college.

Four years has nearly passed, I am now 21 years old, just two months from graduating from college. In four years, I have experienced a lot, happy time, sad moment and ordinary days. How grateful I am for the ones who have shown me the way and taught me to be strong when I felt hopeless. How lucky I am to know that I have a home to return to.

Tomorrow, my mother turns 50. It is because of my mother that l've learned to love myself, to respect myself, and above all, to be a good person. Because of her, I have known that giving up is not and will not ever be a choice.

My mother and I have sometimes clashed head(冲突). She is the strongest person I know, the person who I disagree most. She has told me that I am the only person that is responsible for my life. But today I have to tell her that she has been wrong.

She doesn't realize that there is another person who will never leave me. There's another person who will always there for me and who will love me forever. That person is her. She is the first person I will call when I am sad, in trouble, or feeling blue. She will never lie to me to hurt my feelings. 

I have come so far these fast four years. I still have a long life to live. A life that I hope will be full of adventure, success, and happiness. Mom, you've helped me so far. You are my hero. One day I hope to be like you.