It was Mother's Day. John was so busy with his work that he couldn't go back home. When he walked by a flower shop in the evening, an idea came to his mind. “I'll send Mum some roses (玫瑰).”
   While John was picking his flowers, a young man went inside. “How many roses can I get for only five dollars, Madam?” he asked. The shop assistant told him that roses were as expensive as forty dollars a dozen (一打). Maybe he would be happy with carnations(康乃馨). She told him they were a lot cheaper than roses.
   “No, I have to have red roses," he said, "My mum was badly ill last year and I didn't get to spend much time with her. Now I want to get something special, it has to be roses, as the rose is her favorite.”
   After hearing this, John said he would pay the rest of the money for the young man. Moved by both of them, the shop assistant said, “Well, lovely young men, thirty dollars a dozen, only for you two." Taking the roses, the young man almost jumped into the air. He thanked John, and ran out of the shop. It was well worth twenty-five dollars John paid to see the exciting moment. Then John paid for his dozen of roses and told the shop assistant to send them to his mother.
   As he walked out, he felt nice. Suddenly he saw the young man crossing the street and going into a park. But soon he realized it was not a park but a cemetery (墓地). Crying, the young man carefully laid the roses, "Mum, oh, Mum, why didn't I tell you how much I loved you? God, please help me find my mum and tell her I love her.”
   Seeing this, John turned and quickly walked back to the shop. He would take the flowers home himself.

Michael Jackson is one of the world's best singers. Michael Jackson was born in the middle west of the city of Gary, Indiana, in 1958. He began singing with his four brothers. They called the group “The Jackson Five”. The group became very popular after appearing on a television program. They started singing in 1965, and became popular soon. In 1970 the group made their first record with the name of “I Want You Back”. It was very popular. One of their hit records was “Never Say Goodbye”.

Michael was good at dancing as well as singing, for example, his dance moves and moon walking. He was asked to act in a film in 1978 for the first time, and in the same year he made a record on his own, which sold eight million copies all over the world.

    Michael nearly didn't go out because he was too famous. Once his fans went off in a faint(晕倒) when they saw him at the concert. No one can do it by now. He lived in a large house and kept lots of animals. He never ate meat. He often raised money for charity. This made him win the Guinness World Records(吉尼斯世界记录) in 2006. He died on June 25^th, 2009, but he would live in our heart forever.

Astronauts would face dangers both getting to and surviving (生存) on Mars. Let's learn about surviving a trip to Mars.

What would it take to keep people safe and healthy on a trip to Mars? Scientists are already working on it, though the trip may be many years later.

Over the last 60 years, many spaceships have flown by orbited（沿轨道运行）and even landed on the Red Planet. However, machines cannot replace humans. That's why the United States, China and other countries want to send people to Mars. But surviving on this trip would not be easy.

A trip to Mars would be the farthest journey in human(人类) history. Mars is about 225 million kilometers away, so it would take astronauts at least 180 days to reach there. However, it only takes a few days to get to the Moon.

Space travel is dangerous. For one thing, staying in space for long periods makes the human body weak. Also, it puts pressure behind the eyes and causes eye problems. But gravity(重力) machines could help.

Then there's space radiation(辐射) to worry about. It is bad for astronauts when they have long journeys. Scientists are working out the issue. They have found that taking certain vitamins can help.

Astronauts will have to pack light to lift off from the earth. But they won't be able to get the things they need easily. Astronauts on the space station practice for this by growing lettuce and other food in space. Engineers are developing 3D printing techniques（技术）which can allow future Mars astronauts to build what they want.

My mom used to say that my first words were： "I'll do it myself. "

Maybe it was because I was an only child and she spent hours1 teaching me to entertain myself. My mother called my stubbornness（固执） "independence". 

At 12，I made a carpool（拼车）schedule with other students' moms and made a six﹣year plan to attend university. While my parents' friends were telling their 2 to finish their homework，mine didn't care whether I'd do the right thing. They 3 thought I would. 

I wanted everyone to think I was perfect. The truth is that while I tried to look 4 ，I felt like phony（骗子）. 

As life became more complex（复杂的），perfection became 5 to achieve. I panicked（恐慌），pushed myself harder. 

Simple tasks felt almost impossible. I 6 playing sports and canceled plans with friends. 

My parents became scared. They took me to the doctor. I was diagnosed（诊断）as depressed（抑郁的）and anxious. 

After some reflection（反思），I 7 that I couldn't do everything on my own. But that was okay. 

Before，I was determined to be the perfect student and child. Now，I was determined to be an imperfect 8 . 

So I tried to open up to my loved ones. This helped me deal with my depression and anxiety. I am not 9 for letting others help me through life. If there is any problem，I should talk to the people I love and trust. My parents may be the first 10 ，but I have friends too. They make my life better. 

The 76-year-old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Every morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading Treasure Island. One day the grandson 1 ，"Grandpa! I try to read the book just like you but I don't understand it，and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What 2 does reading books do to us？" 

The grandfather quietly 3 from putting coal in the stove and replied，"Take the coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water. " 

The boy did 4 he was told，but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said，"You'll have to move a little faster next time，" and 5 him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster，but again the basket was6 before he returned home. Out of 7 ，he told his grandfather that it was impossible to 8 water in a basket，and he went to get a bucket instead. 

The old man said，"What I want is not a bucket of water but a basket of water. You're just not trying 9 enough，" and he went out of the door to watch the boy try again. At this point，the boy knew it was 10 ，but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he11 ，the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard，but when he reached his grandfather，the basket was again empty. 12 tired out. He said，"See，Grandpa，it's useless！" 

"So you think it is useless？" the old man said，"Look at the basket. " 

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time 13 that the basket was different. It had been 14 from a dirty old coal basket into a clean one，inside and out. 

"You see，that's what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or 15 everything through reading，but when you read it，you will be changed，inside and out. "