At the midnight, thunder was crashing and the rain was pouring. Suddenly my father rushed into my room. “Adam! Adam! Get up! We're flooding!” he shouted and shook me by the shoulders. That woke me up! I ran downstairs to the basement (地下室). It was like a swimming pool. My mother and I immediately started to pick up things and take them upstairs. I had no shoes on, so my feet felt quite cold.

Things got worse every minute. Within the next hour, we had moved everything that we could to the first floor. The computer, big-screen television and heavy boxes filled with our most valuable things were taken to safety. However, our piano, sofa, washing machine and water heater were all still down there — being destroyed. There was nothing we could do.

That was the hardest part. Knowing that your home is being destroyed is bad enough, but realizing that you can't do anything to stop it feels even worse. Water had come in our front door. Rescue boats were floating in our streets. Mother told me to pack an overnight（通宵, 前夜） bag of clothes and valuables and get ready to leave.

When it was finally safe to walk outside, all the people in the neighborhood gathered at the street corner. People became friends, and friends became like family. People comforted each other. We learnt later that the National Weather Service had declared (宣布) the storm a flash flood.

I really have learnt something from this flood, I've learnt what destruction is. I have learnt what safety means. I know in the future, when I watch people's lives affected (影响) by natural disasters, I can understand them. I will show my great pity on them and I will do what I can to help them.

    Jack gets to the bus station very early. The bus for Beijing is leaving at twelve. He sees many people at the station. Some are waiting in line, and others are walking around. Jack looks around but there is no room for him to sit in. He walks into a restaurant. He looks up at the clock there.

    It's only 11:30. Then he finds a seat and sits down. At that time, Tom, one of his friends, comes in and sits in front of him. They talk and drink. After a while, Jack looks up at the clock again. “Oh, my God. It's still 11:30. The clock doesn't work at all.” Jack becomes very sad because he misses the bus.

B

    People sometimes like to read stories of dogs very much. They think that dogs are much cleverer than cats, sheep, cows or other animals in their homes.

    One of my close friends, Bob, has a very large dog named Jack. Every Sunday afternoon, Bob and Jack have a walk in the park nearby. Jack likes these walks very much.

    One Sunday afternoon, I paid a visit to my friend. I stayed there for a long time and my friend and I had much more to talk with each other than ever before. Soon it was time for them to take a walk in the park. We forgot it. Jack became worried about it. He walked around the room several times and then sat down in front of me and looked at me. But we still paid no attention (注意) to him. I went on talking with my friend. At last, Jack could not wait any longer. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down in front of me again. But this time, he held my hat in his mouth. Suddenly, I understood what Jack meant and so did my friend.

    Ben was hoping for a video game for his birthday. He also wanted a board game. And he wanted some CDs too.

    He got the board game and some CDs, but what was in the last package (包裹)? It was from his sister. He slowly opened the package. It didn't feel like a video game.

    It was a purple sweater. Purple was Ben's least favourite colour. He smiled and thanked his sister nicely, but he didn't want to wear that sweater. He couldn't wear purple!

    He quickly put the sweater away in his room. Then he ran off to play the new board game with his family.

    The next day, Ben's mother asked him about the sweater.

    "Why don't you wear your purple sweater today?" she said. "Your sister made it just for you!"

     "I am not cold," Ben said without thinking. In fact, he was lying. He shivered (发抖) all day.

    Then one day they were going out to dinner as a family. Ben's mother asked him to wear the sweater again. "I don't want to wear it. I hate (讨厌) purple," he said.

    "Ben," said his mother, "I know it's not the nicest sweater in the world, but think about how important Karen is to you. You know she will be very happy if you wear it to dinner."

    Ben walked slowly to his room. He knew his mother was right. He wore the sweater to the restaurant. His sister smiled all night.