The Kennedy Elementary school band(乐队)is special. That's because Tony Boland, a member of it, is a 79-year-old flute(长笛)player. His story tells us that you're never too old to toot the flute.

    After working at the school for more than ten years, Tony joined the fifth graders in the band. His grandchildren were at the school. He help with reading.

    He started tooting the flute many years ago, when his wire tried to throw away(扔掉)their daughter s flute.

    "You will play better if you play with others," he told a reporter.

    Brian Enabnit thought Tony would make a difference to the band. "He's great. He's helping the students around him, "Enabnit said.

    Tony practises with the students once a week and performs with them. They played at the Dubuque Community School District's Band Festival earlier this month.

    Fifth-grade student Courtney Less thought her older classmate was successful. "He's an excellent player," Courtney said. "All of us are afraid when giving a performance, but he isn't."

    On a Wednesday night, a young man was playing the guitar at the underground station. Some people stopped and put some money into his hat.

    The next day, the young man came to the underground station again. There was a large piece of paper next to his hat. It said，"Last night, a kind man named Chris put something important into my hat. Please come to get it back soon."

    About half an hour later, an old man came and the young man said，"Yes, I knew you would come back."

    "What did you lose？"asked the young man. "$800，000，"answered the old man.

    Then the young man took out a check(支票)and gave it back to the old man. The old man was so happy and thanked the young guitar player.

    After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.

    During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy(肌肉营养不良). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.

    I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, "Why me? "He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn't mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, "You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you. "

    Last summer I received a letter from Matthew's parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before: Dear Dick,

    My mum said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don't have tong to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can. I told you someday I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I will newer get to do that. But I know I'm a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show, it to you. Thank you for loving me.

Your friend,

Matthew

When Peter was six, he started receiving pocket money from his mother. When he turned seven, he 1 £7 a week. Now at the age of fifteen, he 2 £15 every week. He has the raise in pocket money because he spends money wisely.

3 a shopping mall near Peter's home. At weekends, he watches 4 movies with his friends, or takes his little brother to the play center there. He buys his grandparents small presents when he visits them. Sometimes, he takes one 5 bus ride to museums and zoos in another town. When he has saved enough money, Peter goes to the bookstores 6 great books and donates them to children in need. His mother is satisfied with 7 he spends his money. She thinks it is a smart choice to give Peter pocket money. "This habit 8 help Peter manage money well," she says.

Peter's mother even suggests giving pocket money to children as 9 as when they are four. "To learn how to deal with money is 10 useful life skill. Giving children pocket money in their early years teaches them the importance of budgeting."

 Look at my family photo. There {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) seven people in my family. This is my father, he has much interest {#blank#}2{#/blank#} nature and photography. He is strict, he will point out our{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (mistake) when we do something wrong. He may be silent, but he is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a mountain for me and my brother and sister. My mother is a book lover, she sometimes {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(help) us with our subjects.

Do you love geography? My brother does. He always has fun {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(study) maps. My little sister often does paper-cutting. Her favorite pictures are flowers and animals. We will put{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (her) on doors and windows during the Spring Festival. I am a student, and every morning I have to wear {#blank#}8{#/blank#} uniform to school. It's one of our school rules. I love guitar, andI am in the school band. My grandpa loves music too, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} we often enjoy our hobby together on weekends. This is {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (real) the happiest time for me!

Some people say it is not easy for a middle-aged person to learn a foreign language. But is it {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(real) true?

Several years ago, I worked for {#blank#}2{#/blank#} English newspaper which was doing such a research. They asked me to learn a new language for one month. Then I had to go to the country and do some "tests" {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(see) if I could "survive(挺过来)" in different situations.

I chose Spanish and one-month course at a language school and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (find)some Spanish words are very similar to English ones. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} example,"hola" isn't very different from "hello". Of course, there are other things which are more difficult. In Spanish you have to change the verbs for each person. But my {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(big) problem of all was the pronunciation. I found{#blank#}7{#/blank#} very difficult to pronounce some letters in Spanish especially "r" and "j". So I had to download {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(sentence) onto my phone and I listened and practiced them again ang again.

A month later I went to Spain. A Spanish teacher {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(call) Paula came and began the test. "Will I survive?" I wasn't sure enough but {#blank#}10{#/blank#}I wished I would!