I want to be a teacher {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I grow up. I got the idea because of my mother. She is a university teacher. It seems that she isn't very busy. She only needs {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(go) to work for two days in a week. She can get up late and go home very early, much earlier {#blank#}3{#/blank#} me.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) a teacher seems to be a very easy job. That was my first {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(think). But then I found that her job was not easy. After I became a middle school student, I found that my mother goes to bed very late. She is {#blank#}6{#/blank#} checking her students' homework or preparing her classes for the next day. She does it many times a day {#blank#}7{#/blank#} great patience. Once I asked her: "Why do you work so hard? I bet some students don't take homework {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (serious)." "That's {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a teacher should do," she answered, "I should point out their mistakes."

    I knew she meant it. She loves teaching and loves her students. To realize my dream, I should work harder to learn more knowledge. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (succeed) is always there for those who are prepared. I believe that I will be successful.

Dear readers,

    Once, I had to call the firefighters to put out a fire. I still remember how fast it made my heart beat, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}it was a small fire. I was glad and thankful when the firefighters put it out{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(quick).

    Firefighters help in all kinds of sudden serious and{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(danger) events or situations. I saw firefighters carrying people from their flooded homes while{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(watch) the news today. Often, they are the first helpers when{#blank#}5{#/blank#}accident happens. Some firefighters train to help people and pets that fall into frozen lakes. To prepare for real-life rescue like this one, they must practice putting{#blank#}6{#/blank#}ice suits, working with ropes, and using hand signals to communicate. If you want to learn more about these{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(/breıv/) men and women, read the article

Danger! Rescue on Thin Ice.

    Where would we be without the first helpers? Maybe you'll {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(/dЗэıun/) me this month in finding a way to thank them. Giving a card, a drawing, or a plate of cookies to your local fire{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(/'steıƒn/) could be the start of a new tradition for your families and our{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(hero)will be thankful for it.

    Happy holidays!

Your friend,

Christine

    It is not always easy to discover yourself. From a young age, I had a strong sense of who I would become. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, an accident changed everything.

    To me, skating was {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (important) than anything else in the world. Nothing else filled my heart with so much joy. I spent 24 hours a week  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(develop) my skills. I had no social life or interests except skating. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I was rewarded (回报) with first place medals in nearly all competitions.

   {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (unlucky), during one competition, I fell and was badly injured. The doctor told me that I couldn't skate anymore. The pain in my back was hard to bear and even basic daily tasks became difficult.

    My passion had been taken away. I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (lose) heart and had no idea who I would become. After eight months of suffering, something had to change. Instead {#blank#}7{#/blank#} sitting around and wasting my days, I began to work with local community service projects. By volunteering {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a swimming teacher and summer reading assistant for kids, I got {#blank#}9{#/blank#} idea of who I wanted to become. Little by little, I stepped out of the shadow and rebuilt my confidence.

    Sometimes, challenges in life will get in our way. We can choose to stay behind or try to get past these challenges. My accident was a challenge that failed to stop {#blank#}10{#/blank#} from reaching success. Now I'm a very confident person.