Once there was a parrot on sale in a pet store. It was a beautiful red and blue bird. It sat on a perch in the middle of the store, so that everyone could see it when they came in. The owner was very proud（自豪的） of it and asked a high price for it.

    One day a man went into the store. “That's a beautiful bird,” he said to the pet store owner, “But why is it so expensive? Is it unusual（不同寻常的） bird?” “No, it's not very unusual. It's expensive because it can talk,” the pet store owner said.

    “I see. How can I make it talk?” the man asked.

    The pet store owner asked him, “Do you see those string tied to each of the bird's legs?”

    “Yes,” the man answered.

    “Well, you pull（拉） those strings（绳子）,” the pet store owner told him. “That will make the parrot talk.”

    The man asked, “Do you mind（介意） if I try?”

    “Not at all,” the pet store owner said.

    The man walked up to the parrot and pulled the string on its left leg. The parrot said, “Good morning.” The man pulled the string on the parrot's right leg. This time the parrot said, “How are you today?”

    “That's not very interesting,” said the man. “Any parrot could do that.” Then he laughed, “But what would happen if I pulled both strings at the same time?”

    “I'll fall off my perch, you fool!” the parrot said.

    One day a poor farmer was taking a bag of rice to town. Suddenly the bag fell from his horse on the road. He didn't know what to do about it because it was too heavy for him to lift (举起) by himself. He only hoped that somebody would soon pass (经过) by and help him.

    Just at this moment a man riding a horse came up to him. But the farmer was very disappointed（失望的） when he saw who he was. It was the great man living nearby. The farmer had hoped to ask another farmer or a poor man like him for help.

    But to his surprise, the great man got off his horse as soon as he came nearer. He said to the farmer, "I see you need help, friend. How good it is that I'm here just at the right time," Then he took one end of the bag, the farmer took the other. They together lifted and put it on the horse.

    "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I pay you?"

    "It's quite easy," the great man answered with a smile, "Wherever (无论在哪里) you see anyone in trouble, do the same for him."

    Long ago in Germany, there was a little boy named George Frederick Handel and he loved music very much. He wanted to learn how to play the piano. But his father wanted him to become a lawyer (律师) and would not let him take music lessons.

    There was a little and old piano up in the attic (阁楼). At night, when everybody was asleep, the little boy climbed up the stairs and played softly.

    When he was about 7, he went to visit a rich duke (公爵) with his father. There was a wonderful organ (风琴) in his house.

    Little Handel walked up to the organ and began to play. His little hands moved over the keys and the sweetest music came out.

    When he finished, he saw his father and the duke looking at him. The duke asked him where he had learned to play, and the boy ________.

    Then the duke persuaded (说服) Handel's father to let him study music. A few years later, young Handel became a famous composer.

Here is some "breaking" news: the International Olympic Committee（IOC）has added（增加）breaking（霹雳舞）to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games! 

Breaking might be one of the very unusual sports to be added to the Games, as it's often seen as more of an art than a sport. 

The dance style first appeared（出现）on the streets of New York in the1970s. Performers dance to hip-hop music while using different movements. In the1980s, breaking swept around the world when it was adopted by pop stars such as Michael Jackson. Jackson's moonwalk became popular among teenagers worldwide. 

Why did the IOC choose breaking? Over the past few years, the Olympics has become less interesting to young people. The IOC is trying to make the Games more "youthful", with sports that young people actually do in their spare time. "We want to take sports to the youth," said IOC President. 

To be added to the Olympics, a sport must be widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries and by women in no fewer than 40 countries. Breaking certainly meets this standard（标准）, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. It is also competitive（有竞争力的）and requires strict training just like other sports. Dancers need to have the strong upper body and core（核心）strength. 

"I train at least 10 hours a week, and I've been training since I was a young kid," top Australian break dancer Lowe said. 

"It's great that it gives us more recognition（认可）as a sport," said British break dancer Karam. "Now, the efforts of break dancers are gradually accepted and even admired by a growing number of people. And for the Olympics, it will attract young people who may not follow some of the traditional sports."

Once there lived a little rabbit in the forest. One day, while the rabbit {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(walk), he saw a river. He saw himself in the river when he {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(drink). "Look {#blank#}3{#/blank#} my long beautiful ears," the rabbit said to himself. "I'm so proud (自豪的) of {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(they). But look at my legs. They are so short {#blank#}5{#/blank#} they make me look silly. "

After the rabbit finished drinking, he was ready {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(leave). {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(sudden), he found a tiger running towards him. With his short legs, the rabbit began to run as fast as he could. While the rabbit was running, the tiger {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(follow) it. But the tiger couldn't catch up with him at all. 

"I'm safe now," said the rabbit happily when he stopped running. But the tiger appeared again after about five {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(minute). Just before the rabbit wanted to run away, the tiger{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(catch) him by his long ears. So what are your advantages or disadvantages?

 Long long ago, a happy family of four lived in a simple wooden house on a mountain. They1 quarrelled and loved each other.

 One day, while Peter, the 2 , was working in the garden, he found some gold. As he dug deeper, he   found 3 gold! "Come here," he shouted. "Look 4 I' ve found!"His family ran out and were all5 to see the gold. "I can't believe it!" his sister Anna cried. The gold made 6 excited and changed their life.

 At first,7 seemed great. But soon the family began to quarrel. Peter felt that all the gold was his8 he had discovered it. Anna tried to take the gold away while her brother was sleeping. Meanwhile, their parents kept quarrelling over what kind of big house to 9 .

 One morning, Peter went outside and listened to the birds singing. He thought how 10 they sounded, though they lived in a simple nest. He suddenly knew what the 11 was. So he rushed into the house, took all the gold and 12 it off the side of the mountain! Then he planted carrots in where the gold had been discovered. Soon the family 13 quarrel ling. Day by day, people could hear their laughter in the house.

 One month later, a friend visited Peter's family. Peter told him the story about the 14 while they were having dinner together. When the friend asked them if they regretted doing it, the family looked at one another with a smile and answered"No" together 15 .

 Happiness is not how much money we have, but how sweet the laughter is.