Dean felt his arms and legs were burning. With each breath, Dean wondered if he should be done, but as he touched the wall at the end of the pool he turned for another lap (圈). "I can do one more. This is for Kevin," Dean told himself. He was starting his seventh lap.

    Dean and the other members of his swim team were swimming to raise money for Dean's best friend, Kevin Hawking. Earlier in the year, Kevin fell ill. He needed expensive medical care that his family couldn't afford. After Kevin's friends learned what was happening, they started brainstorming ways to help. Several of Kevin's friends were on the swim team, which led to the idea of swimming.

    For a month, Dean and the other swim team members had asked for pledges (承诺) from anyone who would help: family members, friends, and neighbours. Most people pledged a dollar or two each lap. Dean's grandmother said she would offer $ 10 for each lap Dean swam!

    Finally, as Dean completed his tenth lap, he knew he was too tired to keep going. If I try another lap. I'll end up lying in the middle of the pool, waiting for someone to come and get me, he thought. Dean pulled himself up onto the edge of the pool and sat breathing quickly for a couple of minutes, quietly resting before he tried to stand.

    Dean's father came over and said, "Wow, Dean," shaking his head in amazement, "I am so proud of you. That's farther than anyone else has swum today, and I know it's farther than you've ever swum before."

    Dean stood up and slowly walked with his father back to the seats where the other swimmers sat next to Kevin. "Thank you," Kevin said.

    "It's no big deal. I know you'd do the same for me," Dean said.

Paris is the capital of France. Its subway is very special（特别的）. You can enjoy its culture（文化）when you are in this city.

Look, you can see many people listening to music with their headsets（耳机）on the subway. When they are on the subway or at the station, there is always a book in the hand, too.

The subway station in Paris is not big. However, each of them has its special things. Some stations look like ships. Some have clothes, hats and shoes. And every station has a big ad picture. But many of them are for selling clothes and cosmetics（化妆品）.

You can meet some beggars（乞丐）on the subway. But the beggar s on the Paris subway are also very special. They enjoy playing the violin or guitar. After playing, it is natural（自然的）for them to go around the train and ask you for some money. They think they should get the money because of their show.

If you want to learn more about Paris, go to the subway and enjoy its culture by yourself.

It was the last day of our final exam. On the steps of one building, a group of engineering (工程学) students were 1 their exam, which would begin in a few minutes. There was 2 on their faces. This was their last exam—then on to graduation and jobs. After four years of college, they felt 3 to see the world. 

The exam, they knew, would be easy. The professor (教授) said they could bring any books or notes they wanted. They entered the room. The professor 4 the papers. And smiles became bigger as the students saw there were only 5 essay (论文) questions. 

Three hours passed. The professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. 6 they looked scared. The professor asked "How many of you finished all five questions?" Not a hand was 7 . 

"How many answered four?" Still no hands. "Three? Two? One; then?" But the class still stayed 8 . The professor put down the papers. "That is exactly what I expected, " he said. "I just want to tell you that9 you have finished four years of college, there are still many things you don't know. The questions you could not answer are about things you will work with every day."

Then, smiling, he added, "You will all pass this course, but remember——although you are now college graduates, your education has just started." Not everyone remembers this professor's name. But 10 of his students remember his final lesson. 

How did artists learn English? Here are two examples.

A famous Chinese actress {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Zhang Ziyi had a small part in the American movie Rush Hour 2with Jackie Chan. The role was difficult for her because she wasn't {#blank#}2{#/blank#} to speak English. Chan had to translate everything from Chinese into English for her.

After Rush Hour 2, Zhang studied English in New York. She not {#blank#}3{#/blank#} watched television but also listened to music in English. She {#blank#}4{#/blank#} attention to practice pronouncing words and tried to get them right. Then she found it easy to speak English well {#blank#}5{#/blank#}doing so. Zhang's biggest challenge came when she played the leading role in the film Memoirs of a Geisha. A friend told Zhang, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} will be difficult to express your feelings in English." But she took the part and studied even {#blank#}7{#/blank#}

Shakira is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Many people wanted to translate her songs from Spanish into English. Shakira agreed, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} she felt nervous about losing control of her music. Then she decided to write her own songs in English. Shakira wanted to know {#blank#}9{#/blank#} to use English to express feelings as well, so she also read newspapers and poetry.

Today, Shakira writes and plays her music {#blank#}10{#/blank#} both Spanish and English for fans around the world.

More than ten years ago, I finished my studies in college. I dreamed of having a job in publishing(出版业). I went for {#blank#}1{#/blank#} interview in a publishing company. I thought it would be a{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (successful). However, I failed. 

Five years passed. I was working as a copywriter, and my job was {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (write) a lot of marketing emails. I always worked hard. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the same time, I never stopped doing some reading and practice about {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (published). I still wished for my lucky break(机遇). 

On a Sunday evening, when I was searching a job website, I noticed that a company {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (need) a magazine editor. Not only did the job sound {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (amaze), but it was for the same publishing company that I went to for an interview before. I decided to h another try. I went for an interview, answered every question {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (perfect) and succeeded in getting the job. 

During those years, I've been thinking about a question: {#blank#}9{#/blank#} did I get the job at last? When I didn't pass the interview, I was upset, and never thought I could return to the company five years later. However, I just never wanted to give up, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} I kept working towards my dream. All my hard work was meaningful, wasn't it?

Heroes are great. There are many heroes in the world,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(包括) Mother Teresa. 

Mother Teresa was born in 1910. She{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(选择) to become a nurse when she was 18. Teresa trained in India and then she became a teacher in a school. She r{#blank#}3{#/blank#} she could do something to help them when she saw the people who lived on the streets and some were even {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (垂死的). Then she decided to take {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(照顾) of them. Teresa started to help the children who didn't have homes. She taught them how to become a nurse to help the s{#blank#}6{#/blank#} and the wounded. At the same time, she gave them some u{#blank#}7{#/blank#} advice on how to read and how to look after themselves. She m{#blank#}8{#/blank#} to do everything she could to help the poor and she never wanted anything for her work. Mother Teresa w{#blank#}9{#/blank#} the Nobel Prize in 1979 for her work. She died in1997 when she was 87. 

Mother Teresa is {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (实在；的确) a hero. We should learn from her.