Mother Tongue (语言)

    My name is Jiniku but everyone calls me Joey, including my parents. My father is American but my mother is not. My mother grew up in a country whose name I cannot pronounce correctly. She was educated in French and Latin, Spanish and German.

    My mother wrote all day, but never showed anyone what she wrote. She had notebooks she would write in, and a typewriter to straighten out (整理) the final copy.

    When she had typed (打字) pages, she put them in a box. This box was deep under the bed that she and my father shared.

    There were only two words that she ever said in the real voice, with her real accent (口音), real tongue. I heard her say them only three times in her life. She taught them to me one night as I lay on her legs, sweating (出汗) with fever.

    "Jiniku," she said in a low voice. "Jiniku." I focused (集 中) on her voice through my fever, realizing that something had changed. She was speaking from a part of her that she had not opened for a long time. She took my hand, and placed my palm (掌心) over her heart. "Juriszu." She stared out the window. There was a long silence. I could feel her heartbeat, which was calmer and slower than my own. "My name," she said at last, speaking once more in English, "means „dark ocean (海洋).‟ And you, Jiniku, my baby, yours means „life.‟" She looked out the window again. "„Ji‟ is the word for a happy birth. One where everyone lives and there is little pain. „Ni‟ is a tree that had its roots (根) spread far and whose branches (树枝) shelter (庇护) all. „Ku‟ is spirit. You have this all-encompassing (包罗万象的) life." She placed her hand on my heart. "The first and last letters of our names are the same," she said. "Don‟t forget that, Jiniku."

One day, I walked into a stranger (陌生人) as he walked by me. "Oh, excuse me." I said. He said{#blank#}1{#/blank#}a smile, too. "Please excuse me, too. I wasn't watching out for you." We apologized (道歉) and went our own ways.

Later that day, when I was cooking, my daughter was standing too close to me. When I reached for some milk, I nearly knocked (撞){#blank#}2{#/blank#}(she) over. "Move out of the way." I shouted. She walked away sadly. But I didn't feel like {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(say) sorry to her.

While I was in bed that evening, my husband said to me, "Dealing with{#blank#}4{#/blank#}stranger, you were polite (礼貌的), but with a daughter you love, you were unkind. Your daughter {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(bring) you some flowers that she picked for you this afternoon. You'll find them in the kitchen by the door. Have you seen the tears in her eyes?"

I{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(quiet) went in and put myself down by my {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(daughter) bed. "Honey, I am so sorry." I said, "Are these the flowers you picked for me? She said, "I found them by the tree. I picked them {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them, especially the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (three) blue one." I tearfully replied, "Sweetie, I'm really sorry for the way I acted today. I shouldn't have shouted at you." "It's okay. I love you anyway." she said as she kissed me on my cheek.

If we can be polite to a stranger, why can't we be kind to the ones we love? I come to understand that {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (important) thing in life is the love between people.

My name is Jason.Last Saturday,I volunteered to clean up the park nearby with my friends.As I was cleaning around a bush(灌木),I found a yellow 1 in it.I picked up the wallet and opened it.There were twenty dollars in it.

I was still holding the wallet in one hand and the 2 in the other hand when a friend called me for help.Without 3 , I dropped(丢下)the wallet and put the money into my pocket(口袋).I kept on cleaning with my friends 4 my heart was no longer in work. I kept wondering what to do with the money.After the cleaning,one of my friends suggested that we eat ice-creams.I 5 everyone an ice-cream.

My friends enjoyed their ice-creams very much,but I didn't really enjoy mine.I felt even 6 on my way home when I met a girl who was holding the same wallet that I   dropped just now.She was crying,and her mother was angry with her.I realized the money I 7 up was the girl's.I wanted to give the money back to her! But I had only four dollars 8 .

Then I ran home as 9 as possible and told my mother what happened just now.She gave me the money I needed.I ran to give it back to the 10 and said sorry to her.

Li Lian, a 32-year-old woman, recently helped her mother solve a problem on the phone and the mother sent her a "smile" emoji（表情符号）. Li pointed out to her mother, Huo Ying, that using the emoji with others may1 some trouble in understanding. 

"Nowadays, this emoji often means ‘no comment'（无可奉告）or suggests a cold smile," Li wrote to her mom. But Huo, 64, was surprised, "When I shared your information to friends of mine, they all 2 . And I think they'll just keep using the emojis based on their 3 ." 

A survey showed that the "smile" face Li4 was least liked by people at work. The 5 with a hand wiping sweat（擦汗）of its brow was in the second place. As people believe, both of6 have negative meanings. However, a smiling emoji showing its teeth is the7 used on WeChat. More than 1 billion active WeChat users use the emoji a lot of times a year. In their mind, this emoji 8 a very positive attitude.

Emojis are actually a part of conversations online. The differences in understanding do not9 exist in the emojis. In addition, they also appear in other phrases and expressions.10 people may have different understanding toward the same emoji, it will be OK if they know that the other person is being polite.

Last year, we took a trip to New York City.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} we arrived at our hotel, it was around I am. My son Joseph looked out at the lights of Times Square and said he{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(want) to go outside.I told him it was {#blank#}3{#/blank#} late to go out, but he kept looking out of the window and said, "Just for two minutes."My wife and I just looked at each other, surprised and said "Two minutes". We got {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (dress) and walked to the center of Times Square. When we got there, my son pointed at {#blank#}5{#/blank#} lights and said "Dad, look!" and then started to fall asleep.

It took us {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(minute) to get ready for the 20 seconds we spent outside, but it made {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(we) son happy and that meant a lot to us. That night, I learned a lesson about this small experience.I used{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (find) an excuse(借口) to do something else,but in fact I could have happy moments in our lives.

Because of my son, I learned that I am {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(big) enemy to my own happiness in my life. Happiness is created{#blank#}10{#/blank#} ourselves. And it is a door that is always open. However, we are the ones who have to decide if we are going to walk through the door.

 Don't view people like me as dinosaurs. Yes, we are living in the Information Age, but I have no 1 in saying I can't give up newspapers. Every morning,I read The Seattle Times, The New York Times and USA Today.

I used newspapers to 2 my kids. No, I am not joking. During my eldest son's teenage years, he wouldn't 3 me no matter what I said or how I said it. So I used newspapers. "4 you don' t believe me, just read the paper," I would say. I 5 for my kids any good story with life lessons. I made my 6 through words in black and white. The printed words worked like7 . Immediately, there were no more disagreements or8 .

 Reading newspapers opened my kids' minds in 9 areas. There were, of course, areas I had no knowledge of or things that would never cross my mind to teach. I was10 that my kids, at a young age, understood very complex(复杂的) problems. Every day, they could find reliable stories 11 many different topics in newspapers.

 But newspapers are not only for kids; they are for adults, too. My 85-year-old aunt never finished primary school.12 , she always enjoys reading newspapers and learns a lot every day. "13 did you know that?" I would ask her when she would throw one14 scientific discovery at me. "I read about it in the newspaper," she would always reply.

 We are in the Information Age, but I believe newspapers 15 play an important role in" educating" people of all ages.