"The first of June, and the King family is going on holiday tomorrow! " said Meg. "I'm free for three months!"

    "And Aunt March went away for her holiday today." said Jo. "Isn't life wonderful!"

    "What will you do all your holiday?" asked Amy.

    "I'll stay in bed late, and do nothing." said Meg.

    "I have lots of books to read." said Jo.

    "Let's not do any studying, Beth...." said Amy. "Let's play all the time and rest, as Jo and Meg are going to do."

    "I will if Mother doesn't mind." said Beth.

    Mrs. March agreed to the plan and said they could try it for a week.

   "But," she added, "I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play."

    Next day, Meg appeared at ten o'clock and ate breakfast alone. It was a lonely meal and the room was untidy, because Beth had not cleaned it.

    Jo went to the river with Laurie, then sat in the apple tree and read a book. Beth began to tidy things in her cupboard, but she got tired and left it half-done. She went to her piano, glad that she did not have to wash the cups and plates. Amy sat in the garden to draw, hoping someone would see her and say something nice about her picture. But no one appeared, so she went for a walk, got caught in the rain and came home very wet.

    At tea, everyone said that it had been a happy but unusually long day. Meg, who had been shopping in the afternoon, now decided that she did not like the dress she had bought. Jo had a headache from reading too long. Beth couldn't find anything in her cupboard, and the rain had made Amy's dress so wet that she couldn't wear it to Katy Brown's party the next day.

    Mrs. March listened, smiled and said nothing.

    The week seemed to get longer and longer with nothing much to do, and by Friday the girls were glad that it was nearly over. Then Mrs. March gave Hannah a holiday, and when the girls got up on Saturday, there was no breakfast ready, no fire in the kitchen, and no mother waiting for them.

    "What has happened?" said Jo.

    Meg ran upstairs, then came down to say that Mother was staying in her room to have a rest.

    "She says we must look after ourselves today." Meg said.

    "Good, I want something to do." said Jo.

    Secretly, they were all pleased to have something useful to do again. Beth and Amy put cups and plates on the table while Jo and Meg got the breakfast, then Meg took some tea and an egg up to Mrs. March. The tea was too strong and the egg was burned. Mrs. March did not complain, but she laughed to herself afterwards.

    Elephants are big，but Teensy was the smallest of them.Teensy tried everything she could think of to help herself grow.She put her legs out straight.She ate a lot.However，nothing seemed to 1.

    One day Teensy went with the elephants to have lunch.They stopped in front of some trees and found their favourite green leaves.Teensy raised her nose and tried again and again.but  she couldn't 2the branches.Not even the low ones!

    At the end of the day，Teensy was with the rest of the elephants watching the 3.But Teensy couldn't see very much."Excuse me，"said Teensy politely，"I'd like to see more than your knees，if you please."But the elephants didn't hear little Teensy.They were too 4 enjoying the sunset.Teensy sat down and waited 5for them to finish admiring the sunset.She knew she was too little to walk away by herself，so she sat and6 what the sunset must look like."Oh，I guess it is too pretty for words!"she sighed.Teensy was very sad."Oh，woe is me."she said.Suddenly，Teensy heard a tiny voice."What is woe？"the voice said.Teensy looked down and saw a mouse."Woe means 7"said Teensy.She told the mouse about seeing only elephant 8 instead of the sunset.

    "I'm too little，"she said.

    "Why？You're not little at all，"said the mouse.

    "Do you think so？"replied Teensy，"I'm sorry you're so small.I know how it feels.""Don't be sorry，"said the mouse."I like being small!I can always fit into corners.

    "Wow，"said Teensy，"so being9CAN be good."

    "You're right.Little or big，you should always be10 of who you are."said the mouse.

    Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20^th century. In his short life he wrote 1 300 songs and an opera.

    Xian was born in Panyu, Guangdong, China in 1905. Because his father died before he was born, Xian moved from place to place with 2 mother. He began learning to play 3 violin when he was 20 years old. In the beginning, his violin was 4 cheap and badly made that he5not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not stop 6 and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first Chinese students7studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he 8, Xian became the school's best student 9 won several prizes for his talents.

    In 1935, he returned to China and helped fight against the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan'an 10 music at a college. 11 there were no pianos in Yan'an at that time Xian still wrote 12 of his most important music there, including The Yellow River, his most famous work.

    In May 1940, Xian 13 to the Soviet Union by the Chinese Communist Party to write music for movies. In the Soviet Union, life was very 14. Xian got sick and later died of a lung illness 15 October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian's music, however, lives on in the people's hearts.

    Mr. Read works in a big shop. He's very 1 and always gets to the office on time. The 2 is satisfied with (对……满意) him and pays him more. One evening he was very tired, and as soon as he had 3, he put his watch on the table and went to bed. Little Mable, one of his daughters, came in and 4 something there. She dropped the watch to the floor. She picked it up and 5 quickly. The next morning he got up on time. After breakfast he had a look at his watch and began to 6 newspapers. When he got to his office, it was half past eight. He was 7 for the first time! At that moment he found something was wrong with his watch. He had to ask someone to 8 it.

This morning Mr. Read was going to take a train to London. But he 9 it because his watch was slow again. He was very surprised and said, "It was all right yesterday, but why is it 10 now?"

    "Last night I found it was dirty," said Little Mable. "I had to wash it for you!"

    She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal Mart. She must have been 6 years old. It was 1outside. We all just stood 2the door of the Wal Mart. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said with a 3 voice." What? "Mom asked." Let's run through the rain! "She repeated." No, honey. We'll wait until it 4 down a bit." Mom replied.

    This young child waited about 5 minute and repeated, "Mom, let's run through the rain."

    "We'll get wet if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said." This morning? 6 did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us 7this, he can get us through anything! "

    The entire crowd became dead silent. I dare say you couldn't hear anything but the 8. We all stood silently. Mom stopped to for a moment about what she would say. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If we get wet, maybe we just need  9," Mom said. Then off they ran.

    We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they  10 past the cars. They held their shopping bags over their 11 just in case. They got wet. But they were12by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the 13 to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions (财产), they can take away your money, and they can take away your  14. But no one can ever take away your precious 15. So, don't forget to take time and take the opportunities to make memories.

    The Turners 1 America. They are now 2.

    Beijing, the capital of China. This is their first visit to China. They are going to stay in China 3 three months. They want to visit some big cities like Beijing and Xi'an and old villages like

    Hongcun and Xidi in Anhui. They hope to learn 4.

    Chinese too, because it will make their trip much easier.

    Mr. Turner is 5 good driver. He likes to drive in Beijing, because he can enjoy the beautiful scenery(景色). Mrs. Turner is a school teacher. She 6a school now. 7 daughter is a middle school student. In Beijing, she meets some students. The family 8 a lot of pictures on the Great Wall When they are back to America, they will 9 the pictures to their friends.

    They want 10 to know more about China.