Keeping a diary in English is one of the effective ways to improve our English writing ability.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(compare) with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(little) time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. If we persist in(坚持) this practice, gradually we'll learn how to express {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(we) in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(difficult). In the first place, it often happens that we have trouble in {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(find) appropriate words and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(be) many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. And it is {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(extreme) hard for us to put them into English properly.

    As far as I am concerned, my suggestion is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary within easy reach. Whenever something beats us, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also ask our English teacher {#blank#}9{#/blank#} help, if necessary. In short, I believe that it is of great use to keep a diary in English for{#blank#}10{#/blank#} development of our writing skills.

    While thousands of college students headed for warm climate to enjoy sun and fun during their week off from classes, seven local students had other plans.

    The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) students and one of their teachers spent part of their spring break in New York City, helping repair an area{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (destroy) by the hurricane.

    “I wanted to see for myself what happened,” said Terry. “I couldn't imagine{#blank#}2{#/blank#}it is like to lose your home and everything that you know and the{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(power) effect the hurricane had on those people. I wanted to do something, to understand their feeling of helplessness.”

    The group headed into Brooklyn's Red Hook district, which was hit hard by the hurricane. There they met people from other parts of the country,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}had also volunteered to help. Together, those volunteers and the NECC students{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(work) to clear rubbish out of a three-story building. They put on protective suits and gloves{#blank#}6{#/blank#}they entered the building.

    Inside the building, the students saw nothing but broken walls and doors and pieces of the building {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(lie) all over the place.

    The students returned to school with{#blank#}8{#/blank#}sense of achievement, a feeling that{#blank#}9{#/blank#}helped people in need. I was remarkable how a community lost so much and was still able to recover, and this left the deepest impression{#blank#}10{#/blank#}the students.

    To this day, Kevin Hart still recalls the exact moment he learned this lifelong lesson{#blank#}1{#/blank#} he says came about one afternoon while he was under the care of his after-school babysitter,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} kind, grandmotherly woman named Miss Davis.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (typical), Han helped Miss Davis with housework after school. One day, however, Han skipped the housework and joined some friends {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a “game” of throwing rocks at passing cars.

    As it went, one of the {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (stone) Hart threw broke a car window. On seeing this, Hart and his friends{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (flee) from the scene. The car stopped and the driver stepped out to find who did it. Eventually, his friends all pointed to Hart. “They threw me under the bus so fast!” he says.

News of the incident quickly made {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (it) way to Miss Davis.

    He spent the rest of the day in panic, fearing what {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (happen) when Davis told his mother.

    Yet, Miss Davis never told. Her act gave Hart an important lesson about trust. “You've got to give trust{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (get) trust,” he says. He was so{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(thank) that he never got into trouble as a teenager from then on, all because of Miss Davis.

    Once there lived a rich man {#blank#}1{#/blank#} wanted to do something for the people of his town. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} first he wanted to find out whether they deserved his help.

    In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed {#blank#}3{#/blank#} very large stone. Then he {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (hide) behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

    “Who put this stone in the centre of the road?” said the old man, but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} man came along and did the same thing; then another came ,and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Late in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the stone, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (say) to himself: “The night {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) very dark. Some neighbors will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone.”

    Then he began to move the stone. He pushed and pulled with all his {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (strong) to move it. How great was his surprise at last! {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the stone, he found a bag of money.

    I can still remember the day we brought her home from the animal shelter (收容所). Lexie moved in my arms when I held her, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the second I handed this lovely dog to my daughter, she settled down. My daughter cried tears of joy while {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(hold) her on the way home and Lexie happily licked (舔) them away.

    Since then, they {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(be) good friends. They lie under blankets on the sofa and watch TV together. When my daughter climbs into bed, Lexie will carry her toys on top of the covers {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (join) her. Lexie's favorite spot is right in my daughter's arms. If she could spend every second of the day there, she {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    The other day I {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(watch) Lexie while my daughter, who lives right up the road from me, did some housework. When it was time {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Lexie to go home, I could see Lexie's {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(excite) as I leashed (用皮带牵) her up. I opened the back door and let her out. She was running as fast as she could. I called her name, but {#blank#}9{#/blank#} was no use. She had found my daughter on the road. My daughter bent down to pick her up. Lexie jumped into her arms and happily licked her face.

    I smiled, seeing she was back {#blank#}10{#/blank#} she belonged.