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    Four years ago when I was a boy of 11, I got into the biggest trouble as a kid. It was a Saturday morning. Both my parents were out, leaving me and my 10-month-old sister home alone. Anyway, my sister was still asleep in her room. In fact I had the house to myself. I decided to do some drawing. Soon I gave up. Nothing was on TV, so I felt bored and touched the candles on the shelf …I had an idea! What would happen if I set fire to some kitchen paper? Well, of course it went on fire, but it wasn't the tiny flame(火苗 ) I'd expected, and I couldn't blow it out. I threw it on the floor, and then luckily got my dad's boots(靴子) and stamped it out.

    I thought I was safe until there was a huge hole in my room. When my mum came home later, she smelt the smoke immediately. She dropped the shopping bag, luckily for me, over the hole. I thought this meant she would never see it. However, after running round the house checking for a fire, she of course picked up the bag and saw the hole. Next I was grounded(关禁闭) and in trouble for months. Even worse, the hole was still there, reminding me of what I did.

    My friend John is a student. Last year, he went to Japan and stayed there  1two months. I was2 that John was able to 3such a long holiday in Japan because he was 4  . "How did you get so  5  money, John?" I asked. "I thought you could stay in Japan for 6  two weeks." "It was easy," he answered. "I got a job in Japan." "A job? What did you do?" "I gave English lessons  7  a shop owner, and we became good friends." "But you are8  teacher!" "Mr Tanaka, the shop owner, knew l was not a teacher, but he said he had a lot of American customers, so he wanted to learn English. I spent three hours a day 9  to him. In return, he gave me a room, three meals a day and some money."

    "Did he learn 10 English?'' "I don't know," John said, "but I learnt a lot of Japanese."

    Last night, my mum and I arrived in Shanghai. It is one of the largest cities in China. In summer it is very hot here. The temperature can get up to 40℃ or even 1 In winter, however, the weather is cold—near 0℃.

    Today we 2 the Jade Buddha Temple（玉佛寺）， one of Shanghai's most famous temples. 3 we left the temple we went to the street market. There I found many thugs made of jade Jade is very 4 in China. A lot of people like it. I bought a beautful jade necklace (项链). It had a 5 carved (雕刻) on it. I got it because I was born in 1998, the Year of the Tiger. The tiger is one of the 12 6 that go with the Chinese calendar (历法). Both my mum and I laughed  when we 7 she was born in the Year of the Pig！ At the market, I 8 bought a red silk skirt. It was made in a silk factory right here in Shanghai. China is famous 9 its silk. The Chinese have quite a long history of making silk clothes.

    The clock says it's already 11:00. Time for bed. I must 10 now. Tomorrow we're going on a trip down the Yangtze River. I can't wait!

    The first day of university our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a 1_ hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled（有皱纹的）, little old lady with a smile. She 2_ a minute and said, “Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a big one.

    We became immediate friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I always loved listening to this ‘time machine'3 she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of this year Rose became a campus role model and she 4_ made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she loved the attention from the other students.

    At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football club. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the platform. As she began to deliver he prepared speech, she dropped her cards on the floor. A little upset she simply said, “I'm sorry I'm so nervous. I 5 beer for Lent（大裔节）and this wine is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order …” As we laughed, she cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; wo grow old because we stop playing. There is a huge6 between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older, but it does take talents and abilities to grow up…”

    One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. However, these words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

    I took the bus to work for many years. No one 1 each other; the passengers all sat there sleepily in the morning. The bus was cheerless and silent.

    One of the 2 was a small old man with grey hair. He took the bus to the center for senior citizens (老年人) every morning. Nobody ever paid much attention to him.

    One July morning he said good morning to the driver and 3. The driver nodded guardedly (带着戒心地). The rest of us were 4.

    The next day, the old man boarded with a big smile again and said in a 5 voice: "And a very good morning to you all!" Some of us 6, amazed, and murmured (小声嘀咕) "Good morning, " in reply. We gradually began to nod and talk to each other.

    One morning he was 7 a nice suit and tie. He even had a bunch of 8 in his hand. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: "Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?" We never got to know if that was his name, 9 he nodded his head shyly and said yes. The other passengers clapped (拍手叫好) at him. Every morning after that Charlie 10 flowers. Some passengers also brought flowers for him. The bus became a happy place.

    Then, one morning, as autumn was closing in, Charlie wasn't 11 at the stop. When we came 12 to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. He went in to 13 "Charlie".

    The old gentleman was 14, but one of his close friends had died at the weekend. The next Monday Charlie was at the stop as usual. His hair had turned greyer. We were silent as he walked onto the bus. No one 15 his friend, but we each handed him a bunch of flowers. We wanted to be there for this man who brought us together that summer.