On a hot summer day, Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine, they lay down in a tent for the night and went to sleep.

     Some hours later, Holmes woke up and pushed his friend. “Watson, look! What can you see in the sky?"

     Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.”

      “What does that tell you?” asked Holmes.

     Watson thought for a while. “First, it tells me that we will have a beautiful clear date tomorrow. Second, it tells me that the time is about twelve o'clock. And…”

      “What else?” Holmes asked.

      “Well, it also reminds me that the world is so big and we are so small. What does that tell you?”

     Holmes said with a grin on his face, “You silly guy! It only tells me that someone has stolen our tent!”

    Mike Tam is a 16-year-old boy. He has many good habits(习惯)－he 1 every morning and reads books every night. He does well in studies and his favorite 2 are science and history.

    Both of Mike's parents are good 3. When Mike was four years old, his father 4 to teach him how to swim. After two months of learning, Mike could swim 5 a fish.

    Each week, Mike has to spend at least 16 hours 6. He spends two 7 practicing swimming every day before school. After morning practice, he goes to school by 8. He likes riding bikes, 9 it is good for his health.

    On Saturday, he gets up at 7:00 a.m. He 10 in the pool for four hours. After that, he goes home to do his homework. He 11 watching movies, so he goes to the cinema(电影院) every Sunday. “It helps me to 12 to watch movies with my friends,” he said. His parents often go to the pool on weekends to encourage(鼓励) 13 when they don't have to 14.

    Mike doesn't 15 spending a lot of time practicing. “I love swimming, and practice can help me get good results in competitions(比赛),” he said.

    There was a big tree in the forest. It was tall and  1. Next to it was a small herb(小草). One day, the big tree said, “I grow well. No one can 2 me.” While the herb replied, “Dear friend, you shouldn't be so3yourself. Even the strongest tree will 4 one day.” But the tree didn't listen to the herb and he continued to praise5 .

    One night, a strong wind began to blow. It was so strong that almost 6was blown in the air. 7 the tree stood firmly(稳固地). Then the 8 came. It rained heavily, however, the tree 9 stood strong. At the same time, the herb bowed low against the ground. 10 this, the tree began to make fun of the herb.

    On another day, there was a storm in the 11. The storm kept growing stronger and the tree finally fell down. When the storm 12 and everything was in silence, the herb stood straight. He 13 and found the fallen tree. Then he said, “Now you know 14I told you is the truth.”

    We should realize that sometimes15 down doesn't mean you are not strong enough. It's a way of protecting yourself.

    Do you ever watch old films？Maybe you will see one with Carole Lombard. She was a famous1in the 1930s.She died when she was only34.In her2life she made 70 films！Lombard's real name was Jane Alice Peters. When she was 12, she was playing baseball in the3near her home. A film director4 her and decided to put her in a film. She was only 13 at that time. The film was one of the last silentfilms. She acted so well that she 5 the hearts of some people. At 16, she left school to act.

    In 1925, she had an agreement with a6studio, 20th Century Fox. The studio gave7a new name, and she acted in several films. Then, at age 18, she was in a bad car accident. The accident left scars(伤疤)on her face. The studio broke the agreement, but she did not 8. She continued to act.

    It was Paramount Studio that made Lombard a 9. She made many films for the studio. She also married two of its stars. Lombard was married to actor William Powell for only 23 months.10seven years later, she married the great love of her life, actor Clark Gable. It was a great Hollywood love story.

    Mike always loves ships(轮船). When he was a child, he said, "I'm going to1a naval soldier (海军士兵) when I grow up." But his eyes were not very2, so he could not join the navy(军队).

    Then he said, "I'm going to3a ship and travel around the world." But ships were very expensive, and Mike did not have enough 4.

    Last summer Mike found a swimming5. He didn't have to6much for the lessons, so he began going to the school on weekends. Now he is a good swimmer.

    Last week a little boy said to him, "You're a very good swimmer. 7do you learn to swim so well?"

    "I'm not good at all," Mike said." 8I'm in the water, I say to myself, "There are9fishes behind me!" Then I'm very afraid (害怕的), and I 10quickly."

    One afternoon, A boy carefully took his father who can't see anything to a seat in a noodle restaurant. He called 1 for two bowls of beef noodles. When the restaurant owner was about to 2 the food, the boy suddenly stop him with his eyes and said in a low voice, "Only one bowl with beef, 3 without—just plain noodles."

    In fact, the boy didn't have much money and couldn't afford two bowls of beef noodles. He called loudly just to let his 4 know.

    When the noodles were sent to them, the father wasn't in a hurry. He 5 his chopsticks（筷子）to search in his bowl, trying to a piece of beef. 6 he found one, he picked it up and put it into his son's bowl,.

    The boy didn't 7 his father. He accepted silently(默默地)and then quietly put the beef 8 to his father's bowl.

    The restaurant owner saw this, he was moved（感动的） 9 what they had done, then he asked a waiter to bring them a dish of sliced beef from the 10. The boy thought it was sent to a 11 table. The boss of the restaurant camp up explaining（解释） with a smile, "Today is 12 restaurant's anniversary(周年庆). The dish is 13. So you needn't pay for it."

    After the father and son left, the waiter cleared the bowls. He was 14 to find under the bowl of the boy were some money. They were just the 15 of the sliced beef dish.