A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms( 习语 ), though my teacher emphasized(强调) the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

    One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don't say!” “You don't say!” I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate(合适的) topic. “Well, I'd better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent(宏伟的).” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted again by his words “You don't say!” I couldn't help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn't request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn't you say ‘you don't say?'” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “‘You don't say' actually means ‘really!'. It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions(习语表达). Remember -- what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

    Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything —tutors (家庭教师), cards, special learning centers—in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic (天主教的) school.

    After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread (铺开) out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening.

    Finally, little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity (好奇心). She went to his room and asked, “Son, what was it? Was it the nuns (修女)?”Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, “No. ”“Well then,” she asked again. “WHAT was it?”

    Little Tommy looked at her and said, “Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed (钉) to the plus sign (加号), I knew they weren't joking. ”

    If you are walking through Newyork's Central Park on a fine summer day, you might come across a group of children listening to a story. The storyteller will be sitting beside a statue of a kindly looking man holding an open book. Although this man never actually visited New York, his fame as a writer of fairy tales and children's stories has spread far beyond his homeland.

    Hans Christian Andersen is recognized as a key figure in 19^th-century romantic fiction. He is, without question, the best-known writer Denmark has ever produeed. His stories continue to delight children and adults the world over. Classic tales such as The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, and The emperor's New Clothes are loved for their humor and imagination. They are loved for the simple but meaningful messages they often contain.

    Born on April 2, 1805, in Odense, Demark, Andersen was an imaginative child. His father, a poor shoemaker, died in 1816. With a mother who was unable to read or write, the boy received little education as a child. At 14, Andersen traveled to Copenhagen. He was lucky enough to spend some time with the Royal Theater, but when his voice changed, he had to leave. Luckily, one of the directors helped him by arranging his education.

    Andersen went to the University of Copenhagen in 1828, and his literary career began soon afterwards. He hoped to achieve success with poems and plays, and made too low an estimate(估计) of the kind of stories which have made him famous. Though not particularly fond of children, he had a gift for entertaining them. This led a friend to suggest he write down the stories he invented.

    Many of Andersen' s tales are based on folklore(民间故事), and many are products of his own imagination. All of them are told in a humorous and informal style that children loved from the start.

    Before his death in 1875, Andersen regularly traveled around Europe, and was warmly welcomed everywhere he went.

    Nowadays, of course, Hans Christian Andersen is a household name. Whether he would have liked or not, millions of children and adults will always be grateful for the magie his stories have brought to their lives. The young listeners in Central Park are proof of that.

    The Kennedy Elementary school band(乐队)is special. That's because Tony Boland, a member of it, is a 79-year-old flute(长笛)player. His story tells us that you're never too old to toot the flute.

    After working at the school for more than ten years, Tony joined the fifth graders in the band. His grandchildren were at the school. He help with reading.

    He started tooting the flute many years ago, when his wire tried to throw away(扔掉)their daughter s flute.

    "You will play better if you play with others," he told a reporter.

    Brian Enabnit thought Tony would make a difference to the band. "He's great. He's helping the students around him, "Enabnit said.

    Tony practises with the students once a week and performs with them. They played at the Dubuque Community School District's Band Festival earlier this month.

    Fifth-grade student Courtney Less thought her older classmate was successful. "He's an excellent player," Courtney said. "All of us are afraid when giving a performance, but he isn't."