American President Roosevelt's house was once broken into and lots of things were stolen. Hearing this, one of Roosevelt's friends wrote to him and 1 him not to take it to his heart so much. President Roosevelt 2 back at once, saying, “Dear friend, thank you for your letter to comfort me. I'm all right now. I think I should thank God. This is because of the following three 3: firstly, the thief (小偷) only stole things from me 4 did not hurt me at all; secondly, the thief has stolen some of my things 5 all my things; thirdly, most 6 for me, it was the man 7 me who became a thief.”
It was quite unlucky for anyone to be stolen from. However, President Roosevelt was so 8.
It is 9 for anyone to be lucky and successful all the time as long as he lives on the earth. We should learn how to 10 failure or misfortune bravely and to try to deal with it. Being thankful can bring us a better life.
A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a lot of small glass 1. The girl had some candies with her. The boy told the girl that he would2her all his balls in exchange for (交换) her candies. The girl thought that was a good3.
But the boy didn't give4of his balls to the girl. He kept the biggest and the5ball in his pocket and gave the others to the girl. 6the girl gave him all her candies.
That night, the girl had a 7sleep, but the boy didn't sleep well. He kept thinking whether the girl had 8some candies from him.
You think in the way you do things. If you don' t give your hundred percent(百分之百) in a relationship, you'll 9 keep thinking if the other person has given his or her hundred percent. This is true for any relationship.
Give your hundred percent to everything you do and you'll find that you can always10a lot of happiness.
It was two days before Christmas, and David wanted to give a card to everyone in his class. He opened the bag and looked 1. "What are you looking for?" his mom asked. "Ms. Ross gave us a 2 of everyone in the class, "said David." I can't find mine. If I don t have my list, I won't know what names to put on the cards."
"Take 3 out and we'll look together," suggested Mom. They shook out all his books and 4 all the pockets in his bag, but no Christmas list. "Now I can't give out cards at school, "David said sadly.
"Don't 5 so easily, said Mom. She took a piece of paper and asked him how many children are in his class. "Seventeen," answered David "I'll never 6 them all."
"Wait, "said Mom, numbering the paper one to seventeen." Now, who do you often play with?" "Brian, Todd and John." She wrote down their 7. "And who sits in the first row in your classroom？”“Hmm…Angie, Jill and Brad." David tried to remember what his 8 looked like and who sat where, " And Rebecca, Travis and Erin in the second row." David's mom wrote as fast as she could.
Now, they had 9 names. Who had he missed? David thought hard.
"Why don't you write out the 10 that you have names for?" said Mom. "Maybe you'll think of the 11 name while you're writing."
David picked out a card. He 12 it and then put it into the envelope. He did this sixteen times. "13 is missing?" One more time he thought about who sat where in his classroom.
14 he said, "I know! I know who is missing from the list!"
"who?" said Mom.
"We forgot 15!" David said. "I'm going to wish me a Merry Christmas, too.
It does not always come easy to discover oneself. From a young age, I had a strong sense of who I was to become, 1 an accident made me redefine (重审）myself.
To me, skating was above all. There was 2 in this world that filled my heart with such joy. I spent twenty-four hours a week practicing my 3 . Having no social life or interests but skating, my devotion( 挚爱） brought me first place medals in nearly every 4.
Unfortunately, in one show, I fell down and hurt myself 5. After several X-rays and MRI(磁共振）scans, the 6(told)me that I couldn't return to my sport any more. The pain in my back was hard to bear and even the 7 daily tasks became difficult.
As my passion(激情）was 8, I had little sense of who I was to become. After eight months of suffering, something had to 9. Instead of wasting my days sitting around painfully, I began to put my 10 into local community service projects. By volunteering 11 a swimming teacher and summer reading assistant for kids, I got an idea of who I 12 to become. After a few months, I devoted time to my interest in the arts. Little by Little, I 13 out of the shadow( 阴影）and rebuilt my confidence.
Sometimes, some 14 rocks block (阻碍）our way. We can choose to stay behind or try to climb over. My accident was a rock that 15 to stop me from reaching success. Today I'm a very confident and optimistic person.
In San Francisco, I had this amazing experience. While I was waiting for the bus, I saw a homeless person carrying a 1 which said that he would like a cup of hot coffee.
As soon as I 2it, I knew it was time for me to carry out the task. I joyfully ran across the street, thinking that getting 3 a cup of hot coffee would be great. I went to Uncle Bob's nearby and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me a 4. I then walked back to the street corner where the man had 5. As I went up to him. I could see that the 6 I got, the more joy in his eyes I could see.
When I 7 him the hot coffee, I just said, "This is 8 you, my dear." I could see so much 9 in his face and even a tear (眼泪) was running down. He kept thanking me and holding his coffee like the biggest 10 and prize in his life. It made me cry that a(n) 11 action can bring so much joy and make someone feel really warn.
I walked back to the 12 with such a happy hop. When the bus driver opened the door and I wanted to pay the bus fee, 13, he waved me through and said, "Honey, you don't need to pay. This is on me." He explained that it 14 his heart to see that I gave away free coffee.
This 15 moment was the warmest in my heart and it gave my day and my life a brand new start. It brings me such a joy to simply love and bless.
As a foreigner, it's hard for me to tell what Chinese people are like. But my1in Beijing said something.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to buy four big suitcases(行李箱) for travel.2I was going down the street, it suddenly rained, heavily. A stranger called me into his little shop. He 3 me a cup of tea and a chair. When the rain got 4, I thanked him and rushed to a5nearby to buy my suitcases.
If you've ever tried to push four big suitcases by yourself, you may understand my6. I looked silly, for the suitcases were dancing wildly across the floor. Then I got a7on the shoulder. It was the seller. He signed that I should wait. A few minutes later, he8in a car, and put the suitcases inside. Then we went driving9along the road to my home. I offered him some money, but he10. In broken English he said, “Feel good…help you.”
Now, you can see Chinese people are always ready to help you.
Tom worked hard in an office. But it seemed that there was little change in his life. He was unhappy and didn't want to improve himself any more. His father, Joe, knew this and decided to have a talk with 1 .
One day, Tom and his father went for a walk after dinner. 2 they were walking along a river, Tom said, “Dad, you always tell me to learn something new. To be3, I don't want to make any change.”
Joe looked in the river, saw a dead 4and pointed at it.
“Tom, what is that over there?”
“It's a dead fish.”
“What's the fish doing?”
“It's moving down with the running water.”
“But the fish is dead. 5 can it be moving?” asked Joe.
“It's moving as the river is moving.”
Joe turned to his son and said, “Life is 6 the river. It's always moving and always changing. Some people don't want to change, but their life is always changing whether they like it or not. A dead fish only moves along the river, while a living fish can control its journey. What's your choice if you want to live a 7 life?”
This made Tom 8 his aunt who had already stopped learning and developing. And she just stayed the way she used to be, living like a dead fish.
Guided by his 9 , Tom understood what he said. He didn't want to become a person like his aunt. So he made up his mind to 10 learning and developing himself.
One morning, when I was leaving for my business, a middle-aged man came up and asked me for help. He said he had no 1 to get food for his large family.
You look 2. Why don't you work？" I asked." Simply because I cannot get work，sir.""If I give you work, what you want?" "3 I can get bread for my family, sir." he answered.
I decided to find out if he 4 meant what he said. "OK. I'll give you one pound an hour, if you will 5 a brick(砖)under your arm and walk around the square for five hours without stopping. ""Thank you, sir. I will. "
I found a brick and started him on his walk before I went to my 6. I never thought he would he had 7.
When I came back five hours later, I saw him 8 walking, with the brick under his arm.
I stopped him and gave him 9 pounds. He thanked me and told me that some people had 10 to help him when they knew why he was doing all this. He would go and ask 11 for work. Before leaving, he asked if I would give him the 12.I did.
Several years later, a well-dressed man greeted me on a train. Seeing I was not sure who he was, he 13 that he was the brick man and had his own business now. "You know, I still keep that brick and always value it as the most 14 thing I have as it has brought me luck and success."
15, it was not the brick that made the man successful, but his faithfulness(坚定) in doing even a very little thing.
When the Spring Festival falls, red flowers bloom(盛开) on the windows of my home. Of course, these are not1flowers. But in the cold of2, these wonderful flowers bring warmth to us. They are made of paper by my3, who is now aged 70, with a few cuts, she 4a piece of paper into a beautiful work of art.
When my grandma was considered clumsy(笨拙的) in the 5. But on a cold winter night, she saw some beautiful red paper6 on her new neighbor's windows. She was so interested in it and decided to 7from her neighbor. Tons of paper was wasted, and her fingers were cut many times. But she8practicing. It took 10 years9my grandma could make paper art skillfully(娴熟地). The red flowers, blooming like hurning fire, light up her world. Now, everyone in the village10her.
My grandma's story has shown me what it takes to realize one's dream.
Everyone has dreams. Lily dreamed of being a dancer. She took 1 lessons and all her teachers thought she was an excellent student.
One day she saw a notice. It said that a famous dancing group would be performing in her town. 2 though, “I must show the leader my dancing skills.” She waited for the group leader in the dressing room. 3 the leader appeared, she came up and hander him the flowers she prepared. The thorns (刺) hurt her fingers and blood came out. But she was too 4 to care about the pain. She expressed her strong wish to be a dancer and begged (乞求) to show her dance.
“All right, you dance.” The leader agreed. But half way through the dance, he stopped her, “I'm sorry, in my mind you're not good enough!” On hearing this, Lily 5 out as fast as her legs could carry her. It was so hard for her to accept this. She lost heart and 6 her dream.
Several years later, the dancing group came to her town again. She decided to find out 7the leader had told her she was not good enough.
This was his reply, “I tell this 8 every student.”
“You've ruined (毁掉) my life!” she shouted angrily.
The leader went on, “I remember your present of 9and how the thorns had hurt your fingers but you carried on bravely. It was a pity that you didn't take dancing like that and stopped trying so 10 . So you are still not good enough for dancing!”
I have five children, so our house is always noisy. 1, I love gardening and my garden helps me relax.
For a long time, I 2 the garden of peace and quiet. When the children followed me into the garden, I would expect 3 to be out of sight. And I would hand out tasks.
"Here: you 4 the onions, you dig the holes, and…" Soon they would be 5 or their arms would be sore, and they would leave me to myself.
But during a recent spring, 6 I was working in the garden, my 13-year-old son, Josiah noticed me. He 7 a tool and began helping. Working as a team, we finished the job in no time at all. I 8 Josiah, realizing that I'd enjoyed working with him.
The same thing happened—-one or two of the 9 would appear and join in the gardening from time to time. Each time, I would feel 10 that the work was lighter because of their help.
One day, when I was picking the peas(豌豆) and having a taste 11, Abby saw me and ran over. I put several peas into her mouth. She just loved how 12 they were.
"Mama, I want the others to try them too."
Suddenly, I realized I had been wrong for long, I'd tried to keep the 13 of gardening to myself, and here was a child who couldn't wait to 14 with others, "Sure, honey, let's pick some. We'll make a wonderful supper."
Now I enjoy all of the garden's beauties with the children. We bring the 15 back home, preparing and cooking the produce together, because we know that everything is better when shared.
My friends and I joined a two-day survival（生存） training course in the mountains. The first day was really 1 －there was so much to do! Arriving at the campsite, we were divided into groups and given a tent, some food, a 2 and a compass（ 指 南 针 ）. Standing next to a small river, Fanny 3camping in the grassy area nearby. However, our instructor, Mr. Lee, pointed out that it might flood（淹没） if it rained. In the end, we found a 4 area. Putting up the tent was very hard. 5 Mr. Lee helped us a lot.
By the time we had put up the tent,6 was really hungry. “We wouldn't have got this hungry if we had brought some snacks.” Peter said. We all told him to 7 complaining（抱怨） and help us start a fire to cook our food 8. Realizing we were having trouble making the fire, he finally 9.
The next day started early. Woken by a strange noise. Peter went to see what was 10. “Some cows have eaten our breakfast!” he shouted. “That's all because you didn't 11the food properly last night.” said Mr. Lee.
Worried that Mr. Lee was angry with us, we tried very hard on our next 12 － using the map and compass to find a secret location. We made it to the location 13 the other group did. We all felt very proud of 14.
The survival training course was a great 15. Now I feel I could survive anywhere!
It was a Sunday morning. Lori was busy writing in her book. Marilyn was drinking coffee and I was reading a newspaper. Suddenly, Lori looked up and asked，“Why are there more pictures of Lisa than there are of 1?" Lisa is our older daughter.
I stared back, not understanding the 2. Lori left the room. I looked at Marilyn, "Are there more pictures of Lisa than of Lori?"
"I've never 3 them. I don't know," replied Marilyn.
"But 4 would Lori ask such a question?" I asked. After a few minutes of thought Marilyn said, "When Lisa was born, you were taking photos. You hardly went 5 without a camera. When Lori was born videos became 6. You used a video camera to record nearly everything in our life. There must be hundreds of videos of Lori in the computer that Lori has 7 seen or doesn't remember."
Late that night, when we were alone, I turned on the computer and found the 8 about Lori.
“What are you going to do?" Marilyn asked.
"Her birthday is coming," I said, "Let's make an album for her as a gift. I don't know if the album will answer her question, but at least she'll know that we 9 enough to find her an answer."
Over the next few days, we secretly 10 all the videos. We watched and selected until we were 11. Marilyn had them made into photos. When the photos were returned, we placed them into an album. When we looked at the album, all the sweet memories came 12. We hoped it showed how 13 she was to us.
On June 7, when passing Loris room to leave for work. I opened the door and slipped the album inside. Attached to it was a birthday card with a note 14 why her mother and I had put the album together.
It was about eight o'clock when my office telephone rang. I picked up the receiver. A tiny voice spoke, "I love you, Daddy," she said and disconnected. I knew our 15 had been received.
Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20th 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.
My son Daniel began surfing at the age of 13. After school each day he put on his wet suit and waited to be challenged by three-to-six-foot waves. Daniel's love for the ride was tested one 1 afternoon.
"Your son's been in an accident," the lifeguard(救生员)reported to my 2 Mike over the phone hurriedly." 3 he came up to the top of the water, the point of the board was headed toward his eye."
Mike rushed our son to the hospital. He 4 26 stitches(缝合)from the corner of his eye to the bridge of his nose.
I was 5 home from a meeting while Daniel's eye was being stitched. Mike drove 6 to the airport after they left the doctor's office. He greeted 7 at the gate while Daniel was waiting in the car.
"Daniel?" I questioned. I remember thinking the 8 must have been terrible that day.
"He's been in an accident，but he's going to be fine." Mike comforted me.
I ran to the car. My son reached out both arms, crying, "Oh, Mom, I'm so glad you're home."
I sobbed(抽泣)in his arms, telling him how 9 I felt about not being there when the lifeguard called.
"It's okay, Mom," he said. "I'll be fine. The doctor said I can go back in the water in eight days."
Was he 10? I wanted to tell him that he wasn't allowed to go near water again until he was 35, but 11 I controlled myself.
He kept asking me to let him go back on the 12 for the next seven days. One day after 13 "No" to him for the 100th time, he beat me at my own game.
"Mom, you taught us never to 14 what we love."
I gave in. Back then Daniel was just a boy with deep 15 for surfing. Now he is among the top 25 surfers in the world.
Before graduating college, Jackie began to look for a job. She aimed at a famous company, but the 1 for such jobs was very strong. The company Jackie chose planned to employ only one person, but more than twenty people applied for the job. 2, Jackie was one of the three people invited for the final interview. The interview was very 3. The interviewer asked just a few questions and it was all over in less than 10 minutes. Then the interviewer said to them, "All of you are very good. Please go home and 4 our response.”
Three days later, Jackie received a message saying she would not be 5 the job. She felt deeply disappointed. That evening. However she received another 6. This time it said that she got the job.
Jackie later found out that the first message sent to her phone was part of the interview—a 7 to see if she was suitable for the job. All the three people received the 8 text, butonly Jackie's reply 9 the company of the three, one did not reply. The other said “goodbye” and Jackie said “thank you”. This reply showed that Jackie was a/an 10 person, so the company offered her the job.
One place that is very important in my life is my grandmother's house. She 1in a small village in the south of the country. I go there every summer, to visit my grandmother, 2the city and relax.
The village is just a group of white houses on a hillside with some shops, and it's3peaceful.
One reason why I like it is because it's a beautiful place. My grandmother has a lovely garden and we always sit 4the trees, drinking sweet tea and chatting. It's so pleasant. But the main reason why this place is so important to me is5. She is so kind to me, and wonderful to talk to. Also, she's a great cook and the meals she prepares are simple 6so fresh and. rich? No, no, I mean tasty. And she's always giving me eh. What do you call 7?—small plates of food during the day, so I always return home feeling calm and refreshed and8!
I wouldn't like9there, though. I prefer living in the city. I'm a city person. I10live in a small village where everybody knows each other. I'd rather live in a busy, exciting place. But I really love visiting the villages for holiday.
If anyone can be called a scientific giant after Albert Einstein, that person must be Stephen Hawking. He was born in Oxford, England on Jan. 8th, 1942. What a pity On March 14th, 2018, the world-famous British scientist1in Cambridge, UK.
After leaving high school Hawking went first to Oxford University 2he studied physics and then went to Cambridge University where he studied cosmology(宇宙学). As he himself admitted, he didn't work hard. And he did 3work. However, he always enjoyed thinking everything around him, especially the universe. Today, he is called the King of the Universe.
It was at the age of 21 that Hawking first4something was wrong with him. He started to bump into some things. When he visited his family at Christmas time, his mother was so worried that she 5 him see a doctor. Hawking was sent to hospital for tests. Finally, the result came back. He6to have motor neuron disease(运动神经元病), an incurable illness which would make him unable to speak, breathe or move 7the help of a machine. Doctors said they had no ways to help him. He might die before 23.
8, Hawking became very depressed. After a while, though, he began to see his life in a different way. As he later wrote, “After my illness was diagnosed(诊断), I was very9with life. There had not seemed to be anything worth doing. But shortly after I came out of hospital, I suddenly realized that there were a lot of worthwhile(值得做的) things I could do."Then Hawking got married and found a job at Cambridge University as a professor. We strongly believe that his story shows that 10, how had their situation is, should lose hope. “Life is not fair.” He once said, “You just have to do the best you can in your own situation.”
The Communist Party of China(中国共产党) has vowed(郑重宣告) to satisfy the people's desire for "a better life" and1the idea into a key political document. The Chinese phrase " mei hao sheng huo, which can be translated as" a happy life" or " a better life", appeared14 times,2both in the opening section and the last paragraph, in his report given by Xi Jinping in October, 2017 at the opening of the 19th CPC National Congress. The report at the five-yearly congress 3the most important political speech in China. This year's report said socialism with Chinese characteristics(特色)had entered a new era, and it drew up a two-stage development 4 to build China into a "great modern socialist country" by mid-21st century. By the end of the second stage, the Chinese people will "enjoy happier, safer, and 5lives."
Last autumn, my 80-year-old grandmother was having problems with her heart. My family sent her to the1 .
After a careful examination, a famous doctor told my grandmother, "You have such a2 heart condition that you should have an operation."
"But the complications (并发症) can happen." the doctor3my grandmother and looked at her worried face.
The doctor went on to say that she would have a 40 percent possibility of having a heart trouble 4the operation, a 35 percent possibility of being unable to stand up, and even 20 percent of5on the operating table because of her old age.
My grandmother was terribly surprised and quickly said, "Doctor, since you're talking about these 6 I have one for you: there is a 100 percent possibility that you won't operate on me!"
7these words, my grandmother got up and8the doctor's office.
The next day, my grandmother went to9doctor's office. There she was also told she needed an 10. The doctor also said that her11might cause some problems. 12 he was quite sure about the success of operation.
My grandmother might be brave, but she is not silly. She then asked the doctor, "If I am your mother, what will you13?"
The doctor walked up to her, smiled, put his arms14her, and said, "Mom, let's have the operation!"
My grandmother had the operation and came out15! Her positive attitude (乐观的心态) added many wonderful and happy years for her and enjoy living with my family.
