When I was in the fourth grade, my mom brought back a girl named Faith from the local Social Services. The girl had just1three years old. She had big blue eyes and brown hair. I sat down to talk with her, but she was very2. I was sure that she must have been scared.3I loved the young sister at once.
To have a sister wasn't as4as I thought it would be at first. Faith cried every night. She5cried when she just had to tell me that she had to go to the bathroom. Faith was always getting into6, too. She would break my toys, color on my homework. She was always in someone else's conversation and doing things just to get people to7her. She wanted attention, and it was not cute at all.
After a very long time, Faith finally learned how to8trouble, and I learned how to share. I also learned how to put my things9so that she would not break them. We10had to learn. She still forgets sometimes. So do I.
Now Faith is five years old. She is very smart and11. She follows me everywhere I go—even when I don't want her to. We are also12ballet and acting classes. It is so much more fun to go with my sister.
It's funny. I can't even remember Faith not being here. When I13, the first thing I see is my sister, and when I go to sleep, the last thing I see is my sister. I'm14I have Faith as a sister because she is fun and she makes me laugh. How15I am to have the gift of Faith.
I did something wrong today.
While at the beach this afternoon, I met a boy called Bob. We talked a lot. He said that it was fun playing on the cliffs (悬崖). I told him that I was not allowed to go near that place（Mom and Dad had always told me it was dangerous to play there）. He called me a coward. I wanted to prove to him that I was just as brave, so I agreed to go with him.
We wanted to make our way down to explore (探索) the area, so Bob started to climb down and I followed him. Unluckily, some rocks came down after us. One of them nearly hit my head. We could not get back up. We shouted and shouted for help, but for a long time, no help came. I was really scared. I wanted to cry. Then, we heard some sounds. Someone had heard us. A woman tied (系) a rope around herself while a man at the cliff top held the rope. She made her way down to save us.
My parents were relieved (宽慰的) that I was unhurt, but they were angry that I had done such a risky thing. I apologized and promised that I would not do anything like that again.
a. Some rocks came down.
b. The writer followed Bob.
c. The writer wanted to cry.
d. A man and a woman saved them.
e. The writer and Bob heard some sounds.
School itself wasn't my enemy. The enemy was in the crowds of kids who didn't care about me, the teachers with too many students to pay attention to me, and the students who left me to play alone on the playground. I was alone.
At the end of this year in a health class, we played a game where we taped pieces of paper onto our backs and ran around the room, writing something nice about each person in the class on the paper. When we were done, I looked at what people had said about me: "Smart" and "Nice". From then on, when I met people who would pass me by, I would often want to tell them how nice I am.
My dad once told me, "What other people do or say about you tells you more about them than yourself." I would repeat that to my friends who came to me for comfort. I hoped it comforted them the way it did with me.
The more I thought about my dad's words, the more I realized what he meant. The kids at school might call me ugly. They might ignore me, but their words and actions didn't make me into someone I was not. Instead of feeling sorry for myself or being angry at them, I could choose to forgive (原谅) them. I knew that being unkind was their way of making themselves feel better. I knew that they wounded me as a result of their own pain. Even though loving my enemy was hard, it was the right thing to do.
A: Did you and Amy have fun last night, Kitty?
B: Well, John…yes and no.
A:
B: Yes, she was. And waiting for her made me angry.
A: Where did you go?
B: First we went to the Rockin' Restaurant, but Amy didn't want to stay there.
A: That's funny. Loud music always makes me want to dance.
B: Me too. It was quiet and the food was great. We had a good time.
A:
B: No. We went to the movies. We saw a movie called Dangal (《摔跤吧!爸爸》). It was a really good movie and I like it. But sad movies usually make me cry.
A: Sad movies don't make me cry.
B: Really? Sounds fun!
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A. Then we went to the Blue Lagoon (蓝色珊瑚). B. Then did you go to the concert at the high school? C. They just make me want to leave! D. Was she on time as usual? E. Was Amy late as usual? F. She said that loud music made her nervous. |
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palace examine courage rather shoulder nor kick grey king pull pale disappoint |
As a quiet boy, I usually stay at home and read than go out with my friends on weekends. But last Sunday, my good friend Linda asked me strongly to visit a with her. It was a day. Grey days always make me feel sad. We went there early and saw many things that the and queen used. Then Linda tried to climb on the king's chair. I stopped her and her down. Unluckily, Linda got hurt on her right . She looked painful and her face was . So I had to take her to the hospital. The doctor her and told her there was nothing serious. Then we went home. Neither she I had a good time. It was a really visit.
My teacher asked me to give a piano performance at our school's culture festival. That made me both excited and nervous. I was worried about stage fright (怯场). Though I had been practicing the music I was going to play many times, I was afraid something bad might happen. As the day went by, I grew more and more nervous. I couldn't pay attention to anything until the moment of my performance finally arrived.
There I was, on stage. My mouth was dry. I felt as if there had been some butterflies flying in my stomach. My fingers were resting on the black and white keys. The audience (观众) waited patiently, with smiles on their faces. I looked at my mother and she smiled back at me. I could not move at all. I couldn't remember how the music began!
I was so nervous on the stage. I had to do something to change the situation. After sitting for what seemed like five minutes, I suddenly thought of an idea. I stood up, bowed, and said, "That was the song of silence. Thank you." At first, all my friends and their parents looked confused (困惑的) , but slowly they kept quiet. After that, I sat back down and began to play the music. I played it better than I ever had before. Still, I think I'm better suited to be a comedian than a musician.
