Peterson was sitting at the door of his house. Then a man arrived and asked, “What are the 1 of this village like?”
Peterson asked him, “Why do you ask so?”
The man answered, “The people of my old village aren't 2at all. I can't stand them, so I left there. Now, I want to 3 a new village to live in. That's why I asked you the 4 .”
Peterson said, “If so, then you have to leave for another village. People here are even 5 . They will play jokes on you and you may feel very bad and even angry. I think you should continue (继续) looking.”
Hearing this, the man moved 6. Just then another man 7 . He looked around and stopped near Peterson, “ 8 are people of this village?”
Peterson asked him, “How are the villagers in 9village?” The man answered, “In my village, people are friendly and kind. Everyone 10 and helps each other in times of need. I don't want to leave there but for some 11 I have to. Now I need to look for a new place to live in.”
Peterson said, “You are 12 here in my village. We will treat ( 对 待 ) you well and you will find the people here even better than those of your village.”
A man near Peterson didn't know why he answered the two men 13 and asked, “To the first man you said the villagers were terrible. 14 to the second man, you told him that they were very great. Why did you do so?”
Peterson said, “ 15 , people are the same. When you are friendly, the people around you are all friendly.”
Spring came, most of the little girls in the school wore pretty new clothes. The little girl still wore the same dirty dress, although she had worn it all winter. The teacher sighed. The little girl was so nice! She always worked hard at school and she was always polite and friendly, 1 her face was dirty and her hair was untidy.
One day the teacher said, "Will you wash your2 before you come to school tomorrow morning? Please do that for me." The teacher could see the girl was pretty 3 the dirt.
The next morning the child's pretty face appeared. Her hair was clean too.4the little girl went home that afternoon, the teacher said "Dear, please ask your mother to wash your dress."
But the little girl still wore the dirty dress." Her mother probably doesn't 5 her, " the teacher thought. So she bought a bright 6 dress for her. The child 7 the gift and hurried home as fast as she could.
The next morning she came to school in the new blue dress and told the teacher 8, "This morning I tried on this new dress. My mother was9when she saw me. It's a pity that my 10went to work. But we will meet at dinner this evening."
When her father saw his girl in the new blue dress, he looked at her for a long time and hugged his pretty little girl. When the family sat down to eat dinner he was so surprised to find a 11on the table." What's happening today?" he thought. The family had 12 used such a thing before. "What is it for?" he asked.
"We're going to make here tidier with it," his wife said. "It isn't nice to have a house that is dirty and untidy when our daughter is so 13."
After dinner the mother started to14the floors. Her husband went outside into the back yard and began to repair the broken fence. They decided to try their best to keep the15in the house.
Do you like talent shows? Now they are very popular all over theworld, because they give people a way to realize (实现）their1. In China, there are many famous talentshows,2TheAvenue of Stars, The Voice of China and China's Got Talent. These shows haveone thing in common: They try to3thebest singers, the most talented dancers, the most exciting magicians, the funniestactors and so on. When people watch the show, they usually play a role indeciding the4.Everyone who is talented with something can5the shows. The best performer always getsa very good6andbecomes famous soon. Do you know Jiang Dunhao and Jiang Yingrong? The twopersons are7insome ways. They are both truly talented and they are both good at singing.Jiang Dunhao took part in The New Good Songs of China, and Jiang Yingrong tookpart in The Avenue of Stars. They sang8than other singers. At last, the audience(观众）9them as the best performers. They were happy to make their dreams10. So if you are good at something like JiangDunhao and Jiang Yingrong, please take part in the shows. One day, you maybecome a famous star like them.
John Hunt is a 1 writer. Lots of people like him and his works. John Hunt is different 2many other writers. Although he needs to work at home and likes reading and watching different 3of TV shows, he doesn't always stay at home. He likes going outside and exercising.4, he often runs, swims and goes skateboarding.5 he also goes camping with his friends. He has many good habits, so he is very happy. And he is always in good 6.
How can he keep healthy? He 7us some advice. Let's have a look together.
First, keep 8every day. He gets up at 6:00 a.m. and 9for one hour every morning. And he walks to mountains three times a week. So don't be lazy. Second, remember to have 10. It's very important. He always has a lot of porridge, bread or milk 11doing morning exercises. Then 12after working. Don't 13too much about your work. It isn't 14for your health. You can try listening to music or walking with friends if you have time. He's sure it must 15you have a healthy body.
It was still in deep night, everything seemed to be the same as usual.
"Tommy!" called a clear little voice. Tommy1and sat up in bed. At the foot of the bed stood a boy about his own age, all dressed in2, like fresh snow. He had very bright eyes, and he3Tommy straightly. "Who are you?" asked Tommy.
"I am the New Year!" said the boy. "This is my day, and I bring4your leaves."
"What leaves?" asked Tommy.
"The new ones, to be sure!" said the New Year. "I hear5words of you from my Daddy."
"6is your Daddy?" asked Tommy.
"The old year, of course!" said the boy. "He said you asked too many questions and I see he was right. And one day you7your book into the fire. Now, all this8stop."
"Oh, must it?" said Tommy. He felt9, and did not know just what to say.
"10it does not stop." the boy said," you will grow11every year, till you grow up into a Terrible Man. Do you want to be a Terrible Man?"N-nol! said Tommy.
"Then you must stop being a terrible boy!" said the New Year. Take your12!" And he held out a book made of leaves, all white.
"Turn over one of these every day." he said," and soon you will be a good boy instead of a bad one." Tommy took the leaves and looked at them.13each leaf were a few words. On one it said, "Help your mother!" On14,"Don't eat so much!" "And on still another," Don't fight Billy Jenkins!"
"Oh!" cried Tommy. "I have to fight Billy Jenkins! He said —"
"Goodbye!" said the New Year." I shall come15when I am old to see whether you are a good boy or a terrible one. Remember, terrible boy makes terrible man."
Modern life is impossible without travelling. The fastest 1 of travelling is by air. With a modern airliner(客机) you can travel in one day to several places. It 2a month or more to get there a hundred years ago.
Travelling by train is slower than by air, but it has 3 advantages(优点). You can see the country you're travelling through. Modern trains have comfortable seats and dining cars. They make even the longest journey more4.
Some people prefer to travel by 5. There are large ships and river boats. You can visit many other countries and different places. Travelling by ship is a good way 6 a holiday.
Many people like travelling by car. You can make your own 7. You can travel three or four hundred miles or only fifty or one hundred miles a day, just as you like. You can stop somewhere 8. You can stop at a good restaurant where you can 9 a good meal, or at a hotel to spend the night. That's 10 travelling by car is popular for pleasant trips. Taking a train or a plane is OK when people are travelling on business.
Once there lived a farmer called Henry. He had a brother Mike, who was1excellent gardener. His skill and his beautiful trees were2everywhere. One day, Henry went to town to visit Mike. "Look, my brother," said Mike, "here is the best 3 tree from my garden. Take it home and plant it4you, and your children, and your children's children can enjoy it." Henry was 5with the apple tree and went back home. The next morning, he began to wonder6he should plant it.
"If I plant it on the hill," he said to himself, "the wind might catch it and 7 down the fruit. If I plant it close to the road, people who pass by will8some of them. But if I plant it…"9 he planted the tree in the corner behind his house, where no one else could notice it.10the tree bore(结出) no fruit the first year, nor the second.11Henry sent for his brother and said to him 12, "you have cheated me. This is the third year and it brings me 13but leaves(叶子)."
When Mike saw where the tree was planted, he laughed and said, "You have planted the tree in such a cold corner14sun-light or warmth. How could you expect flowers and15?"
David was a middle school student. His father, Mr. Hill, was a rich farmer and he had a very big1. They lived in a small village2fifteen years. Later on Mr. Hill opened a shop in our town and3a house here last month. Then his family moved to the new house and David began to4in our class. But at first he had5friends at school. He was always alone. His neighbor Cathy was a6girl. She had many friends. When she found the boy7talked with others, she decided to8him. She talked a lot with him and sometimes played with him. So very soon9became good friends.
One afternoon, Cathy said to David,"It'll be my10birthday tomorrow.I'll have a birthday11. Willyou please come?" "Certainly,I'm glad to," the boy said12. David got home and thought about13he could give to Cathy. Hewas sorry that he14 to ask the girl what she liked. At that momentMrs. Hill came and asked, "What's thematter, dear?" "What wouldyou like15it was your sixteenth birthday, Mummy?" "Nothing,"the woman said, "I just wish I were sixteen."
A girl complained(抱怨)to her father about her bad life. She felt tired. Shedidn't know what to do and wanted to1.
Her father took her2 the kitchen. Then he poured water into threepans and boiled(煮)it. Afterboiling, in the first pan, he put some carrots, in the3, he put some eggs and in the last, he put somecoffee. He just4 for a few minutes without any words.
The girl was surprised. She didn't know5 her father was doing that. After about 20minutes, her father turned6 the stove (炉子), took out the carrots and put them in a bowl. He tookout the eggs and put7 in another bowl. After that, the8 was poured into a cup. Finally, he asked, "Whatdo you9?" "Carrots,eggs and coffee," she answered. "
Then her father told her to10 the carrots. She did it and felt that thecarrots were soft(软的).After that, heasked her to take the eggs and11 them. She got the boiled eggs and found ithard to do that. At last the father asked her to smell the coffee. "What'sthe meaning, Dad?" the girl asked. Then heexplained that each thing had the12 unlucky experience—the boiled water, but a different13. The strong and hard carrots became soft in theboiling water.
The eggs became hard14 being cooked. The coffee was very specialbecause it changed the water. "Who are you?" asked herfather. "When15 unlucky knocks at your door, what's your reaction(反应)？Are youcarrots, eggs or coffee? "
A boy and his family left their country because of war. They lived in a small room. They had no toys or books, and only 1food. One night, Father went to the market to buy 2. When he came home, it was nearly dark. He carried a long roll of paper under his arm.
"I bought a map." He said happily.
"3is the bread?" Mother asked. "I bought a map." He said again.
Mother and the boy said 4.
"I had enough money to buy only a small piece of bread, and we would still be 5," Father said, feeling very sorry.
"No dinner tonight," Mother said 6. "We'll have the map instead." The boy was very angry, but he had to go to bed hungrily.
The next day, Father 7the large map. The map was so large that it took up the whole wall. Their dark room was full of 8.
"What a colorful map!" It surprised the boy and made him very 9it. So he began to spend long hours looking at it and studying it carefully and drawing on any small piece of paper that he 10find. He learned many different names of places on the map. He even traveled to faraway countries without 11the room.
The boy landed in deserts. He ran on beaches. He climbed snowy mountains. He saw birds singing on the top of temples. He went 12forests with lots of fruit trees, eating as many fruits as he liked. He drank fresh water and 13under tall trees. He came to a city of tall buildings and counted thousands of windows, falling asleep 14he could finish.
So he spent many hours far, far away from his hunger and 15days. He understood that his father was right at last.
