—Surely, this ________ the third time I ________ here.
— I fail this time, I will try it again.
— Yes, but I _____ her husband first.
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried 1 for hours as the farmer tried to figure out 2to do. Finally he decided the animal was 3 and the well needed to be 4 up anyway, so it just wasn't5 it to rescue the donkey.
He invited all his 6 to come over and help him. They all grabbed (握起) a shovel (铁铲) and began to shovel 7into the well. At first, the donkey 8 what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's 9 he was quiet.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked 10 the well and was11 at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that 12 his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would 13 it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors 14 to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take another 15up. Pretty soon, everyone was surprised as the donkey stepped up over the 16 of the well and ran off.
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The best way of 17out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our 18is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest19 just by not stopping, never 20! Shake it off and take a step upward!
My 10-year-old Donna said, “Mom, I made a new friend at school today. Can she come over tomorrow?” Donna was a shy girl and I wanted her to make some friends to bring her out of her shell.
“Sure, honey, that sounds great.” I said, thinking back to my own best friend, Lillian. We lived across the street from each other in Washington Heights, New York. We met at the age of 10, too. Like my daughter, I was shy, but Lillian drew me out. She was one of the friendliest people in school, with shiny black hair and a mile-wide smile.
In senior high school, Lillian went on a trip to Florida. This was the first time we had to be away from each other for a few days. “I'll be back soon.” she told me. But three days later, Lillian's sister told me that she had fallen into a river and hadn't come out any more. Soon, my family moved to New Jersey. Whenever I thought of her, tears came into my eyes.
The next day Donna brought her new friend home. “Hi, Mrs. Loggia.” the little girl said. Her hair was so shiny and black and she shot me a big smile. “My name is Laura.”
My daughter's new friend was so much like Lillian. I was still puzzled (迷惑) when Laura's mom came to pick her up later that afternoon. I opened the door to let her in. “Judy!” she cried. “It's me, Lillian's sister, from Washington Heights.” Yes, my daughter's friend looked familiar. She was Lillian's niece.
Learning a Second Language
Some people learn a second language easily. Others have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. In other words, do not worry about taking risks.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write a diary every day. You will get used to writing it in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. Several weeks later, you will see that your writing is improving. In addition, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will feel more confident in yourself.
Are you dreaming of taking a trip on your own? Here is some advice on how to make your once-in-a-lifetime journey and how to stay safe when you get there.
Before you begin to look at places, activities and plane tickets, you must set a budget. When you search through the websites about travelling, it can be so easy to add another week here or there, or choose an extra activity. Setting a budget can avoid(避免) creating a huge bill, which starts very small.
With so many countries on this planet, it is difficult to decide where to go. By narrowing down your search to voluntary (自愿的) work or a relaxing holiday, you can save a lot of time looking through websites.
After deciding where to go, you need to research the country. Find out when each season is. It would be disappointing if you were taking part in an outdoor-based activity and it rained most days. Look into medical information, as you may need certain medicine for certain countries. Above all, make sure you can afford to go to this country and take part in the activities you have dreamt about. Don't raise your hopes too high before you know for certain it is within your budget.
By carrying a credit (信用) card with you at all times, it is possible to stop yourself getting lost. Mobile phones are very important as well. However, do not depend completely on them, since electronic machines can break without warning. Therefore, always carry a list of emergency (紧急情况) phone numbers, names and addresses. Finally, learn a little of the language. Do not expect that the people there speak your own language. After all, you are in their country.
One of the best-loved American writers was William Sydney Porter, or O. Henry. From 1893 he lived with his family in a house in Austin, Texas, which is now a museum. Visitors to Austin can see the house. It was saved from destruction (破坏) and turned into a museum in1934. The museum is a good way to learn about the interesting life of the American writer.
William Porter rented this house in Austin and lived there with his wife Athol and daughter Margaret for about two years. Many objects in the museum came from the Porters. Others did not. An important piece in the room is the original photo over here. It was taken there in the house about 1895. The piano there goes back to the 1860s. His wife took lessons on it when she first moved to Austin.
Porter wasn't a successful writer in the beginning. He worked at a farm, land office and bank. He also loved words and writing. The museum has a special proof (证明) of Porter's love of language — his dictionary. It is said that he had read every word in that dictionary.
Later William Porter was forced to leave Austin because he was charged (指控) with wrongdoing at the bank and lost his job. Because he was afraid of a trial (审判), he left the country secretly. But he returned because his wife was dying. After her death, he faced the trial and served three and a half years in a prison in Ohio.
William Porter would keep his time in prison a secret. But there was one good thing about it. It provided him with time to write. By the time he was freed, he had published 14 stories and became well known as O. Henry. Porter later moved to New York City and found great success there. He published over 180 stories in the last eight years of his life.
Do you ever wish you were as thin as a model or as strong as your favorite football player? Maybe you wish you were taller or just shaped a little differently. Those thoughts are a natural part of growing up. How can you feel better about your body?
Firstly, learning what you can and can't change about your body is part of growing up. It can be hard to accept. But when people accept the way they look, they often feel happier.
Eating healthy foods can make people feel better about their bodies. Why? Because eating ________will make you full of energy and keep your body working just the way it should.
Watching TV and playing computer games can be fun, but it doesn't do much for your body because your body stays still. Those are called sedentary(需要久坐的)activities because you sit while you do them.
But when you move your body by playing, dancing, taking part in sports, or even cleaning your room , you exercise your muscles(肌肉).When you exercise a muscle, it gets stronger and stronger. And when you have strong muscles, you can do whatever you want to do.
People feel better about their bodies when their bodies can do whatever they want them to do. So climb a hill, jump rope, ride a bike, swim in a pool ,run up the stairs, or even do the hula and enjoy all your body can do!
Your muscles will become after you exercise them.
提示:
1). 对英语李老师教学的评价;
2). 回顾在校时你的心情;
3). 对老师的理解和祝愿;
信的开头已经写好,但不计入总词数。
Dear Mr Li,
I'm very excited to write to express my thanks to you.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Yours,
Li Hua