"I agree," said the writer, " you've done a great favour(恩惠) for me and if I'm not ungrateful for your kindness, I'll damage(损坏) my life to you."
With these words he handed the doctor two copies of The Life of Richard Savage.
The doctor took the books home and began to8 them carefully.
"I see I've 9 the life of a great writer," the doctor said to himself with a sense of pride, Maybe this is the only thing I could be really 10of in my life."
Five years later Savage called on the doctor to pay his bill, only to find that the doctor had already passed away .
Earthquake are common: thousands of them happen each day. But most are too weak to feel. During a 1 earthquake, there is often a great noise first. Then the earth 2 terribly and many houses fall down. Railway tracks break and trains go 3 lines; a great many factories are destroyed; thousands of deaths are caused, and many more lose homes. Besides the great damage and deaths caused by the earthquake 4, other accidents such as fires often 5.
More buildings are destroyed and more deaths caused.
It is well-known of the dangers of an earthquake, 6 for centuries man has been making researches on earthquakes. More than 2000 years ago, 7, a Chinese scientist named Zhang Heng invented a machine which could 8 from which direction the seismic waves(地震波)had come, and this machine is still used by scientists today. Now we know much more about earthquake and 9 they happen, but we still can't 10 exactly when and where an earthquake will happen, and can't stop it from happening.
The students of seventh grade walked into the hall with laughter and voices. We were told to listen to a speech by Mrs. Marks about bullying(欺负) and peer pressure (同伴压力). During the whole year, our grade had listened to speeches on these topics over and over again. My friends and I sat back, preparing to sit through another 1 speech.
But as soon as Mrs. Marks started talking, she caught my attention. She talked in the way as if she knew how to reach into our minds and make us 2. And for once, I actually began to think about what she was talking about.
One boy, especially, came to my mind. Every day, this boy came to school late. The students in the class would always make fun of him. They said, "Hey, man! Where have you been?" And then another added a more unfriendly joke. Their jokes would continue until the teacher 3 them to stop. But it was always too late. The boy would put his head down on his desk in 4.
I felt really sorry for this 5 boy. Then I turned my attention back to the speaker and listened carefully till the end.
"Now, before I leave today, I would like to give everyone here an opportunity to say something on the subjects of bullying or peer pressure. You may apologize(道歉) to or thank someone. And I can promise that no one will 6 at you this time.
The silence in the room made me believe her. Slowly I saw a few hands rise. One girl wanted to apologize to a friend, and another thanked a boy for his kindness. It was then that my moment of 7 happened. The speaker called on me, and I began to talk.
"What you said today 8 makes sense. I know that it's true, because I see it every day in class. There is one person who is always made fun of." My voice shook, I think that everyone here has made fun of him. I know I have. And now I really 9 it. To us, it may just be a game, but to him, it must hurt. And I think well, I think we need to stop."
There was a silence for several seconds, but then, clapping quickly spread through the crowd.
Later that day, the boy thanked me . And from then on, the other students began to 10 him better. They stopped playing jokes on him and greeted him with a friendly "Hi". I was pleased I had voiced something that everyone was feeling.
Many, many years ago most people did not have beautiful books. Some families did not have books at all. The people 1 did have books had only a few.
Instead of 2 books, people told stories. They would remember things 3 happened to them and would retell these tales to friends.
Some stories you read in books today 4 to children many years ago by their fathers and mothers. 5 those girls and boys grew up, they, in turn, told their children the same tales.
Sometimes the stories changed as one man told 6. That is why today there are different beginnings and different endings to the same folk tales. You 7 different names for all kinds of characters in the different versions(版本) of the tales. In this way the stories almost seem 8 different ones and not your favorite tales at all.
Some people 9 stories. They would suppose 10 things which had happened could not really have happened. Such people became 11 as storytellers.
In many of the tales, animals did the talking. In others, good men came to help bad men.
Strange, exciting things 12. The different ideas made interesting stories.
Some of the early tales, 13 them Mother Goose verses were told in rhyme. The poems were learned by boys and girls at home and at school.
What Mother Goose rhymes do you know and remember? Do you think there was 14 a Mother Goose? Mother Goose stories and rhymes are 15 good ones that we read and enjoy them today, years after they were first told.
“Mommy, I got something for you!” Cody ran through the door after school. His face wore the biggest smile ever. He waved something above his head. “It's a pen. But not just any pen. It's a lucky pen!” He handed me the pen 1 , waiting for my reaction(反应).
I looked at the pen in my hand. There was nothing 2 about it. It looked just like any other ballpoint pen. I had a drawer full of them. At that moment, I didn’t realize how special it was or how much I would come to treasure(珍爱)it.
I had made the decision to be a(n) 3 . I had dreamed about it for a long time but I was afraid of being refused by the publishing houses. The night before, I told my husband my 4 when I thought Cody wasn’t listening. “What if 5 likes my writing and I fail?” But Cody did 6 what I said. Now he stood in front of me, watching me examine the pen. “You don’t have to be afraid now,” he said. “This pen will make your 7 great and everyone will love you.”
Tears filled my eyes. Refusal and failure didn’t seem like such a big problem any more. Even if I 8 sold the first book, I had everything I could ever need. I knew that pen would bring me luck, though. And I felt 9 already, just by having Cody in my life, especially when I heard what he did to get it.
In the lunchroom, Cody heard an older boy talking about having a lucky 10 . He decided to get it for me. The boy was a tough negotiator(强硬的谈判者) but Cody didn’t 11 . In the end, he 12 his favorite Matchbox car, two army men his brother gave him, a crayon, and a piece of candy—his most important things, for that pen. Just to make 13 feel better.
I still have that pen, though it's long out of ink, in a cup on my desk. When a refusal letter arrives and I start feeling 14 , I look at it and remember just how lucky I am. For while I value that pen, it's Cody who I really 15 in my life.
You're thirsty and you get yourself a glass of water. Do you ever1how old that water really is? The glass of water that you're2may have fallen from the sky as rain only last week. However, water itself has been around pretty much as3as the earth has! In fact, 4oceans, seas and rivers cover 70%of the earth, there is a 5 supply(供给)of water, which keeps on moving round the earth. This is6of what's known as the water cycle. The sun heats up water and it turns into clouds, which are7from water vapor(水蒸气).When the clouds become8, the water falls back onto the earth as rain. Of course, clean water is absolutely essential for good health. The amount of safe drinking water has gone up around the world, but9one billion humans are still in great need10clean, drinkable water.
Look at the girl. She is1good friend. She is2English girl. 3name is Kate. 4twelve. My 5is Fangfang. 6a Chinese girl. I'm eleven.
Kate7a small sports collection. She has 8tennis racket, three basketballs, and five baseballs, but I only9a soccer ball. Kate and I both 10sports every day.
He was pleased to learn that Chibi knew all the places where the wild grapes and wild potatoes grew. He was amazed to 1 how much Chibi knew about all the flowers in our class garden. He liked Chibi's black and white drawings and put them up on the wall to be 2. He liked Chibi's own handwriting, which no one but Chibi could read, and he put that up on the wall.
But, when Chibi appeared on the stage at the talent show of that year, no one could 3 his eyes. "Who is that? What can that stupid do up there?"
Until Mr Isobe announced that Chibi was going to imitate(模仿) the voices of crows. "Voices? Voices of crows?"
4he imitated the voices of newly hatched crows. And he made the mother crow's voice. He showed how crows cry early in the morning. He showed how crows cry when the village people have some unhappy accident. He showed how crows 5 when they are happy and cheerful. Everybody's mind was taken to the 6mountainside from which Chibi probably crone to school.
Chibi made very special 7deep down in his throat(喉咙) to imitate a crow in an old tree in the end. Now everybody could imagine 8the far and lonely place where Chibi lived with his family.
Then Mr Isobe explained 9 Chibi had learned those calls--leaving his home for school at sunrise, and arriving home at sunset, every day for six long years.
Every one of us cried, thinking how much we had been 10 to Chibi all those long years. He was a boy beyond our usual imagination!
Jennifer was sitting on the bench. "It's getting1," she thought. "I should go home." She wanted to know her parents reactions(反应)when she2home after the three days she was missing. It was really dark when she finally got to home's front door. It was3as usual. 4looked after the outside garden for5days. It was so strange because her father usually worked hard to keep everything6and tidy. She couldn't understand what was going on. She walked into the7. First, she went into the kitchen8she saw a note written by her father. He said, "Dear Ellen, here is some coffee I am looking for her out." Ellen was her mother, but9was she? She went to her parents' room She saw her there. Her10 was lying on the bed and was sleeping. Her face looked so11as if she wasn't asleep for days. Jennifer wanted to wake her up. However, she looked too tired, 12Jennifer just fell asleep beside her.
When Jennifer 13, something was different:She wasn't in her mother's room and she wasn't14the old clothes she rail away in. She was oil her own bed. It felt so good being back home Suddenly she15a voice, "Are you feeling better now, deal? You know you made us all very, very afraid. "
Animals are our friends. There are many zoos in the 1It's good to 2 animals in zoos. Zoos have many advantages, I think.
Firstly, zoos are places for people to see 3 kinds of animals. Without zoos, most people would4see a real bear or tiger.
5 , zoos can take good care of animals. Zoos give 6 to animals and. clean them on time every day. In the wild, it is not always easy for an animal to find food. So sometimes it goes 7. But animals in zoos never go hungry.
Thirdly, people protect the animals in zoos and offer them safe places to live 8 Animals are living in zoos safely and happily. In the wild, some kinds of animals are 9 and endangered. But zoos give these animals a chance to live. Without zoos, there would be 10 kinds of animals in the world. People should do more things to protect animals.
This morning I got an e-mail from Roy. It seems that my boy really enjoys his new life at Harvard University.
The1 made me think of the day when we moved into this house.
Little Roy ran around the new house with great2 and tried to move his own things into the house such as his toys, books and clothes. 3 , his little hand knocked over(打翻) a bottle of paint on the shelf. The paint made the tidy floor and white wall a terrible mess. "Oh, my God!" My wife rushed in angrily. I looked at my son, and his small face was filled with 4.
I 5 and held his hand. "Take it easy, Roy. Now let's do something to make it look 6" I said. I took out a 7 "You see, Dad is a magician(魔术师).I can change it 8a big tree. "
His mother soon helped paint some butterflies and flowers on the9.
We spent the whole afternoon 10 and laughing. The wall became a beautiful 11 with plants, birds and small animals. Blue sky and white clouds were also painted by Roy. On that day, everybody in the house knew something 12 happened.
The night before Roy left for Harvard, he asked me 13 I still remembered the day when he had knocked over the paint. "Since then I've 14worried about making mistakes," he said. "I believe I can always 15 ways to solve problems. And I know you and mom always support me, love me. I love you both."
Mike is a new student of Class Two. He has a 1 face. Last Thursday, a student called Luke said to Mike, "Your face is so long. Nobody wants to 2you.
Alice is the best student of Class 3. She walked to Luke and said, "Luke. Mike is good4every subject and he often helps others with schoolwork. He is 5 friendly to others
Why did you say that?
"But he 6 ugly (丑陋的)don't you think so "asked Luke.
"No. I think you have an ugly heart(心) "said Alice.
Luke didn't know what to say and he left. Mike said 7 to Alice. "You're welcome," Alice aid. "it's8 the day after tomorrow. What about going to play9 in the morning.
"Sounds great!" said Mike. "And I think we can ask Luke to play with 10. I know tennis is his favorite sport. And I think he can be one of my friends."
I was bored last night. So I went to watch the film Treasure Island. I'm not a 1 of pirates(海盗), and I didn't watch many pirate movies. I think this movie is the best one I have seen. It took me to a world of pirates. Though they are pirates, 2 they aren't scary. Eddie Izzard 3 the role of Long John Silver in the movie. I think he acted best. I have never thought much of him. As an actor before, but the movie certainly beat my mind. Toby Regbo, who played Jim Hawkins, performed very 4, too. He told us that the real treasure to us was kindness, not the gold on the island. Other 5 also did a good job.
The movie was really a 6. So I'd like to 7 it to you. I'm sure you will love it.
Linda was staring at herself in the mirror. She'd decided she didn't like " the mole (痣) to the left of her nose." It's so 1 . She felt sad. Her mom, folding laundry (叠衣服) in the hallway, overheard her and poked her head into the room. "What's so ugly?" "This ugly mark on my face." Linda 2 and pointed at it.
Mom came in, setting the laundry aside. She lowered her head and looked close at the mole. 3 she gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and said," I like it, because it gives your face character." Linda pushed her mother away half-heartedly. "You would think that. Besides, character is a nice way to say ugly." Linda smiled though and she liked her mother's 4 to cheer her up.
"I have a couple of my own. You tend to get more as you get older." Mom sighed and looked into the 5"You still have beautiful eyes. Though. Mine are boring brown, like most everyone else in the world," Linda said. She'd always loved her mother's green eyes.
"You have warm, chocolate brown eyes. They are like hot cocoa, and they are pretty," Mom smiled." Linda turned back to the mirror, touching her face." What about my nose?" she said.
"It 6 your face. Why are you running yourself down? You have a unique (独特), beautiful set of features. Stop feeling painful about little details and enjoy your youth and 7 already."
"I just wish I was pettier. Some of my friends are so beautiful, and I feel ordinary next to them."
"We can't all be super models, dear. Even so, you are uniquely you- there is no one else in the world that looks like you. You have a nice mixture of dad and me in you, and I don't like hearing you knocking your looks. You are amazing," said Mom.
"Alright, mom. I won't complain anymore," said Linda.
Mom left the room, "I'm done trying to8 you up! Now it's your turn to finish the laundry." Mom called over her shoulder.
One place that is very important in my life is my grandmother's house. She 1 in a small village in the south of the country. I go there every summer, to visit my grandmother, 2 the city and relax.
The village is just a group of white houses on a hillside with some shops, and it's3 peaceful.
One reason why I like it is because it's a beautiful place. My grandmother has a lovely garden and we always sit 4 the 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 simple6 so 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 and 8!
I wouldn't like 9 there, though. I prefer、 living in the city. I'm a city person. I 10 live 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.
Jim is a1. He goes to school five days a week. He has classes from Monday to2Usually he3at six and has breakfast at seven in the morning. He leaves4at seven thirty. He usually gets to school at eight. Classes start at 8:00. There are four classes in the morning and two classes in the5. His mother is a Chinese teacher in the same6. He7with his mother in the dining room(餐厅)in the school. Jim's favorite subjects are history, music,8P.E.. After school he often plays football with his classmates.
In the evening Jim can usually9his homework at eight, and then he can watch TV for10. He usually goes to bed at about nine o'clock.
One day, I heard an American boy say to a Chinese girl student, "You speak very good English." But the girl answered, "No, no. My English is very poor." The foreigner was quite surprised at the answer. Thinking he had not made1understood or the girl had not heard him clearly, he said, "Yes, indeed, you speak very well." 2 the girl still kept saying, "No." In the end the American boy could not understand and didn't know 3 to say.
What's wrong with the girl's answer? She didn't 4 a compliment(恭维) in the same way as the American people do. She should answer "Thank you." instead of "No." She 5 understood what the American boy had said, but she thought she should be modest. In the West, people will feel proud and 6 when they are praised. So if someone says the 7 you have cooked are very delicious, you should say, "Thank you."
In our country we think being modest is a virtue (美德) and being proud is a bad thing, but in my opinion, being confident does not 8 being proud, so sometimes you should be confident 9being modest. If you are modest and say, "No. I'm afraid I can't do it well." while working in a Western country, the others may think that you really cannot do it. If you often say "No", you will certainly be looked down upon by 10. When asking for a job, if one says something like "Yes, I can certainly do it." instead of "Let me have a try.", he or she will expect to get it. So in the West, you should be brave to show your selfconfidence.