—What were you doing this time yesterday?

—I _______ some cleaning at home.

Our teacher often tells us _______ our own cloth bags when shopping.

—Do you know Xiao Li well?

—Yes. I _______ her since she was a little girl.

My mother _______ me a computer as a birthday present next year.

Many trees _______ on the hills last year. And we will plant more this year.

Can you tell me _______ when I called you?

I was in my parked car, holding a book and reading. Once in a while I looked up, watching the people passing by. When I raised my    35   again, I saw an old lady with a large bag walking slowly towards my car. The bag seemed not only to make her steps    36  , but also make her out of breath. She looked tired and I thought she must be more than 70 years old.

She stopped and put a hand out to rest    37   it, gently (轻柔地，徐缓地) closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Was there a way I could do something? I tried to keep my body still while my mind    38   for answers. However, because of my careless head movement, she noticed me, and she    39  moved her hand away from the car. I picked up a bottle of water at once, gently opened the door and offered the bottle to her. She    40   me, and then shook her head and walked away.

I was so    41   with myself. I should have been more careful not to move. Instead of    42   a hand, I had interrupted (打扰，中断) the old lady’s    43   moment of rest. I was feeling blue. Just at that moment, I saw the lady coming back again. I opened the door and patted (轻拍) the    44   next to me. She sat down, opened her bag and offered me a banana. I took it and offered her the bottle of water again. She took it.

I ate, she drank and we smiled. She    45   for a couple of minutes. Those minutes brought such quietness to me. Then she took my head in both her hands, made a small kissing    46   in the air, opened the car door and walked away.

I was trying to help someone in distress (困苦，苦恼). In turn, I became distressed and she took away my distress and replaced it with quietness.

Exchange Students’ Experience

1.Where did Susan Lane study?

2.Who made a lot of friends in Germany?

3.How many students talk about their exchange experience?

In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery (风景). Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island.

Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins (大头针) stuck in it. “These pins mean a lot to me.” says Mr. McCorpuodale, “I follow the rule. I’m allowed to stick one in only if I’ve been in a place for more than 24 hours.”

Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as “a wonderful country”. About China, he says, “This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence.”

Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen.

So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, “Neither. Only for the meaningful life.”

1.What did Mr. McCorpuodale write about on his latest postcard?

2.On a wall in Mr. McCorpuodale’s room, there is            .

3.According to Mr. McCorpuodal, there’s no European influence          .

Why play games? Because they are fun, and we can learn even more while playing. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member — these are all “game” ideas that you will come across all through your life. They can help you in different ways.

Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are very interesting. But perhaps more importantly, they translate part of life into exciting games that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作).   

Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For example, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which improves the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in fishing.

The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competitions. People who watch the event (比赛项目) know that a gold medal is a win for the whole country, not just the athlete who got it. For countries experiencing natural disasters (灾害) or wars, an Olympic win can mean so much.

Sports games are also an event that unites (团结) people. Football is the most popular sport in the world. People all over the world play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian football player, has discovered a way to spread hope through football. He created a foundation (基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a bright future.

Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other parts of your life.

1.What are children expected to learn when they play games?

2.What can we learn from the passage?

3.What’s the main idea of the passage?