My little brother is in Grade Eight this year. His favourite subject is English, but he is not good ________ it.

One day, a friend of my father’s from America ________ him some pictures about America and ________ us to visit his home. My brother wanted to go to America very much, but my father said he must speak ________ very well. From then on, he ________ to work hard. He kept ________ English for about half an hour every morning. In class he listened very carefully and ________ the teacher’s questions as soon as possible. There was an American teacher in his school. After school, he often talked to him ________ English and asked him ________ help. Now he always says, “My ambition (志向) is to be a diplomat (外交官).” I am ________ his dream will come true in the future.

In China, there’re many different kinds of foods. Some of them are very popular. The most popular Chinese food is the dumpling. Now let me tell you something about it, OK?

Many Chinese like dumplings very much, and there are many different kinds of dumplings. Some have meat and vegetables in them, and some have eggs in them. I like dumplings with vegetables and pork better than any other kind.

Usually we make dumplings at home. If we have no time to make them, we can buy them from the supermarket. Then we take them home and eat them with vinegar.

The Spring Festival is very important in China. When it comes, we make dumplings. Usually we put a coin in a dumpling. It is said that one will be lucky if he eats the dumpling with the coin.

In the old days, people couldn’t often eat dumplings, because they were very poor. Now the condition has been changed a lot.