The students of Southside School were asked to give their opinions about whether the school should run a sport program or start a vegetable garden.

A sport program is better than gardening (园艺). How are we ever going to win anything at the sports meeting without proper training? We need experts (专家) to teach us things like throwing and high jump.

I know lots of kids say they’re not interested in competitions, but that’s because they’ ve never won anything. If they get better training and started winning things, they will soon change their minds.

People always say kids don’t get enough exercise. Just because you do gardening outdoors doesn’t make it exercise, so I don’t see how it matters.

Sport is much better for health and lots of kids can have a try at the same time.I don’t think there will be enough jobs for everyone in a garden. In fact, I think a garden is a really bad idea.

Liz,Grade 8

I think a vegetable garden is a great idea. We already do hours of sport. And not everyone likes sport. Gardening is a great way to get exercise without worrying about whether you’re good at it or whether you’re going to win. And you really do exercise when you garden.

There are lots of kids around here. They don’t have gardens so they can’t grow things even they want to. If you really want to do more sport, you can join a club.

And think about it: What helps you to be good at sport? You need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. If we learn to cook all the things we grow, the garden will keep us all healthy and we will better at sport.

Sam, Grade 8

Many people might think that if they had more money, then they would be happier in life. For example, people might look at what others have, like expensive clothes or nice cars, and wish they could have the same. But the things that money can buy cannot bring happiness to a person for long.

But is that really true? Studies have found that money can, in fact, make people happier. But it’s not having money that brings happiness. However, it is giving money to others that makes people happy. It could be buying a present for a friend or family member. It could be buying a homeless person food to eat. It could be giving money to a person in need. Just think about the last time you used your own money to do something for someone else. How did you feel? Whether it is a small or large amount (数量)of money, people feel happier when they give. This is because making someone else happy makes the giver happy, too.

This idea of connecting (联系) your happiness to the happiness of others is described as ubuntu in an African language. There is even a story about a man visiting Africa who asked some kids to race to a nearby tree. The first child to touch the tree would get a sweet treat (甜食). Surprisingly,all the children held hands and ran together. They all touched the tree at the same time. The man asked why they had done this. The children simply said they could only enjoy eating the treat if everyone had one. Clearly, those children understood that the key to happiness is making others happy.

John Brown, an office worker, lives in Washington. As he is the only child in the family, he got $1,000,000 _______ his parents died. He didn’t feel _______ at all. His college friends were _______ their first jobs, but he didn’t have to. John decided to keep living a _______ life like everyone else. He didn’t tell any of his _______ and gave $100,000 of his money to a charity (慈善机构) that helped poor children. Today he is 36, and he still _______ cheap clothes and drives a small car only, _______ he is much happier.

So far, John has helped fifteen _______ from poor countries all over the world, $200 a month for each. The child does not ________ the money in cash (现金). The money is paid for the child’s education, food, medical care and clothing.

Once John went to meet a little girl he was ________ in Africa. He said that the meeting was ________. “When I met ________ I felt very happy.” he said. “I saw that the ________ was used for a very good plan. It brought me ________ to the child in a way that only giving money cannot.” “I want to do everything I can. I will go on helping those children in ________.” he added.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

This news story is about a helpful driver. At 9:00 a.m.yesterday, bus No.26     36     (go) along Zhonghua Road when the driver saw     37     old man lying on the side of the road. Two     38     (woman) next to him were shouting for help.

The bus driver, 24-year-old Wang Ping,     39     (stop) the bus without thinking twice. He got off and asked the woman what happened. She said that the man had a heart problem and should go to the hospital. Mr. Wang knew he had to act     40     (quick). He told the passengers that he must take the man to the hospital. He expected all of the passengers     41     (get) off and wait for the next bus.     42     to his surprise, they all agreed to go with him. Some passengers helped Mr. Wang to move the man onto the bus.

Thanks     43     Mr. Wang and the passengers, the man was saved by the doctors in time. “It’s sad that many people don’t want to help others     44     they don’t want any trouble,” says one passenger. “But the driver didn’t think about     45     (he). He only thought about saving a life.”

46. The d________ of today is September 10th.

48. Monkey King uses a m________ stick to fight bad people to help the weak.

49. J________ is a feeling of great happiness.

50. I was s________ the floor while my mom was doing the dishes.

52. Old people are l________ , we need to spend more time with them.

53. The rain began to b________ heavily against the windows.

54. We should think twice before making a d________.

55. N________ of my parents is a teacher. They are doctors.

56. 假定你是李平，请阅读以下邮件并回复。词数80左右，可适当增加细节，以使行文连接完整。

Dear John,

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Li Ping