【推荐2】It was the end of the year. We had a party at school. I asked my mother to make us cookies. Mom’s chocolate chips were the ______. But two hours later, she didn’t appear(出现). Most of ______ mothers came and then left, dropping off their cookies, chips and cupcakes. I took my bag and left for home.

The house was empty when I got back. My heart was filled with anger(生气) ______ the first time in my life, my mother let me ______. I was lying on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door. “Robbie,” she called out. “Where are you?” I could hear her running from room to room. She was ______ me. I kept silent(寂静的).When she walked into my room and sat beside me, I didn’t move. “I’m so sorry, dear.” She said, “I was busy and forgot.” I still kept silent.

Then my mother began to laugh. I couldn’t believe ______. I rolled(翻滚)over and faced her. But my mother wasn’t ______ at all. She was crying. “I’m so sorry, I let my boy down.” She cried like a little girl. I never ______ my mother cry. “It’s OK, Mom,” I reached out and stroke(抚摸)her hair. “We didn’t even need those ______. There was lots of food to eat. Don’t cry. It’s all right.”

My ______ made my mother feel better. She pulled me to her. We didn’t say another word. We just held each other in a long hug(拥抱).

My name is Simon. I am good ____ my lessons at my new school, ____ I have no friends here. I am not ____ . I am lonely（孤独的）. I ____ very bad. Can you help me?

I am the only child in my ____ . I have no brothers or sisters. My parents have no time to stay with me. I often ____ other students in our class go to school together. And they chat with ____ friends happily at lunchtime. They also do after-school activities together. But I have no friends       _______ with me. I want to ____ friends with my new classmates. But I just don’t know ____ to have fun with them.

Can you tell me what I should do? Thank you very much.

Yours,

Simon

【推荐1】My Journey of Chinese Calligraphy Learning

I came to China as an exchange student in 2018. And I have worked in China for three years, now I fall in love with Chinese _________. I was interested in it all by accident.

One day, I saw some people writing Chinese characters with ink brushes. It was so _________. Later I came to _________ many Chinese calligraphers（书法家）on the Internet, such as Wang Xizhi of the Jin Dynasty and Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty.

I _________ a handwriting class two years ago. I learned calligraphy there. The teacher was very nice and he taught me a lot.

The teacher showed me lots of his calligraphy _________. I told myself that I would practise hard and try to become as good as him. At first, I followed the teacher carefully. As soon as the teacher wrote a character, I _________ one. Soon I could write many characters _________. I was happy and believed that I had the ability to learn the Chinese calligraphy well.

However, the teacher pointed out a problem in my calligraphy. He told me that Chinese calligraphy is a creation that comes from the _________ and is not just about following other people’s handwriting. He said that the way of doing it well is that the writer should think _________ about what he wants to show before writing.

I’m not sure if I __________ what the teacher said. But since then, I have spent a lot of time thinking and writing. I hope one day I can know the essence of Chinese calligraphy.

【推荐2】When my sister Diane began playing the violin, she was seven. How did she sound? Terrible. But she didn’t   ______. At twelve, she asked our parents if she could ______ a full-time music school. They said no. Actually, everyone agreed that my sister lacked talent. I was better at my ______. So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to ______ me. But the ______ time he was available was Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m.. Back then, I was ______ about the British TV show “The Avengers”, which was aired every Saturday at 3 p. m. I let nothing take up my “Avengers” hour. So I refused this amazing opportunity. Today, I don’t even have a ______ in my house.

My sister became an engineer, but she ______ stopped making music. When she was in her 40s, she made a   ______. She went back to college, got a(n) ______ in music education, and became a music teacher. She starts kids out on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never ______.

Recently, she and a pianist pal put on a concert. A big crowd of friends and family turned up for her. ______ she played, I looked around at the audience. It was quite ______ that everyone was enjoying the music. I suppose I was the only person who remembered that 7-year-old kid making those ______ sounds and knew how far she had come, despite ______.

Talent is important. But enthusiasm is even more important.