Once upon a time, there was an old farmer. He was always     1     his farm, his health and his family. The bad feeling almost     2     so that he often took it out on (发泄) his family. One day, when working in his backyard, he     3     out a box of gold coins. He was shocked by his sudden good luck and wondered what he would do or buy with his new     4     . In the end, he decided to bury (埋藏) the treasure again and not to tell anyone. It would be his security (保障) in difficult times. Over the years he never dug up the gold or spent a single coin of it.

Knowing the gold was there, however, caused a change in him. He was no longer worried. He got     5     and became peaceful and happy. He was kind to his sons and loving to his wife. He helped his neighbors in need. His whole life became a gift of love.

Finally on his deathbed, he told his sons about the secret he had kept to himself. After he passed away, his sons     6     to dig up the gold coins. When they found the box, though, it was     7    . Someone had discovered it and stolen the gold long before.

For every one of us, our true security isn’t buried in our backyards but deep in our hearts. Dig up our treasure of love within and     8     it with everyone. That is the best way to become happy.

There once was a man who played the piano in a bar. He was a good pianist. People went there just to hear him play. But one night, a customer     1     told him he didn’t want to hear him just play any more. He was       2     to sing a song by the customer.

“I don’t sing,” The man said. The customer said to the boss; “I’m     3     of just listening to the piano I want that guy to sing! ”

“Hey, buddy! ” the boss     4     across the room. “If you want to get paid, sing a song! The customer is asking you to sing!” And the other customers were     5     to see what would happen.

So he did. He sang a song. A     6     who never sang in public did so for the very first time. What’s more, Nat King Cloe sang the song, Mona Lisa, in a very special way. That was the     7     time the song ever sounded that.

He was so talented! He could have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar. But because that man made     8     sing, he went on to become one of the best -known     9     in America.

You have talent and abilities too. You may not feel as if your talent is great, but it may be     10     than you think!

In a far-away place, there was a village. The village was     1     in potatoes than anywhere out of else in the country. At the end of every growing season, thousands of potatoes were     2     out of the the ground, and prepared for market. In each home, men and women would     3     divide potatoes into three groups: large, medium and small.

One year, there was a young man who     4     his share of the potatoes. As the other     5     were working, he walked around the village laughing and talking. The villagers thought he was lazy, and they worried that this man     6     never get his potatoes ready in time. When it was time for them to go to market, they were greatly surprised to find that the     7     potatoes were divided perfectly into three groups.

After     8     the man how he did it, they understood he was not lazy, but very smart. He had put all his potatoes in a cart and pulled it along the village’s rough dirt road. As the cart moved up and down over the road, the potatoes moved, too. The small potatoes moved to the bottom, the larger potatoes     9     to the top and the medium potatoes rested in the middle.

Life is     10     this, too. The rough(艰难的) roads we travel along can also help us.

In today’s families, both parents are busy working and kids are busy with     1     and many afternoon activities. Finding time to get together at the table seems difficult.     2    , eating together has lots of benefits (益处).

According to reports, if children eat with     3     family, they will have fewer bad eating habits or weight (体重)     4    . Also, they will do things     5     than those who often eat alone (独自). Family meals     6     into American life in the mid-20th century (世纪), but in the 60’s and 70’s, the way of family meals changed. Eating out, take-out food and TV dinners became normal.

Now, the old customs (习俗) are coming back. According to     7     newest reports, 59% of families said they ate dinner together at     8     five times a week.

    9     family members, eating together is not just about food. It is about     10     them how to become members of their culture. Food becomes so easy and cheap to get that we no longer think it is important.

Of course, the act of eating at home may not certainly make children kinder or more responsible. But it can bring a lot of things that point them in the right direction.

I’m a helpless mother of a teenage boy. My son is going to be 15 years old this summer. He     1     to help me fold the clothes and do the dishes at home. But I find that the     2     he grows, the less we talk. We can’t get on well with each other. I feel very     3     and I really need help.

My     4     problem is about his hobbies. He spends almost all his free time on computer games. When he gets home, he always turns     5     the computer and closes the door. I’m getting more and more worried about him, especially when his teacher tells me he hardly ever gets good     6     in the exams.

Second, he likes new technology. It seems that he tries very hard     7     up with his classmates on the new technology.     8     I don’t have enough money and I can’t provide all the things he wants.

    9    , I find he is always alone. He neither talks to his friends on the phone nor     10     out with anyone on weekends. That’s the last problem I have.

What should I do to help him? Please give me some advice.

A helpless mother

Some students think taking notes by hand is too tiring, so they always use digital（数码）cameras to     1     the words that their teachers write on the blackboard.

The children are     2     to make use of technology（技术）. They might think there are too many notes to take. They might also think that teachers write     3     . They are just trying to find ways to make things easier. But do digital cameras really make taking notes     4    ? Not really! Before you can read the notes on your digital cameras, there are a lot of things to do. You have to find a computer to download the photos. You     5     have to find a printer to print the photos out.

In fact, taking notes by hand really helps you to remember and understand what you are learning. You only need to write down key points. You don't have to write down     6    .