My winter vacation (寒假) is always colorful. It is     1     February to March. I have a lot of homework every day, so I’m very     2    . I help my parents do many things, too.

Sometimes I play volleyball     3     my classmates. Sometimes I help my grandparents     4     some food in the store.

My grandfather likes chicken for lunch,     5     my grandmother doesn’t like it. She likes vegetables for lunch because she thinks they are     6    . Every week, there is a big book sale in the library. Books are at very good prices. I like to go     7     with my friends after lunch and buy some interesting books. I read seven books in my vacation. What a great vacation!

My mother was a true believer in the power of education to change lives.

She was a teacher who worked     1     more than 10 years educating students in the Washington D.C. public school system. At home, she taught me one thing above all: education matters. It’s the one thing that can never be     2     away from you.

Those     3     have made all the difference in my life.

I took them to heart, pushing     4     to be the best student I could be. I started my schooling at a segregated (隔离的) elementary school,     5     entered a very good school for junior high. I worked hard there too, and     6     a scholarship (奖学金) to attend high school at one of Washington’s best private schools. From there, I got into Harvard, and with my mother’s words ringing in my ears every step of the way, ended up     7     three degrees.

My mother was     8    , of course. My education has given me a varied (各式各样的) and highly rewarding career path in the public and private sectors. It’s shaped how I spend my free time and how I help others. Perhaps most     9    , it’s been extremely rewarding on a personal level. I count myself a “lifelong learner” who will never close the book on my own education.

I am so grateful for my mother’s     10     and how she shaped my life.

Yesterday was Saturday. Mr. King     1     his family to the People’s Park in the morning. They     2     up early and     3     breakfast quickly. After that they went to the park     4     their car. It was nine o’clock when they got there. There were many     5     in the park. Lily     6     the hill at the park. Lucy flew a kite with some other     7    . Mr. King and his wife were tired after five days’     8    . They     9     under a tree and had a     10    . The King family had a good time there.

Last summer holiday, I had a short visit to Britain. It was an excellent trip. I learned a lot from it. This was my     1     time to travel in a foreign country. I went there by plane. I got a little afraid on the plane. Because I am not good at     2     English. I was afraid that I couldn’t understand others and couldn’t talk with others     3    . A host family met me once I reached Britain. I lived with the host family for two weeks. However, my worries didn’t appear because my host family     4     so lovely and kind. They always cared about me warmly. They always asked me to eat with     5    . And I also cooked some of our     6     food. My host     7     kindness（善良） taught me that cultural differenees couldn’t stop friendship.

    8     my visit to London, we went to the central part of the city. We walked over the Millennium Bridge (千禧桥), enjoyed the water ways and took many     9    . We spent some time happily. The trip was helpful to     10     my English. It was also a way to learn the culture of another country and spread (传播) our culture to others. The travel was wonderful for me. I hope to go there again.

Max Woosey is a 12-year-old boy. He has slept outside in storms, snow and heat waves, but now he’s coming indoors.

After two years of     1     in a tent, Max, who has raised over £700,000, is about to remember     2     a bed feels like. “I’m still going to be in my tent a lot,” said Max. “But now I’ve done two years. If there’s a big,     3     storm coming, I may come inside.”

Max began camping out in March 2020. At that time,     4     old neighbor of his, Rick Abbott, who was     5     ill, gave Max a tent and told him to take a risk with it. Later Max decided to camp out to raise money for the hospital     6     cared for Rick. Max didn’t think he would keep going a long time     7     it went on and on.

Over the two years, Max has been through around 15 tents and has had camping trips in many     8    . He even slept on a hotel balcony(阳台). His dad joined     9     in the tent during last month’s Storm Eunice, with Max joking that he was     10     up not by the wind but by his dad’s snoring(鼾声)!