My sister finished high school two weeks     1    . As a special gift, our parents took us to India. Last weekend was     2     but scary.

We went     3     in a small village in India. First, we took a long bus ride to a lake in the countryside. There we     4     up our tents and made a fire to keep us warm and cook food     5    . On the first night, we just sat under the moon and told each other stories.

But I was so tired that I went to sleep early.

The next morning, my sister and I got a terrible     6    . When we looked out of our tent, we saw a big snake     7     near the fire. I was so scared that I couldn’t move. We shouted to our parents to let them know about the     8    . My dad started to jump up and down in their tent. This     9     the snake up and it moved into the forest near the lake. My dad told me later that snakes don’t have ears but can feel things moving. He also told me it was important not to go near a snake. This was a very     10     lesson for me.

When I had something difficult to do, I used to ask my mother for help. But she always said, “Do it     1    , dear.” I was not     2     at all when I heard this. I thought she was the     3     mother in the world!

For example, one day, I decided to     4     some friends to my home. My bedroom was not in order. Books were everywhere. And I didn’t make the bed. I asked my mother to help me clean it,     5     she still said, “Do it yourself, girl.”

Because of my “lazy mother”, I had to wash my clothes and clean my room. I had to help my parents do the housework. I     6     had to go to the dentist by myself. It was really     7     for me to do everything well, but I have learned     8     from doing many things.

As time goes by, I understand my mother. She makes me clever and diligent (勤奋的).     9     a great mother!

A     10     mother is worth(等值于) many good teachers! Don’t you think so?

Mr. White teaches science in a school. He     1     reading very much. He often borrows (借) books from the school     2    . So he knows much and teaches well. His students like him very much. Joe, his little son, is only eight. He also likes reading books. And he often     3     his father some questions. Mr. White always answers all the questions. One day, Joe read something about phones and was very     4     in it. He asked his father a few questions, and his father answered all. And this time his father said, “Fathers always know much, but sons always know little!” The boy     5     for a few minutes and said, “I don’t think so.” “Oh, why?” Joe didn’t answer but asked, “    6     invented (发明) the phone?” “Bell,” answered Mr. White. “Why didn’t his father invent it?” Looking at his son, Mr. White didn’t     7     how to answer it.

Ken hopped off the bus. He was carrying his math homework in one hand and the saxophone that his mother had asked him to bring home in the other. He wasn’t sure what he     1     more, the homework or his mother’s special “assignment.”

Ken loved     2     the saxophone in the school band. The songs came so     3     to him that he didn’t have to practise outside of the school studio. But now his mother wanted him to play some old jazz songs from the 1940s, and he wasn’t interested     4    . The songs sounded nothing like the popular songs that he listened to on the radio.

Marcus climbed off the bus, with his “Secret” notebook. He was Ken’s elder brother and a good student. He always put a lot of effort into his work and always     5     his assignment on time, sometimes even early.

His notebook held all of the song lyrics and     6     that he had written. Very few people had ever seen them, and no one had heard them, except for Marcus himself. Unlike his brother, he liked music that was     7     and meaningful. He was too shy to sing, but he could hear how the songs would sound     8    . He has taken piano lessons since first grade, so he knew how to write out the music notes, too.

My father is 43 years old now. He is a good driver,     1     he is a good father, too. My father likes doing sports very much. Every     2     he gets up and runs in the People's Park. He also plays basketball. He is     3     and healthy. He always says to me, "Sports can make us strong." My father loves reading and his favourite book     4     Car Fanatics. He likes cars a lot. He wants to have a German car. It is his dream. I hope I can buy     5     for him in the future.

My grandpa loves playing chess. Every day he plays chess with his friends. Last week, he     1     to visit us in Canada. Nobody here could play chess with     2    .

One day, I found my grandpa was sitting     3     on a chair, doing nothing. I knew he was lonely. Why not teach him to play online chess on my computer?   

“Grandpa, someone is waiting     4     you to play chess,” I said.

“Really? ” his eyes opened widely.

I took him to my computer in my room and taught him how     5     chess online. At     6     he was slow. After several times, he became     7    .

“    8     interesting it is!” he cried excitedly. Now he is good at playing chess online and has made a lot of     9     on the Internet. My grandfather is much     10     than before.

I believe he will never forget the time when we played online chess together.