Martina Smith looked out of the window. A robin was singing a lively song in the tree. At this time, Grandpa, who had lived with the family since Grandma died, came in. He looked at the floor as if he was looking for something. He said, “When the robin sings…he stopped, trying to remember what he had started to say.”

“Spring is here,” Mum finished the sentence. “And I’m thinking of our spring cleaning.” Mum suggested. “Martina, you can help me, right?” Martina agreed unwillingly.

They cleaned the house. They cleaned upstairs, downstairs, inside, outside, until everything was clean. Then Mum pointed to Grandpa’s sofa and shouted. “That old sofa has got to go. We’ll buy Grandpa a new one.

It was true and Martina had to agree. The sofa was really old. As they tried to move the sofa. Grandpa stood in their way. “You can’t take my sofa,” he shouted.

“It’s old,” Mum said. Grandpa tried to push his sofa back into place. “We’ll buy you a new one,” Mum promised.

“I don’t want a new one,” Grandpa insisted. Mum let go of the sofa. “We’ll talk about it tonight when John gets home.” John, Martina’s dad, was still at work.

“Why don’t you let us take away the sofa? It’s too old!” Martina asked when the family were having supper. Grandpa shook his head and said, “I sat in this sofa with your grandma right here when I asked her to marry me. It was so long ago, but when I sit in this sofa and close my eyes, I feel she is near.”

“It’s amazing,” Martina thought, “how Grandpa can remember things from the past. These days he forgets almost everything.”

The old man smiled to Martina and went on. “Before the night your father was born, I didn’t sleep but sat in this sofa, feeling flustered till they placed the little baby into my arms.”

“I think I’m beginning to understand,” Martina said. “Many years later,” Grandpa continued, “I sat in this sofa when the doctor called and told me that your grandma was ill. I was lost without her, but the sofa gave me the comfort.”

“I do see now,” Martina looked at Grandpa. “This is not just an old sofa.”

【推荐2】Hello, I am Kevin. Today I want to share my experience at home alone. Four years ago, when I was a boy of 11, I got into the biggest trouble as a kid. It was Saturday morning. Both my parents were out, leaving me and my 10-month-old sister home alone.

Since my sister was still asleep in her room, I had no one to play with myself. So I decided to do some drawing. Soon I gave up. Then I turned on the TV and there was nothing on it, so I felt bored and touched the candles on the shelf. I had an idea! What would happen if I set fire to some kitchen paper?

Well, of course it went on fire, and it was getting bigger and bigger, but I couldn’t blow it out. I was very frightened. I threw it on the floor, and then I got my dad’s shoes and stamped it out (扑灭).

But there was a huge hole left on the floor. When my mum came home later she smelt the smoke immediately. Luckily, she dropped the shopping bag over the hole. I thought this meant she would never see it. However, after running round the house to check for a fire, she of course picked up the bag and saw the hole.

At last, I was grounded (关禁闭) for hours. Even worse though. the hole was still there. Now it still reminds (想) me of what I did. And my parents realise that they shouldn’t leave us home alone when they go out.

It was Friday evening. Bobby was listening to music. He is going to be a singer when he grows up. “Come on, Bobby. We have to go to watch your brother’s soccer game,” Mrs. Brown said, taking her car key.

“Mom, we have to go now? Today is Friday. I just want to relax after school. Soccer is very boring for me and I can’t stand it. And it’s so cold. I really don’t want to sit there for hours,” Bobby said.

Mrs. Brown said, “This morning, your brother Nick told me that you and I were his good luck charms (护身符). He wanted us to be there.”

Bobby thought, “Nick says rock music is too noisy, but every time I played rock, he listens happily. Mom is right. I should be there to support (支持) him.”

So bobby and Mrs. Brown drove to the soccer pitch (比赛场).

Classrooms in the US are different from those in China. This offers us a chance to learn about their educational style.

In China, most students have fixed(固定的) classrooms. Teachers take turns teaching in different classrooms. Teaching this way ensures that all students learn the same things. But students are not given much choice. No matter whether you like a subject or not, you have to learn it.

In the US, students often change classrooms based on(基于) different subjects. Besides compulsory(必修的) classes like English and math, teens can choose to learn about what they are interested in. For example, some kids may choose to study music or advanced math(高等数学).

Classroom arrangements also make a difference. Chinese classrooms are arranged(安排) in a traditional way, with rows of desks and chairs facing a blackboard. Teachers usually stand on a platform when teaching.

However, in US classrooms, seating arrangements are flexible(灵活的), depending on different class activities. For example, if students need to have a group discussion. Two or three of them will move their desks to sit face to face. Students in music classes also have different seating arrangements that make it easier for them to perform. Sometimes, teachers even sit with their students.

It’s hard to say which way is “better”, or if there is an ideal(理想的) way to arrange classrooms. You just have to find the one that works for you.

【推荐2】Grain Rain (谷雨) is the sixth of the Twenty-four Solar Terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, which falls on April 20 this year. As the last solar term in spring, this period sees the temperature rise and rainfall increase, creating a good environment for plants and animals.

Grain Rain is still linked with modern agriculture. It links grain with rain, reflecting an increasing amount of rainfall, which is good for the growth of crops. For farmers, it is a good time to sow.

It might not be so well-known that in Chinese tale an actual “grain rain” was recorded in the story of Cang Jie, who invented the first Chinese characters. Cang Jie created a set of characters from observing(观察)the tracks(足迹)of birds and mammals. After his great invention, grains started to pour down from the sky.

The Grain Rain Day has become a day to honor Cang Jie and the invention of the Chinese language and April 20 has been designated as the annual UN Chinese Language Day since 2010. Chinese characters are a treasure of the spiritual homeland of Chinese people, the thousands of years of Chinese culture, and an important symbol of cultural identity.