2 .

3 .

There was magic in the secret garden that spring and summer. At first, everything turned green. Then the green changed to colours—blue, purple and red. There were flowers everywhere.

Dickon and Mary’s seeds (种子) grew. And the roses—the roses! From small buds they grew into large flowers and filled the air with their perfume.

Colin saw it all. He watched the changes as they happened. Dickon pushed his wheelchair to the garden every morning and he spent the day there. Sometimes Colin sat on the grass watching the insects. One day, he watched a mole (鼹鼠) digging a hole. He learnt a lot of things about the ways of these insects and animals. And Dickon taught him about the animals in the wood.

One morning, the children were in the secret garden as usual. When Ben Weatherstaff arrived, Colin said, “Good morning, Ben Weatherstaff. I want you and Dickon and Mary to listen to me because I’m going to tell you something very important.”

“Yes, sir!” answered Ben Weatherstaff.

“I’m going to do a scientific experiment.” he said. “When I grow up, I’m going to make scientific discoveries about magic and I’m going to start with this experiment. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir!” said Ben Weatherstaff, but he didn’t really understand.

“I believe that there is magic in everything,” continued Colin. “Dickon knows some magic. He charms animals and people. Mary also knows a bit of magic because she was born in India. There’s magic in the garden too. I’m going to try and put some in me because I want to be well and strong. I’m going to say—Magic is in me! And you must all say it too. That is my experiment. Are you going to help, Ben Weatherstaff?”

“Yes, sir!” answered Ben Weatherstaff.

They sat down in a circle. The crow, the fox, the squirrels and the lamb were very curious.

“Now, let’s begin,” Colin said, and they all started chanting (吟唱).

“Magic is in me. Magic is in me. Magic is in all of us.”

Then Colin stood up and walked round the garden. He went in front with Dickon on one side and Mary on the other. Ben Weatherstaff walked behind.

Colin walked a bit then rested. Then he walked again and rested again. At first, he held Dickon’s arm. Then he walked a few steps alone.

“I can walk! The magic worked!” he cried.

“What is the doctor going to say?” asked Mary.

“Nothing,” Colin answered. “Because we aren’t going to tell him. No one must know that I can walk and run. It’s a surprise for my father when he comes back to Misselthwaite.”

“He’s going to think it’s a dream.” said Mary.

—Adapted from The Secret Garden

“What should I we call you?” I asked.

“My name is Captain Nemo,” he told us. “The name of my ship is Nautilus.”

Captain Nemo showed me the library, the art gallery and the engine room.

“It’s a wonderful ship!” I exclaimed.

“I love it as if it were my child,” he replied.

“It must have cost a fortune!”

“Millions of dollars,” he replied. “However, I have billions!”

Ned Land and Conseil were as amazed at the ship as I was, but Ned was still interested in trying to find a way to escape. I told him that he should stop thinking about it for the moment.

A few days later, Captain Nemo invited me and my friends to go hunting with him in the forests of Crespo Island under the sea. When returned to the Nautilus, we were tired but amazed by what we had seen during the trip. It was an amazing experience.

When we entered the Torres Strait, the Nautilus hit a reef and stopped. We had to wait for the high tide to lift the Nautilus off the reef. We three were allowed to use Captain Nemo’s dinghy to go onto the island. We were excited. When we returned to the island the next day, we were attacked by savages. About one hundred savages followed us and tried to come into the ship. Captain Nemo didn’t worry about them. When they put their hands on the rail, they all fell back and ran away. Captain Nemo had put electricity into the rail. Anybody who touched it would receive an electric shock.

One day, Captain Nemo asked me to follow him to another room and help one of his men. A man lay on a bed with a very bad head wound. I looked at it. “What happened?” Captain Nemo answered, “Something broke in the engine. A heavy piece of metal hit his head.” “He is going to die soon,” I said. “Nothing can save him.” Tears filled Captain Nemo’s eyes, and he asked me to leave.

We sailed through a sea of milk and huge armies of shell sand, sometimes large crowds of sharks. I realized that I did not really want to escape.

5 . To know the value of one week, ask editors (编辑) of weekly newspapers.

To know the value of one hour, ask friends who are waiting to meet.

To know the value of one minute, ask the person who missed the train.

To know the value of one second (秒), ask the one who just experienced an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every second you have.

Act now.

Day and night.

Catch time, don’t let it pass you by.

Make progress more or less.

Each day is a new life.

6 .

7 . Mom Knows Best

When I was a tiny baby crying all night, my mom sang to me and stayed by my side.

When I was tired and hungry, she gave me food and warm arms to sleep in.

When I was two running through the field, she made sure I was safe and kept me from danger.

When I fell and hurt myself, she gave me a hug and lifted me up.

When I was seven coughing badly, she said no ice-cream for me.

But I talked back loudly, “I should be allowed to eat some! Give it to me now!”

When I was nine watching scary movies, she said it’d give me awful dreams.

But I shouted back 2 , “I should be allowed to watch it! I am not a baby!”

When I was a teen going out with friends, she said, “Please be back by ten!”

But I talked back again, “I should not be told what to do! I’m seventeen now!”

Now I’m an adult, thinking back to those times.

I coughed for days after eating that ice-cream

And had scary dreams after watching that film.

I was late for school from staying out past ten.

I regret talking back, not listening to Mom.

Mom knows best, and for me she wanted only the best!

Pity the farmer

By Li Shen (772-864)

The farmer hoes grain in the noonday sun,

With sweat dripping onto the field.

Who realizes that the food on their plate

Every grain—comes from bitter suffering?

The rice farmer

By Saoirse McCann

The Sun is setting low, the red sky a welcoming sight;

The farmer stands silently in the fading light.

The fields are watered and planted, the buffaloes (水牛) are fed;

The only thing he thinks of now is finding home and bed.

A gentle wind is whispering of hope and dreams of life;

Every grain of rice requires such effort and such strife (困难).

Remember, when you sit and eat with family or friends,

All the many hours he works, as his fields he tends.

Poet Du Fu (712—770) wrote this poem in springtime, when he caught by An Lushan’s rebel army (叛军) and locked up in Chang’an, the capital city at that time. The poem shows his love for his motherland and how he missed his family. The poet used imagery of flowers and birds to express his feelings, which is seen as classic. The spring flowers and birds were joyful,① ____▲____, in the eyes of the sad poet, they reminded him of the past and made him cry. Flowers came to life again in spring, however, the broken country could not be easily restored (恢复). This shows his care for his country and his people.

②The birds were singing freely, while the poet lost his freedom. He was alone without any relatives or friends. Thus the birds’ singing frightened him. This shows that he missed his family. His depressed (绝望的) feeling got even deeper in the next lines. As the war was going on, it was hard to receive letters from family members. The letters were as valuable as gold.