1 . "Mum, can I invite my classmate Brett over to stay tomorrow night, please? It's Friday, and we don't have any _______.   Can I, please?" Mum was sitting at the kitchen table.   Dad was _______next to her, resting his head on his arms.   Mum could _______that James wanted so badly to have his friend over.

"I'm so sorry, James," she said.

"I'm never allowed to have friends come to the house? Why, Mum?" James asked sadly, almost in _______.

"I know it's _______for you," Mum said softly.   "But I'm just worried other people might think we're a little. . .   strange.   And then they would make fun of you. "

"No, they wouldn't, Mum," James protested.   "We're not _______at all.   We're just ordinary people. "

Mum sighed heavily.   "To tell you the truth, James, my neck has been so painful that it's given me a heavy _______.   And your poor father — he doesn't feel _______.   He really needs a rest. "

"I can help, Mum!" James said.   " _______I can make you and Dad feel better, can Brett come over? Please?"

"Well. . . " Mum began.

"Great! Thanks, Mum!" James almost shouted.   "Just sit there, don't move. " He rushed over to the kitchen drawer and ________what he needed — two spanners(扳手).   "Hang on, Mum," he said.   "This won't take a second. " After some ________, James was finished.   With a smile of ________on his face he said, "There! How does that feel?" "Oh, James," Mum said.   "That's much better! How did you do it?"

"Easy," James said ________.   "Dad had tightened your neck bolts(螺栓) too much! I just________them slightly! I learned that in robotic science at school. "

"What about your father? Can you ________him?" asked Mum.

"I'll try," James replied.   He ________up Dad's hair at the back of his neck, and plugged the electric wire into Dad's head.   Then he turned the ________on.   Dad opened his eyes and ________immediately.   "He just let his ________run too low, that's all," James said.   "Shall I tell Brett to come over straight after school tomorrow?"

"I guess so," replied Mum.   "Your friends will just have to ________that we are a very unusual family.   Thanks, son!"

2 . A little girl lived in a simple and poor house on a hill. Usually she _______ play in the small garden. She could see over the garden fence and across the valley a wonderful house with shining golden windows high on another hill._______ she loved her parents and her family, she desired to live in such a house and _______all day about how wonderful and exciting   _______must feel to live there.

At the age when she gained some _______ skill and sensibility (识别力), she _______ her mother for a bike ride _______ the garden. Her mother finally allowed her to go，_______ her keeping close to the house and not   _______ too far. The day was beautiful. The little girl knew________ where she was heading! ________ the hill and across the valley, she rode to the ________ of the golden house.

________ she got off her bike and put it against the gate post, she focused on the path________to the house and then on the house itself. She was very disappointed when she ________ that all the windows were ________ and rather dirty.

So ________and heart­broken, she didn't go any further. She ________， and all of a sudden she saw an amazing ________. There on the other side of the valley was a little house and its windows were golden. Looking at her little home, she________ that she had been living in her golden house filled with love and care. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her house.