Alexis and Zoe were sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. They were having a hard time concentrating on their homework because the radio station was playing music from their favourite band, the Shape Shifters.

“I can’t believe the Shifters are going to be playing here and we can’t go!” Alexis sighed.

“I know,” Zoe said angrily. “Tickets were sold out in five minutes, and even if we could get some, they are so-o-o expensive!”

“It’s totally unfair,” said Alexis. “They should give the tickets to their biggest fans first!”

“You mean us, right?”

“Obviously,” laughed Alexis. “Everyone knows we’re their number one fans.”

Zoe turned the radio up a little louder. Their favourite song was on, and the girls had an impromptu (即兴的) dance party right there in the kitchen. Using a pencil and a banana as microphones, they sang the lyrics loudly they knew so well.

As it ended, they fall out of the chairs again. The radio disc jockey (电台的音乐节目主持人) started talking about the concert.

“That was ‘Fake It Til You Make It,’ by the Shape Shifters,” the D.J. announced loudly.

“They are playing in town this weekend, and we’re giving away two tickets to Saturday’s sold-out show, right now! We’re looking for the 10th caller who can correctly answer this question: Who is the oldest member of the Shape Shifters, Georgie or Natasha?”

Alexis and Zoe looked at each other confusedly.

Having reached an agreement, Zoe dialed the numbers as fast as her fingers could fly.

William, a highly skilled plumber (水管工) with three decades of experience, was admired by everyone for his outstanding plumbing abilities. However, what many didn’t know was his deep love for music. Ever since he was a young boy, William was passionate about singing. He dreamed of attending a music school and becoming a famous pop singer, just like his idol Willie Nelson. He even dreamed about performing in his own private concerts someday. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when a car accident claimed the lives of both his parents, abruptly ending all his ambitions for the future. As the eldest brother in his family, William had to drop out of school and find a job to support his two younger sisters.

After three decades, William’s passion for singing remained as strong as ever. As he went about his plumbing work, he always carried a little radio with him, belting out tunes and joyfully singing along. The dull tasks of repairs became enjoyable and much more manageable with music in the background. Occasionally, when inspiration struck, he even composed a song or two of his own. In fact, he had setup a small basement studio where he recorded some of these songs, purely for the fun of it.

One day, William received a call from a client, Remus Gall, asking him to help repair the pipes in his kitchen. William accepted the mission readily. Upon arriving at Mr. Gal’s, he was led into the kitchen and began his work. As usual, while doing the repair work, he happily sang along to his small radio. Coincidentally, Remus Gall was a music producer and owner of a small recording company. Remus overheard the plumber singing and immediately realized there was something in William’s voice. He was amazed that an ordinary plumber should have such great talent in singing. After the repair work, Remus got the chance to talk with William and introduced his profession to him.

“You’ve really got a beautiful voice.” Remus said sincerely. “Have you ever thought of releasing an album of your own? If so, I would be more than glad to help you.”

William was greatly shocked by what he heard.

After three months’ hard work, William’s first-ever album finally came out.

Emily White was born seventeen years ago with many physical issues affecting her tiny body. Some of her organs, bones and muscles were out of shape. Though no one expected her to survive, she did make it. But she had a strange figure that everyone could recognize, even from a distance.

In Emily’s hometown, there was a yearly outdoor performance in the school hall at Christmas. It had been performed for so many years that it had become one of the most important events for many of the townsfolk. Each year, many people tried out for the show, but most were turned down. Only the best performers could be included.

Emily had a most beautiful singing voice. Last year, she asked Mrs. Owens, her music teacher, if she could join in the performance. Mrs. Owens took a look at her body and said, “Child, you just don’t fit. Everyone would stare at you and that would make you uncomfortable. It would make them uncomfortable too.”

Without singing a single note, Mrs. Owens sent Emily back through the door of the choral room (合唱室). Hurt and upset, Emily decided never to try out again. But things changed as the following school year, Mrs. Owens retired and a new music teacher arrived—Mr. Butler.

He had heard about Emily and suggested that she give it a try again. Emily didn’t want to be rejected again, so she hesitated about it. But finally her love for singing and strong desire to join in the performance outweighed her hesitation. She tried out again and learnt the result would be posted the next day on the door of the choral room.

Emily couldn’t sleep that night, having turned in bed back and forth thousand times as she was worried that she would be rejected again and would never fit in.

“What will we be singing for the contest this year?” a student from my high school choir, a singing team, asked eagerly.

I hesitated this moment. “I was thinking,” I said, “maybe we’ll skip the contest and just work hard on the concerts this year.”

“NO!” the kids protested.

“We’ve got to go to contest!”

“In Class A.”

“It’s tradition!”

This was true. Awards lined the front wall of the music room from the past successes of large, talented classes. But a change in educational policies, with an emphasis on academics, had reduced my choir to a mere thirty-two students. My section leaders had graduated or been forced to drop music classes, leaving me with young, inexperienced kids who couldn’t read music, couldn’t hold their parts, and could sing only a simple melody or song.

“Maybe we could enter Class B this year,” I suggested, knowing even that would be a near-impossible mission.

“No!” the kids screamed. “Class A!”

I shook my head, “Class A is extremely difficult.”

“We can do it!” they shouted. “We can do it!”

“I’ll have to think about it,” I said, hoping their enthusiasm would die off in a couple of weeks.

But that didn’t happen. If anything, the class became more fixed. Every day they begged and begged and they insisted. Because I had to protect their self-pride I couldn’t tell them they weren’t good enough. My efforts to prevent their eagerness, by showing them a difficult piece of music from the contest list, simply ended with, “It’s okay, Mrs. Pliszka, we’ll get it.”

I struggled to make a decision. If I destroyed their hope, would I destroy their spirit? On the other hand, if we entered Class A, would they be humiliated by the judges’ comments? Finally one morning I walked into class. “Kids!” I demanded. “We are entering the contest in Class A…” The rest of my sentence was lost in screams of delight and applause. As the weeks progressed, each morning the kids practised singing, worked on reading music, learned musical terms, practiced rhythm and marked changes, prepared concert music, and went over and over the three contest numbers.

When the contest day finally arrived, the kids felt ready to take on the world!

Emily White was born seventeen years ago with so many birth problems in her body. Some of her organs, bones and muscles were out of shape. No one expected her to survive. She did make it but with her strange body figure, everyone could recognize her, even from a distance.

In Emily White’s hometown, there was a yearly outdoor performance in the school auditorium (大礼堂). It had been performed for so many years and actually had become one of the most important events of the Christmas season for many of the town’s people.

Many people tried out each year for it, but so many were turned away. It can only include the most excellent people in the field.

Emily had a beautiful singing voice. Last year she went to Mrs. Owens — her music teacher to ask to join in the performance. Without letting her sing, Mrs. Owens took a look at Amy’s body and said, “Child, you just don’t fit. Everyone would stare at you and that would make you uncomfortable. It would make them uncomfortable, too.”

Without singing a single note, Emily was sent back through the door of the choral room. Hurt and upset, she decided never to try out again. But Mrs. Owens then retired.

This year, there came a new music teacher, Mr. Buttler. He heard about Emily and suggested that she have a try.

Emily didn’t want to be rejected again, so she hesitated a little about it. As Emily struggled, the door was pushed open and Mr. Buttler called, “Emily, you’re next.” Although kind of nervous, Emily did as Mr. Buttler told her to do. Mr. Buttler sat by the piano to keep Emily company. When Emily finished her testing performance, she thanked Mr. Buttler and knew the result would be posted on the door of the choral room the next day.

Emily couldn’t sleep that night. She was suffering from the feelings that she didn’t fit and the great need to be accepted. By the next morning, her stomach was even in pain because of stress.

Paragraph 1: The next day, Emily nervously glanced at the list on the door of the choral room.

Paragraph 2: Finally, the day of performance came.