Do you know how to play a game called "Musical Chairs"? It is easy to play and most people enjoy it. All you need are some chairs, some people and some ways of making music. You may use a piano or any other musical instrument, if someone can play it. You may use a tape recorder. You can even use a radio.
Put the chairs in a row. The chairs may be put in twos, back to back. A better way is to have the chairs in one row with each chair facing the opposite direction to the chair next to it.
The game is easy. When the music starts, the players walk around the chairs. Everyone goes in the same direction; of course, they should walk in time to the music. If the music is fast, they should walk quickly. If the music is slow, they should walk slowly.
The person playing music cannot see the people in the game. When the music stops, the players try to sit on the chairs. If a person cannot find a chair to sit on, he drops out. Then, before the music starts again, one chair must be taken away. When the music stops again, one more player will be out.
At last, there will be two players and only one chair. The one who sits on the chair when the music stops is the winner.
Dream in Heart
On the first day of school our professor introduced a new classmate—a wrinkled little old lady—to us. Her name was Rose, and she was eighty-seven years old.
After class Rose and I walked to the Student Union Building and shared a chocolate milkshake. She told me she always dreamed of having a college education and now she was getting one. We became instant friends. Every day for the following months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always attracted, listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.
Rose became famous and easily made friends wherever she went. She tended to be highly motivated, responsible, and deeply involved in class participation. In her spare time she had someone hang out or go to bars with. She even participated in some form of athletic activity. She said that extracurricular activities could form a vital part of her experience, creating unique chances for friendship and learning.
At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football meal. A little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so nervous." As we laughed, she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There is a huge difference between growing old and growing up. If you're nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year, you will turn twenty. If I'm eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year, I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. It's nonoptional but that doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the chance in change. In this way the elderly don't have regrets for what they did, but rather for things they did not do." Rose concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged us to study the words of the song and lived them out in daily lives.
At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in honor of the wonderful woman who taught us by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.
How to Be Grateful
Has your mother or best friend told you that you're an ungrateful person? Do you keep thinking about the things you don't have, instead of being thankful for what you do have? If so, then you need to work on being a more grateful person.
⒈ This isn't a religious (宗教的) thing. You don't have to hold off on noting everything you're thankful for until Thanksgiving. Every Sunday, get a notebook and sit outside for fifteen minutes while making a list of all of the things you're thankful for.
2 Be grateful for your friendships. You may come to think that your friends are kind and they're just there, like the couch in your living room. If you take your friends for granted for too long, then they will slowly make their way out of your life.
3 Be grateful to your family. Your family is another thing you should be grateful to. Your parents might have even been the people who tell you that you should be more grateful. Don't let a day go by without telling your family how much you love them.
4 Throughout history, imagine how many people have contributed to where you are now. Realizing that you couldn't be what you are now if it weren't for all of these people is an important step in being a grateful person.
A. Make a gratitude list every Sunday.
B. Friendships are very important in our life.
C. Be grateful for all of the good deeds done for your benefit.
D. Many people are guilty of taking their friends for granted.
E. Keep everything that you are grateful for in mind every day.
F. So, take the time to tell your family how much they mean to you.
G. Do you feel unable to appreciate the beauty, nature, and love that are all around you?
For a long time Gabriel didn't want to be involved in music at all. In his first years of high school, Gabriel would look pityingly at music students, struggling across the campus with their heavy instrument cases, turning up at school for practice hours 1 anyone else had to be there. He swore to himself to 2 music, as he hated getting to school extra early.
3, one day, in the music class that was 4 of his school's standard curriculum, he was playing idly(随意地) on the piano and found it 5 to pick out tunes. With a sinking feeling, he realized that he actually 6 doing it. He tried to hide his obvious pleasure from the music teacher, who had 7 over to listen. He might not have done this particularly well, 8 the teacher told Gabriel that he had a good 9 and suggested that Gabriel go into the music storeroom to see if any of the instruments there 10 him. There he decided to give the cello (大提琴) a 11. When he began practicing, he took it very 12. But he quickly found that he loved playing this instrument, and was committed to practicing it so that within a couple of months he was playing reasonably well.
This meant, of course, that he arrived at school early in the morning, 13 his heavy instrument case across the campus to the 14 looks of the nonmusicians he had left 15.
Li River, situated in Guilin City of Guangxi Province, is a bright pearl on the list of China's tourist (attract) and it is one of the best sightseeing tours in Guilin. The 83 kilometers waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo is the greatest works of Li River, (decorate) With rolling hills, steep cliffs, beautiful caves, boats and lined bamboos. Han Yu (clear) described the beauty of the Li River in his poem: "The river looks like a blue silk ribbon, and the mountains resemble emerald hairpins (发夹)."
The poetic and picturesque Li River (come) from the Mao'er Mountains at Xing'an County in the northeast of Guilin. It winds (it) way for 170 kilometers, passing through Guilin. Li River, according to its (difference) scenes, may be separated into three sections: Guilin to Ox Gorge, Ox Gorge to WaterDropping Village, and WaterDropping Village to Yangshuo.
Along the river, the rolling peaks, steep cliffs, green hills and clear water make interesting hundredmilepicture gallery. Among poems singing the praise of its beauty are these lines: "He travels in Guilin hills finds himself in a fairyland." and "Whoever sails along the Li River finds himself (boat) in a sweet dream." The natural beauty of the Li River is indeed beyond description, and you have to be there to see your own eyes and to feel with your own heart.
I was doing a big cleanup recently and my kids were helping when my son, Freddo, came across a knotted handkerchief with an old dark brown coin inside. "Mom, can I have this? Can I play with this coin?" he asked. I took one look and was immediately transported to another time.
In 1991, there was a time when my friend and I worked in a backward African country, Niger, hit by sandstorms and burning heat. There were many things I found difficult about this place—the climate and beggars were my biggest headaches. So after finishing five months of nursing work there, we moved on to work at a health clinic in neighbouring country, Burkina Faso. "It's much greener in Burkina Faso. Even the Coke tastes better, " the locals assured us.
Yet the fact was quite the opposite. Arriving by taxi at our destination in Burkina Faso, we began to unload. I was reaching for my larger piece of luggage when, out of the darkness, a motorbike with two men approached slowly. Without warning, one of the men grabbed my daypack as the motorbike swept close by. Within seconds, the pair were out of sight, swallowed up by the night.
With my passport, money, traveller's cheques all in the bag, I was in deep trouble. How frustrating! All I wanted was to leave this hellhole! Then, walking through Burkina's streets one day, I was stopped by an old woman who thrust her hand in my face. "Cadeau (‘gifi' in French)! Cadeau!" she cried. I'd had enough! I was extremely tired of the country: its poverty, its robbers, the heat, the dust and...everything! I told her angrily and firmly in French, "I have no ‘Cadeau'. I have no money. A robber took all my money two weeks ago and now I can't get out of your country. I cannot give you anything. NOTHING!" The beggar woman listened attentively. To my great surprise, after hearing my words, she gave a broad smile.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后, 请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
She reached into the pockets of her dress.
Paragraph 2：
There was a slight touch on my hand; looking down, I saw my son looking at me, curious.
