Playing a musical instrument is a great hobby. I started playing the piano when I was five years old and I still 1 it now: it is a perfect way to relax and can cheer me up when I'm feeling 2. When 1 lived at home with my parents, we had a brown piano in the 3 and I had piano lessons every week. However, when I went to university, I had to 4 my family and my piano behind.

    I enjoyed playing the piano so much that I 5 all the money I got for my birthday on a new electric piano. It was quite 6 to get it from the music shop: I had to ask a friend to help 7 get the piano into a taxi and then move it to the door. I was able to play 8 I wanted, using earphones so that I wouldn't disturb (打扰) my roommates. When I got tired of studying or writing an essay, I would take a 9  by playing something energetic. It really helped me feel relaxed and happy! 10 I was feeling a bit homesick (想家的) , playing music that I learned on my old piano made me feel 11.

    Now I am studying abroad and I don't have a 12 with me. When I'm listening to a tune that I can 13 , I feel nostalgic (怀旧的) about the piano keyboard. I wish that pianos were as portable (轻便的) as guitars 14 I really want to spend time on my hobby. Luckily, there are other activities that I 15 do to relax, like drawing or writing stories.

    When he was small, Hill was a famous bad boy.

    At the age of 9, his father married his stepmother. At that time they lived poorly in the countryside while his stepmother was from a wealthy family.

    His father introduced Hill to his stepmother as he said, "Dear, I hope you notice in the entire shire this is the worst boy, who has made me have no other way. Maybe before tomorrow morning he will throw a stone at you, or do a bad thing you will never imagine."

    To Hill's surprise, his stepmother went up to him with a smile, held up his head and looked at him carefully. She then turned around to tell her husband, "You're wrong. He is not the worst boy in the entire shire, but the cleverest and most creative boy. Only he doesn't find a place to show himself."

    His stepmother's words warmed his heart, his eyes full of tears. Then he started building friendship with his stepmother. And this became the drive of his life, making him create 28 successful golden rules, which helped tens of thousands of ordinary people walk on the road to success.

    Before his stepmother came, no one praised him smart, and his father and neighbors considered him as a bad boy. However, his stepmother's words changed his life.

    When Hill was 14 years old, his stepmother bought him a used typewriter and said to him, "I believe you will become a writer." Hill accepted his stepmother's gift and expectation, and started writing things to a local newspaper. He understood his stepmother's strong feeling of interest in his family while he saw with his own eyes she had changed his family. Therefore, he would do as well as she expected him to.

    The strength from his stepmother made him a rich man and famous writer in the United States and one of the most important persons in the 20th century.

    Praise will never be unnecessary, especially for children. Sincere (真诚的) praise may be better than 10,000 bad words.

    Many students have hobbies, like reading, painting and looking animals. Some hobbies are relaxing and others are creative. Hobbies can make you (grow) as a person, develop your interests and help you learn new skills.

    David Smith is a student, and his hobby writing. During the summer of 2011, he spent four weeks on a summer camp. As well as the usual activities, such sailing, climbing mountains and biking, there was a writing workshop with a professional writer. "She asked us (imagine) that we were in a story. Then we wrote about our experiences at the camp."

    In senior high school David (write) a book about teenage life. Many teenagers love his book, and as a result, David has become a (success) young writer.

    David has been very lucky because his hobby has brought enjoyment and success to (he), but he is also interested in many other things. "I like playing volleyball, too," says David. "I spend some of my free time (play) volleyball for my school team. Maybe I'll write more books in the future, I'm not sure."

    There are many other interesting things to do in life, and we should try to do something new or different.

Teens' Talk