Tom is the son of a farm owner. One New Year's Day, when he was 15, his father asked him 1 on the farm for one year when he was free. Tom was 2 with his father's idea. "That isn't my job. I have 3 homework to do." Hearing this, his father said, "I promise to give you the best present if you 4 finish one year's work."

    Tom thought for a while and 5.

    Starting One Saturday, the boy 6 early and worked hard until evening, just like 7 farmer. Time passed quickly. Tom's crops(庄稼) grew well. 8 the last day of the year, the father called his son to him. "I'm happy to see that you have worked very hard the whole year, "said the father." Now, tell me 9 you want."

    The boy smiled and showed his father a big piece of bread made from his wheat(小麦). Then he said, "I've already got the best present: No pains, no gains(不劳无获). I think this is what you wanted me to know. "His father was 10 to hear that. Then he smiled, too.

    Harry is eighteen years old now. He studies in a middle school. His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they tell him to study hard and they do all for him. They call him at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy anything in the shops.

    Once Harry's father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up earlier and did all that her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn't do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. Even he didn't know where to get on the bus! Yesterday Harry's mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a new pair in the shop. But he didn't know how to choose. The woman had a size and gave him a shoe pattern and told him to buy a pair of shoes himself. It was Saturday that day and Harry didn't go to school. With a policeman's help, he found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked," What's the matter, young man?"

    "I'm sorry. I've left the shoe pattern at home!"

    It started as a game. Wendy and Peter were in River Park. They watched the boats in the river and visited the zoo. They played on the slides and swings. They watched the merry-go-round, but they did not have money for a ride. They ate their sandwiches at a picnic table. Suddenly Wendy jumped up.

    "I know what to do." she said. "Look at all that junk under the tables. Let's pick it up."

    So they picked up paper and empty boxes and cans. They put them in the green cans marked "Litter". Peter's dog Stoopy picked up some paper and ran away with it. Peter called him back and took it from him. Then they taught Stoopy to carry trash for them. They put it in the cans. They worked until there was no trash left on the picnic grounds.

    The next day their friends Mario and Andy came to the park with them. They helped to tidy the picnic grounds again. Then they ran all over the park looking for litter. They tried to see who could find the most. After that, it was a game they played every time they came to the park.

    One day, a man came with a camera. He watched what they were doing. He asked to take a picture for them. Then he took them all for a free ride on the merry-go-round, even Stoopy. The next day their picture was in the newspaper. It said, "Five Litter Lifters at River Park". After that all their friends wanted to be litter lifters. It was the beginning of a club that was a model for others to follow.

My Spare Time

    I am a middle school student. Though I'm busy with my lessons, my spare time is still colorful.