It was near Christmas during my first semester teaching a new school. I love my small special class more than any group I had taught in the past. They were hungry for knowledge and I was enjoying teaching.

     Other teachers had told me that our children were from poor families and not to expect any child to bring a Christmas gift. In fact, I wasn’t expecting any gifts.

     Imagine my surprise when every child brought me a gift on the day before our holiday break. First, I got a much-loved stuffed monkey from a shy girl. I was told, “He is my favorite, but I love you and I want him to be with you, Miss Taylor” How thrilled I was!

     Next came a new set of Christmas tree lights that was “missing” from a mother's cupboard.

     Finally, I came to one little boy’s gift which I had never received. It was an old, dirty and broken Christmas story book. Just then I wanted to express my happiness, I was interrupted(打断)by the giver, “And see, it is new! It still has the price tag.”        "

     When other children laughed at him, I stopped them and said, “Oh, books are good in that way. The story is always new if you have not read it before. Now, Let’s share one together.” Everyone listened quietly as I read the most wonderful Christmas story of my life.

I still keep those Christmas gifts, They always remind me of my lovely kids.

1.Why did the teacher like her small special class?

2. When did the children bring their teacher gifts?

3.Who sent a stuffed monkey to the teacher?

4.Was the Christmas story, book new?

5.How did the teacher feel when she got the presents?

Betty and I are best friends. Our birthdays are on the same day, so every year we have a birthday party together. But this year, we had a costume party instead.

While we were writing the invitations, my mum came in and asked, “Why not invite John?” John had been in our class for only a few months, but he was already getting better grades in math than anyone else in class. I wrinkled(皱起) my nose, “Mum, he wears the same pants to school every day. How could he even afford a costume?” Mum said nothing. The next day, mum gave me an envelope with a shopping certificate(凭证) in it. “I thought it would be nice for you to give this to John.” Mum said. But how? We didn’t want to make John embarrassed. We discussed it for a long time. Finally, Betty and I had a good idea.

On the day of our party, kids arrived, dressed differently. John arrived, in an old sheet(床单), but still in the same brown pants as usual. We danced, ate snacks and played games in groups. Before eating the birthday cake, Betty said in a loud voice, “Now it’s time for the great prize game. It’s the following riddle…” It was a math game. None of us was surprised when John came up with the right answer first and walked off with the envelope.

Everything went on well as we planned. John wore a new pair of pants and a new shirt the next week. He felt happy. So did we.

When we help others, we need to find a proper way, or we may hurt them in another way.

1.The two girls and John were in the same _________.

A. group   B. family    C. team     D. class

2. John’s family may be very _________ according to the passage.

A. far         B. poor      C. rich       D. small

3.How did John get the prize during the party?

A. By helping others

B. By asking for help.

C. By getting good grades in study

D. By winning the math game.

4.John _________ with the shopping certificate after the party.

A. watched a basketball match

B. saw a movie

C. bought something to wear

D. made a phone call

5.Which of the following sentences is TRUE according to the passage?

A. John wasn’t good at math.

B. The two girls helped John in a proper way.

C. The two girls felt angry when John won the great prize.

D. John wore a new pair of pants and a new shirt to the party.

用所给动词的适当形式填空

1.Tony like other students ______ (work) hard to go to the key high school.

2.I wonder if it _______ (rain) tomorrow. I think if it ______ (rain), we will stay at home instead.

3.My shoes has been worn out, so they need_______ (repair).

4.Tom told us that he _______ (teach) the kids to play football for several years.

5.--- How did you do with the _______ (lose) book?

--- I paid for it last week.

6.Not only you but also Jim ______ (invite) to the party last time.

How was your Children’s Day? What kind of gifts did you get?
Eight third graders in some poor places in Hebei Province got new schoolbags as Children’s Day gifts. They were very happy. There were pencils, pens, exercise books and many other school supplies in the schoolbags.
These schoolbags are from students in Beijing Zhongguancun Fourth Primary School. They are in Class 5, Grade 3. They raised money by themselves. They printed out their writings. Their head teacher Mrs Hou helped them to make books. They sold the books at their school to make 800 yuan.
Chen Hongsheng, 9 years old, is one of the students. “We use 800 yuan to buy eight schoolbags at the post office. The post office workers give us a list of the kids. These kids live in poor places. We can choose eight kids by ourselves and post these schoolbags to them,” she said very proudly. “These schoolbags are gifts of our class. This summer vacation, I’ll send out a schoolbag by myself. I hope the kid with my schoolbag can go to school happily like us in the new term.”
【小题1】How many kids got new schoolbags in Hebei Province?