Tulips(郁金香) are the national flower of Iran and Turkey. The European name for the flower is a misuse of the Persian word for turban(头巾), a mistake probably arising in the common Turkish custom of wearing flowers in the folds of the turban. Alternatively, the misuse may have arisen because this eastern flower, when not yet in full bloom, looks like a turban. In Persia, to give a red tulip was to declare your love for someone. The black center of the red tulip was said to represent the lover's heart, burned to a coal by love's passion.

    Originally growing in the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey), tulips were imported into Holland in the sixteenth century. When Carolus Clusius wrote the first major book on tulips in 1592, they became so popular that the tulips in his garden were stolen from time to time. As the Dutch Golden Age grew, so did this colorful flower. They were commonly seen in paintings and at festivals. In the mid-seventeenth century, tulips even created the first economics bubble（泡沫经济）, known as “Tulip Mania”. At that time, tulips were so expensive that they were used as money until the market for them crashed.

    Today, Holland is still known for its tulips and other flowers, often sincerely called “the flower shop of the world.” Tulips are planted in great fields of beautiful color, and transform the landscape into a sea of different colors. Tulip festivals are held throughout the country in spring. However, the most well-known tulip festival is organized in the Noordoostpolder, a province in the central Netherlands, each year. Held in the middle of the tulip fields, this flower festival runs from late April to early May. The Dutch people took their love of tulips abroad when they settled, and tulips and tulip festivals are now found in New York and Michigan, where the connection to their Dutch roots is still very strong.

    Last Sunday, I sat with Tony, my college classmate, in a well-known coffee shop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As we1our coffee, two men entered and sat on an empty table beside us.

    They2the waiter and ordered three cups of 3, two on the table and one on the wall. We heard this order with great4and observed that they were served with two cups of coffee 5they paid for three. As soon as they6, the waiter pasted (粘贴) a piece of paper on the wall saying A Cup of Coffee.

    It 7that the matter was normal at this place. However, it was something8for Tony and me. Since we had nothing to do with the matter, we 9our coffee, paid the bill and left.

    After a few days, we again had a10to go to this coffee shop. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not  11the standard nor the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty was12from the looks on his face. As he13himself, he looked at the14and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.” The waiter served coffee to this man with15, politeness and warmth.

    After a few minutes, the man finished his coffee and left16paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter 17a piece of paper from the wall and18it in the dustbin.

    Now it was no 19for us because the matter was very clear. Although the man didn't know about the one who was giving this cup of coffee to him, he would have a better understanding of the wall which had a great role between the 20and receiver.

    As we know, it is important to be honest with children. But there are some things in this world that simply aren't 1 . Sometimes it makes sense for parents to2to their children.

    I still remember my three-year-old daughter's face when we watched the 3that twenty children at Sandy Hook Elementary School had been killed. After a few minutes she 4and put her5arms around my legs and said, “I love you, Momma.” I was still 6whether or not to turn the TV off when she, 7, asked, “Momma, why aren't those kids OK?” I just 8that they were smart children,9 they did something wrong and got punished.

    We're not all 10of a little lie here and there. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Snow White are just a few examples of 11for parents to keep magic in the world. Magic, imagination and creativity are very essential in life, 12 for children. These stories battle against the negative aspects of the world and create 13. In the end children will be able to 14what is true and what was made to 15their lives. Out of five brothers and a sister I can happily report that not one of the children I grew up with was16when we discovered who all those17people really were.

    In life, a parent is the 18of knowledge, and it is up to the parent to decide what knowledge to teach and when. There's no 19to tell children all about the truth. As they become20, they will have a better understanding of the world.

Unchangeable Love

    One day I visited an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was expecting a quiet1 of the splendid artwork.

    A young2 viewing the paintings ahead of me3 nonstop between themselves. I watched them a moment and decided the lady was doing all the talking. I admired the man's4for putting up with her5 stream of words. 6 by their noise, I moved on.

    I met them several times as I moved7 the various rooms of art. Each time I heard her continuous flow of words, I moved away8.

    I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a9 when the couple approached the10. Before they left, the man11into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He12 it into a long stick and then tapped his way into the13 to get his wife's jacket.

    “He's a14 man.” the clerk at the counter said. “Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age. During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn't change. So, as before, he and his wife come in15 there is a new art show.”

    “But what does he get out of the art?” I asked. “He can't see.”

    “Can't see! You're 16. He sees a lot. More than you and I do,” the clerk said. “His wife17 each painting so he can see it in his head.”

    I learned something about patience, 18 and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without 19 and the courage of a husband who would not20 blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, hand in hand.

I was wandering aimlessly in the street, thinking about nothing .

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧）。并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1）.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2）.只允许修改 10处，多者（从第11处起）不记分。

    It is real a good chance to have all of you here. We have spent several precious weekend in learning in the English Club. Because we have been members for a short period of time, we have made a great progress. That is because we are all very much active and the activities are not only enjoyable and also helpful. Besides, the foreign teachers here work hard and try his best to make the activities lively and interesting. I was very pleased to say that all of us greatly improved our spoken English so far. I am looking forward to see all of you again in the near future.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。

修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：

1）. 每处错误及其修改均限一词；

2）. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

    I still remember what happened to my deskmate and me in Grade One. She did well in math tests, which I often laughed at. At last it aroused her anger but she decided to turn her back on me. As the result, I was refused when I needed her help. My friends began to play fun of me about it. Feeling ashamed, I asked her for forgiveness for what I had done wrongly and promised not to do. She agreed to make friends with me again. And from then on I get along well with my friends, keeping the lesson in mind.

    With an old saying goes, ＂Do to others as you would have them to do to you.＂ My experience tells me that only when we respect others can we gain other's respect.

    Why is setting goals important? Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen. Successful people imagine how their life should be and set lots of goals.

    By setting goals you are taking control of your life. It's like having a map to show you where you want to go. Think of it this way. There are two drivers. One has a destination in mind which can be found on a map. She can drive straight there surely without any wasted time of wrong turns. She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver, but she drives aimlessly around, never getting anywhere, just using up gas. Which driver do you want to be?

    Winners in life set goals and follow them through. They decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals. Goals aren't difficult to set and they aren't difficult to reach.

    You are the one who must decide what to achieve and in what direction to aim your life.

    Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it. Like a contract(合同) with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget. Also when you write your goals in a particular way, you are able to make yourself continuously aware of situations that will bring you nearer to your goal.

    Learning English is challenging because of the various rules and exceptions to the rules. The best way to learn English is to hear it spoken and repeat the words as you hear them. You will learn how to make English a daily part of your life in order to learn to speak it quickly.

    Ask a friend to help you write letters of English alphabet on index cards. You should write a letter on each card. Practise the letters by mixing up the cards and saying the letters. You can ask your friend to help you pronounce the letters and quiz you on your knowledge.

    Make your own videos in English. If you have a video camera, you can tape yourself speaking English and practice along with your own video. Watch your videos daily, and repeat what is being said.

    Get a private tutor. A professional English instructor can give you one-on-one instruction that will help you understand the rules of English. Your instructor can teach you how to write and speak English.   You can also inquire at your local community college.

    Watch movies with English subtitles. When watching a movie in your native language, use the English subtitles so you will understand the connection between your language and English.

    You will make mistakes, and that is OK. You need to practice English as much as possible in order to quickly learn to speak the language fluently.