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1. I must have always known reading was very important because the first memories I have as a child deal with books. There was not one night that I don't remember mom reading me a storybook by my bedside. I was extremely inspired by the elegant way the words sounded. I always wanted to know what my mom was reading. Hearing mom say , "I can't believe what's printed in the newspaper this morning," made me want to grab it out of her hands and read it myself. I wanted to be like my mom and know all of the things she knew. So I carried around a book, and each night, just to be like her, I would pretend to be reading. This is how everyone learned to read. We would start off with sentences , then paragraphs, and then stories. It seemed an unending journey, but even as a six-year-old girl I realized that knowing how to read could open many doors. When mom said, "The C-A-N-D-Y is hidden on the top shelf," I knew where the candy was. My progress in reading raised my curiosity, and I wanted to know everything. I often found myself telling my mom to drive more slowly, so that I could read all of the road signs we passed. Most of my reading through primary, middle and high school was factual reading. I read for knowledge, and to make A's on my tests. Occasionally, I would read a novel that was assigned, but I didn't enjoy this type of reading. I liked facts, things that are concrete. I thought anything abstract left too much room for argument. Yet, now that I'm growing and the world I once knew as being so simple is becoming more complex, I find myself needing a way to escape. By opening a novel, I can leave behind my burdens and enter into a wonderful and mysterious world where I am now a new character. In these worlds I can become anyone. I don't have to write down what happened or what technique the author was using when he or she wrote this. I just read to relax. We're taught to read because it's necessary for much of human understanding. Reading is a vital part of my life. Reading satisfies my desire to keep learning. And I've found that the possibilities that lie with in books are limitless.
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2. History Fait Competition Understanding history is vital to understanding ourselves as a people and as a nation. History is much more than the study of dusty old objects and events long past. It is an essential part of who we are today and who we will become. Thornton Middle School History Fail Competition makes understanding history exciting, engaging, and fun! This Year's Theme All participants must address how communication or transportation technology has promoted the quality of life for Americans throughout history. To many people, technology means computers, hand-held devices, or vehicles that travel to distant planets. However, technology is also the application of scientific knowledge to solve a problem, touching lives in countless ways. Individuals or groups may enter one of the following categories: Performance Documentary(记实作品) Essay Writing Category Requirements Performance: A dramatic presentation of the topic no more than 10 minutes long. If special clothes are used, they should truly represent a given period. Documentary: A visual presentation ( such as a video, slide show, or computer project ) no more than 10 minutes long. A desktop computer, screen, projector, and loudspeakers will be available. Students must provide their presentations on CDs before Friday, March 23. Essay Writing: An academic paper of 2,000 to 2,500 words. No illustrations(图解)are allowed. Please do not include covers. A list of references must be included. Important Dates January 5 submit a topic proposal to your history teacher. The teacher may require a second proposal if the first is off-topic or unclear. February 5 Submit a first draft of your essay, performance script(剧本), or documentary highlights. February 19 A committee of teachers will evaluate materials and give opinions. Students then have an opportunity to improve their products. March 9 Submit a final draft of your essay. March 15 Performance and documentary committee preview March 24 Thornton Middle School History Fait Competition7:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Participants signing in at the gym 10:00.A.M. - 6:00 P.M. Competition adn judge's review 7:00 P.M. Awards ceremony and picnic
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3. I was ready to pay for my bananas at the grocery one night, when fear seized me. My wallet was gone. I could only have left it on the G9 bus,which was now speeding in the dark to some _ station. The _ moment was quickly followed by mental math. How much time and money would it cost to replace the _ of that little wallet? The credit cards, the driver's license, the cash, all lost to the bus. Two hours later, back at my house, I heard a knock on the door. My husband _ it while I was on the phone in the dining room. "Does jennifer live here?" I heard a lady say. In my husband's hand was my wallet, with not a penny _ . She left before I could _ make it to the door to offer my thanks. After sharing the story online, I heard from someone, who _ the lady as Erin Smith. Without _ , I called to thank her. She said she _ my wallet on a bus seat. She _ that going to a stranger's house was a _ move, but she decided to take the chance. "If I were in that _ , I would want someone to try to find me", she said. This one stranger responded beautifully to my small _, but she actually wasn't the only one. Right after Erin _ my wallet on the bus, she posted a picture of my driver's license to an online forum(论坛), trying to see _ anyone knew me. No sooner did she leave my doorstep than I had emails from two women whose kids go to my son's nursery and who recognized my face. I've never _ words with those moms beyond small talk, but they wanted to help. I read that people are more divided than ever, but that's not how the people I _ tend to act. _, I feel blessed someone had wanted to help a stranger. Erin had gone _ what almost anyone would have done, finding my house on a bitterly cold night, and for that I was extremely _.
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4. If we __ the flight yesterday, we would be enjoying our holiday on the beach now.
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5. It was only when the car pulled up in front of our house __ we saw Lily in the passenger seat.
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6. My washing machine __ this week, so I have to wash my clothes by hand.
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7. I didn't mean __ anything but the ice cream looked so good that I couldn't help __ it.
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8. Bob thought he couldn't go to the party because he had to write a report, but he went __.
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9. I can't find my purse. I __ it in the supermarket yesterday, but I'm not sure.
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10. The gold medal will be awarded to __ wins the first place in the bicycle race.