It was Hoppy’s first day at his new school. He didn’t know anyone yet, but he had seen some cool kids at the beach during the summer.

Billy, one of the cool kids, sat down next to Hoppy at break and started to have a talk. They discovered they shared the same interest, surfing, but Hobby went to the beach with his dad, instead of hanging out there with friends, which was laughed at by Billy. He invited Hoppy to the beach with his friends. Hoppy nodded, happy to have a new friend.

After school Hoppy met Billy and his three friends at the school gate, one of whom tried to punch Hoppy’s stomach as a way of “greetings”. While walking on the street, they met a boy, having trouble with his bike. Billy and his friends started to tease the boy. The boy looked up uneasily about this interest in him and his flat-tyre.

Billy nudged the boy so that he fell on the kerb (侧石) and broke his glasses. Billy and his friends ran off down the street, laughing. However, Hoppy just stood there.

The boy, Gerald, sat on the kerb, crying now. He looked up at Hoppy and begged him not to hit him. Hoppy smiled and said, “I’ve never beaten anyone up. Only bullies (霸凌) and cowards do that. Really strong people keep their fists in their pockets. That’s what my dad says.” Gerald seemed relieved. They walked to Gerald’s house, talking about going to the beach together. Their friendship grew.

One Sunday, Hoppy went to the beach with his father. Billy and his friends were there. Billy called out to Hoppy, complaining about helping Gerald. He spoke in an unpleasant tone, saying his dad was his babysitter. Hoppy smiled and ignored him.

Gerald arrived to see Hoppy. When he saw the boys, his heart sank. Billy and his gang surrounded him. “Hoppy’s tricked me,” thought Gerald, and he started to walk away. Billy ran after Gerald and tripped him. Gerald fell onto the sand, but picked himself up and asked them to leave him alone. However, Billy didn’t stop and tripped Gerald again.

This time Gerald managed a brave smile as he got up and faced the boys.

Hoppy and his dad came up beside Gerald, but Gerald said to them, “Why don’t you go with your friends?”

When I was 9 years old, I used to cut grass for Mrs. Long. The elderly lady paid me very little, for she hadn't much money. But she did promise me.When Christmas comes, I shall have a present for you.‖ I spent much time wondering what it would be. The boys I played with had baseball gloves and bicycles and ice skates, and I was so eager to acquire any one of these that I convinced myself that Mrs. Long intended choosing from among them.

It would hardly be a baseball glove, I reasoned with myself. A woman like Mrs. Long wouldn't know much about baseball. Since she was old and weak, I also ruled out the bicycle, for how could she handle such a large item.

On my last Saturday at work, Mrs. Long said, '' At Christmas you come to the door and collect the present. '' These words clinched(确定)my guess. Since she was going to have the present in her house and handle it herself, unquestionably she was giving me a pair of ice skates.

I became so convinced of this that I could imagine myself upon the skates and the excitement they brought me. As the cold days of November arrived and ice began to form on the ponds, I began to try my luck on the ice. ''Get away from that ice! '' a man shouted.

As Christmas approached it was with difficulty that I restrained (抑制) myself from reporting to Mrs. Long and demanding my present. On the 21st of December, icy weather froze all the ponds so that boys who already had ice skates were able to use them. My longing to possess mine became overpowering.

So the next day I could control myself no longer and presented myself at Mrs. Long's door. ''I've been waiting for you, '' she said with a smile.

Paragraph 1: She set me in a chair and handed a package to me.   

Paragraph 2: On Christmas morning, I could not wait to open the package.     

A few years ago, my mom went to the doctor to ask him about her neck, which had been a little bigger than usual． It turned out there was something t wrong with her lymph glands (淋巴结), and soon they scheduled Mom to have a biopsy (组织切片检查) on the seventh of September．

As soon as I found out, I was very angry, as September 7 is my birthday．They had promised to take me to see a spider- man movie and had a picnic in the yard．I shouted at her and everyone else, too． I even shouted at the dog． I started begging her to reschedule the biopsy, She gave me this look like she was about to cry and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ve done everything I can. I’ve got a disease. Could you forgive me?” Finally, I just yelled, “ I hate you!” and ran into my room, crying． I sat on my bed thinking —Why do things always have to happen to me? Everyone gets diseases． Why couldn’t mom just go to hospital another day?

For the next couple of weeks 1 remained silently angry． Deep down I knew 1 shouldn't act that way, but I did anyway． Anyone could see how sad I was making my mom． I knew it wasn't her fault, but I had to have someone to blame．

Finally, my birthday came． My parents left early in the morning for the hospital, and I was sent to our neighbor's house． No spider-man movie, no birthday present, and no picnic． Though I was taken good care of, I was not having a good time． “This isn't fair,” I thought． “This was supposed to be my day．”

My parents came home late that night． Mom walked in with a bandage on her neck． She sat down and rested her head on my dad's shoulder． It hurt so badly that it was difficult for her to talk．

Later that night, Mom asked me to get into her room and she pulled out a box.

A week later when Mom got the test result, she bugged me tightly and said, “Thank God, it was not cancer(癌 症)!”