I can’t stop thinking about watermelons. Giant juicy wonderful watermelons. I’ve saved my money to buy my own, one all forme. Mom says I can’t eat a whole chocolate cake by myself because it’s bad for me and I’ll get sick. But a watermelon? It’s fruit. It’s good for me. I’m gonna eat it all up, except for the seeds.

At the store I look for the biggest, the juiciest, the most wonderful one I can find. And there it is, right behind some   cantaloupes. Er . . . oomph. I pickup my watermelon and put it on the floor. I roll it down the aisle. I roll my treasure to     the checkout line. The grocery clerk lifts my watermelon for the cashier to weigh. Fifteen pounds! After I pay, the clerk     sets it back on the floor forme. I roll it out the door, then along the sidewalk, three blocks to my house. Sweat drips from my forehead onto the watermelon. I roll it into the kitchen.

“Lucy! What are you doing with that watermelon?” Mom asks.

“I saved up my money and bought it at the grocery store. I’m going to eat it all by myself.” Mom frowns.     “You’ll get sick,” she warns. “No, I won’t. It’s fruit. It’s good for me,” I tell her. “Please?” Ibeg. “I’ve been saving for it.” Mom thinks about it, then smiles as if she knows something. “OK, but only if you eat it outside,” she says. I roll my giant, juicy, wonderful watermelon out the back door to our picnic table. Mom brings out a Knife and some paper plates. My sister follows her.

“Ooh, watermelon,” she says. “I want some.” “Sorry,” I tell her. “I’m gonna eat it all by myself.”

“Mom!” she whines. “Your sister saved her money and bought it herself. She decides what to do with it.”

My brother comes out next. “Oh, yum, watermelon,” he says. “Can I have some?”

“Noway,” I tell him. “I’m gonna eat it all by myself.” “Mom!” my brother howls.

“It’s your sister’s watermelon. She decides.”

“You can’t eat that all by yourself,” he challenges. “Yes, I can!” I replied.

Mom cuts the watermelon into four pieces, then cuts each of those in half. Eight pieces total. I reach for my first piece   and take a bite. Red juice runs down my chin. My father comes out. “Oh, watermelon!” he says, seeing it. “Don’t even ask,” says my brother. “She won’t share,” my sister adds.

Para.1: The four of them stand together around the picnic table, watching me.

Para.2: I suddenly feel greedy. I’m the only one having fun.

A boy called Jimmy always arrived home hungry every day and his parents couldn’t figure out why. When Jimmy wouldn’t share what was going on, his parents decided to visit the principal (校长), hoping he could offer the answer.

After talking with Jimmy’s classmates, the principal and his parents heard a story. Although Jimmy never talked about it, his classmates told them that he always came to school without food. The principal and his parents were shocked. No wonder Jimmy was always so hungry after school! Was there something happening on the way to school?

To make the situation clear, the principal naked Jimmy’s teacher, Mr. Green, to talk to Jimmy in private. During the conversation with the teacher. Jimmy refused to say anything about the situation, leaving everyone helpless. This left the principal with no evidence to take any action regarding the missing lunch of Jimmy.

Jimmy’s parents were becoming increasingly concerned as their child continued to come home from school without saying a word. Despite their meeting in the school, they thought that they had no other ways to discover the reason why Jimmy was always so hungry. The lack of communication with their child only added to their helplessness. They knew they needed to take action, but they had no idea where to start.

Determined to get to the bottom of the problem. Jimmy’s father derided to take action again. The next day. Jimmy’s father went to school and asked to speak with Jimmy’s teacher, Mr. Green.

When Jimmy’s father reached the school, Mr. Green spoke with him and patiently answered all of his questions. However, despite a deep conversation between them, no conclusion could be reached, which still questioned Jimmy’s parents.

One day, by accident, Jimmy’s father found a thank-you letter from Jimmy’s room.

Jimmy’s parents were touched by his act of kindness.

My Dad’s Best Flower

I remember my first home was a small apartment on the second floor with a lovely and spacious balcony (阳台). When my mom was busy in the kitchen, she let me stay on the balcony watching the kids playing in the street. On that balcony I played sometimes with my elder sister, Maria. She was seven years old and when my mon was absent she was like a mother to me. The balcony was a great hobby place for my father. After his work he used to grow carnations (康乃馨) in the flower boxes. His carnations were red, pink and white, and everyone appreciated them for their beauty.

He took care of them with so much love and devotion. He dealt carefully with his flowers like a mother taking care of her baby. Many times I sat on the floor of the balcony for hours observing him and his lovely flowers with patience. He was always doing something on that balcony. He was watering them every day, cleaning the balcony floor, changing the potting soil and when the stems (茎) were thick, strong and high enough, he started his improvement operation like a doctor.

My dad took a tiny knife and with his left hand he held the stem of the carnation and measured the height. Then he made a small mark on the stem with his finger. Afterwards he made a sharp cut with the knife, just enough to fit in a grain of barley (插穗的芽). Then he bandaged the stem with a small bandage. His job was then to water the plants and to take care of them. “No one should touch them” , he said to mom. Every day, when he came home from work he went straight to the balcony.

Mom used to tell us: “Do not touch daddy’s flowers. ” For us it was a fascinating experience to watch how the small stems were growing and making flowers. When the carnations had grown big enough, my dad enjoyed watching them every day. We the kids did too.

One day, my elder sister, who loved dad very much, had a great idea.

When my dad arrived, he went as usual，straight to the balcony and saw his flowers lying on the floor like dead animals.