A The best Christmas gift I have ever got

It was Christmas in 1961. I was teaching twenty-seven third graders in a small town. In my class, there was a quiet girl named Maria. She never smiled.

The day of gift-giving finally came. We exchanged our Christmas gifts. Through it all, Maria sat quietly watching. I had made a special bag for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened the bag so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away. I did not break the wall of isolation(隔离) she had built around herself.

After school the children left in little groups, talking about the great day. She watched them go out of the door, and then she came to me with a small white box. It seemed that it had been held many times by unwashed hands.

She said nothing. “For me?” I asked with a weak smile. She still said nothing, but nodded. I took the box and opened it. There inside, a green marble hung from a golden chain. Then I looked into her black brown eyes. In a flash I knew — she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again.

I took up the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and put it on for me. I looked down at the chain, and then back at the giver. I hugged her in my arms, saying, “Oh, Maria, it is so beautiful! I love it and I think your mother would have loved it, too.” We both cried. And for that short moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.

Paula

B The best gift I ever received

The best gift I ever received is my parents. I could not have picked out better parents myself.

My mom is smart, funny, and very artistic（有艺术气质的）. She loves painting and encouraging other people to paint as well. She owns her own book and art store. And at night she teaches adult education. She helps kids that have dropped out of high school get their diploma（文凭）. She always has time for me and my brothers. She hardly ever gets mad at us and loves doing new things with us, like going to a new museum or going to the beach in the middle of winter and taking pictures of the beach in the snow.

My dad knows how to fix anything and loves to play musical instruments. He helps me with my science and other school projects. He works hard to make money for our family and hardly ever complains.

So I have to say that the gift I’m most grateful for is the one God gave me, my parents. ——Lucy , 12

C The best gift that I received

I started my kindergarten year when I was still very young, 2 years and 9 months. I still remember my teachers taught us children’s songs. Once, the kindergarten gave us a children show with puppets at the anniversary of the founding of the kindergarten(幼儿园成立周年庆). From that day on, I always had a special feeling about the puppets. On my fifth birthday, my father gave me a lovely glove puppet. She is made of cloth. The puppet wears red clothes, that make it look like full of energy. She has a small mouth, a small nose, two small eyes, and two lovely ears. She is a cute girl, so I name her ‘Cutie’. She has accompanied（陪伴） me for almost six years. So, Cutie is just like my little sister.

When I want to say something to Cutie, I put my little hand inside Cutie. And I can put my little finger in her hands and make her move and talk to me. When I have some secrets, I just talk to Cutie and she always makes me feel like an old friend who understands me. And when I have some good news, I always share the happiness with her. Or when I feel unhappy, It's a comfort to tell her my trouble.

Wherever I go, I often take Cutie with me. this is my favorite gift, a common puppet, but it almost means the whole world to me!

------Cathy 11