Shweta Shetye

Television time After school time, I look forward to reaching home. My mum cooks my favorite food, I eat that, finish my homework, and then get ready for some television time. We have a big television in our living room and I love to watch my favorite cartoons on it. Though I would love to watch the television more often than my mum allows me to, I know that watching too much of television can hurt my eyes. I love watching cartoons but also enjoy watching animal shows. My mum always tells me that we should try to learn good habits and manners from the TV shows that I watch. favorite - loved, manners - behavior towards others, learn - gain knowledge The Handy Box On my fifth birthday, my aunt gifted me the most wonderful gift ever. It was my favorite handy box. A handy box is a small box where you store things that you use the most during the day. The one I was gifted was pink in color and had beautiful birds and animals painted over it. I use it everyday to store my pencils, crayons, erasers, some money, and a picture of my favorite animal. I carry it everyday to school and after that keep it safely on my study table. Someday I wish to own a big box, paint it with my favorite characters, and gift it to my favorite teacher. gift - present, safely - to keep protected from others, own - acquire or make yours The Tall Tree We live in a society, which is surrounded by many trees. Among all these trees, the one that all of us friends play near is the Tall tree. We call it the Tall tree because it is the tallest tree in the entire society. When it is really hot and windy, we love to watch it sway from one side to another. I love to tilt my head back and watch the tree touch the sky. I always tell my mum to give me lots of milk to drink because someday I want to grow as tall as the Tall tree and touch the sky too. surrounded - be around, sway - move side to side, tilt - move My Pet My morning always begins as soon as I hear my dear kitten, Molly, meow at my sight. She is always up and ready to welcome me whenever I wake up and open my eyes. I love Molly a lot and take care of her just like my mum takes care of me. Molly and I always have breakfast together. We love the smell of egg and toast around the kitchen and finish it as soon as it lands on our plate. We also play a lot of ball in the evening when it is playtime. Finally, when it is night, Molly jumps into my bed and we cuddle a lot. begins - starts, sight - to see, welcome - to greet someone Polite Expressions My mum and I enjoy going to the market and shopping for vegetables. I always go to the market to look around at vegetables and fruits. Since it was a Sunday, there were lots of people and the market was crowded. While walking around, I bumped into a little girl. As soon as we bumped, I quickly said sorry to her and politely asked if she needed any help. Seeing this, my mum rushed to me and proudly patted my back. She said that it was very important to be polite to everyone and show good manners through your actions. enjoy - take pleasure, crowded - full of people, bumped - run into something or someone The Backyard We live in a house that has a big backyard with lots of trees and flowers. Me and my friends always play there during playtime. My dad and I had built a small tree house on the tallest tree in our backyard. All of us friends always climb up the tree and play lots of games in it. We also have a tire swing that we take turns to swing on. Sometimes, when it is dark, me, mum, and dad just lie down on the grass and stare at the sky. We love counting stars and connecting dots to create pictures in the sky. built - to make, climb - to go up, stare - look or gaze A Windy Day I always hop on my dad's scooter to reach school. It is the best ride ever because I can feel the wind on my face. But, today was a very windy day. As we were riding on the scooter, I had to hold on to my hat so that it would not fly away. The trees along the road were also swaying up and down because of the winds. Little children on the road held their parent's hands tightly due to the winds. I could also see dust flying around the place and had to shut my eyes close to avoid the dust. hop - to jump onto, tightly- hold very securely, avoid - keep away Playtime After I finish my homework for the day, mum lets me go and enjoy my playtime with friends. We all go to the nearby park or playground to play a lot of games. Playtime is always fun because we get to play all we want. We play many games like hide and seek, hopscotch, and more. I enjoy running on the grass, playing around the trees, and finally having ice cream after we are tired. Sometimes, we visit each others house and play games like chess, carom, cards, and more. I always wish that playtime never ends. nearby - closer to, tired - in need of rest, finish - complete The Running River Whenever it is summer time, we always visit my grandmother. She stays in a small wooden house, which is just next to a river. Me and mum always make paper boats and lay them in the river. I love to see the small waves move the paper boat ahead. I also like to throw tiny pebbles in the river and see how far it reaches. When it is dark, dad and I take a small trip on the river. I love to look at the sky and count the stars. The river water is also very clean and dad always tells me that we should keep it that way. visit - to meet, ahead - forward, clean - without dirt The Library It was Thursday and it was library day. My class teacher had asked parents to take children to the library every Thursday. We always visit our local library that stores many books. I love to read comic books with my mum. She reads story books to me as well. My favorite book is Aesop Fables that has the story along with pictures. The library has 3 floors and each floor has books of different sizes and shapes. Someday, I wish to read all the books in the library. I also take some books home with me to read at night. My dad reads bedtime stories to me before I go to sleep. stores - keeps, wish - hope for something, take - carrry Braille Dad and I were riding on the scooter to reach school. It was first day of school and we had a new student joining our class. Her name was Cheryl and our teacher told us she was blind. I raised my hand and asked our teacher that how would she read our books if she cannot see. This is when my teacher showed all of us a book in Braille. Braille is a language that blind people use to read books. They move their fingers over the pages to understand what is written. Cheryl showed us how alphabets are written in Braille. riding - going, blind - unable to see, raised - to move up A Sail Boat When we were on vacation near the beach, I got a chance to sail on a sail boat. It was a very sunny morning and all of us were ready for the journey. The sailor showed us different parts of the boat and how he turns the wheel to move the boat around. He started the boat and we could feel the wind on our faces. As the sailor turned the wheel, the sail on the boat moved side to side. It was fun to see the waves that were hit by the boat and also to see tiny fishes in the sea. It was a fun experience to sail on a sail boat. chance - opportunity, experience - memorable event, turns - move Learning to Cycle My dad bought me a brand new cycle for my 4th birthday. I always wanted to ride my cycle around the trees and in the playground. My friends already knew how to ride a cycle, but I was yet to learn. My dad started by teaching me how to pedal and move the handle in different directions. To learn the cycle, dad held my seat and controlled the handle while I pedaled. I practiced day and night, and finally one day I could ride the cycle without my dad's help. It was a great fun to cycle around with my friends. brand new - untouched by anyone, different - multiple, practiced - to learn again and again A Trek My grandfather loves taking me and my sister for treks during summer time. I love to look at mountains with tall trees and small roads that lead to the mountain. Trekking is a trip to places where we can only travel by foot. We love to collect keepsake stones and pebbles for my collection of stones. Sometimes, we go on a long trek and carry our camping bag with us. My father sets up a camp for us to spend the night in the woods. We also love to trek and look out for different birds. Trekking is lots of fun during the rainy season too. lead - take to, travel - make a journey, keepsake-memorable item An Igloo Stay As part of a family vacation, we went to visit an igloo. It was really cold and windy outside. We were wearing lots of woolen clothes to keep us warm. But, as soon as we entered the igloo, it was warmer. My mum says igloos are built of snow blocks, which protect the igloo from getting cool inside. Inside the igloo, there was a small carpet. It kept us warm because the snow was dripping. In the night, it was getting colder, so we lit a fire in the middle to keep us warm. It was a fun stay in the igloo that night. entered - to get into, carpet - floor covering of thick material, dripping - fall drop by drop The Rainbow I love going to school early in the morning during the rainy season. Sometimes, there is a rainbow formed in the sky, which I love to look at. The rainbow is made up of seven colors, which are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. Since I love the rainbow so much, I was gifted rainbow colored umbrella by my grandmother. I wish that I can slide from one end of the rainbow to another like a bridge someday. My mum says that the colors of the rainbow unite to create a beautiful rainbow. We all should always stay united to create a happy and peaceful world. formed - created, slide - move along, united - together A Happy Day It was a very happy day today. When I reached school, our English teacher had arranged for special trip to the library. I love visiting the library and jumped out of joy when I heard this. We hopped onto our school bus and reached the library. We were free to read any book we wanted. I rushed to the comics section. After the visit, we were taken to a local ice cream shop. I took a big scoop of the chocolate ice cream and enjoyed it. During the bus ride, I sat next to my best friend and shared my lunch box with her. arranged - put in order, jumped - move suddenly off the floor upwards, rushed - move quickly Morning to Night I know it is time to wake-up when I hear my mum call out my name. It is very early in the morning. I get up, take a bath, eat my breakfast, get dressed, and hop on my dad's scooter to reach school. We have lots of fun in our school till it is afternoon, and then hop on the school bus to reach home. At home, I eat my lunch and rush to my room for a quick nap. After my nap, it is homework time. My mum helps me with my homework. If I finish my homework well, I can go for playtime with my friends. We play lots of games during playtime and return home in the evening. After my dad is home, we finish our dinner and dad puts me to bed with a nice bedtime story. helps - to assist, return - come back, nice - good The Church Bell Sometimes when I start playing with my friends, I lose track of time. But, the only things that reminds me it is time to go home is the church bell. The church bell is really big and at the top of the church. Even when it is really windy, the church bell does not sway like the tall trees. When the afternoon bell rings, I know it is time to go home for lunch. The bell rings once again in the evening and that is the time I know I have to go home for prayer time, and later dinner time. I am thankful to god for the bell because it helps me in remembering time. reminds - helps to remember, big - huge, thankful - grateful Little Things Today we had our value education class, which means our teacher explained to us what are the important things in life. She said it is always the little things in life that are important. She asked us to give an example of a little thing you did for someone and were thanked for it. I told my teacher that everyday after I wake-up, I help my mum make breakfast for the whole family. I lay the table and place the breakfast on the table for everyone. My mum always says that this little help is very important to her and that she is thankful to me for it. explained - make it clear, important - of great value, whole - entire Deeds of kindness It was a really cold morning and my parents took us for a long drive to a nearby hill station. While on our way we could see long roads leading towards hills and mountains. The mountains were covered with lots of trees and bushes. On our way, we were hungry and stopped at a food court. When we were eating, I saw a little girl sitting under a table with a puppy next to her. She was shivering in the cold. I asked my mum if I could share my food with her and also give an old blanket from the car to her. My mum patted my back and said that it was very kind of me to help the little girl. long -measures of great distance, covered - to put on top of something, shivering -shake slightly Being Humble The elocution competition was close as it was the month of June. My teacher gave all of the topics for elocution. My mum and I worked hard to prepare me for the competition. On the day of the competition, I spoke really well and won first place. After collecting the trophy, I shared the chocolates that I received with all my friends. My mum was glad and told me that no matter how big you become, you should always remain simple and humble. We should not be proud and mean just because we are good at something. prepare - make, shared - have a portion with others, humble - feel no pride Music for Joy The music class is the best time during school hours. I love to listen to all kinds of music. Our teacher says you should listen to music and enjoy it. I love listening to fun rhymes and songs. I also enjoy listening to hymns. At the end of each class, we all sing together and it is a lot of fun. My dad always makes me sing his favorite song. He says that I have a sweet voice. Singing and listening to music is my favorite pastime. During church, I am always part of the choir and everyone praises me after the session. listen - to hear, sweet - pleasant, pastime - activity done for enjoyment Dance your feet away I joined a dance class after my friends told me join. My mum and I reached the classroom and could already hear my favorite song being played. The teacher told all of us that you are free to dance the way you want to since it is the first day of class. I went closer to my friends and we danced a lot. I like to dance with my friends. When I dance, I feel like the music should not stop and I should keep dancing. We were told that we would learn more dance forms and it would be much more fun. I always excited to go to the dance class. free- not under control, learn - to acquire knowledge, excited - very eager The Magic Room Whenever Christmas is near, we always have a magic show in our school. I love seeing magic tricks and shows. My mum knows that I love magic and so gifted me a magic box. But, she said that the magic will only work if I go in the magic room. I have a small magic room made of cloth inside my bedroom. I call my friends during playtime inside my magic room and show them magic tricks. My friends love the card tricks and also the magic scarf trick. When I want to hide from my mom, I always hide in the magic room and she is never able to find me. near - close, inside - inner side, hide - out of sight A World Tour Once I told my dad that I dreamed that we went on a world tour. My dad and mum surprised me by taking all of us on a world tour for vacation. We visited many countries and cities. We also saw many national monuments in the countries. It was fun to see local people and to talk with them. I loved clicking pictures of my family near all the monuments. My favorite country was France and my favorite city was Paris. We went to see the Eiffel tower and the museum to see Mona Lisa. I enjoyed the plane rides and traveling in different trains, buses, and planes. My trip was full of adventure. dreamed - a dear ambition, surprised - unexpected event, local - from a particular area Keeping a secret I have a best friend and her name is Naomi. We are together since first grade. We always tell each other secrets. Secret is a thing that should not be shared with anyone. I know that if I tell Naomi a secret she will never tell it to anyone. Keeping a secret requires hard work. There are many times that my other friends force me to tell our secrets, but I never do that. It is important that you do not break your friends trust. Me and my mum too have many secrets between us. Secrets can be between friends as well as family. requires - needs, force - compulsion, trust -firm belief Health is Wealth One day I was quietly praying to god to make me sick because I had not completed my homework and wanted to skip school. My mum heard me and was very upset. She told me that never pray for ill health because health is wealth. She explained to me that if I fall sick, I will be missing out on lot of good things. I will not be able to enjoy my favorite playtime. I will not be able to dance, sing, go to church, or even for a walk. Health is very important and no amount of money can bring back good health we have lost. We should take care of our health and eat healthy food always. quietly - silently, skip - give it a miss, amount - quantity The Newspaper Everyday early morning, our newspaper man drops the newspaper at our front door. I always bring the newspaper to my dad when he is having his cup of tea. Dad reads the newspaper to me and my sister. He says it is very important to read the newspaper to increase our general knowledge. He reads all the important news around the world to us. He also reads out the sports news to us. But, my favorite part of the newspaper is the comic strip and the crossword puzzle. I cannot complete the puzzle myself and so my mum helps me out with it. drops - make something fall, increase - make of greater size, puzzle - game of putting pieces together Dinner Time After I come back from the playground in the evening, I always wait for my dad to come back from work. I know that as soon as he comes, dinner time is near. My mum always cooks my favorite vegetable for dinner. Me and my sister always help her to lay the dinner table and put the dishes on the table. We always have dinner together and pray to god for the food on our table. My dad says that we should always be thankful for the food on our table. I am always eager to finish my food quickly because I love desserts. Mum always gives me the biggest share of the dessert. cooks - prepare a meal, eager - strongly want, dessert - sweets at end of meal My Favorite Dish Every Thursday, my mum cooks my favorite dish, pizza. I love to eat pizza that my mum makes. She knows that I do not like spicy food and so she makes sure that the pizza is just right. I love to help my mum put the toppings on my pizza. She rolls out a huge pizza base for me to put the cheese and topping on it. My favorite toppings are chicken, tomatoes, pickles, and olives. But, my mum always puts a little bit of spinach, capsicum, and sweet corn on it. She says that I should eat more vegetables to be healthy. I love to put lots of cheese on my pizza. right - correct, healthy - good for the body, lots - more I hurt my Friend There are some kids in school who are more popular than others. I sometimes like to play with them or share my snack box with them during recess. Most days, I sit with my best friend, Sasha. Sasha is taller than other girls in the class. One day, the popular girls started calling her a giraffe and making fun of her. I, too, joined them and started laughing at her. But, later I saw Sasha crying. I realized that when I laughed at her she felt hurt and so was crying. I felt very bad and said sorry to Sasha. I realized that it is never nice to hurt your friend. popular - liked or admired, fun - enjoy, realized - become aware My Baby Brother It was the month of November when my mum bought my baby brother home from the hospital. I was very excited to see him and touch his little fingers. He was wrapped like a doll in a soft white blanket. He was very small and tiny. He has really small fingers and feet. He is a very cute baby and I love to share my toys with him. When he cries and my mum is not around, I sing songs and dance in front of him to calm him down. Me and my mum love to take my baby brother for a ride along the park in his pram. He sleeps in his cradle and wakes up many times in the night. I love my baby brother. bought - to buy, touch - to come in contact, wakes - stop sleeping Under Water During our vacation, all of us went for an under water trip. There was a huge tunnel through which we traveled from one end of the beach to the other. The tunnel was made of glass and I saw sea animals through it. I saw a lot of sea animals such as dolphins, star fish, octopus, and jellyfish through the glass. The animals would move away when I tapped the glass. There were other small fishes in the sea as well. I also saw different types of stones under the water. The animal were very friendly and tapped on the glass tunnel for our attention. huge - very big, tapped - to touch lightly, attention - take notice A Shining Shell On our trip to the nearby beach, me and my friends were walking along the shore searching for sea shells. While looking for them, I found a really shiny shell lying around. When I picked it up, it was shining like a diamond. We all thought that it was a diamond piece before we picked it up. We took the shell and rushed home. I washed the shell under water and cleaned it with a cloth. It was shining even more. I asked my mum if it was made of diamond. But, she said that it might be a very special shell and that I should keep it safely in my cupboard. shore - land at edge of sea, shell - hard casing, shining - to reflect light Friendship is valuable One day after school, me and my best friend were walking back home. On our way, some kids from my school started pushing us and calling us names. We ignored their comments and continued walking home. One of the kids pulled my bag and that is when my best friend told them to go away or else she will call my teacher. I was very scared because my bag was torn, but my friend did not leave my side and helped me pick up my bag. Friends are very important in our life as they will be with you even when you are in trouble. I am very thankful to have my best friend with me all the time. pushing - exert force, continued -persist activity, torn -pull apart My Favorite Teacher I love listening to music and singing, and that is why my favorite teacher is my Music teacher. She has a very melodious voice and she never talks angrily with us. She always explains everything very nicely and does not mind if you ask the question again. She also takes us for musical trips to libraries and museums. We sing in the bus and also after reaching the spot. She encourages us to be nice to each other and also to help each other in difficulties. I like listening to her sing and dance with other kids in the class. listening - give attention, angrily - show displeasure, encourages -give support Birbal the Witty Once two brother, Ramesh and Ganesh, came to Birbal to decide who owns a mango tree. Birbal told both brothers to stop fighting. He said pluck all the fruits, divide them between yourself, and then cut the tree in half. Ramesh was happy and thought the decision was fair. But, Ganesh said to Birbal that it is a sad decision because I have worked very hard for five years to grow this tree and bear the fruits. I would rather have Ramesh take the entire tree. When Birbal heard this, he immediately declared Ganesh as the owner of the tree. Ganesh was the owner because he was the one who had cared for the tree and made it big. decide - come to resolution, pluck - quickly remove, declared - announced A Book Mark My friend's mom gifted me a story book for my birthday. Inside the book, there was a beautiful piece of paper with a string attached to it. She told me that it is known as a book mark. You can use the book mark on the last page that you read for the day, so that the next day you can start reading from the next page. You will never have to remember which was the last page that you read. I really liked the book mark. I use it every time I am reading a book. It helps me keep track of the pages I have read and where I must start reading later. beautiful - pleasant, attached -joined, track of - account of My Grand Mother We visited my grandmother in the summer vacation. I love my grandmother a lot. She always makes sure that she stocks a lot of chocolates and ice-cream when I am planning to visit her. My grandmother is very good at knitting sweaters and scarves. Before every winter season, she send a sweater and a scarf for me. She is also very good at cooking and always makes a special cake for me before I come. I write letters to her when I am away to tell her that I miss her a lot. She also reads stories to me before putting me to sleep. planning - to chart out a plan, knitting - interlocking wool to create garment, special - very important