It is spring now. The little tortoise—Hope, is growing up. He is a handsome tortoise now. And he wants to find a job. He dreams to be a postman, because he thinks that is a marvelous job. Then he goes out of door, starting to find a wonderful job. OK! Let's go with him!
First, he is going to the post office. And there he finds the manager in the post office. So he tells her about his dream and asks her that he would like to be a postman. The manager laughs at him, and says, "Ha-ha! You are so small, and you walk so slowly. Oh! Can you be a postman?" Hope is very disappointed. But he is not dismayed. He thinks why he can't be a postman. Just because he is small and walks slowly? No, he doesn't want that! He must be a postman! He will try again!
He goes to the post office again. And he tells the manager, "Maybe I am small, and walk slowly. Maybe I can't post letters to people who live near the post office quickly. But I can post letters to people far away from the post office. I'm very fortitudinous. Do you know the story of Rabbit Running with the Tortoise? The tortoise in the story runs slowly too, but he defeats the rabbit. Do you know the meaning in it?" The manager says, "OK! But you should first post a letter to America. And at the same time, a tiger will post a letter to America too. If you arrived there earlier than the tiger, you will be a postman."
The next morning, Hope goes to the post office again and meets the tiger, who will be running with him. The tiger is so strong. And Hope is so small. But Hope is still ready to win, and be a postman. The competition starts. The tiger runs fast and Hope is trying his best, but he still walks slowly. After a while, the tiger arrives at the Pacific Ocean, and then he sees a little boat. But he thinks that rowing the boat is dangerous. He is very afraid. So he decides to go to America by plane. But the plane to America is in the next season. He stays and waits. But Hope walks on and on.
After fifteen days, Hope arrives at the Pacific Ocean and sees the tiger, and asks, "Why are you staying here?" "There's only a boat here, and it's not safe, so Pm waiting for the plane." Hope looks around the seaside. The boat has left. Hope thinks for a while, and jumps into the sea. He swims day and night, and night and day.
At last, he arrives at America when the tiger is still waiting. At last he becomes a very good postman.
点评
这是一篇学生用英语写作的寓言故事。虽然情节比较老套，但是学生能够大胆地用英语进行创造性写作，是十分难能可贵的。小作者对小乌龟两次去邮局，第一次碰壁，第二次迎接挑战，然后战胜老虎，成为一个成功的邮递员的过程，描述有详有略，语句流畅，情节曲折。
重点表达
1．So he tells her about his dream and asks her that he would like to be a postman. 所以他告诉她自己的梦想，并且表达了他希望成为一个邮递员的希望。
2．Maybe I can't post letters to people who live near the post office quickly. But I can post letters to people far away from the post office. 可能我不能很快地将信件送达住在邮局附近的人们，但是我可以将书信送达住在远方的人们。
3．After fifteen days, Hope arrives at the Pacific Ocean and sees the tiger, and asks, "Why are you staying here?" 十五天以后，小乌龟“希望”到达了太平洋边，他看见了老虎，就问道：“你为什么呆在这里？”