1）The first sign of autumn

I let out a loud sneeze in bed after I awoke on Saturday morning. Soon I got up and opened all the windows of our flat. Then I lay down on the bed in the living room as usual. I felt awfully cool and could no longer lie on. So I shut the opened casement windows facing north when I sneezed again. Now there was no draught but I still felt as cool as before. There was no other way but putting on more clothes. Ten days after the Beginning of Autumn, the season gave a signal of its arrival.

2）The end of our summer vacation

Our summer vacation came to an end last Sunday. That evening brother asked me if I would report for duty next day. After hearing my negative answer, he told me to help him with his business the following day. Upon my return from mother's, I received a call from our headmaster informing me to work the coming day. Yesterday we had a meeting at which the assignment for everyone's work was announced. Today the students of Grade Nine began school. The flower beds and vegetable plot in our school yard are completely overgrown with different kinds of weeds.  

3）Plaster the windowsills of the balconies

The south balcony of our flat has been leaking since we moved in four years ago. In the first year when the ceiling of the living room got partially wet we still didn't know it was caused by the rainwater flowing into the crevices of the outside window-ledge of the balcony above ours. Before long the surface of our block was whitewashed. And the leaking has been limited to a few spots on the balcony ceiling despite the crevice filling in response to my appeal. Recently all the outside windowsills of balconies of our blocks were plastered by some workers suspended on ropes. I hope it will prevent any leaking in the future.

4）The moonlit evening

Although it was cloudy sometimes by day, this week it has been fine at night up to now. Every evening the moon would rise and brighten up the sky. It has been becoming brighter and rounder night after night. These last three nights I didn't draw the curtain on the window of the bedroom in order to let in the moonlight. These early autumn nights are rich in poetic flavor with the unseen cricket and other insects chirping around. They are quiet, cool and soft. We can enjoy a sleep peacefully for working in high spirits next day. I must make full use of this precious season.  

5）The new gate of the Central Primary School

First the railings between the buttresses surrounding the schoolyard were replaced by walls. Then the gatekeepers' house and the simple gate of iron fence were torn down. Now a new spacious building and a new luxurious gate have been put up almost at the former places. The new gate is made of stainless steel that can be stretched out and drawn back as demanded. Moreover time is shown by flickering words on the exposed end of it. When the gate is open, the steel barrier nearly conceals itself inside the hollow wall beside on which the school name five golden characters are written. There are two narrow side entrances flanking the wide gate.

6）Glean potatoes

At noon yesterday after lunch as I looked out of the window of our office and fixed my eyes on the newly-harvested patch of the potato plot of our school, an idea occurred to me. First, I went to fetch the pick of the watchman in the room one goes through before entering his bedroom. Then I carried a plastic bag with the pick to the carelessly harvested part and began searching for the left potatoes in the soil. I worked in the sun for about two hours for searching it through. My labor was generously rewarded. It was a scorching day today. With the help of mother I cooked the smaller ones of the potatoes, cut them into pieces and dried them outside.