1.

Matt told her to reach for the stars, but Veronica thought it was the
most ridiculous advice she'd ever received. Sure, it had been well-
meaning when he said it, but she didn't understand why anyone
would want to suggest something that would literally kill you if
you actually managed to achieve it.

2. There once lived an old man and an old woman who were peasants
and had to work hard to earn their daily bread. The old man used to
go to fix fences and do other odd jobs for the farmers around, and
while he was gone the old woman, his wife, did the work of the
house and worked in their own little plot of land.

3. It was hidden under the log beside the stream. It had been there for
as long as Jerry had been alive. He wasn't sure if anyone besides
him and his friends knew of its existence. He knew that anyone
could potentially find it, but it was well enough hidden that it
seemed unlikely to happen. The fact that it had been there for more
than 30 years attested to this. So it was quite a surprise when he
found the item was missing.

4. Patrick didn't want to go. The fact that she was insisting they must
go made him want to go even less. He had no desire to make small
talk with strangers he would never again see just to be polite. But
she insisted that Patrick go, and she would soon find out that this
would be the biggest mistake she could make in their relationship.