【推荐1】When I was six, Dad brought home a dog one day, who was called "Brownie". My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around.

One day, as I was getting her food, she chewed up (咬破) one of my Dad's shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew Dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, “Bad girl,” she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.

Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she'd let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked (吠) or tried to get away. Funny thing is that she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone.

Now many years have passed since Brownie died of old age. I still miss the days when she was with us.

【推荐2】Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the poet, publisher, painter, social activist and bookstore owner, has been San Francisco’ honored poet. He turns 100 this month, and the city is making preparations to celebrate him in style. Readings and performances and an open house will take place at City Lights, the sacred bookstore he co-founded in 1953.

On March 24, 1919, Lawrence Felinghetti was born in Yonkers, New York. After spending his early childhood in France, he received his BA from the University of North Carolina, an MA from Columbia University, and a PhD from the Sorbonne.

He is the author of more than thirty books of poetry, including Poetry as Insurgent Art; A Coney Island of Mind. He has translated the works of a number of poets, including Nicanor Parra, Jacques Prevert, and Pier Paolo Pasolini. In addition to poetry, he is also the author of more than eight plays and three novels. Including Little Boy: A Novel, Love in the Days of Rage and Her.

In 1953, Ferlinghetti and Peter Martin opened the City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, California. It became a nerve center for the Beats and other writers. Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and other writers from that era were Easterners who dropped into San Francisco for a spell. In 2001 it was made an official historic landmark. Now City Lights is almost certainly the best bookstore in the United States. It’s filled with serious world literature of all kinds.

If City Lights is a San Francisco institution, Ferlinghetti himself is as much of one. He has loomed over the city’s literary life. As a poet, he’s never been a critical favorite. But his flexible and plain-spoken and often powerful work — he has published more than 50 volumes — has found a wide audience. His collection “A Coney Island of the Mind” has sold more than 1 million copies, making it one of the best-selling American poetry books ever published.

【推荐3】Life in the future will be different from the life today. Between then and now many changes will happen. But what will the changes be?

The population is growing fast. And most of them will live longer than people now.

Computers will be much smaller and more useful, and there will be at least one in every room. And computer studies will be one of the important subjects in schools then. People will work fewer hours than they do now and they will have more free time for sports, watching TV and travel. Travelling will be much cheaper and easier. And many more people will go to other countries for holidays.

There will be changes in our food, too. More land will be used for building new towns and houses for all the people. Then there will be less room for cows and sheep, so meat will be more expensive. Maybe no one will eat it every day. Instead, they will eat more fruits and vegetables. Maybe people will be healthier. Work in the future will be different, too. Robots will do dangerous and hard work. Because of this, many people will not have enough work to do. This will be a big problem.

【推荐1】I have a hearing problem, so my son helped me to check in my luggage(行李) at the Dulles International Airport Washington DC. I gave a birthday-quote card pack to a check-in clerk.

Her face was lighted up with a smile, thanking me. It was my first time at the Washington DC airport, so my son asked for a wheelchair to make sure I found the boarding gate. The check-in clerk came out from behind the counter(柜台) and requested my wheelchair from the lady managing it. I was thankful for what they did for me.

The gate was not an easy find for me. My son made the right decision to have the wheelchair. I was greatly thankful for his love and care for me. At the security check, they let me pass with my watch, belt and shoes on.

At the boarding gate, I said that I have a hearing problem and asked an airport official to let me know when my turn to board arrived. Immediately, she helped me to board the plane. I was thankful to her.

On the plane, the middle seat next to me was empty. The lady seated near the window was trying to sleep. I gave up my seat so that she could sleep comfortably. I took the seat in the first row of the section where there was plenty of leg room and no other passenger seated next to me. Kindness paid me back.

On the plane, a little girl dropped a colour pen. I picked it up and gave it to her. Later on, while she was sleeping, she dropped her pillow(枕头) several times, and I put it near her. I try to be of use to those around me, even though I am a bit disabled myself and sometimes even need others’ help.

【推荐2】“Time flies! Youth fades; treasure each moment of your life,” accompanied by guitar and drums, the Band for One sang the lyrics soulfully during a performance.

Behind the band, there was a picture of a young man named Philip Hancock shown on the screen. And he is the reason they were all there. Hancock was a 27-year-old Australian. When he died in 2018 due to complications from diabetes (糖尿病综合症),his parents followed his wishes and donated his organs.

“I am Philip’s liver.” “I am Philip’s kidney.” “I am Philip’s eyes.” The five people, a salesperson, a farmer, a truck driver and two doctors, introduced themselves on stage. They are the ones who received Philip’s organs.

“Last year, Philip’s parents mentioned that Philip loved music and dreamed of having his own band one day,” said the truck driver. So he immediately planned to form a band with the other recipients in memory of Philip.

Since they had no music experience, they had to start from the very beginning. From learning the guitar to taking on the drums, they took time out of their busy lives to practice and rehearse (彩排), even during the pandemic (疫情).

Peter Hancock, Philip’s father, said after watching the band’s performance, his biggest wish is for the five to enjoy lives most.

Organ donation is not only the best way to memorize a loved one, but also a remarkable way to save the lives of others.