【推荐3】One day we went to pick up our grandson Mark at his school. It was a beautiful spring day, so we went to the garden.

We noticed how sad Mark was. He said, “There is nothing special about me. Well, I am smaller than my elder brother and I am bigger than my younger brother.” I knew he felt that he, the middle son, was not getting the same attention.

We walked a little farther into the woods when Mark asked me if we could throw rocks into the brook (小溪) to see which one would go the farthest.

“OК,” I said.

Mark said, “I am going to throw the biggest rock, because I know it will go the farthest.” Mark picked up the biggest rock he could find and threw it. Although it made a very big splash (飞溅的水), it didn’t go very far. Mark thought for a minute and said, “I am going to throw a small rock instead.” He picked up a small rock and threw it, but it didn’t go very far because it was too light.

I thought this was a very good opportunity to teach. I said, “Why don’t you pick up a medium-sized rock and see what happens?”

Mark picked up a medium-sized rock and threw it. Mark said, “Look, the medium-sized rock went the farthest!”

I smiled, “You see, Mark, you are like the medium-sized rock. In this situation the small rock was too light, the big rock was too heavy, but the medium-sized rock was just right.”

“So, I am special?”

“Yes, Mark. Everyone and everything is special and has a special purpose, especially you.”

【推荐2】Every year thousands of young people in England finish school and then take a year off. Before they start work or go to university, some young people go to other countries and work as volunteers.

Volunteers give their time to help people. For example, they work in schools or hospitals, or they do something helpful for the environment.

Paul, 18, comes from Wales. Next year he wants to go to university to study Chinese, but now he’s living in Belize. Paul says, “I’m working with other people here to save the coral reefs (珊瑚礁) in the sea near Belize. The reefs here are beautiful, but if the sea water is very polluted, the coral dies. I’m helping to do research (研究) on the coral and the fish that live around the reefs. All over the world, coral reefs are dying. We need to do something about the problem before it’s too late.”

“I’m staying with a family here and I help to do some housework. I don’t get any money, but that’s OK. I love my work here, and I’m learning a lot about the people of Belize—and myself! When I finish my work, I want to stay here for another three months. I want to travel around Belize and Central America.”

【推荐3】On a Friday night, a poor young violinist was playing his violin at the entrance of the subway station. The music was so great that people slowed down to listen and put some money into his hat.

The next day, the violinist came to the entrance again. He put down his hat as usual. Beside the hat was a piece of paper with some words on it. It said, “A George Sang has put an important thing into my hat by mistake. Welcome to claim (认领) it.” Soon the people were all attracted by the words and wondered what it could be. After a while a man rushed through the crowd, took the violinist’s shoulders and said, “I knew you would certainly come here.” The violinist asked, “Did you lose something?” “Lottery (彩票).” The violinist took out a lottery ticket with Sang’s name on it. Sang took it and danced happily.

Sang was an office worker. He bought the lottery and won a prize of $500,000. But when he gave $50 to the violinist for his wonderful music, the lottery ticket was thrown in, too. The violinist was a college student. That morning, he was going to fly to Vienna for high education. However, when he found the ticket, he cancelled the flight and returned to the entrance.   

Later someone asked the violinist why he didn’t take the lottery ticket to pay the tuition fee (学费). He said, “Although I don’t have much money, I live happily. If I lose honest, I won’t be happy forever.”

【推荐2】

When I was in Grade 8, I had a heated argument with my classmate, Tony. I have forgotten what the argument was about, but I have never forgotten the lesson I learned that day.

I believed that I was right and he was wrong, and Tony believed that I was wrong and he was right. Our teacher, a kind and smart lady, decided to teach us a lesson. She brought us to the front of the class and placed him on one side of her desk and me on the other. In the middle of her desk was a large and round object. I could clearly see that it was black. The teacher asked us what color the object was. “White,” Tony answered. I couldn’t believe he said the object was white! “Clearly, it was black!” Another argument started between Tony and me, this time about the color of the object.

The teacher told me to go and stand where Tony was standing and told him to go and stand where I was standing. We changed places, and now she asked me what color the object was. I had to answer, “White.” It was an object with two differently colored sides from his side it was white, while from my side it was black. “Boys, now, what do you say?” The teacher smiled at us. Tony has been my best friend ever since.

My teacher taught me a very important lesson that day: When you disagree with others, you’d better be in their shoes. That will help you look at the situation through their eyes, and truly understand their ideas and ways of thinking.

【推荐1】Yesterday I had one of the most terrible experiences of my life! A storm woke me up early. I got up and looked out of the window of our hotel. I listened to the thunder (雷声) and watched the lightning (闪电). It wasn’t scary at that time— it was exciting!

But then I looked at my phone and saw on the news that a hurricane was coming. I asked my dad what a hurricane is and asked him if he knew what to do. He told me not to worry because a hurricane is just a big storm. We stayed in our hotel room and by the afternoon, there was even more rain. And the winds were getting stronger and stronger.

In the evening, a hotel worker asked all the visitors to go to the dining hall. When we were all inside, we put tables in front of the doors and then we got down on the floor together in the corner. We waited and waited. The winds got louder, the rain became heavier and then it suddenly went dark. I was so scared that I held (抓住) my dad’s hand. We stayed there for a long time.

Finally, morning arrived. _______ I felt so happy that we were safe (安全的). I hope I will never have a night like that again.

【推荐3】Sam loves maths. It is his favourite lesson at school. But there is something he loves more than maths—space! He is interested in space. He loves thinking about astronauts, space stations, planets, stars, black holes…anything about space! He goes to the space museum with his parents every weekend.

One day, NASA organized (组织) a competition and it was to name a new shuttle (航天飞机). Sam thought up a name for the new shuttle and he sent it to NASA. Sam won the competition! He told the good news to his mother at once.

And what name did he choose for the new shuttle? Serafina. It was the name of Sam’s cat. NASA loved the name.

The scientists at NASA invited Sam to NASA and he met some astronauts. It was a great day! The scientists showed him a huge telescope (望远镜) and Sam looked right out into space. He saw so many stars. Then they asked Sam, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Sam told them that he wanted to be an astronaut, of course!

Now, Serafina the Shuttle is orbiting (围绕……运动) Mars and Serafina the Cat is orbiting the fireplace (壁炉).