【推荐1】There are many different stories about the history of the umbrella. According to an old Chinese story, the umbrella was invented by Luban’s wife about 3, 000 years ago.

    1     One day, Luban and his wife were walking by the West Lake. They were enjoying the beautiful scenery(景色) when it suddenly started to rain heavily. So they had to go back home quickly.     2    

“It’s terrible to get wet in the rain,” Luban’s wife said, “     3    ” Luban replied, “I can build some pavilions(楼阁) along the West Lake, You can hide under them when it rains,”

“But pavilions can’t move,” Luban’s wile shook her head and said to herself. “Is it possible to make a movable pavilion that will always follow people when they walk?”     4    

One day, Luban’s wife saw some children playing in the rain. Each child was holding up a large lotus leaf (荷叶) to keep out the rain.     5     The next day, she made the first umbrella in ancient China.

【推荐3】What are you holding in your hand while you are taking the examination? Right. A pen.

Though it is small, the pen has changed the history, improved the trade of countries, recorded events, carried news, and done far more work for human beings than all other tools.

Progress without it would have been almost impossible. The invention of the wheels, the introduction of steam engine(蒸汽机), the use of electricity, all these have changed the lives of millions of people, but the pen has done more. It has taken away mountains, and it has prepared the way for all progress and development of the society.

In the past the pen did all the work if you wanted to keep any writing for some time. The lawyers took up their pens and wrote the law of the country from the days when papyrus(纸莎草纸) was first used. The most famous letters in the world were written with a pen. It was with a pen that the greatest thinkers of all time wrote down their thoughts.

The pen is very utilitarian. We cannot sign a bill or write a letter or buy a house without our pen. An agreement is worthless till our name is written with a pen. The writers encourage the world with it. The students take their examinations with it as well.

Our coming into the world is recorded with a pen. Before we have been at school, our name is written on the name list with a pen. We cannot be married till we have signed. A pen records the important events in our life.

Let us remember that we hold in our hand the most powerful instrument which man owns. The pen is a magic tool. Whenever you use it, enjoy it.

【推荐1】We’ve all heard people say, “Oh, that person is so creative!” about someone who is great at art. But art is just one area where people can be creative.

Anytime you try something different to solve a problem, you’re being creative. In cooking, that may mean (意味着) making delicious but different dishes with the same vegetables. ▲, that may mean trying new moves to get the basketball into the basket. At home, it could mean making up a game to amuse yourself. In the classroom, it could mean you find a different way to work out a math problem. So you’re creative every day!

Anyone can be more creative with practice. First of all, it is important to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. If you like dancing, please read. If you like music, take time to think and get ideas. Remember the most creative people don’t wait for the best ideas. So keep thinking and not giving up. Last but not the least, use your ideas! Don’t be afraid to fail(失败).

【推荐1】I’m Helen Blevins. I’m very lucky because I make money by doing what I love-painting pictures.

I painted my first picture when I was just four. One day, when Mom was cooking. I painted a picture on one blue wall of my bedroom. I painted myself and my dog on the grass, with red flowers around. I painted the sun above us, with a big smile on its face.

I was still painting when Mom walked into my room. Her mouth was open and she stood there quietly, looking at the wall. “I’m in big trouble,” I thought. So I was really surprised when Mom said, “What a beautiful picture, Helen!” The picture stayed on my bedroom wall and is still there today, 30 years later. I see it every time I go home to visit Mom.

I tell this story because it shows how much Mom supported（支持）my love of painting. When I was at school, she cared about my art as much as other subjects. She kept all my paintings and hung many of them on the walls of our house. She often said, “You are so talented. Follow your dream.”

Today I’m a successful painter. I’m happy that people love my paintings and hang them in their homes. I will never forget Mom’s great support!

【推荐2】Read a lot, I mean a lot! You have to increase your ability for reading. Many students are in the habit of reading only when their exams are approaching while some others read only what they are taught or things that must be read because it is in their curriculum. But listen to me now, I am telling you from my own experience that it is a very bad habit and it is not enough to improve your intelligence.

You have to learn and get ready to become versatile in your reading. The fact that you are studying medicine in school does not mean that you should not know one or two things on politics.

Many people have complained to me that they find it hard to read stuffs like novels but I just shake my head in pity for them because it is obvious they have failed to realize the truth in that wise saying by Margaret Fuller that “today a READER, tomorrow a LEADER!”   

When you read, you get to “see” so many places and it will be as if you have visited those places in real life. This is because reading will improve your imagination and creativity and understanding. You also get experience from learning about how people dealt with their various problems thereby saving you from going through the pains and difficulties they must have gone through!

Reading will also help you in improving your vocabulary because you will certainly start coming across so many new words which you will try as much as possible to get accustomed to with the help of the dictionary! The good thing about increasing your vocabulary is that it will also improve your thinking ability.

After all, we think in words and the more words you know, the easier it will become for you to express yourself or your thoughts. And when you read, make sure you read so wide because the more you read, the more you know and the more you know the more intelligent you can become.

【推荐3】We all know that music has the power to comfort us when we are stressed out or upset. Can it do the same for animals? University of Leicester decided to test this by exposing(揭露) dairy cows to different music. They discovered that certain types of music helped cows produce 3% more milk than those that only heard the noises   of milking machines.

In the research, what they found was that similar to humans. Cows have different tastes. Some prefer soulful music while others have a penchant for classical music. Based on their findings, they made two play-lists that they believed would be welcomed by most dairy cows. One list includes some pop songs like REM's Everybody Hurt, Aretha Franklin's version of What a Difference a Day Makes and Simon’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. The other list includes classical hits like Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp in D Major.

Besides, music is not the only thing that dairy cows enjoy. A few years ago, actors in Kent, England decided to see if the animals liked Shakespeare by performing one of his plays to the local cows. Sure enough, their milk output increased.

So the next time you visit a dairy farm, don't be surprised to see the cows listening to their favorite music. After all, “Great milk comes from happy cows!”