【推荐1】There was once an old man who ate very little and wore old clothes. He saved every coin he earned. The old miser (吝啬鬼) lived in a house with a garden order to protect his treasure, the miser hid his coins in a pit (坑) under some stones in the garden. Every day, the miser went to the pit and counted the coins, but be never spent the gold at all.

One day, a thief who knew the old miser’s routine (惯例) waited for the old man to go back into his house. The thief went to the hiding place and stole the coins. The next day, the old miser found that all of his gold coins were missing. He became very upset.

His neighbor saw that and asked the miser about it. After learning what happened, the neighbor asked, “Why didn’t you keep the money inside your house? It would’ve been easier to get your money if you wanted to buy something!”

“Buy!” said the miser. “I never used the gold to buy anything. I was never going to spend it.”

After hearing this, the neighbor threw a stone into the pit and said, “If that is the case, save this stone. It is as worthless as the gold you have lost.”

【推荐2】Once upon a time, there was an old man living in a small town by himself. He was blind, so he couldn’t see anything. However, he always carried a lighted lamp（亮着的灯）with him when he went out at night.

One night when he was coming home after having dinner outside, he met a group of young men. They saw that he was blind, but carrying a lighted lamp. They thought it was so funny and started to make fun of（嘲笑）him. One of them asked him, “Hey, Man! You are blind and can’t see anything! Why do you carry the lamp then?”

The blind man said, “Yes, it’s true that I can’t see anything and don’t need the lamp. However, it’s for people like you who can see. When I’m carrying the lamp at night, people can see me so that they won’t push me accidentally（意外地）. That is why I carry the lighted lamp.”

The young men felt ashamed（感到羞耻的）to judge（判断）the old man without thinking. He felt sorry and apologized to the old man.

【推荐3】There was a little island in the middle of the ocean with only three people on it, a farmer, a gardener and a butler (男管家). The farmer lived on the right side of the island. He had a cow. The gardener lived on the left side and he had some flowers. The butler lived in the center and he had a horse. They were all very pleased with what they had, but this changed one day when a big wind named Wind-Lou blew in from the sea.

The three people made it a law that they could keep whatever was blown to their land. The farmer and the gardener waited for the Wind-Lou all day and wanted to get the horse. The butler didn’t mind what was blown to him. If he got the cow, he would say, “Delicious milk!” If he got the flowers, he would say “Sweet flowers!” Now that he owned the horse, he rode it happily.

Wind-Lou blew day and night. She blew the three things around and finally blew them back to their original owners.

The farmer and the gardener were not pleased with what was blown to them. They were jealous of the butler’s happiness and his horse, so they planned to steal it.

News about their plan came to Windy-Lou, and she was angry. So she blew all their things to the butler’s land. She thought that only the people who were always pleased with what they had could be truly happy.

【推荐1】I have tried to write a ghost story that won’t make you unhappy with yourselves, with each other, with the seasons, or with me. I hope it haunts (飘荡) your houses pleasantly.

—Charles Dickens

One Christmas Eve, old Scrooge and Bob were working busily in his office. It was a cold, foggy day. The fog was so thick that the houses opposite were like ghosts. It was only three o’clock in the afternoon, but it was already quite dark.

“Merry Christmas, Uncle! God bless you!” cried a happy voice. It was Scrooge’s nephew (侄子).

“Bah!” said Scrooge “Humbug (骗人的话)!”

“Christmas is a humbug! Surely you don’t mean that, Uncle.” Said his nephew.

“I do,” said Scrooge. “Merry Christmas! What reason have you got to be merry? You’re poor.”

“OK, then,” replied the nephew cheerfully. “What reason have you got to be sad? You are rich. Don’t be angry, Uncle!” said his nephew.

“What else can I be?” answered the uncle, “I live in a world of fools! Merry Christmas! What’s Christmas time to you? It’s a time for paying bills (账单) without money. It’s a time for finding yourself a year older, but not richer. Everyone who goes around saying ‘Merry Christmas’ should have his tongue cut out. Yes, he should!”

“Uncle! Please don’t say that!” said the nephew. “I’ve always thought of Christmas time as a good time, a kind, and a charitable, happy time. And so, Uncle, Christmas has never put any gold or silver in my pocket, but I think it has done me good. And it will do me good. And I say, God bless it!”

Bob, standing in the corner of the room, applauded (鼓掌). He realized his mistake very soon, and went quickly back to his work, but Scrooge had heard him.

“One more sound from you, Bob Cratchit,” said Scrooge, “and you’ll celebrate Christmas by losing your job!”

“Don’t be angry with him, Uncle. Come and have dinner with us tomorrow.”

“No.” said Scrooge.

“I’m sorry you don’t want to celebrate Christmas. But I do. So a Merry Christmas, Uncle!”

“Good afternoon!” said Scrooge.

“And a Happy New Year!” said his nephew.

“Good afternoon!” said Scrooge again.

His nephew left the room. He stopped to wish Bob a Merry Christmas. And Bob replied. “A Merry Christmas to you, too.”

【推荐3】The world is mourning (哀悼) the death of British Queen Elizabeth II. She died aged 96 on Sept 8. She is Britain’s longest-serving monarch.

Elizabeth became queen in 1952. At that time, the UK was still rebuilding from World War II. She spent her life working for her country and the Commonwealth (英联). Fifteen British prime ministers (首相) worked for her!

The queen was admired (受到爱戴的) around the world. She helped over 600 charities (慈普机构), according to Sky News. And she got along well with people. In the UK, people would turn on their TVs—to listen to the queen’s Christmas speech.

Her death left the world in sadness. The UK has 10 days of national mourning. Flags were half-master (降半旗): People got together outside Buckingham Palace and Windso Castle to lay flowers. Leaders from different countries also sent sincere (真诚的) messages.

Charles, the queen’s son, is now the king. He called her death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family”. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country and by countless people around the world.