"Late again, Mavis! How many times I have told you to come back in time to help me cook dinner?" asked Mrs. Muntari.
"But, mummy, I can't just , walk out in the middle of a game!" said Mavis.
"You shouldn't be playing the game in the first place."
"But, mum, why can't I? You never tell Adibe or Senze not to play football. I had to leave the game at half time and rush back so you wouldn't get angry with me,"said Mavis.
"You are a girl It is as simple as that, Boys and girls have different roles to play. I have 11 hungry mouths to feed and I need your help! You are the oldest girl not working, so it is your job to help me. That's the way of our people. Now go and fry some more chicken."
At the dinner table, Adibe and Senze were excitedly talking about today's game, while eating the chicken Mavis had fried. They talked about how Mavis scored in the first half with a power shot from the halfway line, It was a great goal as their team was losing by 0 - 1 at that time.
Dad came home then and brought the boys a local newspaper, in which there was news about football scouts (球探) from England visiting Ghana (加纳). These scouts had asked to be allowed to visit schools to look for players of the future. Adibe and Senze looked at each other and cheered. "Wow, I'm going to be like Essien!" And they started arguing which one would make it as a superstar.
Mavis decided to take this chance. She stole out of home. When she arrived at the playground, one player happened to get injured (受伤) and the coach was worried. "I can take his place!" Mavis shouted. Though it was unbelievable to let a girl play, the coach agreed. During the second half, she made an amazing shot!
When the game was over, the scouts all stood up, cheering.
Zhu Keming never thought he would be a hero one day, but he was just that on Saturday when he saved the lives of six runners during the mountain marathon (马拉松)in Baiyin, Gansu Province, in which 21 people lost their lives.
It started off as a normal day for the 49-year-old shepherd, who was taking care of his more than 30 sheep on the mountainside. But soon the weather was terrible, with rainfall and hail. The rain got so heavy that he couldn't see clearly and had to run into a cave where he normally went to have a rest. Soon he fell asleep in the cave after covering himself with some quilts he had stored there.
But he was awakened at 2 pm by an unusual sound that was not coming from his sheep. The sound that woke Zhu was the cry of a runner in the marathon. He was wet from head to toe and trembling because of cold. Zhu took him into the cave, lit a fire and covered the stricken (受伤的)runner with his quilts.
Zhu said that there were soon five runners huddling (挤作一团)in the cave, and he then decided to go outside to try to attract the attention of rescuers (救援者).
When he risked coming out of the cave, he found another stricken runner lying on the ground in bad condition. Then the other runners came out of the cave to give a hand. Zhu and the six runners remained huddled around the fire in his cave until 7 pm, when the rescue team arrived.
"I just did what I had to when I saw that these people were in danger. I think everyone would do the same thing in such a situation, "Zhu said to Beijing News.
Luo Chongchuan, the village head of Changsheng, where Zhu and his family live, said that the shepherd is a warm-hearted person who often helps his villagers.
The Red Vineyards , 1888, by Van Gogh
Although it's said Van Gogh(梵高)(1853-1890) sold only one painting during his lifetime, different theories(理论) exist(存在).
It is true that The Red Vineyard is the only painting sold during Van Gogh's lifetime, and that was officially(官方地)recorded and accepted by the art world. It's recorded that Van Gogh started painting at 27, and died at 37. His famous paintings were produced after he went to France in 1888, only two years before he died. So it would be clear that he did not sell many.
However, others disagree. The leading Van Gogh scholar(学者), Marc, is one of them. Though the story that Van Gogh sold just one painting still goes around, he insists(坚持说) that Van Gogh sold at least two.
Also, according to the Van Gogh Museum website, Van Gogh actually sold a number of paintings for living during his lifetime. His first money came from his uncle, who was an art dealer(经销商). In order to help Van Gogh's career(事业), he ordered 19 paintings. And Van Gogh himself would often trade his paintings for food or art supplies(美术用品)when he was younger.
Van Gogh died in July of 1890. His brother was a wise dealer and saved lots of paintings by Van Gogh. His greatest wish was to make the works more widely known and make much money. Sadly he himself died just six months later. He left a large collection of art to his wife, who "sold some of Van Gogh's works, lent as many as she could to exhibitions, and published(出版) many of Van Gogh's letters to his brother. Without her, Van Gogh would never have become as famous as he is today." After her death, her son founded the Van Gogh Museum.
What a shiny scooter(踏板车)!Sophie couldn't keep her eyes off it. Her dad noticed.
"Sophie, you have a scooter already, a really nice one!" "I know, but this one is so shiny and new," Sophie said. "It is great, but we have to go," said her dad.
They left the store. Sophie knew her scooter was nice, and it still worked. She just couldn't stop thinking of that new scooter!
A few weeks later, Sophie and her dad were back in the store.
The scooter was just there, with a big sale sign on it! The girl ran right over to it. Her dad looked at the price.
"I know you've been thinking about this scooter a lot, Sophie. The sale price is pretty good, though it's still a lot of money. I can't just buy this for you. But what if I pay for part of it, then lend you the money for the rest, and you promise to pay me back?" her dad asked.
"Really?" Sophie said excitedly. "I promise I will pay you back!"
As they were walking towards the cashier desk(收银台),her dad asked Sophie if she knew what it meant to borrow money.
"Yes, it means that I have to give it back to you," Sophie answered.
Her dad responded, "You're right, but you can give it back to me a little at a time. Now you get five dollars a week for your allowance(零用钱). You could pay it back to me once a week until you pay off your part of the scooter. It will take several months."
"Thank you, Dad! I will pay you back with my allowance until I return all the money."
A neighbor called 911 at 11:09 a. m. after seeing smoke coming from a house in the 165 block of 54th Street 'Southeast.
The man who lives in the home was able to get his older child and the family dog out of the house on fire. Just then Monroe police officers arrived. The father said his younger child was still on the upper level of the house but he didn't know where.
Officers did a quick search of the house but couldn't find the girl. One of them closed the door to the master bedroom, where the fire started, controlling it and slowing its spread. Firefighters arrived and after searching the closet and narrow beds in another bedroom, one firefighter noticed the closed toy box at the foot of the bed.
"She wasn't making sounds," later the firefighter said of the girl, whose exact age he didn't know. "I opened it up and saw her. She was lying in the toy box just balled up."
Firefighters got the girl outside, where she was examined by doctors and found to be fine. The fire was quickly put out. The police officer who managed to shut the master bedroom door was highly praised. And the girl's father was so thankful to firefighters.
Shameem was born in a small village in Pakistan. In her village, it was a tradition to keep girls inside their homes. They were not allowed to get an education.
Fortunately, Shameem's uncle, a university teacher, wanted to give her a chance to see the world. He offered Shameem a chance to attend school. So she became the only girl student in her class.
However, Shameem struggled to complete her schooling. To get permission for college, she went on three-day- hunger strike (抗议). After graduating from college, Shameem got a position in non-profit organization (非营利性组织) working to help women in rural (农村的) areas.
There, she saw a Pakistan that she didn't know. Until then, she thought she had a difficult life. But there, she saw what women in other parts of Pakistan were experiencing. Some women had 11 children, but nothing to feed them. They would walk three hours every day to get water.
Shameem found that the position was more than just a job for her. She discovered her power. By setting an example, her experience could encourage more people to understand the importance of education and send their daughters to school.
Now, Shameem teaches in a rural school in her hometown. "The first day I walked into the school," she said, "I saw all these little Shameems staring at me with dreams in their eyes, the same dream of freedom which I had in my childhood."
Today, there is not a single girl in her village who doesn't go to school.
It just hadn't been a very good week. On Tuesday, Sam's father lost his job. Then on Wednesday, Sam's mother announced that the (房租) on their apartment was going up. Now it was Friday, and Sam received an invitation from Rosa to her birthday party.
Sam knew Rosa from Adventure (冒险) Club. He knew he would enjoy Rosa's party, but he didn't want to go without a gift. What could he possibly buy her with the little bit of money he had? Sam knew he couldn't ask Mom or Dad for any money—not this week!
Later that afternoon, Sam noticed a second-hand book sale going on. He went there and had a quick look. Two books caught his eye, The first was a cookbook of Puerto Rican foods, and the second was a book about women explorers (探险家) . "Rosa would like these, " Sam thought, "but would it be tacky (蹩脚的) to give her second-hand books for her birthday? "
Sam decided that a second-hand gift was better than no gift at all. Besides, Rosa supported recycling in a big way. So, she would probably like it. With his last dollar, Sam bought the books and went home. He felt a little better.
The party was on Saturday. Rosa opened all her gifts and thanked everyone for the nice things they had given her. She paused (停顿) when she opened Sam's gift, which made him wonder if she liked the books, but nothing was said.
When Sam got home, he opened his e-mail and found this note from Rosa.
Dear Sam,
Of all the gifts I received today, yours was the nicest. How did you know I would love a book about women explorers and a cookbook of Puerto Rican foods? Now I have something to read that will inspire me to follow my dream of becoming an adventurer, and I have a book that I can share with my grandmother. She is getting older and wants to be sure her granddaughter knows how to make the -wonderful foods of Puerto Rico. Thank you so much.
Love,
Rosa.
The week turned out to be a good one after all.
