Bill is a good student and a smart boy. He likes to study 1, and he can do all of the maths problems in his book easily.
One day on his way to school, Bill passed a fruit store. There was a 2 in the window which said, "Apple-six for 5 cents （美分） ." An idea 3 to Bill and he went into the store. "How 4 are the apples?" he asked the store.
"Six for 5 cents."
"But I don't want six apples."
"How many apples do you want?"
"It is not a question of how many apples I want. It is a maths problem."
"What do you 5 by a maths problem?" asked the man.
"Well, if six apples are worth(值）5 cents, then five apples are worth 4 cents, four apples are worth 3 cents, three apples are worth 2 cents, two apples are worth 1 cent and one apple is worth 6 . I only want 7 apple"
Bill 8 a good apple, began to eat it and walked 9 out of the store. The man looked at the young boy with such 10 that he could not say a word.
There were many plants in a forest. When spring came, a pine tree saw a red rose nearby and said, "What a beautiful flower! I wish I were that lovely."
The rose proudly said, "It seems that I am the most beautiful flower in this forest." Then the rose looked at a cactus (仙人掌) and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns (刺)!"
"What a proud flower!" thought the pine tree.
As the days passed, the red rose often looked at the cactus and said bad words about it, like "This plant is useless. How sorry I am to be his neighbor!"
The cactus never got angry and even tried to advise the rose, saying, "Everything has its value."
Spring passed, and the weather became very hot. As there was no rain, the red rose began to wilt (枯萎).
One day the rose saw birds put their beaks (喙) into the cactus and then fly away. The red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds were getting water from the cactus.
"The cactus has water?" asked the rose.
"Yes, you can also drink some from it. The birds can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help."
The red rose felt too ashamed to ask for water from the cactus. But finally it did ask for help. The cactus kindly agreed.
The rose learned a lesson and never judged (评价) anyone by his/her appearance again.
Gareth Ellis, 13, is the youngest son of Alan, an engineer, and Kath, a teacher. His older brothers work in banking and computers, but Gareth's dream was always to become a clown（小丑）.Three years ago, Alan, Kath and Gareth joined the circus（马戏团）, "People laugh when we tell them" says Kath. "But it's true, Gareth has wanted to be a clown since we took him to the circus when he was three."
When Alan lost his job, he and Kath decided to see if they could find full-time circus jobs. They both got jobs with a famous circus and Gareth began training to become a clown. He calls himself Bippo. They travel with the circus during the summer and return home for the winter. Gareth's brothers are old enough to look after the house while they are away.
"I can't say it was easy," says Kath. "There was a lot to think about and organize. We only had a car and a very small caravan（拖车）to sleep in, and we were leaving behind our lovely house. The only thing Gareth missed was his long, hot baths."
"People ask about my education," says Gareth, "but from the beginning, wherever we go, someone has always come to teach me. I follow the same books as everyone back at school and I've got a computer. I`ve never fallen behind my classmates."
And the future? "It was a difficult decision," says Kath, "but there was no other way to teach Gareth about being a clown. I'm happy to say it's working, and we`re enjoying it." And Gareth? "I'm going to be the main clown in a circus one day, he says, perhaps Bippo's circus."
Little stream（小河）ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert (沙漠). "I went through so many difficulties. I should have no problem crossing the desert," she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly disappearing（消失）into the sand. After many tries, she still failed. "Maybe I can't reach the ocean." she said sadly to herself.
At this time, a deep voice said, "If a breeze（微风）can cross the desert, so can a river." It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I cannot."
"That's because you stick to what you are. Let yourself evaporate（蒸发）into the breeze, and it can take you across." said the desert. "Give up what I am now? No! No!" The little stream could not accept this idea. "The breeze can carry the vapor（蒸汽）across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again," said the desert, "And whether you're a river or vapor, your nature never changes." Hearing this, the little stream went into the open arms of breeze. It carried her to the next stage of her life.
The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success, you should also change the way you are sometimes.
In the Spring and Autumn period (771—476 BC), there was a beautiful girl in the State of Yue. Her name was Xi Shi. Xi Shi was the most beautiful girl in her village. There was an ugly girl called Dong Shi and she lived in the village, too.
Xi Shi was such a beautiful girl that many girls tried to imitate her. Some girls wore the same clothes as Xi Shi did. Some girls had the same hairstyle as Xi Shi did. Dong Shi was one of the girls.
One day, Xi Shi walked on the street. She didn't feel well on the way. She had a pain in her chest. Then she put her hand on her chest, knitted her brows (眉头) and walked slowly.
Dong Shi met Xi Shi on the street. She thought Xi Shi's actions made her look more beautiful. Then she imitated Xi Shi's actions. She thought it could make her look as beautiful as Xi Shi. But she was wrong. In fact, her actions made her uglier. People laughed at Dong Shi when they saw her.
A: What are you doing?
B:
A: I have read it before. What do you think of the story?
B: Yu Gong found a good way to solve his problem.
A: Really? It seems impossible to move a mountain.
B: But the story is trying to show us that anything is possible if you work hard. Yu Gong kept trying and didn't give up.
A: I think we should try to find other ways to solve a problem.
B: But what could Yu Gong do except (除了) moving the mountains.
A: He could build a road.
B: We have different opinions about the story. There are many sides to a story and many ways to understand it.
A: Yes, that's fine.
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A. Don't you think it's a little silly? B. Do you like to read stories? C. I'm reading a book called Yu Gong Moves a Mountain. D. That's better and faster than moving a mountain. E. I still don't agree with you. F. In my opinion, it's really interesting. |
