Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Italy. He is best known as an artist today. One of his famous paintings is called Mona Lisa. However, Leonardo had many other natural abilities. He was also a great inventor. Many of his inventions have become important in modern day life.

Although Leonardo hated war, he invented many different machines used for war. His most special invention was the machine gun, which was produced and used in war many years later.

      By watching the way birds fly, Leonardo tried to find out the secret of flying. Among his sketches(素描)we can see several objects. We consider them as modern flying machines.

      Leonardo spent many hours thinking about how to make good use of time. He developed ideas for labor-saving machines like cutting machines.

Leonardo was a strange man. He didn't eat any meat, which was very unusual in those times. He never published (发表) his ideas and scientific discoveries. He usually used mirror writing, which looks like writing in a mirror, starting from the right side of the page and moving to the left.

      We have very little of his work today. Leonardo finished only a few of his paintings. He left many unfinished because he thought they were not perfect. No one in his life time knew how great Leonardo was. We now believe, however, that he was one of the cleverest men the world has ever known.

    Tom had a dog named Max. Max was 10 years old, which was quite 1 in dog years. Tom bought the dog to protect him and his family from 2. When Max saw something suspicious (可疑的), he barked loudly. There was one time when a bad man was trying to get into Tom's house. Thankfully, Max barked loudly and Tom's dad was able to 3 the bad man in time. Sometimes though, Max would bark when he saw another dog. Tom would go outside 4 something bad was happening, but it was really just another dog.

    Tom went on a lot of hikes and walks with Max. Tom did not like to exercise, but he did not 5 if it was with Max. Tom would also take Max to the dog beach, where Max could play with other dogs. Max was considered part of the 6. He was even in the family holiday postcard picture. Tom knew, however, that Max was going to 7 soon. He tried not to think about it.

    One day, Tom came back home from school and filled up Max's water bowl as usual. Except this time, Max did not run to the 8 as he usually did. Tom looked around the house for Max and found him lying on the floor. Tom was surprised. He 9 ran to Max and called his name over and over again. He was gone. Tom and his family buried (埋葬)him in their backyard. He 10 for a long time, and remembered all his good memories with Max.

    Lucy was a single mother. She lived with her little son. She lost her 1 two years ago and they had a very hard life. Being 2 was terrible. Her heart, was broken every time her son asked, "Can I have some more 3 please, Mom?"

    One day, when her son asked the same question again, she decided to prepare a big meal for him4 the only 6 dollars in her hand. She went to the supermarket,5 some food and cooked at home. Lucy was ashy mother,6she was strong-minded. "It's time to make a change," she thought. She once loved writing. To make some money, she 7 to write for magazines day and night.

    Things went 8. The local food bank started to provide Lucy with some free vegetables every month. Her son 9 had enough food to eat. Once he told Lucy that the dishes she made were 10. Then, an idea came to Lucy's mind: Why not 11 my recipes on the Internet?" She did. Many people liked her recipes and she became 12.

    Soon after that, some reporters interviewed her and asked her to write a book on 13. When Lucy got the money for the14 she wrote, she was very happy. Now Lucy has a well-paid job and a beautiful home, but shell15 the days when she worked hard for a good life forever.

    Stevie Wonder is an American musician, singer, song writer and record producer. As a child prodigy(神童), he became one of the most creative and popular 1 performers of the late 20th century. He became blind shortly 2 his birth.

    American golfer(高尔夫球手) Tiger Woods is a 14-time major champion. He was born in Cypress, California. He is 3 as one of the most successful 4 in history.

    One day, Stevie Wonder and Tiger Woods were in a bar. Stevie Wonder said, "5 is the golf?"

    Woods replied, "Not too bad. I used to have some problems with my swing(挥杆动作), 6 now I've got what is right."

    Stevie Wonder said, "I 7  find that when my swing goes wrong, I need to stop playing for a while and not 8 it. 9, the next time I play, it seems to be all right."

    Tiger Woods said, "You also play 10?"

    Stevie Wonder said, "Oh, yes. I've been playing it 11 many years." Woods asked, "But you're
12! How 13 you play golf?"

   Wonder replied. "I 14 my caddie(球童) to stand in the middle of the fairway(球道) and shout to me. I hear his voice and play towards him. Then, when I get to where the ball lands, the caddie moves to the green and again I play the ball towards his voice."

    Woods asked, "What' 15 handicap(障碍)?"

    Stevie said, "Well, I have no handicap. Let' play around sometime."

    Woods said, "OK, that's a good idea. When would you like to play?"

    Stevie Wonder said, "Pick a night!"

    I'm sure many great people think about how they can make a difference in the world. In fact, sometimes little things can make a really big difference. I learned this 1 one day five years ago with my father, when I was just acting like myself—a nine-year-old kid.

    Papa came home late from work after 9 p.m. and he looked even more tired than usual. His eyes were already half-closed. I followed him to his bedroom. Papa 2 up the stairs, slowly lifting his feet one after the other. I was afraid that I would have to start pushing him. Fortunately, he 3 it to the bedroom on his own.

    Papa sat down on the bed and started removing his shoes and socks. "How was work?" I asked cheerfully.

    "Oh, it was OK," he replied. "It's just that I'm tired." "Oh, um……you want me to leave?"

    Papa gave me a tired 4 that made me more comfortable. I made me feel like he wasn't going to scold me, as he often did when I made some 5.

    "No," he said kindly, "of course I don't want you to leave."

    I opened my mouth and started 6 out the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch. Papa always loved it when I did that, and he started laughing loudly. I was happy that I had made my father laugh so much.

    "Did you like it?" I asked. "Of course I did," he said. "Did you know that 7you make me laugh, you make me feel a lot better?"

    I was  8that I could really do a thing like that.

    People in a town once went hungry. A rich man who made bread and cakes invited twenty of the 1 children, and told them to take a loaf (条) of bread from a 2 every day till the hard days passed.

    The hungry children came together 3, and argued for the bread, because each wished to have the largest one. Finally, they went away without even thanking the good gentleman.

    But Gretchen, a poorly-dressed little girl, did not argue or 4 with the rest, but remained standing quietly far away from them. 5 the bad-mannered children left, she took the smallest bread, which was alone left in the basket, kissed the gentleman's hand, and went home.

    The next day the children were as bad-mannered as before, and poor shy Gretchen 6 a loaf hardly the size of the one she got the first day. When she came home, her mother cut the loaf open. Many new shining pieces of 7 fell out of it.

    Her mother was very surprised and worried, and said, "Take the money back to the good gentleman at once, for it must have got into the dough (生面团） 8 mistake. Be quick, Gretchen! Be quick!"

    But when the little girl gave the rich man her mother's 9, he said, "No, no, my child, it was no mistake. I had the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf to give you. Always be as satisfied. quiet, and 10 as you now are. Go home now, and tell your mother that the money is your own."