The famous scientist and thinker, Charles Darwin, was born on February 12, 1809 in England. As a boy，Charles liked to go for walks in the fields and forests. He enjoyed watching nature，and comparing what he saw with everything he had read in science books. He also liked collecting very much. He collected many things: birds，eggs，stones and leaves.

At sixteen Darwin was sent to Edinburgh University to become a doctor. But he was interested in the history of nature.

Then he was sent to study in Cambridge University. There he studied until 1831.

Some time later he heard that the ship Beagle was going on a trip to South America and wanted a scientist. His teacher advised him to go. So when the Beagle left England in December, 1831, Darwin was on it.

The trip lasted almost five years. Darwin saw many new plants and animals. He collected all kinds of plants.

In 1842 Darwin went to live in Kent，and there he continued his studies of change in nature. Darwin understood that plants and animals are not always the same，and that they really change.

By 1859 Darwin had finished his famous book The Origin of Species.

In 1871 Darwin wrote ano ther important book The Theory of Evolution.

Darwin continued his studies in science until he died in 1882.

    Home Alone is a very funny 1990 American film. It tells us a boy who is left at home alone by accident.

    One night before Christmas, McAlister family meet at their house. They are planning to fly to Paris for the holiday and are busy getting ready. Eight-year-old Kevin is the youngest child and he is fighting with his brothers, sisters and cousins. When he goes to bed, he is so angry that he wishes all his family would go away. In the morning, everyone wakes up very late. They are all in hurry to get to the airport, so they forget Kevin and he is left alone at home.

Although Kevin is alone, he is very happy at first. His terrible family have gone—his wish has come true. He watches TV, eats lots of fast food and play games. He has a good time. But later on, he goes out and hears two bad men called Harry and Lary. Many things in the house get broken as Kevin tries to stop them. Finally, the police come and the men are taken away.

    The house is now in a mess, so Kevin tidies it up and waits for his parents. They get back from Paris and are very happy to find that Kevin is safe.

A

    Several months after I was badly hurt in a car accident, my father sent me to a blind school.

    That morning was the new beginning. I went to this school and I heard lots of children. My new teacher took me to the class where we were taught to write and type in Braille(盲文 ). I found it quite difficult.

    "Hi, sweetheart, how is school going?" asked my father.

    "Daddy, I can't do this. I try and try but I just don't get it. I don't know if I am ever going to learn to read Braille. It's too difficult," I cried.

    Daddy just held me in his arm and said, "Do you remember that we went to the temple which is on the top of a mountain? When we were climbing the mountain, my legs started aching. I sat down and said, 'I can't see the temple. You can't see it because it is covered with fog. Although you can't see it, I know it is here. I will make sure you will climb up to it.'"

    "That day you showed me that just you can't see something does not mean it is not there. So although climbing the mountain was difficult, I knew I would get to the top."

    I was clear what my dad wanted me to understand.

    I went back to school and started with new energy. Very soon I could read.

One of my classmates said, "You are lucky, you know, you have at least seen the world. I have just heard it. I have been told there are many colors in this world but I don't understand what color means."

    After listening to her for the first time in two years, I felt lucky. And on that day I learnt that although the light in my eyes is gone. I must see the world with the light in my heart.

    Fans of basketball all know who LeBron James is. His fans like to call him King James. The 33-year-old basketball star was again the best player in the last season of the NBA. The most popular American sports magazine Sports Illustrated also named him the best player for the fourth season in a row (连续).

    King James was born on December 30 in Ohio, the USA. He is 203cm tall and weighs 113kg. He is the perfect combination (结合)of strength, size and speed. Some people see him as the best physical specimen (体格范本)in sport.

    James beat Golden State Warriors' player Stephen Curry, 29, to the number one place, even though Curry had a great season. Last season (2015-2016), the two top players led their teams to the highest rank of the NBA. So people had different ideas about who might be the best player. James finally won the award because he helped his team Cleveland Cavaliers beat Curry's team in the NBA Finals.

    To his fans all over the world, James is the king. He is also a hero to many sports fans in the United Sates, especially in his hometown Cleveland. At a celebration in the city after he won the NBA Finals, James made a short speech and thanked everybody in his team. He said that he could not have won the award without them. He even bought each of them a gold headphone as a gift!

    James also started The LeBron James Family Foundation. It raises money and helps people in need. By now, the foundation has spent $41 million sending poor children to universities in his hometown. Maybe that is another reason why his fans love him so much.

    A year ago I paid no attention to English idioms though my teacher said again and again that it was important.

    One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner shook his head, saying, "You don't say! You don't say!" I was surprised. I thought, perhaps this is not a proper topic. Well, I'd better change the topic. So I said to him, "Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?"

    "Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at mc if I leave China without seeing it. It was great."

    I said, "The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. It is a place of interest. "Soon I was interrupted again by his words, "          "

    I couldn't help. "Why do you ask me not to talk about it?" "Well, I didn't ask you to do so," he answered, gently surprised.

    I said, "Didn't you say' You don't say!'?"

    Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to shout, "'You don't say!' actually means 'Really?'. It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English idioms."

    Then I knew I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idioms.