Hans Christian Andersen(安徒生)

    Hans Christian Andersen is a great writer. He wrote many popular stories for children all over the world. April 2 is his birthday and it is also Children's Book Day.

    Andersen was born(出生) in 1805. When he was a little boy, his father read him a story every day. He felt very happy at that time. But his father died when he was 11 years old. Then he had to leave school. Andersen started working as an actor and singer. He loved reading books so much that he went back to school at 17. His first book came out in 1835. From then on, he wrote about one book a year for 37 years.

    There will be a park about Andersen's sales(传说) and life in Shanghai. If you like Andersen, you can go there to learn about his life and tales, and you can play games, too.

    William Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in English literature. His plays can be divided into three categories: histories, tragedies(悲剧) and comedies. Shakespeare wrote eighteen comedies, although two were lost. These comedies usually have happy endings and a light-hearted tone and style that are quite different from his tragedies.

    All of Shakespeare's comedies have five acts and the most important or exciting point always takes place in the third act. The hero does not appear until after other characters have talked about him. Shakespeare had some themes that he usually wrote about: the fight between good and bad, love's great effect on people, and the difference between first appearance and a person's true personality or face. Shakespeare also wrote his play in a certain style. For example, Shakespeare used words in such a clever and humorous way that they had more than one meaning. Some of the characters changed their appearances so that people didn't know who they were.

    Even though the tone is lighter in these plays. Comedies in Shakespeare's day were quite different from modern-day comedies because their purpose was not to make people laugh. Shakespeare's comedies are very emotional(有感染力的) and often include serious topics to think about.

    Imagine this. Somebody hides free books in the subway for you to find and read. Sound exciting? Well, British actress Emma Watson, 26, is doing it! She is known for acting as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies.

    Watson hid 100 copies of a book called Mom & Me & Mom (2013) in London's subway. The book is an autobiography（自传）from US writer Maya Angelou. It tells about the writer's relationship with her mother. These books were put in different places in the subway. People saw Watson doing the same thing in the New York Subway this month.

    With each book, there is a handwritten note by Watson. She asked people to "take special care" of the books if they find them. She also wrote that "when you are finished, please leave it on the subway again for someone else to find".

    Watson's work is part of a movement called Books on the Underground. It calls on people to leave their books on the subway so other people can enjoy them too.

    Hollie Belton, a woman in London, started the movement in 2012. She loves reading on the subway. She noticed that a lot of people shared her habit, so she got the idea. Over the years, Belton has left over 2,000 books of her own. The movement has attracted more and more people.

    Watson is a book lover as well. That's why she tried it. Earlier this year, Watson set up her own online book club Our Shared Shelf. She reads a book every month with others. Mom & Me & Mom is the club's book for November.

    When I saw Ronny for the first time, he looked like other kids in the first-grade classroom where I volunteered as a Reading Mom. However, he usually arrived at school wearing old clothes.

    On the day when it was Ronny's turn to read. He sat very close to me. I watched his fingers move slowly under each letter as "he tried to speak out "Bud the Sub". It sounded more like "Baw Daw Saw" when he said it because of his difficulty with the alphabet (字母).

    The year passed quickly and Ronny had made some progress but he was still below the level of grade. A few weeks before the school year ended, I held an award(颁奖) ceremony. I had gifts and certificates(证书) for everyone. It took me a while to think about which Ronny fit; I believed the gift could cheer him up. I finally decided on "The Most Progressive Reader". I showed his certificate and a book.

    A few days later, I saw Ronny reading the book when I went back to the school. His teacher said, "He hasn't put that book down. That's the first book he's ever owned. "

    Fighting back tears(眼泪) I came near Ronny and asked, "Will you read me your book, Ronny?" He nodded.

    And then, for the next few minutes, he read to me more smoothly than I'd ever thought. When he finished reading, Ronny closed his book and said, "Good book."

    At that moment, I knew I should do what an author(作家) had done-care children and make them excellent.

    This is Mrs. White. Now she is teaching math. She works in a middle school. She lives in London, Mrs. White and Mr. White have three children. They all love animals and they have a big dog and a cute cat.

    Mrs. White is Sophie's aunt, Sophie lives and studies in Liverpool, but now she is in London. She is on her holiday here. She wants to do some shopping with her aunt.

    Mrs. White's son Arnold doesn't like shopping, but he loves going out with friends. They usually go to a park to play soccer or basketball in the afternoon. Today, Arnold isn't playing soccer or basketball. He is swimming.

    Mr. White works for a company (公司). He isn't working today, because he isn't feeling well. He is in a hospital now.