Christopher Columbus is famous because he found something he wasn't looking for.

    In 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in order to reach India. What he found was something far different. He found the New World. How did this come about? It all started in Italy.

    Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa in 1451. His family didn't have a lot of money, and Christopher wasn't an only child. He didn't have much of an education until he was much older. Instead, he went to sea. He sailed around the Mediterranean(地中海) and as far north as England and Ireland.

    During his travels, Columbus heard the reports of land to the west of the Madeira and Azores Islands. They were in the Atlantic Ocean west of Portugal. He wanted to know more and got maps and books on geography.

    Marco Polo said that Japan was only 1,500 miles east of China. As a result, Columbus thought that Japan was only 3,000 miles west of Portugal. And 3,000 miles was a distance that ships could travel in those days.

So, Columbus decided that he wanted to get to the East by going west. He thought that if he sailed far enough west, he would sail around the world enough to reach the East. Based on his calculations(计算), Japan was only 3,000 miles away, after all.

    These days, few 11-year-olds are allowed to walk to school by themselves. However, 11-year-old Rosalie Atkins is traveling the world alone.

    Rosalie Atkins lives in England. Her parents decided to let her travel alone. This summer Rosalie's mother put her on a plane to Paris with a host family.

Rosalie spent a week visiting Paris. She visited the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, as well as several museums, markets, and parks. "If I had visited with my parents, we would have seen only the touristy parts of Paris," said Rosalie. "But because I was staying with a French family I saw more." Traveling to different countries, Rosalie also expressed the confidence. "I am quite confident when I have to talk to new people, which is a useful social skill, " Rosalie said.

Rosalie is glad that her parents allow her to go on adventure() that other kids could only dream of. Rosalie said, "Your parents aren't going to travel with you forever. You have to learn to be independent some day, and in my opinion the sooner the better."

    Doctor Seuss was born in 1904. By the middle 1950s, he had become one of the most famous and most successful children's book writers around the world. His books are very popular with young readers. They enjoy the invented words and the pictures of unusual funny animals and plants.

    In 1954, Life magazine published a report about school children who could not read well. The report said many children's books were not interesting at all. Doctor Seuss read it and strongly wanted to help the children and decided to write books that were full of fun and easy to read. He used words with the same ending sound, like bike and like. He did not receive any training in art. However, he drew wonderful pictures for most of his books.

    In 1957, Doctor Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat. He used less than 230 words to write the book and even a 6-year-old kid could read it. It was a fun story and easy to read. Children loved it very much. Their parents loved it as well. Today it is still one of the stories they like best. The success of The Cat in the Hat made him really want to write more books for children. In 1960, he wrote a book using less than fifty words. The book is called Green Eggs and Ham.

    In 1984, Doctor Seuss won a Pulitzer Prize. He was honoured for the education and enjoyment his books provided American children and their parents. He died at the age of 87, but his influence remains. Millions of his books have been sold all over the world. People say his books helped change the way American children learnt to read. Up till now, his books are loved by people of all ages. Doctor Seuss once said, "I do not write for children. I write for people."

    Calabash brothers(葫芦娃兄弟) live in the Calabash Mountain with their grandfather. They are all very brave. They wear different clothes. The red calabash is the other six brothers 'elder brother. He is powerful. His body can be bigger or smaller. But he doesn't have his own ideas. The orange calabash has enhanced hearing and sight. He can see and hear far places clearly. The yellow calabash's body is very strong. Nothing can injure(伤害)him, but he is arrogant(傲慢的). The green calabash is the god of fire. He can eat fire and make fire. The cyan(青色的) calabash can drink water and make flood. The blue calabash is the cleverest of all. Nobody can find him when he makes himself invisible. And the purple calabash has a magic gourd(葫芦). The gourd can absorb(吸收) everything.

    One day a pangolin(穿山甲) broke the cave and two monsters came out.

    They were Monster Scorpion(蝎子精) and Monster Snake. The calabash brothers must fight with them and save the world. Unluckily, their grandfather who helped them beat the monster, was killed by the monsters finally.

I spent ten days on vacation with my parents and it was great.

My parents take part in "Euro bike" activities every day. They often ask me to1 , but I always say no. This year I wanted to make a2 . I was tired of my job and my life. I3 to change my life. So when my parents asked this year, my 4 was " Yes!" Then I went to Paris a week before my 5 arrived, just to visit my favorite city by myself, and then I 6 them in Versailles to start the activity. It was wonderful to7 about a week with my parents.

First of all, they 8 thought I was a little girl. Every night before I left their hotel room and walked to9 , my mom said "good night" and "be careful"10 me, I felt like I was still their little11 .

Second, the vacation was12 .We talked about13 in our lives like music, sports, jobs and so on. They were14 because I took a vacation with them. 

If you have time, I hope you can have a15 with your parents, too. I'm sure it will be very different.