A young queen was given a magic box by a wizard (男巫). The box would bring happiness to the whole country whenever it was opened in a place full of the spirit of generosity (慷慨).

    The queen traveled all over the country, looking for the most generous people. If she collected them all, she would open the magic box. The queen felt disappointed because nothing special happened.

    One day when the queen decided to return to her palace, she saw a poor little boy begging. She would like to give the boy some money, but she didn't have any with her. So the boy asked her if she could give him the old box. Then he could sell it for a little money. At first the queen hesitated (犹豫), because she had been told the box had magical powers. But seeing how poor the boy was, she gave it to him. The boy took the box and opened it.

    Immediately, all the most wonderful things one could imagine started flying out of the box and a voice said, "Why look for it in others? Goodness always starts in yourself. "

    While enjoying all the wonders of the magic box, the queen learned to set an example to others, and she became the best queen ever in history.

    Rachel Carson(1907-1964) was a pioneer of the world's environmental movement through her writing about the protection of the natural world. Her 1962 book Silent Spring made her well known by many people. It describes the harmful changes in the environment of using toxic chemicals (有毒化学物质) on farmland.

    Carson first worked as a biologist in the US Bureau of Fisheries. In 1951, her first book The Sea Around Us came out. It became a bestseller. It made her rich enough to leave her job and spend all her life in writing. She was a talented writer. Her next two books were also about the oceans and both on the top of the book sales lists.

    Carson's book Silent Spring completely changed the way Americans thought about nature. It painted a bleak(荒凉的) future for the whole natural world. It led to a nationwide ban(禁止) on the use of a deadly chemical called DDT, and other toxic pesticides(农药) that farmers used for their crops. Many people say the book led to the creation of America's Environmental Protection Agency.

    Since her death, Carson's name has continued to be connected with protecting the environment. There is now a yearly Rachel Carson Book Prize. Norway gives the Rachel Carson Prize to women who have done a lot on environmental protection. In 1980, 16 years after her death, she was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in America.

    A farmer loses his watch in the barn (谷仓). He is worried because the watch has many stories for him.

    After looking carefully everywhere for a long time, he can't find it Then he asks for help of a few children playing outside the barn. He says, "If you find my watch, I can give you a lot of money."

    Hearing this, the children run into the barn to look for the watch, but they can't find it. Then, a little boy says he wants to look for it again.

    The farmer looks at him and asks him to look for it again. After a few minutes, the little boy comes out with the watch in his hand! The farmer is happy and surprised. He asks the boy about it.

    "I do nothing," answers the boy, "I just sit on the ground and listen. In the silence, I hear the ticking (滴答声) of the watch and then find it."

①Colours are everywhere in our life. They have different meanings in different countries. Red is very important in China. Chinese people think it is a colour of good luck and happiness. So in China, you can see many red things here and there. 

②In the New Year, Chinese parents always put some money in a red envelope named hongbao. They give it to their children because they hope they can be healthy. People also write some good words on the red paper called chunlian as good wishes for the New Year. 

③On birthdays, some Chinese people like wearing red clothes and eating red eggs. They hope they can be healthy and have a long life. 

④For Chinese people, red is not just the name of the colour. In fact, it's the colour of the Chinese spirit(精神). 

 Are you looking at me? Do you know me? I am a dodo (渡渡 鸟)! You may think that I am just a character (角色) in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} fact, there were thousands of us in the past— for real. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} now you cannot find us in nature.

 We {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (live) on an island in the Indian Ocean. In the happy old days, there was a lot of food to eat. All the other animals were friendly. What a safe and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (peace) life!

 However, in the late {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (sixteen) century, humans arrived. They cut down the trees and our lovely forest was gone(消失). They could hunt us very{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (easy) because we were slow and could not fly. What's more, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(they) pigs, cats and dogs ate our eggs. As a result, we soon died out.

 So today we are standing in some {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (museum) around the planet. When you see us, please remember our sad story. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} world is full of fantastic animals. Please try your best {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (help) them. Make them as happy as a clam, not as dead as a dodo.