Nearly eight hundred million people in this world cannot read or write, most of them in developing countries. Two-thirds are women and girls.

    John Wood who started the Room to Read campaign （运动）, has opened 1650 schools and 15000 libraries in some of the world's poorest communities（社区）. He said that from the beginning, Room to Read'sgoal was to reach 10 million children around the world in the poorest countries.

    In 1998, on athree-week vacation journey in Nepal, Wood met a local headmaster who invited him to visit his schoolin a far mountain village. The experience changed Wood's life.

    "This headmaster had 450 students at the school, but he didn't have any books," Wood said. "He had a library that was empty."

    Wood promised to fill the library shelves and returned to the village one year later with some of his friends with 3000 books. And that was just the start. Later, Wood used some of his personal money to start Room to Read.  He believes that world change begins with educated children. Today, the programme can be found in 10 countries across Asia and Africa.

    Wood believes the key to the program's success is local support. While Room to Read gives away money and provides books, communities offer land and parents help build the school. Agnes, a Room to Read teacher in Zambia who also runs the library, is proud to say the literacy' at her school has improved.  Room to Read's biggest challenge is the huge need.  Hundreds of communities have asked for literacy prograrnmes. One way of Room to Read's success is that it will achieve Wood's goal of reaching 10 million kids by 2015, five years earlier than it is planned.

    Mr Smith had a week's holiday, so he said, "I'm going to see the sea by train." He put on his best clothes, took a small bag, went to the railway station and got onto the train. He wore a beautiful hat, and he often put his head out of the window during the trip and looked at the beautiful scenery. But suddenly the wind pulled his hat off.

    Mr Smith took his old bag and threw it out of the window quickly too. The others in the train laughed. "Is your bag going to bring back your beautiful hat?" they asked.

    "N0," Mr Smith answered, "but there is no name or address in my hat, and there's a name and an address on the bag. If someone finds both of them, he or she will send me the bag and the hat.''

    "Face it，Andy．You sold your heart the day you put on that first pair of Jimmy Choo's．"That line from the movie The Devil Wears Prada is an example showing how a shoemaker has become famous in the fashion world．

    Jimmy Choos （Zhou Yangjie）was born in Malaysian and he is a Malaysian Chinese，born in 1961 into a family of shoemakers．He created his first pair of shoes at age 11．His family couldn't pay for his schooling，so he dropped out at a young age．He had to work with his father to support the family．But his dream to be a fashion designer never disappeared，so he did all he could to enter an art college and finally took up a position in the fashion world through his talent and willpower．

    Choo graduated from a college in London and had a small workshop there．He hit the international fashion scene when Vogue magazine described his designs in eight pages in 1988．His work was immediately popular and got love and support from Diana，Princess of Wales．

    Jimmy Choo shoes are known for their very high heels（鞋跟）and pointed toes．However，he does some flats and lower﹣heeled shoes for other women．Choo co﹣founded Jimmy Choo Ltd．with Tamara Mellon，UK Vogue editor，but left the company in 2001．

    Jimmy Choo shops have opened around the world，so his designs are easier to get to those who want a designer shoe，and can afford his prices．Choo also has a website where shoppers can view his ready to wear designs．The brand（牌子）of Jimmy Choo has been comparable to top brands，like Channel，LV，etc．But it's still young and has a bright future．

    We can't imagine how hard it is for Choo to stand out in the worldwide fashion! He must have made greater efforts and had more difficulties than others．And so he did．So stop complaining about why good luck isn't always falling on you and devote yourselves to your work now．

    Joseph has written a letter to his cousins, James and Susan. Here is the letter.

    Dear James and Susan,

    I am writing to you again because I am at home in bed. I have a cold recently and I am unable to go to school. I've got a fever and a bad headache as well. In addition, I'm always thirsty, probably as a result of the fever. But, with a lot of effort, I'm writing a letter to you.

    The weather here in Toronto is horrible. I am sure the weather is much better in Hong Kong. Do you agree? The snow came a bit early this year and it was freezing cold. It's surprising to see kids playing in the snow happily and building "castles" and snowmen this morning. A few of them made snowballs by pressing snow together and threw them at each other.

    I am going to have my examination soon, I'm worried about it because I'm too sick to get out of bed to hold my text-books. What's more, I haven't attended school for nearly one week. I have to work hard to catch up with my classmates.

    I have got a new mate recently. That is Bobby, our cat. Uncle Tom gave him to me as my birthday present. He is rather disobedient and he runs here and there from time to time. However, I'm glad to have him as my friend at the moment.

    Please write to me if you have time.

Yours,

Joseph

Miguel finally sees Dad. He's just back from a working trip. "How's your chess game, Miguel?"

"Mrs. Lambert says I'm the best chess player in the school! She says you teach me well."

"We'll play after dinner," Dad says.

At night, Miguel wants to help Dad clean out his suitcase (手提箱). "Wait, Miguel. I'll take my next trip next morning." "Oh, Dad!" Miguel cries. "But you just got here!" Miguel eyes the suitcase. When he was little, he got into the suitcase, thinking Dad could take him to work as well. Sometimes Dad traveled really far and it was day there when it was night for Miguel. They couldn't even talk by phone.

"I'll miss you," Dad says. He then pets a box from his suitcase and hands it to Miguel.

Miguel opens it. A beautiful chess set!

"Thank you, Dad!" Miguel cries. "It's so nice!"

It's an exciting game of chess. When Miguel's bedtime comes, it's still not over. "Keep it. We'll continue the game when we meet again, OK?" says Dad. 

Miguel carefully takes the chessboard to his bedroom. He looks at it, wishing the game could continue.

"Oh, that'll be a great idea!"

The next morning, when Miguel wakes up, Dad's gone. After studying the chess board for a minute, Miguel calls Dad and leaves a message: "Dad, it's me…"