I work as a volunteer for an organization(组织) that helps the poor in Haiti. I decided to take my son Brain there for a week, hoping to educate him.

      Before getting out, I told Brain this trip would be tiring and hard. For the first two days, he said almost nothing. Then on the third day, when we were climbing over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and smiled, “Really hard.”

      After that, a five-year-old girl, wearing a too large dress and broken shoes, followed Brain around. Later he said regretfully(遗憾地), “I wish I could speak French.”I was surprised that this was from a boy who always hated French classes.

      However, the moment that really reached my heart occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was interviewing a woman villager for an article. By working hard, she had learned to read and write and became part of the leadership(领导层) of the village.

      Learning her story, Brain was greatly touched. His eyes were wet and there was love and respect on his face. He finally understood the importance of my work. When leaving for home, Brain even offered to stay in as a volunteer. This trip was very meaningful.

    Fresh off his MasterChef Junior run, Evan Robinson, who is only 12 years old, is using his kitchen skills to raise money for Puerto Rico. The TV show contestant wanted to offer help after hurricanes(飓风) hit the country last September.

    “I've been seeing, all over the news, people struggling,” Evan said. “They can't get fresh water, electricity; they can't get really anything. I know I'm just a kid, but I think if a lot of people do something, a lot of things will get better.”

    He raises money by baking and taking online orders for homemade empanadas(馅 饼). He started cooking on a recent Friday night. By the next Sunday evening, he had filled orders for 420 empanadas — — roasted chicken, cheeseburger and vegetarian — — getting $18 for six empanadas and $30 for a dozen.

    His mom, Veronica Robinson, helped him send the empanadas around the city. “We've never done anything like this before,” she said. “But it's a great idea, so I want to help him make it work.”

    For Evan's out-of-town friends and supporters, he has set up a crowdfunding(众筹) page. Through it, he's hoping to raise $1, 500 in “virtual (虚 拟 的) empanadas”. This is because he heard on the news that it could take Puerto Rico years, maybe  even 10 years, to recover(复 原) from the hurricanes. And he said, “Fruit pies are up next. And my baking will continue as well.”

    It's a difficult job, especially for a kid with homework and Boy Scouts and friendships to tend to. But he doesn't seem worried.

    “It's what we're supposed to do.” he said. “I'm a human. They're humans. Why shouldn't I help them?”

    Indeed.

Have you ever read the book，Dopey and Grumpy（《没头脑和不高兴》）？It tells the story of two kids. One often{#blank#}1{#/blank#}this and that，and the other often gets unhappy. They make many{#blank#}2{#/blank#}，and finally learn a lesson from them Ren Rongrong wrote the story in 1956. Later people made it into a cartoon film and it became{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Children liked talking about it in their free time. 

The idea of Dopey and Grumpy came from Ren Rongrong's{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. "I myself was 'Dopey'，often feeling muddle﹣headed（糊里糊涂的），and my kid is 'Grumpy' when I ask him to do something，"said Ren. Then he thought，why not let children show{#blank#}5{#/blank#}real life？They might learn a lot. So Ren began to write the story. He wrote it{#blank#}6{#/blank#}，more than 5，000 words in half an hour!

Ren was"Dopey"in life，{#blank#}7{#/blank#}he was not"Grumpy"for work. He not only wrote stories，but also translated（翻译）children's books. He{#blank#}8{#/blank#}to work on children's literature（文学）. "This job is so fun. I am{#blank#}9{#/blank#}stories with children to make them interested in reading. If I have the chance to live again，I{#blank#}10{#/blank#}want to do it，" Ren said. "I hope Chinese children can read great works，just like other children around the world. "

Cindy is taking a trip around Italy（意大利）. Now, she gets a call from her 1 in London.

"Cindy, are you having a 2 time?"

"Yes, Grandma! Italy is so beautiful !3 , I'm going to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa (意大利比萨斜塔)."

"Oh, dear! It's not good to eat only a 4 for breakfast. You5 to drink some milk too! It's important to eat well. "

Hearing6 words, Cindy laughs（大笑）. She says, "Oh, you mistake(错认）Pisa for pizza（披萨）, Grandma! Here, the Leaning Tower of Pisa(比萨斜塔）is a building(建筑）, not something to 7 ! "

"Haha! That's funny!"Grandma also laughs, "Dear, be sure to take some 8 of it. I'm going to send(发送） them to my friends. Have9 ! Bye!"

Cindy says 10 to Grandma and goes on her trip. 

Mr. Black and Mr. White were two very famous artists in the city. Their drawings were also very popular in the city. But they tried to see who could draw the best picture. 

One day they asked an old man to be the judge. Mr. Black drew an apple tree. He put his picture in the field. Soon the birds came and tried to eat the apples. The old man saw it and said， "You have certainly won. Mr. White cannot draw so good a picture as yours. But we'll go to see his picture. "

They went to Mr. White's house. There was nothing but red beautiful curtains（窗帘）on the wall. The old man asked， "Where is your picture，Mr. White? " He said， "Lift the curtains and you will find my picture there. "The old man tried to lift the curtains but found that they were drawn there. They were Mr. White's picture. The old man said， "Birds thought the apples were real. Men thought the curtains were real. So Mr. White won. His picture is the best one. "

17-year-old Girl Rides to School

Kacey Tucker, a 17-year-old girl, comes from Saudi Arabia. The girl rides her horse to school every day.

"My family has two horses, Jacob and Donald." she says, "My sister, Melissa and I often ride them to school."

After finishing all her middle school classes in Saudi Arabia, Kacey 

goes to a university (大学) in America now." My cousin's university has a really clean and big barn （畜棚）," says Kacey, " And I'm very happy to study there."

Kacey gets another horse, Winston in America. And she rides the horse to and from the university every day.

"That's so cool. I'd like a horse, too!" one of Kacey's classmates says.