A group of swans flew down to a beach where a crow(乌鸦)was jumping around. The crow watched them with disdain(鄙视).

    "You have no flying skills at all!” he said to the swans. “All you can do is to move your wings. Can you turn over in the air? No, that's what you can't do. Let's have a flying competition. I'll show you what real flying is ! "

    One of the swans, a strong young male, took up the challenge(挑战). The crow flew up and began to show off his skills. He flew in circles, did other flying tricks, and then came down and looked proudly at the swan.

    Now it was the swan's turn. He flew up, and began flying over the sea. The crow flew after him, making all kinds of comments(评价)about his flying. They flew on and on until they couldn't see the land and there was nothing but water on all sides. The crow was making fewer and fewer comments. He was now so tired that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to try to stop himself from falling into the water.

    The swan pretended(假装) not to notice and said, "Why do you keep touching the water, brother? Is that another trick?"

    "No," said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. "I'm in trouble because of my pride! If you don't help me, I'll lose my life... "

    The swan took pity on him, and took him on his back and flew back to the beach.

    Once a great boxer(拳击手), Tom Brown, went to a restaurant for dinner. He put his bag near the door, but he was afraid that someone would take it away. So he got out a pen and a piece of paper and wrote on it, “The great boxer, Tom Brown, left his bag here and he will be back in a few minutes.”

    He put the paper on his bag and went to have his dinner. When he came back, his bag wasn't there. But he found a piece of paper on the ground. It said, “A great runner took away your bag, and will not be back.”

A

    Mrs. Brown is a woman about forty-five. Her husband has a factory in the town and gets much money. Her three children are all intelligent and they work in their factory. She has nothing to do at home and lives a happy life. Mrs.Brown likes meat and cakes very much. Her husband and children often buy some for her. And she doesn't like sports and often gets up at eleven o'clock in the morning. So she gets fatter and fatter and now it's difficult for her to walk. Sometimes she thinks something is wrong with her heart. She went to see a doctor one day. The doctor looked her over carefully and said, “You have got a heart disease, Mrs. Brown. It's bad for your heart to eat much sugar and meat. You'd better eat a piece of bread for each meal.”

    “That's easy, doctor,” said the woman. “But when do I have to eat the bread, before a meal or after a meal?”

    A few days ago I got a call from my old college friend whom I haven't seen for a very long time. We talked about all the good old times that we had. Then he started talking about his father. His father was badly ill in hospital and couldn't sleep at night, he often talked to himself and made a lot of noise. My friend was angry about this and shouted at his father to stop talking, but after his father stopped talking, he died a few days later.

    My friend was very sorry for speaking the ill words towards his father, he was so sad that he cried like a baby on the other end of the telephone. He said that from that moment on, he prayed every day, asking God to let his father forgive him.

    Sometimes, we complain our parents, but do we realize that our parents take care of us and always stay around us from the day we were born to our adulthood (成年), imagine how sad our parents will be when they hear an unlucky word of "no" come out from our mouths.

    There are so many unlucky children who have neither fathers nor mothers. My dear friends, we can make promises to ourselves that from now on there will be no bad words that come out from our mouths to our parents, take good care of our parents, even if it takes only a second to stay with them, they will be very happy.

    One day, I walked into a stranger as he walked by me. "Oh, excuse me." I said. He replied with a smile and said, "Please excuse me, too. I wasn't watching out for you." We apologized(道歉) and went our own ways.

    Later that day, when I was cooking, my daughter was standing too close to me. When I turned to reach for some milk, I nearly knocked her over. "Move out of the way." I shouted. She walked away sadly. But I didn't feel like I had to apologize to her.

    While I was in bed that evening, my husband said to me, "Dealing with a stranger, you were polite, but with a daughter you love, you were unkind. Your daughter brought you some flowers that she picked herself this afternoon. You'll find them in the kitchen by the door. Have you seen the tears in her eyes?"

    I quietly went and knelt down by my daughter's bed. "Honey, I am so sorry." I said, "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She said, "I found them by the tree. I picked them because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them especially the blue ones." I tearfully replied, "Sweetie, I'm really sorry for the way I acted today. I shouldn't have shouted at you." "It's okay. I love you anyway." she said as she kissed me on my cheek.

    If we can be polite to strangers, why can't we be kind to the ones we love?

    One morning there was a loud knock at Dean Swift's door. The servant(佣人)opened it. A man who was outside handed her a fine duck and said, "Here's a present for Dean. It's from Mr Boyle." Then, without another word, he walked away.

    Mr. Boyle was a sporty neighbour. He liked reading Dean Swift's books and sending him presents. The second time, the man brought a quail(鹌鹑). "Here's something else for Dean," he said and threw it into the servant's arms.

    "That man has no manners," the servant told Dean.

    "The next time he comes," said Dean, "let me know."

    It was not long before the man came with another present. Dean went to the door.

    "Here's a rabbit from Mr. Boyle, "said the man.

    "See here, "said Dean." That is not the way to deliver a message here. Just walk inside and make believe(假装)that you were Dean Swift. I will show you."

    "I'll agree to that, "said the man, and he walked inside. Dean took the rabbit and knocked gently at the door.

    The door was opened by the man. Dean said, "If you please, sir, Mr Boyle wishes you to accept this fine rabbit."

    "Oh, thank you, "said the man very politely. Then, taking out his wallet, he offered Dean some money." And here is something for your trouble."

    The lesson in manners was not forgotten. After that, the man was very polite when he brought presents. And Dean also took the hint(暗示).He always remembered to give the man a tip for his trouble.