Four years ago when I was a boy of 11，I got into the biggest trouble as a kid．It was a Saturday morning．Both my parents were out，leaving me and my 10—month—old sister alone．Anyway，my sister was still asleep in her room．In fact I had the house to myself．I decided to do some drawing．Soon I gave up．Nothing was on TV，so I felt bored and touched the candles on the shelf．I had an idea! What would happen if I set fire to some kitchen paper? Well，of course it went on fire，but it wasn't the tiny flame (火苗)．I'd expected，and I couldn't blow it out．I threw it on the floor, and then luckily got my dad's boots (靴子) and．Stamped it out ．

    I thought I was safe until there was a hole in my room．When my mum came home later, she smelt the smoke immediately．She dropped the shopping bag，luckily for me，over the hole．I thought this meant she would never see it．However，after running round the house checking for a fire，she of course picked up the bag and saw the hole．Next I was grounded (关禁闭) and in trouble for months．Even though，the hole was still there，reminding me of what I did．

B

    John is an American boy. His family is in China now. John likes chocolates (巧克力) very much. But his mother doesn't give him any. They are not good for him, she thinks. But John has a very nice grandfather. The old man loves him very much, and sometimes he buys John some chocolates. Then his mother lets John eat them. She wants to make the old man happy. One Sunday evening John says in his room, "Please, God. Make them give me a big box of chocolates tomorrow. It's my birthday." His mother says, "God can't hear you, my boy." "I know, but my grandfather is in the next room. He can hear."

A

    Bob is my cousin．He is only five years old．He likes eating meat(肉)very much．He always has meat for lunch and dinner．He doesn't like vegetables or fruit. So he is a little fat．My aunt worries(担忧)about him and doesn't want him to have so much meat．

    It's Sunday．Bob and my aunt go to the zoo to see animals．They see tigers and bears．Bob likes them very much．Then it's time for lunch．The keepers(饲养员)bring some meat for the tigers and bears． 

    "Mum, do tigers and bears have meat every day?"Bob asks．

    "Yes，they do，"my aunt says．"It's time to have lunch．Let's eat out. What do you want for lunch?"

    "Meat．"

    "Oh, Bob．You're a little fat．Eating much meat is not good for you."

    "No, Mom．Tigers and bears eat meat every day，and they're very strong-I want to be strong，too．"

    In 1995, Oseola McCarty gave a present of $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi. She wanted to help poor students. It was a very generous thing to do. But her friends and neighbours were surprised. McCarty was a good woman. She went to church. She was always friendly and helpful. But everyone in her town knew that McCarty was not rich. In fact, she was poor.

    How did a poor 86 year-old woman have so much money? Oseola McCarty was born in 1908 in Wayne County, Mississippi. She had to leave school when she was eight years old to help her family. She took a job washing clothes. She earned only a few dollars a day. Oseola washed the clothes by hand. Then she hung the clothes to dry. She did this for nearly 80 years. In the 1960s, she bought an automatic washer and dryer. But she gave them away. She thought they did not get the clothes clean enough! At that time, many people started to buy their own washers and dryers. McCarty did not have much work, so she started to iron clothes instead.

    McCarty never married or had children. Her life was very simple. She went to work and to church. She read her Bible(圣经). She had a black-and-white television. But she did not watch it very much. It had only one channel.

    McCarty saved money all her life and eventually had about $ 250 ， 000.When she was 86, a lawyer helped her make a will. She left money to the church, her relatives, and the university. McCarty just wanted to help others. She thought she was not a special person. But then people found out about her present to the university, She received many honours(荣誉). She even flew in an airplane for the first time! Oseola McCarty died in 1999. She was a shy and ordinary woman who became famous.