Jack Brown, an office worker, lives in Washington. He inherited（继承）a million dollars when he was 23, but he wasn't happy at all. When his college friends were looking for their jobs, he didn't have to. Jack decided to keep living a simple life like everyone else. He gave $ 10,000 of his money to a charity to help poor children live a happy life. Today he is 36. He still wears cheap shoes and clothes and drives a small car only, but he is very happy.

    Up to now Jack has helped some children from poor countries all over the world, by sending them each $200 a month. The money is used for the children's study, food, medicine and clothing. Jack receives a report each year on the children's progress(进步）They can write to each other, but usually the children do not speak English.

    When Jack first heard about these children, he wanted to help them. “It was nothing special,”he said.“Until I went to these countries and met the children I was helping, I didn't know anything about their life.” Once Jack went to meet a little girl in Africa, he said that the meeting was very exciting. “When I met her, I felt very, very happy,”he said.“And I saw that the money was used for a good cause. It brought me happiness. I want to do everything I can to go on helping these children.”

    Once there was a parrot on sale in a pet store. It was a beautiful red and blue bird.  It sat on a perch in the middle of the store so that everyone could see it when they came in. The owner was very proud of it and asked a high price for it.

    One day a man went into the store. "That's a beautiful bird," he said to the pet store owner. "But why is it so expensive? Is it an unusual bird?"

    "No, it's not very unusual. It's expensive because it can talk," the pet store owner said.

    "I see. How can I make it talk?" the man asked.

    The pet store owner asked him, "Do you see those strings tied to each of the bird's legs?"

    "Yes," the man answered.

    "Well, you pull those strings," the pet store owner told him."That will make the parrot talk."

    The man asked, "Do you mind if I try?"

    "Not at all," the pet store owner said.

    The man walked up to the parrot and pulled the string on its left leg. The parrot said, "Good morning."

    The man pulled the string on the parrot's right leg. This time the parrot said, "How are you today?"

    "That's not very interesting," said the man."Any parrot could do that." Then he laughed, "But what would happen if I pulled both strings at the same time?"

    "I'll fall off my perch, you fool!"the parrot said.

    Do you know Chinese movie legend Chow Yun-fat? Chow Yun-fat is a Chinese film and television actor, and is named "The Asia's greatest actor". Also, he is a photographer. Everyone likes him very much.

    Chow Yun-fat was born in Lamma Island, Hong Kong, on May 18, 1955. After his father died, his family became very poor. In his childhood, he helped his mother farm and raise chickens on the island. He was only at school for three years, and then left school to work as a porter, messenger, and salesman. In 1973, he was chosen to study in the third artist training class of the wireless TV station. He became a basic actor one year later. He went to Hollywood, the USA in 1995 and soon became the main actor in several films. He became a film superstar later.

    On October 15^th, 2018, Chow Yun-fat said he planned to give his total property $5.6 billion HKD (that's $714 million USD) to charity. "My dream is to be a happy and normal person, "Yun-fat told the reporter." The hardest thing in life is not about how much money you earn, but how to keep a peaceful mindset and live the rest of your life in a simple and carefree manner."

    Chow Yun-fat spends only $800 HKD ($102 USD) every month. He keeps frugal by taking a bus or train as often as possible and doing charity work instead of spending it on himself. He had a Nokia phone for 17 years. A few days ago, he had to use a smart phone, because his Nokia one stopped working. He always shops at discount clothing stores, because, he said: "I don't wear clothes for other people. As long as I think it's comfortable, then it's good enough for me."

    My cousin Bill likes going to the beach on Sunday. There was much sunshine that day. He went there with his brother. They got there at 9:00. There were lots of people there on vacation. Bill and his brother sat down and began to relax.

    Soon Bill found there were lots of empty water bottles on the beach. He also saw some paper bags on the beach. That made Bill sad. He and his brother began to work. To clean the beach, they worked hard. About two hours later, the beach was clean again.  At last they put up a sign, saying, "No Littering(乱扔)" on the beach. They wanted people to keep the beach clean. After that, they were very hungry. So they went to a restaurant nearby to have lunch. They had two large bowls of beef noodles there, and then went home.