In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery (风景). Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island.

Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins (大头针) stuck in it. “These pins mean a lot to me.” says Mr. McCorpuodale, “I follow the rule. I'm allowed to stick one in only if I've been in a place for more than 24 hours.”

Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as “a wonderful country”. About China, he says, “This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence. ”

Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen.

So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, “Neither. Only for the meaningful life.”

B

    A crow (乌鸦) wants to drink, but he can't find water. He looks here and there. At last, he cries, "I can see a jar (罐子) and there is some water in it." He tries to get the water, but he can't. "How can I get the water?" he cries, "I can put my break (鸟嘴) quite close it." But still he cannot drink. "What can I do? I want to drink." He looks here and there, then he picks up a small stone (石头) in his break and carries it to the jar of water and drops it into the jar. "Soon the water will be high in the jar, and I can drink," says the crow. So he begins to do that until the water is high (高的) enough to drink.

    Once upon a time, there lived a rich man. He had a servant (仆人). He and the servant(仆人) loved wine and good food very much. Each time the rich man left his home, the servant would drink the wine and eat up all the nice food in the house. The rich man knew what his servant did, but he had never caught his servant doing that.

    One morning, when he left home, he said to the servant, “Here are two bottles of poison (毒药) and some nice food in the house. You must take care of them.” With these words, he went out.

    But the servant knew that the rich man had said was untrue. After the rich man was away from his home, he enjoyed a nice meal. Because he drank too much, he was drunk and fell to the ground. When the rich man came back, he couldn't find his food and his wine. He became very angry. He woke the servant up. But the servant told his story very well. He said a cat had eaten up everything. He was afraid to be punished, so he drank the poison to kill himself.

    A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apples he grew.

    One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it. The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home, he did not know where lo plant it.

    He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his fields, his neighbors would come al night and steal some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.

    Finally he planted the tree in his woods (树林) where no one could see it. But without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon died.

    Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place. "What's the difference?” the farmer said angrily. "If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would have stolen the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my fields, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would have taken the fruit.”

    "Yes," said the friend, "but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed (抢夺) everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed (摧毁) a good apple tree!"