On a rainy day, about 150 volunteers worked for eight hours to clean up Carson Creek that is near a river. About nine tons of trash was taken out from there.

    “We did a good job,” said Alan Specter, the organizer of the event. “We're planning to come back here one more time, three years from now. Of course, we hope that there won't be so much trash next time.”

    The trash came in all shapes, sizes, and colors: cans, bottles, bicycles, batteries, furniture, clothing, plastic bags, dolls, and even a golf bag with a full set of golf clubs (球棒).

    The dirty and tiring work was done by two volunteering groups — Save the Bay and Watch the Whales. Most of the volunteers came from a local police station and a fire station. And some of them were old people who had already retired (退休).

    That day, it rained a little. All of them wore boots, gloves and raincoats. They did the work along a two-mile river with over 500 big yellow trash bags everywhere.

    No one found anything that cost much. A five-year-old boy found an earring which he thought might be worth a million dollars. He said he'd sell it. Then he'd donate half of the money to Watch the Whales, and use the other half to buy his favorite ice cream every day.

    Many people laughed at the boy's story. However, it was easily found that the environment there did become better.

    Lao She wrote Teahouse in 1957. The play shows the audience life in China between 1898 and 1945. It takes place in a teahouse in old Beijing and it tells us the story of Wang Lifa and his customers(顾客). It describes the changes in Chinese society over fifty years.

    The story starts in 1898 during the Qing Dynasty(朝代). It continues in 1916, and finally, it brings the audience to the end of the Anti-Japanese War（抗日战争）in 1945. After the war, Wang loses the teahouse and he dies.

    Lao She was born in Beijing in 1899. He wrote many plays, novels and short stories. He was named a “People's Artist” and a “Great Master of Language”. He was one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20th century.

    In Lao She Teahouse today, waiters bring tea to the customers and sell them delicious Chinese food. If you like the Beijing Opera, folk music, acrobatic (杂技的) or magic shows, you can enjoy them at the teahouse. Lao She Teahouse gives a wonderful welcome to everyone around the world.

    A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin (顽童) was walking around the shining car. "Is this your car, sir?" he asked. Paul answered, "Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas."

    The boy was surprised. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it did cost you nothing? Sir, I wish…" He hesitated (犹豫). Paul thought of course he knew what the boy wanted, but what the boy said surprised him greatly. "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

    Paul looked at the boy in surprise, and then he said. "Would you like to take a ride in my car?" "Oh yes, I'd love to," the boy answered.

    After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said, "Sir, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the boy wanted. He wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a big car.

    But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled (残疾的) brother. He sat down on the step and pointed to the car.

    "There he is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it. Then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."

    Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed elder brother climbed in beside him and the three began an unforgettable holiday ride.

    I was in line waiting to pay. A little boy in the front was buying some clothes.

    I noticed that the little boy was paying mostly with change (零钱). It seemed that he had broken his pig bank to do this shopping. However, the cashier(收银员) told him he was $ 8.00 short after counting his money.

    It was clear that the boy had already used all the money. The lady in front of me said, "Well, I could pay half of that." I told the boy that I could pay the other half. We dug into our handbags. However, both of us only had ten-dollar bills (纸币). Other shoppers began digging into their pockets to find some change. It was amazing and touching as all these strangers seemed to react (反应) with the same mind. All wanted to be of help. Within minutes the cashier said, "I have too much money." The cashier didn't need our ten-dollar bills. Then the lady in front of me said, "Wait! I didn't even get a chance (机会) to give anything!"

    I smiled at her and said, "You did your share, because it was your idea and you started all this." The little boy smiled and thanked us. I left with a good feeling. I saw the love and goodness of others all around me. The woman in front of me smiled and said, "It feels good to give, doesn't it?" I smiled back and said, "Yes!"