Benjamin Banneker was born a few months before another great American—George Washington. Benjamin was black, but he was not a slave (奴隶). He and his mother and his grandmother were free. Benjamin's grandmother came from England. In America she got a job and worked for many years to pay for her boat trip across the ocean. After working many years, she saved enough money to buy a farm. Benjamin lived with her for a while. She taught him to read, write and do arithmetic (算术).

    Benjamin's neighbours knew that he was clever. They were not surprised when he built a large wooden clock. He made each piece after studying a small pocket watch. The clock made him famous, for it was one of the first clocks built in America. People from other places began to send hard problems of all kinds to Benjamin to settle.

    Thomas Jefferson heard of Benjamin Banneker's ability to settle hard problems. He asked Banneker to help build the city that was to be the capital of the United States—Washington, D.C. Banneker worked hard on the plans for the city. He marked where the streets and buildings—the Capitol (美国国会大厦), the White House, and many other places should be built.

    Later, L' Enfant, the Frenchman who had designed the new city, had a quarrel, and went back to France in anger. He took all of the plans away. The workmen couldn't build without any plans to follow.

    For a while it seemed that the plans for the capital might have to be changed, but Benjamin Banneker remembered the plans he had helped draw. He drew each again as he had built each piece of his clock.

    If it weren't for Benjamin Banneker, Washington,

    D.C might look very different from the way it does today.

Many kids are always taken care of everywhere like "little princes and princesses"However, it's bad for them. They are supposed to learn some basic living skills, like cooking. Can you make scrambled eggs (炒蛋) ? Let's look at the following steps: 

Step1: Break two eggs into a bowl 

Step2: Add a little milk and mix everything. 

Step3:Heat (加热)a little oil in a pan (平底锅) on the stove. 

Step4: Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan. 

Step5: Mix the eggs and cook them about two minutes 

Step6: Add some salt and pepper. 

Step7: Turn off the stove and put the scrambled eggs on a plate 

Now enjoy the scrambled eggs! Please eat them up! 

When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in a new soldier school in Ashland and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. On the afternoon of December 23, we were told some of us would have three-day holidays posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.

It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see over her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights all colors shining in the green of the tree.

"Where did it come from?" I asked.

I asked the gate boy to cut it" my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but you called in such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon."

The tree was almost as tall as the room, and the Tree Top Star was in its place. A few branches reached about a little disorderly at the side, I thought, and there was a big bare branch（树枝） showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with the pleasant smell of Christmas.

"It's not like the one you want to find, " my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape and you were good at it. I think the gate boy didn't know where to look for a better one." "Don't worry." I told her. "It's perfect."

It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I understood for the first time, all Christmas trees are perfect.

Henry is going through a very hard time. His wife just passed away(去世). He feels that life without her is hopeless. For months, Henry sits in his house, doing nothing. 

Henry's neighbor, an old woman named Lisa, sees him from her yard one day. She doesn't see him outside in days! She asks him to come closer to the fence(篱笆) next to her house. 

"Hello, Henry! Just look at this fence. It is falling apart. You are a strong man. Can you help me fix(修补)this fence?" Lisa asks. 

Henry is angry inside. He is the one who needs help right now. He thinks the old lady is being kind of rude. But she is too old to fix the fence herself, so he agrees. 

Henry works on the fence for days. When he finishes, she thanks him. Henry smiles for the first time in months. 

"What a wonderful job! Could you please paint it for me?"Lisa says to him. 

Henry cannot believe she is asking for more help. But because he respects her, he agrees. He works hard painting the fence in the hot sun. As their neighbors pass by, they all tell Henry what a beautiful job he has done!, Henry feels very happy. 

Several days later, Henry feels that life is still hopeful. He finally understands that Lisa isn't being rude. She knows that staying busy can help us forget our sadness. He helped her, but she truly saved him. 

Jess Bhamra is the 18-year-old daughter of an Indian family in London. Jules Paxton is the same age and the daughter of an English family. Jess is crazy about football, but because she's a girl, she isn't allowed to play. Sometimes she plays in the park with some boys and one day, Jules, who also plays football, sees Jess playing. They get on really well and Jules invites Jess to try out for the local women's football team coached by Joe. When he sees how good Jess is, Joe puts her in the team. When Jess's parents find out that she's been playing football without their knowing, they make her stop.

The team gets to an important final. Unfortunately, the final is on the same day as Jess's sister's wedding. Joe asks Mr Bhamra to let Jess play, but he refuses. However, her father notices how sad Jess is. So halfway through the wedding, he lets Jess go and she rushes to the game!

When she shows up, there are only thirty minutes left and her team are losing 1-0. Soon, the score is 1-1, and when there's a free kick, Jess has to bend the ball around the other team's players to score. She makes it, and the team wins!

A university in California offers soccer scholarships(奖学金) to Jess and Jules. Jess finally convinces her parents to let her go. Jess and Jules set off for America and both of them become top players in their team. Their parents feel proud because they make their dreams come true.