The famous scientist and thinker, Charles Darwin, was born on February 12, 1809 in England. As a boy，Charles liked to go for walks in the fields and forests. He enjoyed watching nature，and comparing what he saw with everything he had read in science books. He also liked collecting very much. He collected many things: birds，eggs，stones and leaves.

At sixteen Darwin was sent to Edinburgh University to become a doctor. But he was interested in the history of nature.

Then he was sent to study in Cambridge University. There he studied until 1831.

Some time later he heard that the ship Beagle was going on a trip to South America and wanted a scientist. His teacher advised him to go. So when the Beagle left England in December, 1831, Darwin was on it.

The trip lasted almost five years. Darwin saw many new plants and animals. He collected all kinds of plants.

In 1842 Darwin went to live in Kent，and there he continued his studies of change in nature. Darwin understood that plants and animals are not always the same，and that they really change.

By 1859 Darwin had finished his famous book The Origin of Species.

In 1871 Darwin wrote ano ther important book The Theory of Evolution.

Darwin continued his studies in science until he died in 1882.

    Do you know George? He is a little monkey. He lives in a deep forest. He likes jumping and climbing trees. He is happy every day. But he has a shortcoming（缺点）. He is curious（好奇的）.

    One day an old man went by the forest. He cared a lot of hats. George saw the old man, and the old man saw George, too. The old man said to himself, what a lovely monkey! I will catch him. I will take him home.

    The old man sat down and thought over. George saw and also sat down. The old man had an idea. He put a hat on his head, and put other has on the ground, Then be pretended(假装)to sleep.

    George was curious and looked at the hats. "I will be nice if I put a hat on my head, "George thought. Then be climbed down from the tree, picked up a hat and put it on. The hat was too big, and covered George's eyes. George couldn't see. And the old man got up at once and caught him quickly.

Poor George!

    Colin Boyle was born in 1973 near Dublin, Ireland. While he was ill in hospital at age 10, his uncle gave him an old violin. He loved it right away. After he left the hospital, he practiced at his school every day after class.

    One day in 1987, John Leaf, the manager (经纪人) of several successful musicians, came to Colin's school. He was having a meeting with the headmaster when he heard Colin practicing. After the meeting, he found Colin and invited him to appear in one of the concerts he was organizing that year. Colin, however, refused Leaf's invitation because just then he was preparing for some important school exams. Years later, Colin made it to college to study engineering. At college he met Kim O'Malley, who was studying chemistry (化学). Kim was also good at music. Being students, they didn't have much money and they usually worked in a restaurant on weekends.

    One evening in April 1992, while Colin and Kim were at work, they heard that there would be no live (现场演出的) music in the restaurant that night because the singer could not come. Colin and Kim persuadedthe owner of the restaurant to let them play. Everyone was shocked to hear how good they were. After that, they worked hard together and improved greatly in music.

    One day, when I arrived at school, an ice cream truck was parked in the schoolyard. Ice cream men usually drove their trucks to primary schools. I had never thought one ice cream truck would come to bring ice cream to us older kids. When I went up to the truck, I was quite surprised to hear the man call out, "Free ice cream!" To make sure of his words, I asked, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"" Free ice cream. Choose whichever you like," he said, smiling.

    After I was certain that the man was just giving away the ice cream, I talked with him for a long time. He told me that his dream was to travel around, giving away ice cream, and that's what he was now doing. With his mother's support, he kept doing what he loved even during hard times. Now, some large companies were helping him with his plan.

    The man said he wanted to encourage people to do exactly what their hearts told them to do during their lives. I kept asking him, "So your dream was just to drive around and give away ice cream? It seems like a very unusual goal." "Yes, just meeting people and making them smile," he replied. At that point he handed me my ice cream. I thanked him, but what I got from him was much more than just ice cream. It can't easily be expressed in words. I believe what he was doing is exactly what great people do all the time: small acts of big love.