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 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 string 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.

    When I was 13 years old, a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile.

    It was the early autumn of my first year at a junior high school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to make friends with anyone.

    Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt that my heart broke. I couldn't talk to anyone about my problem, and I didn't want my parents to worry about me.

    Then one day, my classmates talked happily with their friends, but I sat at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy came into the classroom. I didn't know who he was. He passed me and turned back. He looked at me and without a word, smiled.

    Suddenly(突然), I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy, lively and warm.

    That smile changed my life. I started to talk with the other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now.

    One day, I asked him why he smiled, but he couldn't remember smiling at me! It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone. Now I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think you are lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.

    Hayao Miyazaki(宫崎骏) was born in Tokyo on January 5, 1941. As a boy, he liked to read and draw cartoons. After graduating from university in 1963, Miyazaki joined the Toei Animation(动画片制作) Company. At Toei, he worked on many animated movies, like the famous Puss in Boots. In 1984, he made Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (《风之谷》), which was based on a comic book he wrote. Because this movie was so successful, Miyazaki was able to start his own animation company, Studio Ghibli.

    One of Miyazaki's most loved movies is My Neighbour Totoro(《龙猫》), made in 1988. It is a children's movie, but many teenagers and adults like it too. The movie is about two sisters who become friends with a big supernatural (神奇的) animal named Totoro. It is a very warm-hearted story, with many strange and interesting characters such as Cat Bus, a cat which is also a bus. Miyazaki's 2001 movie, Spirited Away, was even more popular than My Neighbour Totoro.

    All of Miyazaki's movies have strange but charming people and creatures. Many of his stories happen in worlds that are different from ours. However, they still show his ideas about real life. He often points out how humans hurt the natural world. He thinks people should change the ways.

    Gadot, an Israeli actress, was praised for showing Wonder Woman's power, as well as her kind heart. She helped to change how women see themselves.

    Gadot was born on April 30,1985. She was taught to be capable(能干的) and independent as she grew up in a small city in Israel. “There was no TV-watching. It was always 'Take a ball and go play'," she said. In her own words, she was a good girl as well as a tomboy.

    This attitude toward life encouraged Gadot to follow her heart when making future life choices. At 18, she got a chance to be a model. But she didn't think it was the right time for her to do this kind of work. Instead, she joined the army, starting her work at 5 a.m. every day. Then she studied law out of love for the field.

    Later, a director invited her to an audition(试镜), which led her to Wonder Woman. The movie took the world by a storm in 2017. She played a brave and strong female superhero, who enters the world of man to stop a war. Gadot was included(列为) on Time magazine's 2018 list of the 100 Most Influential People. She not only lit up the big screen, but also the lives of women all over the world.