Jack is in Grade Three now. He is a polite boy and studies hard. He is good at his lessons and can answer all the questions in class. His teachers and classmates like him except(除了) Henry. They’re deskmates, but Henry likes playing and often fails in the exams. His father has a dental clinic(牙科诊所) and gets a lot of money. The boy thinks he lives in the richest family in the town. So he looks down upon(看不起) others and often laughs at them. Of course he has few friends

Jack is busy all the time. His father is a shoe-maker. The man has to work hard but he can’t buy enough food for family. He tells Jack to help him after school. So the boy has to do all his homework at school. He’s ready to do so.

One summer afternoon, on his way home, Jack met his sister Lily.

The girl carried a heavy box in her arms without wearing shoes. Jack carried it for her. Henry saw her and said, “Your father is a shoe-maker, but your sister has no shoes!”

“I don’t think it’s strange,” Jack answered. “Your father is a dentist(牙医), but your sister has no teeth when she was born!”

Do you believe that artistic talent is something you’re born, or can we develop it over time? Any examples around you?

Dant Gabriel Rossetti, born in 1828, was a famous artist from the 19th century for being not only a poet (诗人) but also a painter. One day, he had an elderly strange visitor. The old man had some paintings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good.

Rossetti looked them over carefully. After the first view, he knew that they were very common ones, showing not the least sign of artistic talent. But Rossetti was kind, and he told the elderly man as gently as possible that the paintings were without much value. The visitor appeared to be very sad.

However, he held back his feelings. Then he said sorry to Rossetti for taking up his valuable time, but asked if he could just look at a few more drawings — these were from a young art student. Rossetti looked over the second group of pictures and soon became very interested in them. “These,” he said, “oh, these are very good. This young student has great talent in art. He should keep drawing and continue working as an artist. He will have a great future if he works hard and sticks to it.”

Rossetti could see that the old man was deeply moved. “Who is this fine young artist?” Rossetti asked. “Your son?”

“No,” said the old man sadly. “It is me — 40 years ago. If only I had heard your words then! For you see, I got discouraged (泄气的) and gave up soon.”