Do you live in a city? Do you know how cities began? Long long ago, the world had only a few thousand people. These people moved from one place to another. They moved over the land, hunting animals for food.

No one knows how or when these people learned about growing food. But when they did, their life changed. They did not have to look for food any longer. They could stay in one place and grow it.

When people began to live near one another, so the first village was established (建立). Many people came to live in the villages, and these villages became even larger.

When machines appeared, life in the villages changed again. People built factories. More and more people lived near the factories. The cities began.

Today, it’s strange that some people are moving back to small villages. Can you tell me why?

New York, London, Beijing and other big cities are wonderful places to live in. There are many nice things to see and to do. You can go to different places of great interest. You can also go shopping to buy things from all over the world. But there are serious problems in big cities, such as the high cost of living and too many people in some places.

Every year many people move to the cities because there are more chances to find jobs, to study at good schools and to receive good medical care. But sometimes these people can’t find jobs or good places to live in. Also, too many people in small place make it hard to keep the cities safe and clean.

Some people enjoy staying in big cities, but others do not. The problems of staying there are troubling many people. Before they move to a big city, they should think about them.

I traveled to Blefuscu, where the Emperor was very kind to me.

One day I went for a walk on the beach. I was feeling sad and unhappy, and I was thinking about England. Suddenly I saw a boat in the water. It was a real ship’s boat, not one of the little boats of the Blefuscu people. This was a real boat, big enough for someone of my size! l was very excited, and l ran into the sea. I swam out to the boat, and climbed onto it. Then I took the boat back to the shore, and tied it up carefully.

I told the Emperor of Blefuscu about the boat.

“I’m lonely here,” I told him. “I want to go back to England. Maybe I can use that boat to go home, if you will help me. It’ll be a long journey, but I’m sure I can do it.”

“Very well,” he said, “I’ll help you, Gulliver. I’ll give you food and drink to put in the boat.”

The Emperor ordered his men to prepare my boat. They gave me a lot of meat and wine. They also put some animals into the boat—six cows, two bulls and eight sheep. After a few days everything was ready.

l sailed away from Blefuscu. The sea was very big and lonely. After some days, I saw a large ship, and I followed it. I was an English ship, and one of the sailors saw me. They stopped, and took me on board. They were going to England, and they took me with them.

The captain was a friendly man. I told him about my adventures(冒险) in Lilliput and Blefuscu. He did not believe me.

“Little men!” he laughed. “You tell a good story, sir,” he said, “but it’s an impossible story, all the same.” And he laughed again.

“Then where do you think this came from?” I asked him. I put my hand in my pocket, and took out one of the tiny sheep from Blefuscu. I showed it to the captain. Now he believed my story!