Gareth Ellis, 13, is the youngest son of Alan, an engineer, and Kath, a teacher. His older brothers work in banking and computers, but Gareth's dream was always to become a clown（小丑）.Three years ago, Alan, Kath and Gareth joined the circus（马戏团）, "People laugh when we tell them" says Kath. "But it's true, Gareth has wanted to be a clown since we took him to the circus when he was three."

When Alan lost his job, he and Kath decided to see if they could find full-time circus jobs. They both got jobs with a famous circus and Gareth began training to become a clown. He calls himself Bippo. They travel with the circus during the summer and return home for the winter. Gareth's brothers are old enough to look after the house while they are away.

"I can't say it was easy," says Kath. "There was a lot to think about and organize. We only had a car and a very small caravan（拖车）to sleep in, and we were leaving behind our lovely house. The only thing Gareth missed was his long, hot baths."

"People ask about my education," says Gareth, "but from the beginning, wherever we go, someone has always come to teach me. I follow the same books as everyone back at school and I've got a computer. I`ve never fallen behind my classmates."

And the future? "It was a difficult decision," says Kath, "but there was no other way to teach Gareth about being a clown. I’m happy to say it’s working, and we`re enjoying it." And Gareth? "I'm going to be the main clown in a circus one day, he says, perhaps Bippo's circus."

Sophie was a lonely girl. One night, she saw a large person. The large person was blowing something into a bedroom from the window. The large person found Sophie, too. So he carried Sophie to his hometown in Giant Country.

On the first day, Sophie felt scared in the new environment. She wanted to go back home. After one night, Sophie found that the large person didn’t eat people. He didn’t take food from people, either. He only ate some kinds of vegetables. Sophie then called the large person “the Big Friendly Giant (BFG)”

Sophie and the BFG soon became friends. The next day, the BFG took Sophie to collect dreams. They also blew dreams into children’s bedrooms. Sophie was happy and had a great time. However, Sophie was soon in danger. The other giants saw Sophie. They love eating persons. The BFG was worried about Sophie. He wanted to send her back, but Sophie refused.

In the end, they came to the Queen of England to ask for help. The Queen had a funny breakfast with them. Then, she called the army. A team of planes followed Sophie and the BFG to the giants hometown. The army took the giants back to London and put them on an island.

Once there was a poor young musician. He played the violin well, but he couldn't make enough money to buy much food to eat.

One evening he was eating a little rice and fish for his only meal—supper. A thin white cat came up beside him and the cat looked very hungry. Feeling sorry for the cat, the musician gave it his rice and fish, while he went to sleep hungry that night.

The next evening, there was a storm. The musician took shelter（躲避）under a large tree next to a big house. Thunder made a loud noise and lightning lit up the sky.

The musician looked toward the house and the warm lights inside. On the doorstep sat the white cat from the night before. It raised a small white paw(爪)as if to beckon（召唤）the musician to come over! Then he ran into the yard. A man opened the door and invited the musician inside.

Minutes later, a large branch fell to the place where he'd been because of the lightning. Inside the house, the musician ate a delicious meal with the man. Then the man asked the musician what was in his case, and the musician took out his violin and began playing. The man clapped with pleasure. "Luck has brought you here tonight!" he said. "I'm thinking of starting a band, and we need a violinist. Would you like to join us?" "I can begin tomorrow!" the musician said.

At last, the musician became a famous violinist who was known throughout the world.