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They asked Katherine Johnson for the moon, and she gave it to them. With little more than a pencil, a rule and one of the finest mathematical minds in the country, Mrs. Johnson, who died at 103, worked out the exact track that would let Apollo 11 land on the moon in 1969 and, after Neil Armstrong’s history—making moonwalk, let it come back to Earth.

Yet throughout Mrs. Johnson’s 33 years in NASA and for a period of ten years afterwards, almost no one knew her name.

Born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, in 1918, Mrs. Johnson showed great talent for numbers at an early age which made her ahead several grades in school. By 13, she went to the high school. At 18, she entered the college and graduated with highest grades in 1937.

Mrs. Johnson was one of several hundred strictly educated, with strong ability yet largely unknown women who, well before the modern feminist movement(女权运动), worked as NASA mathematicians. But it was not only her sex that kept her long unimportant. For some years at midcentury, the black women were influenced by a double segregation(隔离): They were kept separate from the much large group of white women who in turn were segregated from the agency’s male mathematicians and engineers.

Mrs. Johnson broke barriers(屏障) at NASA. In old age, Mrs. Johnson became the most celebrated of black women who served as mathematicians for the space agency. Their story was told in the 2016 Hollywood film Hidden Figures, which was nominated for three Oscars, including best picture.

In 2017, NASA named a building after her. That year, the Washington Post described her as “the most high-profile of the computers”—“computers” being the term at first used to describe Mrs. Johnson and her workmates, much as “typewriters” were used in the 19th century to represent professional typists.

“She helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space,” NASA’s administrator, Jim Bridenstine, said in a statement, “even as she made huge steps that also opened doors for women and people of colour to explore space.”

As Mrs. Johnson herself liked saying, her term at Langley—from 1953 until her retirement in 1986—was “a time when computers wore skirts.”

The swallow flew back to the Happy Prince. “I have come to say goodbye,” he said. “Little swallow,” said the Prince, “Will you stay with me just ______?”

“The snow will soon be here,” answered the swallow. “In ______, the sun is warm, and my friends are waiting for me.”

“In the town square,” said the Happy Prince, “A young girl sells matches. She has dropped matches ______ the ground, and her father will ______ her if she does not bring home some money. She is crying. Please give my ______ eye to her.”

“You will not be able to see if I do,” said the swallow. “Do as I say,” said the Prince.

The swallow ______ the Prince’s other eye and dropped it into the match-girl’s hand. Then the swallow flew back. “You cannot see now,” he said, “______ I will stay with you always.”

The next day, the swallow flew over the great city, and he saw ______ enjoying themselves in their beautiful houses. He flew into dark streets and saw the thin ______ of children without ______ to eat for many days. Then he told the Prince what he had seen.

“I am ______ fine gold,” said the Prince. “You must take it off and give it to the poor.” Little by little, the swallow took off all the gold until the Happy Prince looked ______ all over.

Then, the snow ______. The little swallow grew colder and colder. He picked up snow to eat and tried to keep ______ warm by flapping his wings, but soon he knew that he ______. “I am not going to Egypt,” said the swallow. “I am going to die of hunger and cold.” He kissed the Happy Prince and fell down dead at his feet.

I will never forget May 15, 2011. That night, my car crashed ______ a tree and everything has changed ever since.

I lost most of my right ______, and I was left bleeding with several broken bones. At the hospital, my body was ______, but my mind was still very clear. I just kept ______ myself to hold on. Life must go on since I was still ______.

Two weeks later, I was allowed to go home. ______ I left the hospital, the fight was far from over. My left leg was badly hurt in that accident as well, as a result, I had to receive different ______ during the next few years. And soon, more of my right leg had to be cut off. This made it harder to wear my artificial leg (假肢) , so I donated it to another girl who couldn't ______ one. The joy of being able to provide this gift for someone else was ______ than the happiness I felt on any day I could wear it myself.

People often tell me they are ______ of me for staying strong. But in my mind, being strong has always been my only ______. On the day I left the hospital, I made a promise to ______ to make good use of every day to live life to the fullest. I am not only confident but I hope to help those around me. In 2017, I ______ started modeling. My dream is that one day a little girl will see me in a magazine and say, "Wow, she only has one leg but she is beautiful ______ confidence and bravery"

My dream is simple: to ______ every man, woman and child to know and believe that they are beautiful just the way they are.

Creating a study plan

Studying is important to students. But it is always difficult to find enough time to study every subject you need. So a good plan helps you to make sure of your success in study.

Then, how to make a study plan? Well, you can begin with listing all the subjects you need to study and make sure what you need to do for each subject. Next, you should decide how much time you should spend on different subjects. Now, it is a good idea to study at the same time every day. In this way, you actually have a plan you can remember easily. While arranging ( 安排) time for each subject, you also need to make sure that you still have time for family, friends and rest. This is because you won't be able to succeed in your studies unless you balance Your personal life and your study.       

Once the plan is made, the next thing you need to do is to follow it. One of the biggest challenges in following your study plan is that you will be tempted ( 诱惑) to avoid it and do something relaxing, or fun instead. Luckily, you can fight this temptation by taking breaks. But be sure not to take extra breaks or too long breaks as it can affect your plan. So at the start of your break，set an alarm clock to remind you when your break is over. Also, you need to use your break wisely. For example, go for a short walk, eat a small snack, or listen to some music.

To avoid forgetting to follow your plan, try to get into the habit of looking at your calendar every day. Sometimes our plans are herd to follow because some important people in our lives distract ( 使分心) us from our goals. In order to avoid this, tell people in your life about your plan. Put up a copy of your study guide at home so you and your family can see it, and email a copy to your friends so they know when you have spare time.

Now, the Law of the Jungle says that if there is a disagreement about the right of a man cub（幼崽） to be part of the pack（兽群）, he must be spoken for by at least two members of the pack who are not his father and mother.

“Who speaks for this man cub?” asked the leader of the wolf pack Askela. “Which wolves speak for this man cub?” There was no answer. Mother Wolf got ready for a fight. Her last fight.

There is only one non-wolf allowed at the Pack Council, a sleepy brown bear called Baloo. Baloo teaches the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle. He is accepted by the wolves because he eats only nuts and roots and honey. Now Baloo stood up on his hindquarters（后腿）and shouted.

“The man cub—the man cub?”he asked. “I speak for the man cub. There is no harm in a man cub. I have no right of words, but I speak the truth. Let him run with the pack, and become part of the pack with the others. I can teach him the Law of the Jungle.”

“We need another one,” said Akela. “Baloo speaks for the man cub, and he is the teacher of our young cubs. Who speaks besides Baloo?”

A black shadow came into the circle. It was Bagheer the black Panther. Bagheera was black all over. Everybody knew Bagheera, and nobody wanted to make him angry. But he had a voice as soft as honey and skin softer than a feather.

“Akela, and the wolf pack,” he shouted. “I have no right to be part of your council. But the Law of the Jungle says that a cub can be saved if someone pays a price for him. And the law does not say who may or may not pay that price.

“It’s a shame to kill a naked cub. It may be more fun for you to kill him when he is older. Baloo spoke for him. And I can give you one fat recently killed bull, if you accept the man cub according to the law. Is it difficult to decide?

Mowgi was still very interested in the stones, and he did not notice when the wolves came and looked at him one by one. At last they all came down the hill for the dead bull, and only Akela, Bagheera, Baloo, and Mowgi’s wolf family were left. The tiger Shere Khan roared all night. He was angry because the wolves accepted Mowgli in the pack.

“It was a good decision,” said Akela. “Men and their cubs are very wise. He may be a help in time.”

“Yes, a help in time of need; for no one can hope to lead the pack forever,” said Bagheera. “Take him away,” he said to Father wolf, “and teach him like the other wolf cubs.” (—Adapted from Mowgli’s Brothers)

Claude Monet's paintings were quite different from the art styles that were popular in the 1870s France. Traditional artists always did their artwork in a studio and their paintings were realistic-they looked exactly like the real world. Claude Monet was part of a group of painters who were called Impressionists(印象派画家). Their paintings were light and a bit fuzzy-they gave an impression of what the real world looked like. Sometimes Impressionists worked outside, which was a very unusual thought in their time. Impressionism received its name from an early painting by Claude Monet titled impression, Sunrise.

Knowing that trains were interesting subjects and represented modern progress, Claude Monet crated a series of Impressionist paintings of trains from January to March of 1877. He worked on his paintings right on the train platform at the Gare Saint-Lazare, the train station on Saint Lazare Street. Although there were many train stations in Paris, this was the first train station built in Paris so it had historical significance(意义).

Monet’s friend, Impressionist painter Pierre Auguste Renoir, told the following story to his sons about Claude Monet and painting the trains. Monet needed permission(允许)to spend time on the train platform and paint what he saw in his impressionistic style. One day Monet dressed himself in his very best suit along with a fine top hat, a good linen shirt and a silk tie. He appeared to be a wealthy gentleman while he really was a poor painter.

When he went towards the clerk at the train office, he presented his calling card which introduced him as Claude Monet, Painter. He asked to see the station master. The clerk quickly allowed this fine gentleman to enter the station master's office. The station master was also impressed and gave Monet permission to paint on the train platform. The station master even kept trains from leaving on time so Monet could complete a scene even though passengers complained.

Was it all worthwhile(值得)? Monet’s train scenes turned his career into a success and for the station master, made his train station famous until even now.

The police officer Otchumyelov was walking across the market square. Suddenly, a shouting broke the silence. “So you bit me, you stupid brute. Biting is not allowed today!”

Otchumyelov looked towards where the sound came from and saw a workman holding a dog and showing a bleeding finger to others. Soon many people came.

“What is it all about?” Otchumyelov asked “why are you showing us your finger?”

“I was walking along here, your honour.” The workman began. “Suddenly this low brute for no reason bit my finger...I am a working man. I shall not be able to use this finger for a week or more...”

“Hmm, a sad story...” said Otchumyelov seriously. “Whose dog is it? I won’t let this pass!”

“I guess it’s General’s.” said someone.

“General’s? Hmm...Let me take off my coat...it’s too hot!” Otchumyelov questioned, “But there’s one thing I still can’t understand. How this little dog came to bite your finger?”

“The workman put a cigarette in the dog’s face, sir. I guess she bit him because she hurt a lot.”A fisherman shouted.

“That’s a lie! Sir Otchumyelov is a wise gentleman, and he will see who is telling lies.” said the workman.

“Don’t argue!”

“No, that’s not the General’s dog.” a voice came from the people around, feeling like very sure.

“I know it, too! Our General has valuable dogs, but it is just a low brute. We won’t let this thing pass!” said Otchumyelov.

“But maybe she is General’s,” the voice came again, “I saw one like her the other day around General’s house.”

“Hmm...help me on with my overcoat. Oh, yeah, she is really a valuable dog! Look how lovely she is! I am sure she will not bite people for no reason...”

“Here comes General’s cook, ask him. Hi! Is she one of General’s dogs?”

“What an idea! General has never had one like that!”

“No more talking now.” said Otchumyelov. “This is clearly a homeless dog! It must be killed right now!”

“She is not our dog,” The cook went on, “but she is General’s brother’s, who arrived yesterday.” “His Excellency’s brother is here?” asked Otchumyelov, and he showed the biggest smile. “Well, will he come for a visit?”

“Yes.”

“So...This is His Honour’s dog? Glad to hear it.. I mean...Such a lively, oh, you little pretty doggy.” said the officer, “A super lovely pet snap your finger? Hey, that’s something to be proud of, man! Rrr...Rrr...Wow! He is getting angry! Everybody, watch out!”

The crowd laughed at the workman.

Your grandfather is sitting in the living room working on a crossword puzzle on a Saturday morning. He thinks these word puzzles are fun, but he also does them for another _______. He knows that brain games, like crosswords, help build his “mental muscles.”

The term “mental muscles” describes your brain’s ability to finish _______ tasks. Like the muscles in your body, your brain’s “muscles” need exercise. While your brain works all the time, that work does not necessarily exercise your brain.

_______, sometimes your brain just needs time to relax and play. It is believed that brain games, like crossword puzzles, make your brain work while playing. They build your concentration by making you focus on some skills for a long time. For example, when doing a Sudoku puzzle, you focus on organization. Other games that may improve brain power are jigsaw puzzles, mahjong(麻将)and chess. They can help you to _______ patterns(图案), solve problems and memorize information.

Games build your brain by making you think differently than you normally do. For example, crosswords use clues to help you fill in a grid(方格) with words. A crossword clue might be “a fruit with yellow skin.”. Your answer must fit in the grid. The word for this clue has six boxes. To fill in those boxes, you need to answer the clue with the word “banana.” Other words in the puzzle share some of the same letters. Because of this, answers to previous clues help you find answers to other clues. Crosswords make you remember the words you know and also help you learn new words. _______, filling out crosswords builds vocabulary and memory. When choosing a game, choose something that will improve a skill you are working on. It should challenge you. If it does not, it will not make your brain work hard enough. But a puzzle that is too hard isn’t any fun. So _______ something that is fun for you, and enjoy building your brain.

Usually in school or in clubs, children can’t ride a horse. But in Brixton, south London, there is a special club. There students are welcome to ride a horse.

The Ebony Horse Club is a riding school for children from poor families. It opened in 2011. Now, the club provides (提供) 140 rides per week for children. A four-day riding trip in Wales costs £70 per person, but horse riding lessons at the club are only £7 for children. This is a lot cheaper.

“If the parents can’t afford (承担得起) to pay, we still let the children ride,” says Naomi Howgate, the manager of the club. Naomi is also a horse riding teacher. She spends two days a week looking after the stables (马厩) and giving the children riding lessons. “I teach them how to tell if a horse is feeling happy or sad, how to walk up to a horse safely and how to build a good relationship (关系) with the horses. Anyone over 12 can be a young volunteer (志愿者) here,” says Naomi. “Working here helps children with their horseback riding and life skills.”

12-year-old Omari is a member of the club. “The lessons have taught me a lot. They’ve taught me to be caring, kind, and to be ourselves around horses,” he says. Shaddai Mcleod is one of the club’s youngest riders. The 9-year-old boy often rides after school. On Sundays, he likes coming to the club to look after the horses and clean the stables. His sister Zion is 13 years old. She works as hard as him. She says she is lucky to be a member of the club.