You will be late for school you leave now.

    Watching some children trying to catch butterflies one August afternoon, I thought of my unforgettable experience in my own childhood. When I was a boy of twelve in South Carolina, something happened to me that made me never put any wild creature in a cage.

We lived near a forest, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. Their singing is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

    I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way, I would have my own private musician.

    I finally succeeded in catching a young bird and put it in a cage. At first, being frightened, the bird fluttered(扑腾) in the cage, but finally it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing rom my little musician.

    On the second day, my new pet's mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.

    The following morning when I went to see the bird again, I found it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was terribly surprised! What had happened! I had taken good care of my little bird.

    Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, who happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had happened. "Mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poisonous berries(毒莓). She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in a cage."

    Since then I have never caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.

    Robert De Vincenzo, the great golfer, once won a competition. After receiving the check(支票), he went to the club and prepared to leave. He walked alone to his car and met a young woman.

    The young woman stopped him and said congratulations on his1, then she told him that her child was badly ill and she was dying. But her family was poor. She did not know how she could pay the hospital bill.

    De Vincenzo was2by her story, and gave his winning check to the woman. "Make some good days for the baby." He said as he put the check into her hand.

    The next week, he was3in the country club when a policeman came to his able. "Last week, some of the boys told me that you met a young woman after you won that competition."

    De Vincenzo said, "Yes."

    "Well," said the policeman, "I have news for you. She does not have a sick baby. She's not even married. She cheated you, my friend. "

    "You4there is no baby who is dying?" said De Vincenzo.

    "Yes, that's right," said the policeman.

    "That's the best news I've heard all the week." De Vincenzo said happily, "Life is more important."

    Good news or bad news? It depends on how you5it. You can be sad after being cheated.6you can choose to go on with your life bravely.