Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic and reached the American Continent in 1492.However, the name America has 1 to do with him.There was another 2 explorer who reached this 3 several years 4 Columbus.This man's name was Amerigo Vespucci, and he called these lands 5 .
Amerigo Vespucci had many things 6 with Columbus.Like Columbus, Vespucci was an Italian 7 settled in Spain. 8 Columbus, Vespucci 9 several trips to the New World, his first step being in 1499.In 1505, several letters thought to 10 by Vespucci 11 .One of these letters 12 that“Vespucci discovered a 13 continent with 14 people but more animals than Europe, Asia and Africa. 15 at that time, a 16 named Waldseemuller was writing a 17 book.He suggested that the continent be named 18 after Amerigo Vespucci.His idea was quickly 19 and so the name began to be 20 .
In my third year as a high school athletics coach, I gave a speech telling students and parents about the benefits of football.I gave the same 1 each year, aimin g at recruiting(招收)new team members.I talked about 2 football wasn't just for 3 athletes and how everyone could 4 from it.This year, a 5 looking couple approached me after my speech.They said their son really wanted to play football.They had tried to 6 him out of it, but he had his heart 7 on joining the team.
When they told me his name, my heart sank.Michael was five feet and ten inches tall and weighed about 108 pounds.He was a 8 boy, the constant target of other kids' jokes, and as far as I knew he had never 9 sports.I knew he would never 10 it through football practice, let 11 as a player.But we told them we could give it a try.
On the opening day of practice, Michael was the first player on the field, we did 30 minutes of warming-up 12 starting a one-mile jog around the track.I 13 my eye on Michael.At 50 yards he fell, and I helped him to his feet.“Michael,”I said,“Why don't you just 14 the mile?”He said in tears that he wanted to run with the others, so I let him go on. 15 he fell, but each time 16 himself up.
The same thing happened every day for weeks, and Michael gained strength both 17 and physically.By the last week of practice, Michael could run the mile without falling, we had 18 only one game that season, 19 the team cheered louder for Michael's run than the victory they had, Afterward, Michael approached me, and I told him how 20 I was of him.
When I was a little girl, every Sunday my family of six would put on our best clothes and go to Sunday School and then church.The 1 in elementary school would all meet together to sing songs, and then later divide into 2 based on their ages.
One Easter Sunday, all the kids 3 with big eyes and big 4 about what the Easter Bunny(复活节小兔)had brought. 5 all of the kids shared their stories with 6 , one young boy , whom I shall call Bobby, sat 7 .One of the teachers , noticing this, said to him, “And what did the Easter Bunny 8 you?”He replied, “My mom 9 the door by accident so the Easter Bunny couldn't get 10 because he hadn't got a key.”
This sounded like a 11 idea to all of us kids, so we kept on going with the stories.My mom knew the true story, 12 .Bobby's mom was a single parent , and she suspected(怀疑)that they just couldn't 13 the Easter Bunny.
After Sunday School was over, everyone went off to 14 .But my mom announced that we were going home 15 .At home, she explained that to make Bobby feel 16 , we were going to pretend(假装)to be the Easter Bunny , make a basket of our candies for him and 17 it at church.We all donated(捐赠)some to the basket, and 18 back to church.There, mom hung the basket over the hanger(挂钩)and attached(附上)a(n) 19 :
Dear Bobby,
I'm sorry I 20 your house last night.Happy Easter.