Louis Pasteur was one of the greatest scientists of all time. Pasteur made very important discoveries in biology and chemistry, and the techniques he developed helped greatly to develop medical science and the agricultural and food industries.

Pasteur was born in a small town in France during the year eighteen twenty two. When he was a young man, Pasteur studied science at a university in the city of Paris. He soon did some excellent work in chemistry, and later began his famous study of germs.

Pasteur was one of the first scientists to understand that many diseases could be caused by extremely small, invisible organisms. Only a few other scientists had believed this before Pasteur. He advised doctors to wash their hands thoroughly before treating patients.

Pasteur also demonstrated that life forms did not arise spontaneously. His research confirmed the idea, developed by previous scientists, that a living organism would not appear unless other individuals of its kind were present.

One of Pasteur's most important contributions was a technique that has been named after him pasteurization. Pasteurization kills the germs that are found in drinks such as milk or beer. Because of Pasteur's technique, people are no longer infected with diseases by drinking these liquids.

Just as important as pasteurization was a technique called immunization Pasteur found that a person or animal could be made safe, or immune, from a disease, by injecting the person with some weakened germs that cause the disease. The body can resist the disease after being immunized in this way. Today, many diseases are prevented by the use of this technique.

Pasteur's discoveries also helped to save people who had already been infected with diseases. One such disease is rabies. Rabies is a disease that sometimes occurs in animals. This disease usually kills the animal, but before dying, the animal becomes very aggressive, and may spread the disease by biting a person or another animal.

One day, the parents of a young boy came to Pasteur. Their son had been bitten by a dog that had the rabies disease. The parents knew that their son would die from the disease, unless something could be done to save him. Pasteur agreed to help the boy, and the immunization technique saved the boy's life. Pasteur died in eighteen ninety five He was greatly admired around the world for his achievements, which have helped all of mankind. Today, Pasteur is considered to be the greatest figure in the history of medicine.

If I was walking down the beach one day and I happened to bump my toe on a magic lamp I would pick it up and rub it if it was a real magic lamp, but I don't believe that there really is a magic lamp, a genie would pop out in a cloud of smoke and he would call me master. He would say that he would grant me three wishes. I would have to think very hard about those wishes because I wouldn't want to waste them I don't think I'd want millions of dollars. Money doesn't buy happiness or so they say. I might wish for good health because if your health isn't good You won't be able to enjoy anything. Some people might wish for beauty, but beauty is only skin deep. Some people would wish for a mansion, or a beautiful car or a big boat. I don't want any of those things. Some people would want fame. Some people would want talent. Some people would wish for happiness. That might be a good thing to wish for. Yes, maybe I'd wish for health and happiness, but what would my third wish be? I could wish for something enormous, something global. I could wish for world peace. That would be a wonderful thing if somebody could grant me that. Yes, that would probably be my third wish. It's too bad there aren't any genies inside magic lamps. I won't get my three wishes. I can still work toward getting my wishes. I can eat well and exercise to stay healthy. I can be involved with a lot of things and be with my friends to stay happy. I can volunteer my time to different organizations to help achieve world peace. I can do my fair share in my community to help others. That's how I can get my three wishes, not through a magic lamp. I can only get what I want through self-determination and hard work. That is the key to getting your wishes fulfilled.

I sometimes imagine what it would be like if I could fly like a bird. Just imagine what it would be like to soar into the sky, flying high above the trees. You could stand on high rooftops and never be afraid of falling. You would see so many things as you flew over rooftops and forests. You would feel incredibly free as you traveled from place to place. Not bothered by road signs or traffic jams. If I could fly like a bird. I would start from my back yard and travel through town. I would look down on the houses and factories. When I got tired, I would land in a field and take a nap. I would travel above rivers and follow them as they wound along and emptied into lakes and oceans. I would fly above parks and I would call out to the children as I flew high above them. I would dip and dive as I flew. I would soar up high and dive down low. So that I could almost touch the treetops. Have you ever flown? I know that you can't fly like a bird, but you might have taken an airplane ride When you're in an airplane, you pass through clouds. It is exciting to take an airplane ride. I love taking airplane flights. I like to look down at the earth. When you are up that high, everything below you looks tiny. That's the closest I'll get to flying like a bird. But I can still use my imagination and spread my wings and soar high above the world. Just like a bird.

My father used to smoke. He got very ill. The doctor told him that he had to quit smoking. My father tried for a long time to quit. It was very difficult for him. Smoking is an addiction. After many months, my father finally gave up smoking, but he still craved a cigarette once in a while. He says that quitting smoking is the hardest thing that he has ever done. When my father did smoke, he smoked everywhere. He smoked in restaurants, stores and many public buildings. Now, you are not allowed to smoke in a lot of public places. When my father smoked, the rules were not so strict People could smoke just about anywhere. It really wasn't fair to the people who didn't smoke. Their clothes always smelled like smoke, and they breathed in second-hand smoke. Some people think that second-hand smoke is actually worse for you than if you smoke yourself. People would smoke in their houses, and very young children would inhale the smoke that was in the air. Some people still smoke in their houses, and their children breathe in the smoke. Some restaurants have areas for smokers and nonsmokers. But usually the smoke drifts from one area to the other. There are some businesses that have banned smoking altogether. Personally, I think that smoking in public places should be completely banned. I don't think that I should have to breathe in another person's smoke. If I choose not to smoke myself. It wouldn't be fair for a nonsmoker to get lung cancer. Because they had to be in a place where smokers were allowed to light up. I know that smoking is a powerful addiction And that it is very difficult to quit. But smokers should restrict their smoking to places where there is nobody else around. Lung cancer is an awful disease. Nobody should have to suffer with lung cancer. People should be educated about the dangers of smoking. Smoking should be banned in public places, but eventually I would like to believe that fewer people will smoke. It would be nice to live in a smoke free environment.

It is going to be my father's birthday. What can I give him? I don't have much money. I have looked all through the stores, and I have not found anything that I think he would like, or that I can afford. I have thought very hard about what to buy for him. I thought that he might like some candy, but my father really doesn't eat many sweets. I thought that he might like a new shirt, but he has lots of clothes. I can't afford a new car or computer for him. I was watching him on the weekend. He cut the grass, washed the car, took out the garbage, weeded the garden and watered the plants. I got an idea. I went to my room and took out some paper. I cut out pieces of paper, and I wrote on them. I wrote on one piece of paper that I would wash the car every weekend for the summer. I wrote on another piece that I would take out the garbage every week for the summer. I also wrote that I would cut the grass, weed the garden and water the plants every week for the summer. I made a birthday card for my dad, and I put the pieces of paper inside it. I went downstairs and gave my gift to my dad. My dad thought that the gift was very thoughtful. He said that it was a gift from the heart. I did all those things for my dad all summer. He said that he had a lot of free time because I helped him so much. My dad and I are good friends. I don't mind doing things for him because I know that he is always there to help me out. A good gift doesn't have to be something that costs a lot. My dad says that the best gifts are the ones that show how much you care for the other person. I'm glad my dad liked his gift.

On New Year's Day people start a new year. Many people make resolutions. They resolve to be better people. Some people decide that they will lose weight, so that they can be healthier. Some people decide to give up smoking. They also want to be healthier. There are all kinds of resolutions that people make. Some people try not to lose their tempers. Some people say that they will work harder. There are people who try to give up bad habits. Every year, my brother says that he will stop biting his nails. He stops biting his nails in January, but by February he always starts again. That is the thing about New Year's resolutions. People seldom keep them. Everybody starts out with good intentions, but it is very hard to stick with them. I don't make New Year's resolutions. I find that I just break them. I just work day by day to break my bad habits. I know that I eat too many sweets. Every day, I just try to resist them. I think that every day is a new day, regardless of whether it is New Year's Day or not. Bad habits are hard to break. The best thing is never to start any bad habits. I don't know if my brother will ever stop biting his nails, but I know that each January he intends to stop. Maybe one of these New Year's Days he'll get over that habit.

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer
Eighty percent of success is showing up
I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge
The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails
If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake
You can never get enough of what you don't really need
Insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results
Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody

Joe is 18 years old. Joe works at McDonald's. Joe saves all his money. Joe has 2500 dollars in the bank. He wants to buy a sports car. Joe starts to look for a new car. Joe looks in the newspaper. Joe looks in magazines. Joe finds a car he likes. Joe goes to see the car with his dad. He really likes it. Joe doesn't have enough money. Joe's dad tells him to keep saving his money. Joe wants this car a lot. Joe asks his dad to help him. Joe and his dad make a deal. Joe's dad will lend him the money. Joe must work hard. He must pay the money back to his dad. Joe is very happy. Joe owns his first car.

Samantha is going to an Easter egg hunt. Tracey is going to an Easter egg hunt. The Easter egg hunt is at Sydney's house. It is going to be fun. Sydney's mom hid chocolate eggs. Sydney's mom hid chocolate bunnies. Everybody is here. Everybody has an Easter basket. The Easter egg hunt can start. Everybody must close their eyes. One two three go. Samantha finds an Easter egg. The Easter egg is behind a table. She puts it in her basket. Tracey finds a chocolate Easter bunny. It's under the couch. Tracey puts it in her basket. Sydney finds a chocolate Easter bunny too. It's in front of the television. She puts it in her basket. Everybody finds lots of chocolate. Everybody shares their chocolate. Samantha Tracey and Sydney love Easter.

Mark's favourite sport is hockey. He is 15 years old. Mark practises three times a week. Practices are two hours long. Mark plays one game a week. Mark is a good hockey player. He plays on Friday nights. Friday night hockey games are popular. Mark's family watches him play. Mark's friends watch him play too. There are always many fans. Tonight is the big game. Coaches are coming to watch Mark play. Mark wants to play in the National Hockey League. Mark wants to make a lot of money. It is very hard to play in the NHL. Mark's parents want him to go to college. They want him to have an education. They want Mark to be successful. They want Mark to be happy.