Each of us fails from time to time. If we are wise，we accept these failures as a   (1)  part of the learning process. But all too often as parents and teachers we   (2)   this same right to our children.

   When I see a child suffer from this kind of   (3)  , I think of Donnie.

   Donnie was my youngest third grader. His   (4)  of failure kept him from classroom games that other children enjoyed. He  (5)  answered questions—he was afraid he might be wrong. I tried my best to build his  (6)  . But nothing changed until mid-term, when Mary Anne, a student teacher, was assigned to our classroom．She was young and pretty, and she loved children. Many pupils, Donnie included, all  (7)   her very much.

   One morning, we were working on math problems at the chalkboard, Donnie had   (8)   the problems with pains-taking tidiness. Pleased with his progress, I   (9)  the children with Mary Anne and went for art materials. When I returned, Donnie was in   (10)  . He’d missed the third problem.

   My student teacher looked at me in despair. Suddenly her face   (11)  . From the desk we shared, she got a container filled with pencils.

   “Look, Donnie,” she said, kneeling beside him and gently   (12)   the tern-stained face from his arms, “I’ve got something to   (13)   you.” She removed the pencils, one at a time, and placed them on his desk.

    “See these   (14)  , Donnie,” she continued, “They belong to Mrs. Lindstrom and me．See how the erasers are   (15)  ? That’s because we make mistakes too. But we erase the mistakes and try again. That’s what you   (16)  learn to do, too.”

She kissed him and stood up. “Here,” she said, “I’ll leave one of these pencils on   (17)  desk so you’ll remember that everybody makes mistakes,  (18)   teachers.” Donnie looked up with love in his eyes and a smile.

    The   (19)   became Donnie’s prized possession. That, together with Mary Anne’s frequent encouragement, gradually   (20)   him that it’s all right to make mistakes — as long as you erase them and try again.

There is a difference between being an acquaintance(熟人) and being a friend.An acquaintance is someone whose nameyou know,who you probably have something in  (1)  with and who you feel comfortable around.

Acquaintances are people that you can invite into your home and  (2)  things with, but they are people that you don’t share your  (3)  with, and whose actions you sometimes don’t understand  (4)  you don’t know enough about them.

On the other  (5)  , friends are people you love. Not that you are “in love ” with them, but you  (6)  about them and you think about them when they are not there. They are the people you are  (7)  of when you see something they  (8)  like, and you know this because you  (9)  them so well. They are the people whose pictures you have and whose faces are always in your head regardless(不管)of what happens.

 Friends are those people you feel  (10)  around because you know they care about you. They call just to see  (11)  you are, because a friend doesn’t need an excuse. They tell you the  (12)  and you do the  (13)  . You know that if you have a(n)  (14)  , they are there to listen.

 Friends are the people who won’t  (15)  at you or hurt you, and if they do hurt you they will try hard to  (16)  it up to you. They are the people you love,   (17)  of whether you realize it or not.

They are the people who   (18)  you making mistakes and help you when you do. They   (19)  with you and stand by you. They are the people whose hands you can  (20)  . They watch you live and you watch them live and you learn from them. Your life would not be the same without them.

 What makes a gift special? Is it the   (1)   you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the   (2)   face when they receive it that   (3)   the true value? What gift is worth the most?

  This Christmas I was   (4)   what to give my father. My dad is a   (5)   person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were   (6)    for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had   (7)  . The message was from my   (8)  . My eyes fell on a photo of a flower   (9)   in Wyoming and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion(蒲公英) standing against the bright blue sky,   (10)   me. My dad had been reciting those words to me   (11)   I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my   (12)   to my father.

I called back. I told my mom to go   (13)   me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and   (14)   the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the   (15)  , another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did   (16)  . I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the   (17)   picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that   (18)   my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would   (19)   appreciate.

  Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dadˈs face as he   (20)   those swirling(打旋的) black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.

An old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and 4-year-old grandson. The old man’s hands  (1)  , his eyesight was not clear, and his  (2)  unsteady（不稳定的）. The family were  (3)  every night at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and   (4)   sight made this rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass,   (5)  would often spill（洒落）onto the tablecloth. “We must do something about grandfather,”said the husband.

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, grandfather ate  (6)  in the corner while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table.  (7)  grandfather had already broken a dish or two, his food was served in a  (8)  bowl. Sometimes, when the family  (9)  grandfather, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone.  (10)  , the only words the couple had for him were sharp（1 1）when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The 4-year-old boy watched all this  (11)  .

One evening before supper, the father  (12)  his son playing with wood scraps（小块）on the floor. He asked the child sweetly: “What are you making?”Just as  (13)  , the boy answered: “Oh, I am making a little  (14)  for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up.”The 4-year-old boy smiled and went back to  (15)  on it.

The words  (16)  the parents so much that they were  (17)  . Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.  (18)  no word was spoken, both knew what they had to do. That evening, the husband took grandfather’s hand and  (19)  led him back to the family table.

 In 2003, Tim Baker and his wife   (1)   the Shepherd's Field Children's Village, which has  (2)  more than 4,000 orphans. More than 3,000 operations and medical   (3)   have been carried out and 900 children have been adopted.

   The Village receives children from   (4)   around the country. The majority of them come from   (5)   rural areas. All the children there receive education and are  (6)   the care of 100 workers, including teachers, Chinese nannies, Western doctors, volunteers and interns. About 40 children are   (7)   annually, with most joining overseas families.

   "I want the children to remember   (8)  they come from, even though they will live  (9)   with their new families, speaking different languages," Tim says.

   "The most difficult thing  (10)  was to believe that we could do something for the children with special needs," Tim says. The first orphan they received was a newborn with   (11)  heart defects. The Bakers asked for help from friends, family and supporters, who responded   (12)   and raised money for the baby, who was later adopted. Supporters   (13)  international companies, local enterprises, hospitals, schools and individuals.

   "Now, I am happy to see more people and organizations   (14)  . China has the best adoption system—clear,   (15)  and without corruption." Most of the orphans are between 1 month and 6 years old. The Bakers are working to find solutions   (16)   the older children, who are   (17)   likely to be adopted. The center's workshop provides a place for older orphans to learn such skills   (18)   handicraft making for later jobs. "The happiest moment for me is when I see the kids   (19)  with their new families," Tim, who the children call "Papa Tim", says. "But it's a little sad, too, since in my heart, they are always my kids. But I wish they can have a   (20)   family and a new life."

I’ve read lots of stories about family memories. In those  (1)  , I’ve found voice of sadness and longing. It’s true that so much in our daily lives makes us  (2)  all the time. We find ourselves with less and less time to spend with our  (3)  and friends. I’ve had the same  (4)  myself.

I used to have  (5)  times with my grandfather when we lived together. When I was very young, I often enjoyed spending time in his  (6)   , watching the flowers and watering the fruit threes. But as I grew up, I   (7)  became “selfish”.

Once when I was 6, we went shopping together. As we took the wrong bus and ended up getting  (8)  unable to find our way back, I couldn’t stay  (9)  and shouted rudely in his face. I was so stubborn that I wouldn’t say sorry  (10)  returning home, thinking I had nothing wrong.

Now I   (11)  how ridiculous(可笑的) I was at that time！And I also realize how  (12)   it was when I finally admitted I was   (13)  ！When I truly wanted to express my  (14)   , my grandfather had left us   (15)  leaving me with no more chance to   (16)  my mistake. I couldn’t  (17)  say to him the three words--- “I am sorry.”

We are spending more and more time outside, with less and less time to  (18)   with our families at home. So   (19)    the most of every second you have with your loved ones, because time  (20)  going, waiting for no one.

Diane Ray was completely self-centred and very spoilt . Her parents gave her   (1)   she wanted , knowing that she would throw a temper tantrum (耍小孩脾气) , if they did not . She would scream and kick and   (2)   on the floor drumming her heels . Her parents always   (3)   .

That was why she was alone on the   (4)   , wearing an expensive swimsuit . It had taken a massive tantrum to   (5)   her parents to buy it . They were back at the beach-house,   (6)   from the tantrum she had thrown when they told her that it was too dangerous to go diving   (7)   . “ Dangerous ? ” she had said . “ You just don’t want me to have   (8)   . I’m going and if you try to stop me , I’ll scream . ”

“ What are you doing ? ” a voice asked . Diane jumped . She did not know that the man was there   (9)   he spoke .

“ I’m going diving , ” she answered .

“ You shouldn’t swim today , ” the man   (10)   “ There is a storm coming up . ”

“ You should mind your own   (11)   ! ” Diane replied and walked into the gentle waves .

“ If you go out there , you’ll be   (12)   , ” the man called after her . She did not bother to reply .

Diane slipped into the water and dived   (13)   until white caps began rolling in and it became harder to   (14)   against the current (水流) . Saltwater hit against her face , making it   (15)   to breathe . Oh , why had she not listened to advice ?

Panicking , she began to   (16)   . Then, just as it seemed as if she would slip beneath the surface , she heard a   (17)   voice . “ Hold on ! I’m coming . ” With   (18)   , she saw the old man rowing an ancient-looking boat towards her . “ I hope you’ve learned a lesson . You put us both in   (19)   , ” he shouted angrily , as he dragged her over the side of the   (20)   . Gratefully , Diane thanked him and ran towards the beach-house .

A beautiful girl was shopping with her mother in Blue-sky Market. It was   (1)   hard outside. Many people all stood there under the awning (遮雨蓬). They waited, some patiently, others impatiently because of the bad weather.

The girl’s   (2)  was so sweet.“Mom, let’s run through the rain,”she said suddenly.

  “What?”Mom asked.

  “Let’s run through the rain!”

  “No, Honey. We’ll   (3)  until it slows down a bit,”Mom replied.

  The child waited about another   (4)  and repeated,“Mom, let’s run through the rain.”

  “We’ll get  (5)   if we do,”Mom said.

  “No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this  (6)  ,”the young girl said as she tugged (拽) at her mom’s arm.

  “This morning?   (7)  did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?”

  “Don’t you  (8)  ? When you were talking to Daddy  (9)   his cancer, you said,‘If God can get us through this, he can get us through   (10)  !’”

  The people became   (11)   . Nothing could be  (12)  but the rain. Mom thought for a moment about what she would say.

  “Honey, you are  (13)   . Let’s run through the rain.”

     (14)  they ran off. People all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they  (15)  past the cars and through the puddles (水坑). They  (16)   their shopping bags over their heads. They got wet through, but they were   (17)  by a few who laughed like children all the   (18)   to their cars.

  People can   (19)   your money and health, but no one can ever take away your memories. So, don’t  (20)  to make time to make memories every day.

One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from humblest(卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed an  (1)  chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat  (2)  . He was wearing a worn-out hat and was  (3)  . I asked if I might join him. He  (4)  quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.

We  (5)  began a conversation and spoke about a wide  (6)  of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was  (7)  that he might have no money and not be able to  (8)  something to eat. So as I  (9)  to go back to the counter(柜台) and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked.

 “ May I get you   (10)  ? ”

“ A coffee would be fine. ”

Then I  (11)  him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted  (12)  cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and  (13)  the exit(出口). At the door, I met one of my friends. He asked,

 “   (14)  did you get to know Mr Galbreath? ”

 “ Who? ”

 “ The man you were  (15)  with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs. ”

I could hardly believe it. I was buying,  (16)  afree breakfast, and feeling  (17)  for one of the world’s richest and most powerful man!

My few minutes with Mr Galbreath  (18)  my life. Now I try to  (19)  everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with  (20)  and sincerity.

Shelly，only eight years old，heard Mommy and Daddy talking about her little brother，Gorgy. He was very__  (1)  _and they had done what they could to save his life. Only a very __  (2)  _surgery(外科手术)could help him now and they didnˈt have enough money to __  (3)  __ it. She heard Daddy whisper（低语））__  (4)  _“Only a miracle（奇迹）can save him now.”

Shelly went to her bedroom and_  (5)  __ her piggy­bank(存钱罐)from its hiding place. She __  (6)  __all the change（零钱）out on the floor and counted it carefully. Then she __  (7)  __ out of her house and __  (8)  __her way to the corner drug store.

“I want to buy a miracle which my sick brother needs.” said Shelly，“__  (9)  __ is the cost of the miracle？” The well-dressed man leaned down and__  (10)  _，“What kind of a miracle does your brother need？”

“Sorry，I just know heˈs really __  (11)  __ and Mommy says he needs an operation.__  (12)  __my family canˈt pay for it，so I have my money.”Shelly answered，__  (13)  __ coming down her cheeks(脸颊).

“How much do you have？” asked the man.“A dollar and eleven cents，” Shelly answered __  (14)  __.“Well，what a coincidence(巧合)，” smiled the man，“a dollar and eleven cents is the exact price of a _  (15)  _ to save your little brother.” He took her money，take her by the hand and said，“ __  (16)  __ me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.”

That man was a __  (17)  _surgeon(外科医生)，good at solving Gorgyˈs illness. The operation was finished __  (18)  __ question and it wasnˈt long before Gorgy was home again and doing well.“That surgery，” Mommy whispered，“is like a miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost？”

Shelly smiled to herself. She knew _  (19)  __ how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents. Whatˈs more，plus the purity of the little __  (20)  _.