I lost my flat by accident, and then I discovered my car needed a new engine. That meant I would have to spend ￡ 1，000 to get the car back on the  (1)  . I suddenly found that I needed, first, somewhere to  (2)  and second, something to travel around  (3)  ．

I was trying to decide what to do when I  (4)  the advertisement on a board: Converted(改装过的) ambulance  (5)  ， ￡ 1，600. So I rang the number in the ad and  (6)  to go and see it. It was love at first sight! I made a   (7)  straight away. Two days later I was the   (8)  owner of a converted camper van(野营车)．

At first I was  (9)  . I wasn’t sure whether I could handle it.   (10)  ， gradually I’ve had feelings that I haven’t  (11)  before. Living in my van is just the  (12)  of waking up in the morning, and, for the first few seconds, not knowing   (13)  you are. Then you look out of the window; some strange trees  (14)  you, and some beautiful scenery makes your heart beat  (15)  . Living in a flat in the city I missed all that.

Now I begin to   (16)  what the travelers have been telling us. Living in a van is cheap. No rent. What’s more, there’s the sense of   (17)  my new lifestyle has given me. I love being able to go where I want and when I want. It’s  (18)  to feel that the whole world is your home. It is no  (19)  that so many people are  (20)  their houses and going on the road.

I felt gloomy (沮丧的)the other day.The weather had been dark and rainy，and I just didnˈt feel so __  (1)  __.

As I was sitting at my desk，I __  (2)  __it was the birthday of a dear long-time friend—a single，middle-aged woman who has devoted the past 30 years to nursing and loves her __  (3)  __.Knowing that she doesnˈt have family in town，I __  (4)  __to give her a call.Sure enough，she was on B-shift，__  (5)  __to work late into the evening，and wouldnˈt have much of a birthday this year.As always，__  (6)  __，she sounded cheerful and was happy that I __  (7)  __.

After I hung up，I couldnˈt __  (8)  __ the feeling that she would really appreciate a little attention on her special day.__  (9)  __feeling a little gloomy myself，I tried to put it out of my __  (10)  __，but as the day passed I couldnˈt shake the thought.I __  (11)  __gave in，and that evening set off to the hospital with a card，a cheese cake，and some balloons.My friendˈs grateful smile and joyful surprise __  (12)  __me Iˈd done the right thing and were a generous __  (13)  __ for the little effort it had taken.

When I got home，I realized that not only had I cheered up a __  (14)  __friend on her birthday，but my own gloomy feelings had also __  (15)  __.Making her day had made my own!

Thatˈs true __  (16)  __we take the time and make the effort to do something for someone else.Itˈs like the little saying，“Loving kindness is twice blessed；it blesses him who gives，and him who __  (17)  __.”

Cheering up people on their birthdays isnˈt the only thing we can do to make their day.Life constantly presents us with __  (18)  __to take an extra step or do a kind deed that will make a __  (19)  __to someone.And the __  (20)  __thing is that as we do，it changes things for the better for us too.

In our life，we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the ones who have lived those years with us.In fact，we donˈt have to wait for  (1)  to thank the ones closest to us—the ones so easily  (2)  .If I have learned anything about giving thanks，it is this：Give it now!

  (3)  your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere，act on it.Saying thanks is such an easy way to  (4)  the worldˈs happiness.

Saying thanks not only  (5)  someone elseˈs world，but brightens yours.If youˈre feeling  (6)  ，unloved or unappreciated，try reaching out to others.It may be just the  (7)  you need.

Of course，there are times when you canˈt express gratitude  (8)  .In that case donˈt let embarrassment sink you into silence—speak up the first time you have the chance.

Once a young minister，Mark Brian，was sent to a  (9)  town of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia.The Indians，he had been told，did not have a  (10)  for thank-you.But Brian soon found that these people had   (11)  generosity.Instead of saying thanks，it is their custom to  (12)  every favor with a favor of their own，and every kindness with an equal or superior  (13)  .They do their thanks.

I wonder if we had words in our   (14)   for thankyou.Would we do a better job of  (15)   our gratitude？Would we be more responsive，more sensitive，more caring?

Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that  (16)  people all around us—including ourselves.For no one ever  (17)  the tune of a grateful heart.Its message is   (18)  ；its words go  (19)  all earthly barriers；its music   (20)   the heavens.

One day I was driven by a rainstorm to take shelter in a little hut by the roadside, which was 　(1)　 by a shoemaker as his workshop. The man and his son were 　(2)　 at their work, and 　(3)　 saying, “Good day,” we began to talk together. 

Before I had been with them long, the old man 　(4)　 his son out to get something that he 　(5) for his work. The boy was only five minutes 　(6)　, but it was too 　(7)　 for the active old shoemaker. He became 　(8)　, moved about the room, and 　(9) took up a piece of leather and fell to 　(10)　 it, saying, “You know, sir, it will never do to be idle.” 

As soon as the rain was over, I went on my way home, 　(11)　 what I had heard—“It will never do to be idle.” Some people are 　(12) idle; others are idle only now and then. I was one of the latter class. I could work only 　(13)　. So the old man's words came home to me. They awakened my 　(14), and I begin to feel how wrong it was to (15)　 so much of my life in idleness. 

I had often heard and read that 　(16)　 is a very great evil, but now I began to see that it 　(17)　 far more sorrow than people are 　(18). It is the man who is doing nothing that is drawn into disaster, while the busy man is 　(19)　. It is only the idle that are unhappy. So I made up my mind to 　(20)　 the shoemaker's rule for the rest of my life. 

As a teenager，I was very sensitive and always lacking in confidence.I felt I was always letting people __  (1)  __.I was disobedient(逆反的)outside，but I wanted to be loved inside.

Once I left home to get a free __  (2)  __ to California with my friend Penelope.The trip wasnˈt __  (3)  __，and I met a lot of difficulties.There were many times I didnˈt feel safe.One situation __  (4)  __ kept me grateful for still being alive.When I returned home，I was __  (5)  __，not so sure of myself any longer.

I was happy to return to my __  (6)  __again.But then I noticed that Penelope，who was staying with us，was __  (7)  __my clothes.And my family seemed to like her better than me.I wondered if I would be __  (8)  __if I werenˈt there.I told my mom，and she explained that though Penelope was a lovely girl，no one could __  (9)  __me.I pointed out，“She is more patient and is neater than I have __  (10)  __ been.”My mom said these were wonderful __  (11)  __，but I was the only person who could fill my __  (12)  __.She made me realize that even with my __  (13)  __，and there were many，I was a loved member of the __  (14)  __who couldnˈt be taken place of.

I became a seeker，wanting to find out who I was and __  (15)  __made me unique.My view of myself was __  (16)  __.I wanted a solid base to __  (17)  __from.I started to resist pressure to act in ways that I didnˈt like any more，and I was __  (18)  __ by who I really was.I __  (19)  __ to feel much more sure that no one can ever take my place.

Each of us holds a (n)__  (20)  __place in the world.You are special，no matter what others say or what you may think.So forget about being replaced .You canˈt be.

At the beginning of this century, medical scientists made an interesting discovery; we are built not just of flesh and blood but also of time. They were  (1)  to show that we all have “a body clock”  (2)  us, which controls the  (3)  and fall of our body energies,  (4)  us different from one day one to the next.

The   (5)  of “a body clock” should not be too  (6)  since the lives of most living things are controlled  (7)   the 24 hour night-and-day cycle. We feel  (8)  and fall asleep at night and become   (9)  and energetic during the day. If the 24 hour-cycle is  (10)  , most people experience unpleasant  (11)   . For example, people who are not  (12)   to working at night can find that  (13)   of sleep causes them to  (14)  badly at work.

  (15)   the daily cycle of sleeping and  (16)  , we also have other cycles which  (17)  longer than one day. Most of us would   (18)  that we feel good on some days and not so good on  (19)   ; sometimes our ideas seem to flow and at other times, they  (20)  ​do not exist.

During my second year at the city college，I was told that the education department was offering a "free"course, called Thinking Chess, for three credits.I  (1)  the idea of taking the class because ，after all ,who doesn't want to  (2)  a few dollars?More than that, I'd always wanted to learn chess. And,even if I weren’t  (3)  enough about free credits,news about our  (4)  was appealing enough to me. He was an international grandmaster,which  (5)  I would be learning from one of the game's  (6)  .I could hardly wait to  (7)  him.

Maurice Ashley was kind and smart, a former graduate returning to teach, and this  (8)  was no game for him: he meant business. In his introduction, he made it  (9)  that our credits would be hard-earned. In order to  (10)  the class ,among other criteria, we had to write a paper on how we plan to  (11)  what we would learn in class to our future professions and,  (12)  ,to our lives. I managed to get an A in that  (13)  and learned life lessons that have served me well beyond the  (14)  .

Ten years after my chess class with Ashley, I'm still putting to use what he  (15)  me:“The absolute most important  (16)  that you learn when you play chess is how to make good  (17)  .On every single move you have to  (18)  a situation ,process what your opponent(对手）is doing and  (19)  the best move from among all your options.”These words still ring true today in my  (20)  as a journalist.

I am the only person who has reached senior middle school in my family.So，I am the “best-educated”．But I also used to be the most __  (1)  __because I never thought about my manners.As a busy __  (2)  __，I always come home from school late.When I get home at __  (3)  __，it is time for my meal.After eating，I go to school again.But one day，when I was ready to go to school after lunch as usual，Dad stopped me.“Could you __  (4)  __ me some time？”he asked，“Just one __  (5)  __.”I looked at the time and found I didnˈt have much time left.“OK，Dad，but please make it __  (6)  __.”“All right，I know you are __  (7)  __，so I will just ask you two questions.Could you __  (8)  __how many things you have done for our __  (9)  __？And，could you tell me how often you say hello to your family members when you get home？”

That day，when I was at __  (10)  __，I thought about the questions without understanding why Dad had __  (11)  __ asked them.Then，my friend，a girl from a rich family，asked me what was __  (12)  __me.I told her.After listening，she laughed.“Hey! Thatˈs nothing __  (13)  __！You know，I never do anything or say hello to anybody when I am at home，either.”Then she added，“As far as I know,90 percent of our __  (14)  __have never done these things.”Really？At that moment，I __  (15)  __why my dad had asked me those questions.It was because it is good __  (16)  __to say hello to your family.However，most of us students donˈt know，or even __  (17)  __this.How sad we are！I finally realized how I should answer my dadˈs questions.First，I would do all those things that are called good manners.Second，I would __  (18)  __my classmates to be aware of their manners as soon as possible.That night I told these things to Dad.“Good，”he said，“Better late than never.”The next afternoon，when I got home，I saw Mum in the kitchen cooking.“Hi，Mum，Iˈm __  (19)  __，”I said.She looked at me and gave me a big __  (20)  __.

I was walking towards my office when my colleague Philip stopped me.He __  (1)  __ me to Stephen，a young man who would take one of my classes.With a (n)__  (2)  __expression，Stephen asked if my class was going to be hard.I __  (3)  __ that he was afraid of failing __  (4)  __before the opening day of classes.When I told him it was a __  (5)  __in which students should recite a lot of facts，I saw his eyes getting __  (6)  __ with fear.

Then I remembered a Chinese __  (7)  __：“One bite at a time.”I told him to finish his work that way __  (8)  __finish all the work at a time.

Later I learned __  (9)  __ of Stephenˈs story.His family members who treated him badly kept __  (10)  __him that he was a failure.__  (11)  __he still kept at it and got his diploma(毕业证)．Now，faced with their __  (12)  __ attitude and doubt，he had enrolled(报名)in college.

Stephen didnˈt become an “A” student.__  (13)  __，he managed to pass most of his courses by __  (14)  __his studying into bite-sized parts.Slowly，he began to gain a lot of __  (15)  __and was brave to face difficulties.He was a great singer and he was __  (16)  __the school team.

Every time I saw him on campus he would say，“One bite at a time”．Whenever he introduced me to his friends on campus，he would __  (17)  __ that he was succeeding when he was __  (18)  __to be failing.His __  (19)  __，he said，was that he was practicing what I taught him __  (20)  __classes ever started.I asked for the answer and he said，“Take it one bite at a time”．