A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­  (1)  about stress in work life.    (2)    his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned  (3)  a large pot of coffee and a variety of  (4)    —porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help
   (5)  to the coffee.
   When all the students had a cup of coffee  (6)   , the professor said, “If you   (7)  , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been   (8)    , leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is  (9)    for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and   (10)  .
It’s certain that the cup itself   (11)   no quality to the coffee.   (12)  it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides  (13)  we drink.
What all of you really  (14)  is coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the  (15)  cups…And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and  (16)   in society are the cups. They are just   (17)  to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define,   (18)  change the quality of life we live.  (19)   , by focusing only on the cup, we fail to  (20)  the coffee. Therefore, don’t let the cups drive you…have a good taste of the coffee instead.”

Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a famous concert. After they were seated, the mother       (1)       a friend and walked over to greet her. Seizing the        (2)       to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy got up and explored his way       (3)       a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE（禁止进入）”. When the lights became less bright and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her     (4)      and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains      (5)      and the lights focused on the stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard,    (6)       Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

At that moment, the great piano master, Paderewski,     (7)       on the stage, quickly went to the piano and     (8)      in the boy’s ear, “Don’t     (9)      Keep playing.”

   Then, leaning(倾斜) over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began    (10)        in a bass (低音的) part. Soon his right arm reached       (11)        to the other side of the child and he added a beautiful piece of music.     (12)      , the old master and the boy     (13)       a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative      (14)       

   That’s the way it is in life.     (15)      we can complete on our own is    (16)        noteworthy(值得注目的). We try our best, but the    (17)      aren’t exactly graceful or flowing music.    (18)       when we put our trust in the hands of greater power, our life can be truly beautiful.

The next time you set     (19)       to create great performances, listen carefully. You can hear the   (20)   of the master whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”

My wife and I separated in December. As you might expect, I had a very   (1)   December.

    My therapist(心理治疗师) gave me  (2)   totally unexpected. It was a small handmade Play-Doh heart. She  (3)  that it was not for me to keep, but only on   (4)  until I got my own heart. Then I   (5)   return it to her.

    After the session, I placed the heart carefully on the dash of my car and drove to   (6)  my daughter Juli-Ann, for this was the first night that she would be staying at my new home. As she got into the car, she was immediately  (7)  to the heart, picking it up,   (8)   it and asking me what it was.

    “It’s a present from my therapist to help me through this difficult time   (9)   it is not for me to keep, but only to have till I get my own heart,” I   (10)  . Juli-Ann made no  (11)   I wondered, at 11 years old, could she understand?

    Several  (12)   later, when my daughter was again at my home, she handed me her Valentine’s Day present for me: a small red box,   (13)  with a gold band.  (14)  Into the pretty little box. To my surprise, I pulled out a similar Play-Doh heart that she had made for me. I looked at her,   (15)  , wondering what it meant.

    Afterwards she slowly handed me a card. It was a(n)  (16)   Juli-Ann had written me the most   (17)  and loving words I had ever read. Tears flooded my eyes and my heart   (18)  open:

    For My Dad/Here is a heart/for you to keep/for the big leap/you’re trying to take/Have fun on your journey/It might be blurry/But when you get there/Learn to care

      (19)  all my material wealth, I   (20)  this as my most sacred treasure.

About six years ago I was going through a tough time, trying to work two jobs to afford my rent. One cold Sunday morning, I went to Gameshop-a video game retailer (零售商), to   (1)   the game I had reserved. A woman in a car parked outside called me when I   (2)   the store. Though it was in broad daylight, I was   (3)   about it and kept some distance when I walked over. She said she couldn’t walk and    (4)   me to purchase a Kinect, a popular game, for her as her  (5)   Christmas gift. Due to her leg disease it was   (6)   for her to move around. She called ahead but the employer wasn’t willing to   (7)  . She gave me about ＄100 in cash and her credit card.

I walked back in and bought the Kinect. Then it   (8)   me. What was it   (9)   stopped me from lying about the payment method and just pocketing her cash? She couldn’t know I wasn’t a   (10)  ; and how could she possibly have so much  (11)   someone?

I handed her the cash back,   (12)   I had to pay with her card—it was above ＄100 at the time, and handed over the   (13)  and her credit card. “This is what my son’s been longing for. Thank you! By the way, just from   (14)   at you, I know you are the one who’ll be a friend to someone   (15)  . You have a face of an angel!” she said. She gave me ＄10 and   (16)   to take it back. Then she   (17)  , saying “Merry Christmas”

She had no idea how much of a   (18)   even ＄10 made. I was able to buy a few cheap groceries for the week and it really made a   (19)   time in my life a little better. She may think I helped her; I truly like the one who was being gifted something amazing,   (20)  .

       A Heroic Driver

 Larry works with Transport Drivers. Inc. One morning in 2009. Larry was __  (1)  __ along 165 north after delivering to one of his  (2)  . suddenly, he saw a car with its bright lights on.  (3)   he got closer, he found  (4)   vehicle upside down on the road. One more look and he noticed  (5)   shooting out from under the  (6)   vehicle. Larry pulled over, set the brake and  (7)  the fire extinguisher (灭火器). Two good bursts from the extinguisher and the fire was put out.

The man who had his bright lights on   (8)   and told Larry he had   (9)   an emergency call. They   (10)   heard a woman’s voice coming from the wrecked (毁坏的) vehicle.   (11)  the vehicle, they saw that a woman was trying to get out of the broken window. They told her to stay   (12)   until the emergency personnel arrived,   (13)   she thought the car was going to   (14)  . Larry told her that he had already put out the fire and she should not move   (15)   she injured her neck.

Once fire and emergency people arrive, Larry and the other man   (16)   and let them go to work. Then, Larry asked the   (17)   if he was needed or   (18)   to go. They let him and the other man go.

One thing is   (19)  —Larry went above and beyond the call of duty by getting so close to the burning vehicle! His   (20)   most likely saved the woman’s life.

                             More Than I Had Dreamed Of

From the time I was seven, I had a dream of becoming a member of the Students Union. I always  (1)  my school leaders for taking responsibility for all of us. So I dreamed of being a leader. 

Years flew by, and soon I was able to participate in the elections,   (2)   I would win. But the reality struck that I hadn’t had a chance. I wasn’t pretty. Girls across the school hardly knew me. I just did not have what it   (3)   to win a school election. I was   (4)  . 

As I cried in my room that evening, I   (5)   took a deep breath and decided I wouldn’t stop dreaming. I decided that I would   (6)   elections again in my final year at school—and I would win. 

I recognized that my   (7)   had a lot of things in their favor. What were the   (8)   that would work in my favor? I had good grades, and I was friendly and helpful. And my biggest   (9)   was the faith I had. I would not allow my   (10)   appearance to hold me back from putting my best foot forward. That evening, I   (11)   my election plans a whole year in advance. 

I realized that girls would have to get to know me and recognize that I had the ability to   (12)  them. I loved making friends and I liked being helpful,   (13)    I decided that perhaps I could use these qualities to work to my advantage. In order to learn how to present a great election    (14)  , I also attended a course on effective public speaking. 

The day after the election, when the principal(校长) announced I won the second highest number of votes, the students   (15)  . That joy on the faces of all my friends showed me that my victory was   (16)  theirs.

Suddenly, I realized that I had   (17)   much more than I had dreamed of. I had made many new friends and had helped people   (18)   the way. I had won the   (19)   and love of my school-mates and they knew me as somebody who would stand by them. I was able to put a smile on their faces and   (20)   their day.  

Many people believe everything or almost everything they read in newspapers or hear on radio. A few years ago I   (1)   a story about a husband and wife who made a   (2)  mistake. They had gone shopping and had taken their small baby   (3)   with them. After they had finished their shopping, they returned to their car to go home.   (4)   they reached their car, they put the baby in the plastic baby carrier that   (5)   rode in for safety. The couple then   (6)   in their car toward home. After they had driven a few miles, they   (7)   the back seat to see how the baby was. To their surprise, the baby was not there. According to the   (8)  , the couple had put the plastic seat and the baby on the top of the car but had   (9)   to put him inside the car. They had driven away with the baby on the top of the car.

The couple drove back   (10)   the store but did not find the baby. They called the police, and the police said that they   (11)   the baby and that the baby was   (12)  . The baby had fallen from the top of the car but had been   (13)   by his plastic seat. The   (14)   couple took their baby home and were always careful after that.

There was one thing   (15)   with the story. It was not true. Stories such as this one are often   (16)   in newspapers and on radio and television. Because they are read and heard   (17)   that usually report the truth, many people believe them. People also believe them because, like the story   (18)  , they have something unusual or frightening about them. What is   (19)   is that newspaper and radio reporters   (20)   believe them.

A few weeks ago，my friend offered to sell some of our things for us．I thought it was a good opportunity to  (1)  my 7-year-old son's room and   (2)  some toys that were no longer suitable for him to play with．We   (3)  that all the money we got from selling the toys would be his money．

The night before the  (4)  ，we loaded (装载) up the truck with toys and a little bike that was too  (5)  for him．In the yard he  (6)  the bike for the last time and then happily put it onto the truck．This little bike had at least two previous (以前的) owners as far as we  (7)  ．It was certainly not   (8)  ，but the tires (轮胎) were  (9)  good．

We put a price of $10 on it，but it didn't sell．So，after the sale was  (10)  ，my friend put it on the sidewalk，with a sign that  (11)  “FREEBIKE”．Within five minutes her doorbell rang：A little boy was  (12)  there．

In poor English he asked whether the bike was  (13)   free．She said yes and that he could have it for  (14)  ．He smiled，got on the bike and rode away．

Later that evening when I told my son how much money he had made at the sale，he was very  (15)  ，shouting happily．He asked about a few of his things，wondering  (16)  they had been sold．When he asked about the bike，I told him about the little boy and that made him  (17)  ．He was much happier than when I told him how much he had  (18)  ．He was so happy to  (19)  that someone else would make good  (20)  of that little bike!

My dad works for a food organization that travels to country areas to offer food, medical help and entertainment. Recently I went with him to give    (1)    (2)   to people who lost their way. It was hot and tiring, so I ended up doing it   (3)   .

Then I saw two girls with   (4)  tasks. They walked up with smiles to people looking    (5)   and asked them if they needed help.   (6)   went up to an elderly woman   (7)   the other greeted a toothless and    (8)   man in rags（衣衫褴褛）. I saw the first girl talking    (9)   to the old woman and gave her a(an)    (10)   to cross the road. At the same time the second girl said, “Hello, sir. Is there something I can help you   (11)   today?” SIR?SIR?! She spoke to this man    (12)   he were an officer in the army! She   (13)   this man and made him feel loved and    (14)  . Never in my life had I seen a(an)   (15)   that displayed（展示）such care, love and respect!

To love another is not only to   (16)   the need, but also to have our mercy. Just then a little girl walked over to me, holding her mother’s hand. I    (17)   and asked what she needed... The experience gave me   (18)   because I could do something to    (19)   another. Taking time to show mercy has helped to develop my 59 .  It is surely the most important   (20)   to follow. Holding it, I open every room to let the sunshine flow in.