One day, a train was approaching the small town of Cheekyville. On the train was a young man with a big suitcase. He was called William Warbler, and he looked very common indeed. What made him most unusual, though, was the fact that whenever he needed to communicate he did it by singing opera (歌剧). It didn’t matter to William whether it was simply a matter of answering a brief greeting, like “good day”. He would clear his voice and respond, “Gooood dayyy to youuuuuuuu... toooooo!”

       No one could get a normal spoken word out of him and no one knew how he made his living. As he lived quite simply, always wearing his same old second-hand suit, people often looked down on him.

       William had been in Cheekyville for some years, when, one day, word spread round town like wildfire: William had played a role in a very important opera in the nation’s capital. Everyone in the capital went to see it, and it was a great success. Everyone in Cheekyville felt it was a surprise. But something more surprising was, when William was being interviewed by reporters, he answered their questions by speaking rather than singing. And he did it with great manners, and with a clear and pleasant voice.  

       From that day, William gave up singing at all hours. Now he did it only during his stage appearances and world tours. Some people suspected why he had changed, but others continued believing him to be somewhat mad. They wouldn’t have thought so if they had seen what William kept in his big suitcase. It was a large stone, with a hand-carved (手工雕刻的) message on it. The message said: “Practice, my boy. Practice every second, for you never know when your chance will come.”

       Little did people realize that he only got the role in the opera because the director had heard William singing while out buying a newspaper.

Dad was not only my best friend, but my compass（指南针）. While he was alive, he  (1)  me with his actions and advice. He taught me one important  (2)  : “ Believe in yourself.”

If there was one phrase my dad   (3)    liked to hear, it was “ I can’t.” He did not have the chance to finish high school and   (4)   two jobs to support his large family,  (5)  he never complained. Through self-education and years of hard work, my dad became an excellent journalist.

When I was in high school, I had a   (6)  time with math. He tried to help me, but I    (7)    struggled. So my math teacher suggested I meet with him at 7:00 each morning before school for   (8)    help. I told Dad, “ That’s   (9)   ! I’m tired! I can’t do that !” He replied, “ You’re doing it. I’ll send you to school.” Every morning at 6:45, we’d leave the  (10)  . Despite working 12 hours every day, Dad never once  (11)  driving me to school.

After months of   (12)   , I was facing the final exam. I was so   (13)  . On the day of the final, my dad hugged me and said, “ Luke,  (14)  yourself. You can do it.” His words made me realize I needed to trust in my  (15)   and in the hours of work I’d   (16)   . When I got my  (17)   proudly, the first person I called was my father. He cried, “ Yes ! You deserved it !”

Even now, whenever I   (18)   that a task is too much for me, I think back to that exam. No matter how  (19)  something is, if you’re willing to work, you can succeed. I’m forever  (20)   to Dad for that lesson.

    I wrote a business plan the other day. I gave it to my husband for suggestions. After reading it, he said, “I don’t think this is up to your usual standards.” I said, “I need more information. What doesn’t work?” He said he wasn’t sure. I then took the paper and reread it.

    He asked, “How about if I look at it again and make notes between the space?” I agreed. A half hour later I looked at his notes and told him he didn’t understand the situation and what I really wanted to express. He shrugged（耸肩）and said OK. I took the paper and went back to my computer and again revised. As I was writing, I could see my paper improving based on his suggestions. When I finished, I proudly handed the paper back to my husband. He read it for the third time and said, “It’s still not right but I couldn’t exactly say.” I was a little annoyed and then told him I was the writer and I had seen some goofy（愚笨的）papers he sent out. But I picked up my paper and went back to the computer.

    After an hour of revisions, I went back to my husband apologetically with paper in hand. I told him I was sorry for what I’d said and asked if he would please read the paper again because I did value his contribution. Being a very patient and kind-hearted fellow, he once again read my paper and declared that it was fine.

    This all leads me to the following: When you ask for advice on a project, be appreciative and grateful. Understand that the advice and suggestions you get may be negative. Understand that it may mean more work for you. And keep in mind that the final responsibility for the project is still yours. So be modest and thankful even if he or she has noted some problems.

Enjoying a musical performance no longer requires a costly ticket or a trip to a theater. These days, musicians are performing in private homes, at haircutting shops, at airports...even on ferry boats.

   Musicians like house concerts. At music clubs ,they often have to perform over loud conversation or deal with people who have had too much alcohol. People at house concerts are more focused on listening to the music.

   Just a few hours before the Bombadils started singing at the O' Hair Salon, Lindsay was cutting hair and Tamera was doing facials. Then, they moved chairs and microphones to create a small performance space. The Bombadils made music in the front part of the hair salon, near the hair dryers and make-up table.

   "This is our first show at a hair salon," Sarah Frank of the Bombadils told concertgoers at last week's performance. Frank said she and band members Luke Fraser and Kaitlyn Raitz had a great time "interacting" with the audience.

   Concerts in people's homes, or small businesses such as O' Hair's, are becoming more popular, musicians say. "There is a more relaxed atmosphere," said Domenic Cicala, a musician who opened up his O'Hair Salon to concerts. "People really get to know the artists."

   At house concerts, people get time before and after concerts to meet the performers. Often, the hosts or guests will provide food and drink.

   "People really like listening to music in the living room of a friend," said Matt Hart, with Aubrey Zoli making up Local Strangers, a folk-rock group based in Seattle. At many such concerts, the musicians do not need microphones. Yet, every word of their songs can be heard.

A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International,has found that listening to music at work increases accuracy and speed, The Telegraph reported. Perhaps,some parents disagree with this idea, saying,"Switch off the music and concentrate!"Well,if that-s the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side.

The company gave 26 participants a series of different tasks for five days in a row,including spell checking,mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all.

The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, told The Telegraph,"Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state... they are going to become more positive about the work. "

However,you may have a list of your favorite songs,but not all kinds of music match all homework For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail,you should listen to classical music, the study found In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing,pop music is the best choice,as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cut mistakes by 14%,compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework,do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe,some dance music is suitable for you.

In the years of my growing up, Dad was hard on me. He made sure I made my bed and did my homework. As a school girl and young adult, I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A’s and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.

He would call in advance to make sure there was no alcohol at the party. I got so angry with him for laying down the law. I would scream, “I hate you!” Dad would yell back, “Good! I don’t care!” Deep down I knew he did.

One time at a party, I drank too much alcohol and got so sick. I said, “Call my dad.” Next thing, Dad was carrying me to the car. I woke up the next morning, thinking I would definitely be criticized. As expected, I got a roasting, but I now understand why I need discipline.

Dad was 29 when he got his big roles in films. I had an early start at the age of nine with a role in a 1990s TV series, but it wasn’t until I finished film studies that I pursued my career as an actress. Like those early days for Dad, I faced lots of rejections. Working in such a competitive industry, I’ve sometimes thought, “I can’t do this any more.”

Once, after a trip to Hollywood, I returned to Australia so depressed and spent months in my bedroom painting, listening to Eckhart Tolle’s music and trying to find myself again. Dad sat me down and said,“Alice, I know it’s hard, but it’s all about persistence(坚持不懈).”

Now I get to work with Dad a lot, which I love. We are both enthusiastic about acting, which comes from us being so interested in people. If it weren’t for Dad, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He’s my biggest fan, and when you have that in your life you can go a long way.

I had been following the yellowish-green markers for a “popular and easy” three-mile out-and-back hike. Immediately after the trailhead(山道的起点), the trail became very rocky and steep. But having read information about the hike, I knew within five minutes, I was supposed to reach the hike’s first overlook.

However, the overlook never arrived. Instead, I found myself lost in the woods. Pulling out my cellphone, I saw it read “no service”. I checked the last text message I’d sent to my mom. It read, “Conference ended…going for a small hike before my flight home this afternoon.” I put my phone away and kept moving and yelling, “Help! Is anybody out there?” Every so often, I’d stop to listen, but I never heard a reply.

I got out my phone again. The battery was running out fast as it searched for a signal. I struggled to find a place where I could get service. When I did, I called my mom. It went through! In a shaky voice, I said, “Mom?” And then the call dropped. More than 1,500 miles away, my mom instantly knew something was wrong. She called the Denver Police Department and was directed to the US Forest Service.

This was how I was introduced to John, an operator from the US Forest Service. Following John’s instruction on the phone, I finally escaped from the woods. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then my phone rang, and it was John, making sure I was still going in the right direction. “By the way,” he said, “we’ve had your mother on hold this whole time. We know once you get down the mountain, you will absolutely want to give her a call.”

Before she appeared on the reality show(真人秀) Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle was just an ordinary middle-aged British woman. Now all this is going to change.

She lives in a house with her cat Pebbles in a tiny Scottish town. Because of learning difficulties, she doesn’t have much education. But what she does have is a very good voice. As a kid, she sang in church and choirs and school plays. For a living, she sang at local pubs.

When she took the stage on April 10th her hair was untidy and her clothes seemed just one step up from rags. The audience laughed at her.

But then she opened her mouth. A few bars into the song and the laughing audience went silent. A beautiful voice was singing I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables. Everyone was amazed. At the end of her song, the audience jumped to their feet and applauded wildly.

Almost overnight, Susan became a household name. She won fans and millions of admirers. Her online videos have drawn over 85.2 million hits.

Susan’s story proved the truth of an old saying: “Never judge the book by its cover.” Susan may look ordinary, and doesn’t have much dress sense, but she can certainly sing.

Susan’s fans admire her courage, as much as they do her voice. She has experienced mockery and many disappointments, but her love for music has kept her going, which is worth anyone’s respect.

Traveler

My fifteen-year-old son has just returned from abroad with rolls of exposed film and a hundred dollars in uncashed traveler’s checks, and is asleep at the moment. His blue duffel(粗呢) bag lies on the floor where he dropped it. Obviously, he postponed as much sleep as he could: when he walked in and we hugged, his electrical system suddenly switched off, and he headed directly for the bed, where I imagine he beat his old record of sixteen hours.

It was his first trip overseas, so weeks before it, I pressed travel books on him, and a tape cassette of useful French phrases; drew up a list of people to visit; advised him on clothing and other things. At the luggage store where we went to buy him a suitcase, he headed for the duffels, saying that suitcases were more for old people.

During the trip, he called home three times: from London, Paris, and a village named Ullapool. Near Ullapool, he climbed a mountain in a rainstorm that almost blew him off. In the village, a man spoke to him in Gaelic, and, too polite to interrupt, my son listened to him for ten or fifteen minutes, trying to nod in the right places. The French he learned from the cassette didn’t hold water in Paris. The French he talked to shrugged and walked on.

When my son called, I sat down at the kitchen table and leaned forward and hung on every word. His voice came through clearly, though two of the calls were like ship-to-shore communication. When I interrupted him with a “Great!” or a “Really?”, I knocked a little hole in his communication. So I just sat and listened. I have never listened to a telephone so attentively and with so much pleasure. It was wonderful to hear news from him that was so new to me. In my book, he was the first man to land on the moon, and I knew that I had no advice to give him and that what I had already given was probably not much help.

The unused checks are certainly evidence of that. Youth travels light. No suitcase, not much luggage and a slim expense account, and yet he went to the scene, and came back safely. I sit here amazed. The night when your child returns with dust on his shoes from a country you’ve never seen is a night you would gladly turn into a week.