That summer,Luke had been my closest companion for five years.We get lots of1in our area during the summer season.Many forests are badly2by fire each year.That hot summer,not far from our shelter,a forest3 fire.It was July,and there had been a heat wave going on for three days.Luke rushed toward the forest where the fire was sending out a4heat.There was no longer any hope at that moment to wait for Luke to come back to the5. In fact,I was waiting for firefighters to tell me that he had6in the forest.Suddenly,a fireman burst into my office and7me that my log Luke had succeeded in saving four kittens who had been8by the flames.According to the fireman,Luke seized the kittens,one by one moving them to a9place.

    I immediately10the fireman to the forest to pick up the rescued kittens.11we got to the scene of the incident,we saw that Luke was not there.Then we heard the12of a dog barking in the forest.I13the barks as Luke's.The fireman followed the14of the dog until they found him barking loudly by the side of an injured fireman who was lying on the ground and15waiting for rescue.

    Thanks to Luke,four kittens and a fireman were saved.That day,I was very proud of Luke for his two heroic 16.Luke showed much compassion（同情心）for both animals like him and for a human being who was trying to put out the fire with his colleagues.Truth to be told,my17was immeasurable.

    I paid a visit to the fireman in his house accompanied by my lovely Luke.What a18scene it was when the fireman hugged Luke tightly to his chest!"One thousand thanks,Luke,for saving my life,"the fireman said.

    This true story of love and compassion shows us that pets are loving,caring and compassionate.We should love and19them.Little animals can do20things for humans.

    Jason, our son, was born one month early and so he was weaker than most children. My wife Margaret and I often comforted him as he faced many 1 in his childhood.

    In his seventh grade, Jason 2up for the school running team, which made me both proud and worried. One afternoon, Jason returned home in tears, covered all over with food. He threw his bag on the floor and shouted: “I'm never going to 3 again!” As we later learned, a few older students made fun of his performance on the playground and then threw 4 at him on the school bus on the way home.

    I called the school leader about what happened on the bus, and Jason never experienced that again. He stayed on the team, even though the trouble 5.

    One day in October, we had a heavy 6.As the other kids exercised in the gym they noticed one runner—Jason—7 around the snow-covered playground.

    A few weeks later, Jason had something to tell us. “Mom, Dad, sit down,” he said. I was ready for the8.

    He told us that each month, students chose an “athlete of the month”. The coach would list the top athletes, and the other students 9 for the winner. Jason's name had never been listed.10 that day, one of the students said: “Sir, I would like to choose Jason for athlete of the month.”

The coach looked surprised.

    “He works 11 than any of us, Sir,” the student continued.

    “Does everyone 12 with this?” the coach asked.

Tears formed in Jason's eyes as he told us what happened next. “Mom ... Dad ...13 in the team put their hands up.''

His mother and I, also in tears, looked on as he14showed his certificate (证书).

    Whenever I am sad, I think of this story. I remind myself that challenges are not overcome (克服) by15 but by patience, determination, and faith.

    Jason is in university these days and often holds the highest mark in his class. He is also training in martial arts. I am completely sure he'll wear a black belt someday, and wear it proudly.

    It impressed me a lot, I never thought that little help will turn out to be the most satisfying thing I have ever done.

    One day I met a man on my way home. He was tired, and1 to climb further. With a broad2 he asked if I could help him with some money. He was paralyzed (瘫痪) in both legs and was 3 funds for some operation. He said that if operated successfully, he could 4a training guaranteeing him a job. I was full of 5 and even asked him to show his legs. I gave him the6 money. After a few days, he again came at my doorstep asking for more money for accommodation. This time I was more or less 7 he is not cheating me. I gave him some and said this is all I have.

    A year went by and I had moved to a(n)8 place. One fine day I got a call from an unknown number. Caller called out his name but I didn't 9 him. Then he said he is the very paralyzed person I helped a year ago.

    I asked him, “How are you doing now.” He said, “Sir, you recognize me not by my name but by my10state.” “With your kind help I am now able to 11 on my legs without support. I was operated 12I am married to a beautiful lady. Besides I have a good job and stable 13.

    I don't 14 remember if I gave him my phone number15 what he said next was touching. He said he wanted to return my money so that I didn't feel cheated and continue to help people 16 in the future. I don't know whether he read my facial expression the day I helped him but tears were 17 down my face. That day I18 him that I will continue to help people as I see a(n)19—small or big. It is the small event that makes a big 20 to my life.

    One day, I drove into a service station to get some gas. It was a beautiful day and I was feeling 1 . As I paid for the gas, the attendant said, "How do you feel?" That seemed like a 2 question, but I felt fine and told him so. "You don't look 3." he replied and continued to tell me my skin appeared 4.

    By the time I left, I was a little 5 . About a block away, I 6 to the side of the road to look at my face 7 the mirror. Was everything all right? Had I picked up 8 rare disease? By the time I got home, I was beginning to feel a slight 9 somewhere in my body.

    The next time I went into that gas station, I 10 what had happened: The place had recently been painted a bright yellow, and the light reflecting off the walls made everyone inside 11 as though they were sick! That was the truth. 12 , I let that short conversation change my attitude for an entire day. His 13 observation affected the way I felt and acted.

    This experience made me think a lot. It is the same with life, in which attitude 14. The way we look at life determines how we feel and how we 15. If we expect something to turn out 16 , it probably will. But the 17 also works in reverse. If we expect good things to happen, they 18 do. An optimistic attitude, I believe, is not a luxury but a(an) 19. So after that, I chose to highlight the 20 throughout the rest of my life.

    My husband and I both were working in a lonely village in northern Thailand. There were many 1, particularly around our housing.

    We 2 our house this past June. Shortly after, while we were working at the office, the 3 removed all the surrounding banana trees and the grass in order to raise the ground level — she had 4 on tearing down our house and building a new one after we left.

    She brought in tons of 5. This left our house in a kind of moat(壕沟), and when the heavy rain came, our house 6. This was upsetting, but it turned into something 7, because when the headmaster at my school became 8 of it, he got my eighth-grade class to come to help 9 up.

    The boys dug into the moat to drain the water, and built a path out to the street, 10 the girls mopped up the water inside and spread newspapers to 11 it. Before the problem was truly 12, however, we had another flood. This turned into a 13, with teachers and students again 14, and our host mother bringing lunch for everyone.

    Another time, my husband suddenly got very 15. It was going to take the 16 two hours to reach our house, 17 my co-teacher arranged for a truck from the government office to take us to meet it--this truly helped greatly by 18 two hours off the ride.

    There were many other 19 of care and kindness. This community is dear to our hearts, and there is no way we can ever 20 them. I plan to try my best to pay it forward by looking for people in need of help.