It was early in the morning, on a lonely road. It's 1heavily. A 9-year-old boy was in the car with his mother, who was  2him to school. Suddenly, the car went off the road, 3several times, and came to rest upside down in a ditch (沟渠) filled with water.

    Luckily, both the mother and son were  4seatbelts. The mother suffered a blow to her head and was unable to move. The boy was frightened but  5. As water came through broken windows in the car, he  6unbuckled (解开) himself, climbed out of the  7window, made his way around to the driver's side, and reached inside the  8to free his trapped mother. With great effort, he managed to  9her, pull her through the window and up to the road, where they were soon  10.

    His mother later recalled her experience of the  11. Being unable to move or even  12to offer instructions or encouragement to her son, she was  13by her little son's action. She recalled  14her boy saying out loud as he pulled her through the water, “I think I can, I think I can!”

    It seemed  15that this little boy's act of courage was from one of his favorite books: The Little Engine that Could. In that  16, when everyone else had  17hope, the Little Engine carried the heavy load of toys and good things to eat over the hill to the children waiting on the other side. He had  18and took action. Obviously this book had left a  19impression before the accident that rainy  20and motivated (激励) the son to take action if the terrifying moments.

    Michael Greenberg is a very popular New Yorker. He is not famous in sports or the arts, But people in the streets1him, especially those who are2

    For those people, he is "Gloves" Greenberg. How did he get that3? He looks like any other businessman, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase (公文箱). But he's4 His briefcase always has some gloves。

    In winter, Mr. Greenberg does not5like other New Yorkers, who look at the sidewalk and6the street. He looks around at7. He stops when he8 someone with no gloves. He gives them a pair and then he9, looking for more people with cold10.

    On winter days, Mr. Greenberg11gloves. During the rest of the year, he12gloves. People who have heard about him also 13him gloves, and he has many in his apartment.

    Mr. Greenberg 14doing this 21 years ago. Now, many poor New Yorkers know him and15his behavior. But people who don't know him are sometimes16him. They don't realize that he just wants to make them17.

    It runs in the18. Michael's father always helped the poor as he believed it made everyone happier. Michael Greenberg feels the19. A pair of gloves may be a20thing, but it can bring warmth in cold winter days.

    An accidental injury taught me how to deal with my siblings (兄弟姐妹).

On a typical autumn 1 the eight people of our afterschool carpool (拼车)  2into a car built for seven. My brother teased me the entire way home. Hearing the 3 in the back of the car, my mother dropped us off first.

    As we4 the car, I ran after my little brother, planning on getting back at him. Because of my 5backpack, uncomfortable shoes, and terrible sense of balance, I fell on the hard pavement.6 whole carpool rushed to my aid. They lifted my weighty backpack,7 my fallen items, and helped me stand up. With tears in my eyes, I dragged myself into the 8

     “You realize I will 9you for chasing your brother after this, “my mom said to me in her most 10 voice. She would have been more 11 but she obviously didn't know how much I was12 I complained to her the pain I was feeling in my right13Then we went to the clinic where the bone doctor concluded that I had a 14 break in my right elbow.

    I got15 at school the next day because friends surrounded me carefully. But breaking my arm had more 16 than benefits. I was 17 to write with my left hand. I had to wrap my arm in a garbage bag before 18 and I had to go to the health centre instead of PE.

    19 it was an awful week, I think I deserved it20 plotting revenge (报复) against my brother. Since then, there hasn't been anything disharmonious among our siblings.

     My husband and I insisted that our children were old enough to clean their rooms and make their beds. But they thought 1. My complaints, even self-justified shouting, were always landing on 2 ears.  Very often a whole hour's scolding would end with their 3 into tears, I felt very frustrated (沮丧的).I realized I needed to 4 my method of "mothering".

     One day when they were at school, I spent some time 5 their rooms. On their desks, in plain 6, I left the cards: " Bill (the other card was 7 to Sarah), your room was messy this morning and I'm sure you like it clean. Love, the Room Fairy." 8 arriving back, the children were 9 excited to receive the little note from the Room Fairy. The next day, their rooms were fairly tidy. Sure enough, there was another note from the Room Fairy 10 for them, thanking them for their nice "gift" of a clean room and 11 asking them to play a certain violin 12. Each day, thank--you notes would be written differently to keep the ideas 13.

     Sometimes the Room Fairy would propose a little 14: "If you can finish your homework and 15 your lessons before dinner, I'd like to watch a particular television program with you tonight." Sometimes some colored markers or other little items would be left in 16 of well done jobs the day17.

     18 I can't remember how long "the Room Fairy" continued leaving her love notes. When they were age appropriate, we used various versions of Post-Its(贴条). The bathroom mirror became the 19 centre of our home. Appointments, notices about visiting relatives, lesson schedules, and changes in plans could be posted.

     We all benefited from and 20the idea of sharing reminders and daily details of life through notes. I believe the true advantage of the Room Fairy notes survives in our frequent and enjoyable communication.

    When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could 1 tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 2 in class.

    When I took the first exam, I was 3 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper,  4 English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained 5.

    I decided to try harder, although I didn't know what that 6 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 7 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn't change his 8.

    One more test before the final exam. One more 9 to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time，10 the meaning of the word “thorough”. But my 11 did no good and everything 12as before.

    The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what13I got, it wouldn't cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 14 goodbye.

    I stopped working hard. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even 15 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I'd have 16with a test.

    A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne's office. He 17 to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you 18, you wouldn't continue to work as hard.”

    I stared at him 19 that his analysis and strategy were correct. I had worked my head 20, as I had never done before.

    I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I've always remembered Professor Jayne's lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

    A teacher affects eternity(永久)：no one can tell where his influence stops. ——Henry Adams

    Mrs. Barrow, room 501, room 501, I repeated to myself as I scanned the hallways looking for the room number. It was my first day fifth grade and I was really 1.

    I came to the end of the hall and found an open door. Stepping into the room, I suddenly felt out of 2. I tried to act normal, but Mrs. Barrow saw right through me.

    “Good morning, Courtni. You may pick your 3. ”

    I 4 about the room and took an empty seat near a girl named Wendy Barer. As the year slowly 5, Wendy and I became good friends. I felt no closeness to Mrs. Barrow, 6.

    Mrs. Barrow had us write a paper on what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some kids asked7. She explained that when her former students8, she liked them to come back and share their fifth-grade dreams together, as a9 of their childhood. I10right then and there that I like Mrs. Barrow.

    Then, my grandmother, who lived with us, was diagnosed with cancer and about a month later died. Losing her was 11 for me. At the funeral, I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself12 I looked up and saw Mrs. Barrow standing there. She13me by reminding   me that now Grandma had no more pain or suffering. It had never occurred to me that it was 14for my grandma this way. All I thought about was how sad it was for me.

    After the15, we went to my aunt's house to see the flowers that had been sent. My mom handed me a pretty ivy plant in a pink pot. The attached card16：

    Courtni, I'm sorry about your grandmother. Never forget, I love you. You are like one of my children.

With love,

Mrs. Barrow

    I never thought a teacher could care that much about her17：now I know. I say this with all my heart：Anyone who is lucky enough to have a teacher like Mrs. Barrow in their life, even for a short while is privileged 18words. She may not know it, but she means more to me than she'll19 know. I can only hope this gives her inspiration and20 to her a tiny portion of what she has done for me.

    To Mrs. Barrow—love you very much. You're much more than a teacher—you are like a mother to me.