One day, a farmer took a bag of wheat to town. He didn't know what 1 when the bag fell off his horse. The bag was 2 heavy for him to lift. He hoped that 3 would come and help him.

    Before long a man came over. But the farmer was 4 when he saw the man, because he was the famous judge(法官) in "town. The farmer was afraid to ask him for 5.

    As soon as he came up to the farmer, the judge 6 his horse and said," You need my help, don't you? Let me help you." Then he took one end of the bag, and the farmer took 7. They 8 the bag of wheat onto the horse.

    "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I 9 you?"

    "Well," the judge replied, " 10 you see anyone in need of help, do the same for him."

    Since I came to my new neighbourhood，I have had the pleasure of meeting a few neighbours.They seem to be quite 1 people.For Christmas，I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbours that I know.I sat down and 2 .There were nine neighbours，and I also knew which houses they lived in.

    However，I decided to3  one more person to my list，the lady I met every morning walking to work as I drove down the street.She always managed a sweet smile and a hearty wave（挥手），4 I had no idea which house she lived in.

    My gift idea was to make small 5 baskets and leave them on each of my neighbour's  front porches（门廊）the night of Chrismas Eve.I kept the last one for the friendly lady，since I was still not exactly sure where she lived 6 the house down about where I met her each morning.Finally I decided to put it there.My neighbours really enjoyed the baskets and a couple even came by to  7me.

    This morning on my way to work，I placed my mail in the mailbox and noticed a Thank You card.I opened it and read the 8 which really caught me by surprise.

    The card said，“Thank you for those lovely apples and strawberries you left on the porch of Tod.He 9 on January 19，but he never stopped talking about how nice it was that someone10  him in his time of illness.He really enjoyed it.”

    I was very11.I had no idea who Tod was or that he had been seriously12.I had left that nice lady's basket on Tod's porch by accident.I believe that Tod never expected to have that basket. I feel 13 that the nice lady did not get a basket from me this Christmas，but I believe that if she knew what had happened，she would 14me.

    I feel lucky to have helped Tod be more cheerful in his last days.This just makes me further believe that sometimes 15in life are beautiful.

    It used to be our custom to take handmade baskets to friends on May Day. We would1baskets on a doorstep, knock on the door, and then run away as2as possible. It was funny to hide in a bush（灌木丛）and watch our friends open the doors and pick up the colorful gift, 3who had left it out for them.

    I clearly4the May Day of the year when I turned ten. I had a dearest friend, Pam. We had studied and5together nearly every day. However, things6after a new family moved into our small town. Pam was spending more and more time at their house and I felt7and left out.

    When my mother asked me8 I was going to take a May Day basket to Pam's house, I replied9, "Certainly not! I hate Pam. "And then I began to cry.

Mom wiped（抹去） away my tears and told me that things and people change. She explained, "One of the greatest things friends can do is to give each other a10to grow, to change and to develop. It's acceptable for 11 friends to spend time with other people."

    I finally decided to give Pam a basket as a sign of forgiveness（原谅）, and asked my sister to help me do it.12we watched from our hiding place, Pam picked up the basket and said loudly enough for us to hear, "Thank you, Susie, I hoped you wouldn't13me!"

    That day, I made a14that changed my life：I decided to hold my friends tightly in my heart, allowing them 15 to grow and to change-with or without me.

    A girl complained to her father about her hard life. She didn't know what she had to do and wanted to give up. She felt tired for fighting and fighting, one problem had been finished but another came.

    Her father, who was a cook 1 her into the kitchen. He poured water into the pans (锅) and boiled it. When the water was boiling, in the first pan he put some carrots, in the second he put some eggs and the last he put with coffee. He 2 them a few minutes without any words.

    The girl closed her mouth and waited impatiently, not knowing 3 her father was doing that. After about 20 minutes, her father turned 4 the stove, took out the carrots and put them in a bowl. He took the eggs and put them in another bowl. After that the 5 was poured into a cup. Turning back to his daughter, he asked, "What do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she answered.

    Her father told her to 6 her eyes and let her touch the carrots. She did and felt that the carrots were soft. After that he asked her to take the eggs and 7 them. Then she got boiled and hard eggs. At last, the father asked her to smell the coffee. "What is the meaning, Father?" He  __8 that each one had the same experience -the boiled water, but 9 had a different reaction(反应). The strong and hard carrots had become soft and weak after being in the boiling water. The eggs became hard after being cooked. The coffee was very special and it changed the water. "Who are you?" asked her father, "When calamity(厄运) 10 your door, what is your reaction? Are you carrots, eggs or coffee?"

    For this little boy, it is a really cold winter. His father was in a car accident(车祸) and he 1 a leg. After that, his father became so sad. When the boy didn't do something well, the father would be2and beat him.

    One night, the boy passed a small shop on the street. He saw some beautiful boxes of3An idea came into his mind. He knew his father4coffee. Although he knew stealing(偷) was not good, all he could think of was his father's5He soon put a box of coffee into his jacket and ran back home.

    He gave the coffee to his father, and his father gave6a kiss. The boy was very happy7he wanted the kiss from his father for a long time.8, the shopkeeper came and told his father the truth. His father beat him again.

    Many years later, the boy's mother called and said his father wanted to see him. He9because he was too busy. After a few weeks, he heard the10news that his father died. He found an old box of coffee in his father's room. On it was a piece of paper, saying, "The gift11my son". There was the letter:

Dear son,

    I'm not a good father. But I have a dream—to have a coffee shop, then I can make.12for you. I'm sorry I didn't keep my dream.

    The boy was very sad. He didn't meet his father for the13time. He decided to go on his father's14. He started a coffee business. His coffee business is15now. The name of the boy's coffee shop is Starbucks(星巴克). He is Howard Schultz.