B

    Mike works very long hours every day. He usually gets up at 17:00. He has a shower and makes his breakfast. What a funny time to make breakfast! After breakfast, he practices (练习) his guitar for ten minutes, then he puts on his jacket and goes to work. To get to work, he takes the No.17 bus to the Star Hotel. The bus usually leaves at 19:15. He works all night. People love to listen to him! He gets home at 7:00, and he watches the early morning news on TV. He goes to bed at 8:30, a tired but happy man. Can you think what his job is?

Ray Charles，a black singer and pianist of the USA．He had won 12Grammy Awards （格莱美奖） and performed at 10，000concerts around the world．Many musicians called him simply"the Genius"．

    Ray Charles was born into a poor family，without a father．When he was 5years old，his younger brother died，and around the same time，Charles started to lose his sight．By the age of 7，he was completely blind．He had already been learning the piano for a year，and when he went blind，his mother knew this would be the only way he would make any money in the future．All his life，Charles remembered her saying："Do it right，or don't do it at all．"

    Later he went to a school for blind and deaf children．There the teachers also encouraged him to study music．Sadly，while he was still at school，his mother died．He left school and in the early 1950s Charles organized a group of players．He sang，played the piano and wrote music．He made many classical CDs with famous artists such as Elton John and the Beatles．

In 2003a film of his life Ray was made．The part of Charles was played by a younger actor and musician called Jamie Foxx．The film director brought Foxx to meet Charles．After they had been playing together for two hours，Charles，then aged 73，jumped up and said："He's the one…he can do it．"A year later Charles died，aged 74．The film of his life has been as popular as his songs and means that the memory of Charles'music will live on．

    Once upon a time, there was a tree which wanted to become a treasure box. One day, a farmer cut it down and sold it to a carpenter(木匠). The tree was happy because he thought the carpenter would make it into a treasure box.

    To its surprise, the carpenter made it into a feed box for animals. The tree felt very disappointed because that was not its dream. Several years later, the feed box was thrown away. Someone picked it up and placed it into an old temple. The tree forgot its dream little by little.

    One day, a couple came to the temple. The woman gave birth to a baby boy. There wasn't a bed in the temple. So they placed the baby in the feed box. They loved him and regarded him as their treasure. The tree suddenly realized that it became a real "treasure box" at that time.

    Sometimes you may think your dream will not come true. Don't forget your dream. It may be realized in another new way.

The Sixth Time I Went to the Principal's Office

    When I was in the seventh grade, I had problems behaving. My heart was in the right place, but I couldn't always follow the rules. I played many tricks on my schoolmates. Once, I even pulled a girl's hair on the school bus to get her attention. As a result, I was repeatedly sent to the office of the principal（校长）.Although I hated going there, I did not hate the principal, Mr. Ratcliff.

    Mr. Ratcliff was a kind, elderly man. When he spanked（打屁股） me for putting some ants into a classmate's pencil box, it didn't hurt at all, but it did hurt my feelings. I thought so much of him and moments like that seemed to prove I was hopelessly bad.

    When I got called to Mr. Ratcliff's office for the sixth time, I had no idea what I had done. I felt disappointed as I walked down there. I went into his office, sat down, and looked at the floor. Then he said the last thing I expected to hear:" Kevin, I've heard you've been behaving really well lately. I want you to know how proud I am of you, and I just called you down to my office to give you a peppermint."

    "Really?" I was surprised.

    "Yes. Now you can take that peppermint and go back to class."

    I carried the peppermint with me as if it was a gold coin. When I got into my classroom, I bragged （吹嘘） to my classmates about my turnaround, excitedly. I wasn't so bad after all.

    Mr. Ratcliff was really kind. He made me realize that I was just a kid who had problems with behavior. He bought some peppermints and took the time to notice me when I got something-anything-right. Mr. Ratcliff gave me some hope by giving me some love. I will just remember him for the rest of my life.

    Originally from India, Krunal Shukla had been living in Edinburgh, Scotland for six years when he and his wife started to consider other countries to raise their two-year-old son. "We wanted our son to grow up in a place where he'd have a hot of recreational(娱乐的) activities. Canada was too cold and we weren't interested in Australia so we started to look into New

    "Zealand," Krunal said.

    "After receiving our visas(签证), we arrived in Auckland in March 2009 with on much of a plan. 1 found the job market to be difficult at the time. I have a Master's degree in Accounting(会计) and Finance(财经) and several years of experience as a manager in the financial field. I would spend about four to five hours a day applying(申请) jobs when we first arrived. After several months of searching, 1 approached (到达) the Auckland Chamber of Commerce where I met New Kiwis(新西兰人) Employment Liaison, Sheeam. She gave me a 1ot 0f guidance and helped me to target my job search. Sheeam also trained me through the interview process and within a week I received(得到) a couple of interviews," Krunal said.

    Krunai accepted a job offer as Business Analyst in the Finance Department of West Coast District Health Board in December 2009. He and his family packed up and moved to Greymouth on the South Island.

    He said, "We found housing quite easily and were amazed at how social the community was. In the first week neighbors were coming over and introducing themselves—extremely different to the UK where I hardly knew my neighbor who lived next door to us for six years."

    Krunal is presently on a visa sponsored(担保) by his employer and wants to apply for Permanent Residence(永久居住) in the future.

    "I love my job and it's been an exciting challenge working in the health industry. I've spent years in a commercial setting(商业环境) so I'm learning something new every day. My workmates have been extremely helpful and welcoming. My family has settled in well and we enjoy raising our son in such a safe and secure (安全的) environment. New Zealand is a beautiful country with plenty of chances for young families," Krunal said.

    It was a Christmas night. I was an unlucky nurse who had to work on such a beautiful festival. When I was complaining(抱怨)about it, three people appeared at my desk — a tired woman and two children.

     "Are you all sick?" I asked doubtfully because they seemed all right.

    "Yes," the woman answered weakly and lowered her head.

    But when they started to present their problems, things became unclear. One child had a fever, but his temperature was OK. The other child had an earache, but she could not tell me which ear hurt. It seemed that the mother was pretending(假装)to cough.

    Something was wrong. But I only explained that it might take a while before a doctor could meet them. "Take your time, please," said the mother. I checked their charts — no address. Suddenly I knew, they were homeless while the hospital was warm.

    The family huddled(蜷缩)together under the Christmas tree, smiling and talking with each other sweetly. Quietly, I went back to the nurses' station and told them what happened in the waiting room. It was just like God sending us a gift on Christmas Day. The nurses' station suddenly came back to life. All the nurses went into action for "a Christmas emergency(急诊)".

    We took out our meals for our Christmas "patients". We also put together oranges and apples as presents. We tried to exceed the needs of a family who only wanted a warm place on Christmas night. Later, the little girl kissed me and said, "Thanks for being our angel(天使)."