Every year, a magazine called Executive Travel organizes a competition to find the best airline of the year. Travelers from all over the world are invited to vote for the most punctual(准时的), the safest and the friendliest airline. The competition also invites them to tell their most frightening stories during their travels. Now let's read some travelers' tales of1 flying experiences.

    One traveler shared his story which happened on an African airline. The flight had been overbooked(超额预定).The flight staff picked the2 out by saying that all passengers with boarding cards run around the plane twice; the 3 getting the seats.

    Another overbooked flight that was going from Heathrow Airport to America gave a traveler a bit of a shock. Dressed only in trousers, a shirt and socks, the traveler had been allowed to leave the plane to see 4 he could get a friend aboard. But when he 5a few minutes later, he found the plane closed up and about to start moving—with his shoes, wallet, passport and luggage on board. Striking heavily on the door, he was allowed to get back inside.

    Luggage is also a rich source of horror stories. There was the unlucky traveler who left Chicago where the temperature was-11℃. He was going to attend an important meeting in Dallas where the temperature was as 6 as 26.7℃. Unfortunately, his suitcase had gone to Los Angeles and wasn't able to be sent to him before the meeting. So he had to attend the meeting in a thick suit, a heavy overcoat and a fur hat.

    Once, in a small village, lived a family with eight children. Two of the children loved1very much, but the family was so poor that2was impossible to send them to study at the art college at the same time. After many discussions, the two boys finally3a plan. They would throw a coin. The loser would4down into the coal mines (煤矿) and used the money that he would make in the mines to support his brother5at the college. Then, when the brother who won finished his studies, after four years, he would support6brother studying at the college.

    James won and Jack went down into the mines. James studied with all his heart and his paintings were much better than7of most of his teachers, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning8a lot of money for his paintings.

    9James returned, the family held a big dinner for his great success. Soon after the meal began, James 10up from his seat to drink a toast(敬酒) to his dear11 He said, "Jack, now you can go to the art college and your dream 12true. I will take care of you."

    But Jack said13 "Brother, the four years in the mines has done too much to my hands, so it's too late. Now I can't even hold a glass. "

    To show his great love and respect, James drew his brother's hands 14fingers towards the sky.

    He called his drawing "The Praying Hands", 15 became very famous years later.

    One morning Mr. Green is driving 1the country and2a small bookshop. When he sees an old man3the side of the road, he stops his car and says to the old man, "I want 4to the Sun Bookshop. Do you know it?" "Yes, "the old man answers, "I 5 you the way. "He6Mr. Green's car, and they drive about twelve miles.7they come to a small house, the old man says, "Stop here. "Mr. Green stops and 8the house. "But this isn't a bookshop, "he says to the old man. "Right, "the old man answers, "This is my house. And I'll show you the way 9the bookshop. Turn around and go back nine miles10you'll see the bookshop. "

    It all started at the beginning of the ninth grade. Angela found she couldn't see things clearly all the time. She became very 1, but she hoped nobody would know that. When her mother asked her to see the eye doctor, she didn't 2. But her mother's mind was made up.

    Three days later, Angela got new 3 and instructions from her doctor. "All of the kids will think I'm silly," Angela said. Her mother 4 and shook her head, "You look just as beautiful as before." But Angela didn't believe her.

    The next day, Angela kept the glasses in her pocket as she walked into the schoolyard. She felt 5. Suddenly, she heard her friend Della shout. Angela ran over to the other girls. "6 is the matter?" she asked.

    "My ring is gone!" Della cried. "My sister sent it to me from California. It's very special and I can't lose it." Angela and her friends began to 7 for the ring in the grassy area of the playground. Angela realized that she could do better 8 she could see better. She took the glasses out and put them on. Everything looked so different! So clear! She looked down at the ground and a bright light caught her 9. It was the ring.

    "Here it is," she shouted. She handed it to Della.

    "Thanks, Angela." Della said. "I 10 thought we'd find it." She paused (停顿). "Hey, I didn't know you wore glasses. They look great!"

    "Maybe wearing glasses won't be so bad after all," Angela thought.

    George Mallory was an English school teacher who loved 1 . In 1924, Mallory and a team of British climbers tried 2 the top of Mount Qomolangma, the highest mountain in the world. No one had ever done it before.

    Mallory had already tried to 3 the top of Mount Qomolangma in 1921 and 1922, 4 he didn't succeed both times. In 1924, he started to climb again. On June 8th, 1924, he and 5 climber, Andrew Irvine, were only a few hundred meters 6 the top of the mountain. The other members of their climbing team watched 7 Mallory and Irvine climbed slowly up towards the top. However, the weather 8 was terrible, and soon the two men disappeared(消失). They never returned.

    In 1953, Edmund Hillary from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal, 9 reached the top of Mount Qomolangma. Most people thought that they were the 10 men to do this, but some people 11 whether Mallory and Irvine had got there first.

    Many years 12, in 1999, Mallory's body was found on Mount Qomolangma, about 13 from the top of it. However, it is still unknown if he and Irvine 14 reached the top of the mountain.

    Someone had once asked Mallory why he wanted to climb the most 15 mountain in the world. "Because it's there, "he answered.

    A lady wanted a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had liked a beautiful ring, and knowing her husband could1it, she told him that was all she wanted. On the morning of the birthday, her husband told her how2he was to have such a good wife, and how much he loved her. He gave her a beautiful gift package. She opened it and 3 a Bible(《圣经》).Angrily, she raised her voice and said to her husband, "With all your money, you give me a Bible？”She was so 4 that she left him.

    Many years passed and the lady was very5in business. She owned two large companies. She 6her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she could go to 7him. But before she could, she received a letter telling her that he had died, and gave all of his possessions(财产)to her. She needed to come back and take care of things.

    When she arrived at his house, sadness filled her heart. She saw the 8 new Bible, just as she had left it years before. With tears in her eyes, she opened it and began to turn the pages. A ring9from the Biole to the floor and a card could be seen. She picked it up and found it was the ring she wanted in those days. And on the card was the date of her birth, and the words" LOVE YOU ALWAYS".

    10your gift is not packed in the way you want it, it's because it is better packaged in the way it is！Always appreciate little things; they usually lead you to bigger things! The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched for they must be felt with the heart.