I noticed an old couple as they walked into the second-hand store. Just before that I had dropped off a bag of clothes and a few other things I no longer needed.

    The couple moved 1 around me in search of things they had on a list.

    “Can I help you 2 something?” I asked curiously.

    They stopped, looked at me and said, “We're looking for 3 things that look new.”

    “Every year in the past, we tried to 4 the year with new things. It was a goal (目标) to have new things around us so that we had a new 5, new hopes and dreams for the new year,” said the old man. “But nowadays we also believe that even though something is old, it 6 be new to someone who has never seen it before.”

    “So, at the end of each year we search for things that are 7 to no one but new to us,” the old woman added.

    “What have you found so far?” I asked.

    The man showed two things: a small frame made of sticks and one baby boot.

    “We still need one more thing,” he said.

    “Got it!” I heard a loud 8.

    “What did you find?” the old man shouted, too.

    The old woman walked slowly towards us 9 something in her hand. “Look! It's a flower vase. Well, it looks 10, but it's new to us!”

    They then headed for the checkout without saying another word.

    Everything that you see for the first time is new.

    When my daughter, Sophie, was admitted to a college we were very happy, but a little worried about becoming empty nesters(空巢老人). I knew I had to do something, starting with the summer before she was away from home.

    Sophie had a pack of colourful blouses. I knew she wouldn't wear them anymore, so I decided to make a quilt(被子) out of them. I tried to work on the quilt when Sophie 1 – which turned out to be often. She was very busy with her friends. Even when she was at home, her door was shut more than usual. This made me feel a bit hurt.2 we didn't have much time together before she went to college.

When we arrived at the college, a wave of emotion flooded me. Sophie saw it in my face. She took a beautiful 3 from her bag. "I made this for you, Mom," she said. Then I knew why she had been staying behind a 4door that summer. It was an album of photographs recording the life of our family over the last 17 years.

    I broke into tears. Some of it was sadness at having to let her go, but some of it was 5I knew that our connection was more 6 than ever as we would always be connected by the strongest link, the love that went into every stitch(针脚) of her quilt and every photo in my album.

In Sophie's dormitory room I unfolded the quilt on her bed. For a moment she was speechless. Then she threw her arms around me. "Mom, I love you," she said. One of her new friends was calling her outside. Sophie turned, and I let her go.

    Tom hated school and was always looking for excuses not to go. If he sneezed(打喷嚏), he asked his mother1a note saying he had a cold.

    If he had a2, he asked his mother to take him to the3during school hours.

    He4more time at home than he did at school.

    On the5that he did go to school, he looked for excuses to come home early.

    One day he came home from school6the morning. His father was surprised.

    "You're home early, "he said." Is the school7today?"

    "No. Dad" Tom said "It's open. I came home early."

    "8did you do that?" his father asked him. "What did you say to your teacher?"

    "I told her that I had a new baby brother and I 9come home and help you."

    "But your mother has had10." his father said, "a boy and a girl. You've got a baby brother and a baby sister."

    "Yes, I know, Dad." Tom said, "I'm saving up(积攒)my baby sister for next week."

    Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a police officer saw a car driving along at 22 miles per hour.

    He thought to himself, "This driver is just as dangerous as a 1!" So he turned on his lights and pulled the driver over.

    Getting closer to the car, he noticed that there were 2 old ladies, two in the front seat and three in the back wide eyed and pale faced.

    The driver, who knew 3 about what happened, said to him, "Officer, I don't understand. I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the 4?"

    "Ma'am," the officer replied, "you weren't speeding, but you should know that driving 5 than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers. The same as a speeder."

    "No, sir. I was doing the speed limit—exactly twenty-two miles an hour!'' The old woman said in a 6 voice. The officer, almost unable to control his chuckle, explained to her that "22" was the route 7, not the speed limit.

    A bit embarrassed, the woman smiled widely and thanked the officer for 8 her misunderstanding.

    "But 9 I let you go, ma'am, I have to ask... Is everyone in this car OK? These women seem to be 10 badly and they haven't made a single sound this whole time," the officer asked.

    "Oh, they'll be all right in a minute. We just got off Route 119."

    My mother took me to visit the orphanage (孤儿院) last weekend. I spent some {#blank#}1{#/blank#} with the children there. I couldn't sleep that night{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I kept thinking about them. I thought they must be unhappy without parents. I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} to do something for them. I would like to go there {#blank#}4{#/blank#}month and spend some time with them. A month later, I went back there on my birthday and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} them some chocolate. They {#blank#}6{#/blank#} my name and it made me happy. We played and sang together and the children were very {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. They prayed for {#blank#}8{#/blank#} that day. They didn't know much about me {#blank#}9{#/blank#} they were very kind. We should care more about the orphans and try to help {#blank#}10{#/blank#}live a happy life.

It was an extremely busy day. I was so tired of my life that I was getting a little 1 with myself and everyone around me. On my way home I met my old friend Paul in the street. He looked happy and 2 me to his home for dinner. We hadn't seen each other for many years, so I accepted his invitation 3 I was tired. 

As we entered the door of his house, Paul started 4 "I have a dream, a song to sing, to help you go5 everything. " I felt surprised at his behavior, but in no time I understood. Two girls walked to Paul and hugged him. They couldn't walk6 or speak clearly, but their faces were full of7 and sang the same song. 

We talked about our8 and work. I learned from Paul that his daughters were born as " special children". They were mentally changed. Their mother 9 years ago. Paul was both mother and father to his beautiful daughters. But Paul said he was10 that his angels were together with him. 

That night we talked a lot and his happy smiles made my11 disappear. I forgot how many times I12 about my life and work. But Paul's life was an 13 to me. The man smiled at his life and14 any trouble as a gift of life. I own many thanks to Paul for he taught me to deal with my life15 and move on.