Wang Yani was born in 1975. Even as a baby she loved to draw. Her father was an 1. Yani wanted to be like him. So she tried to stand like her father as she painted, which made him laugh.

    One day, Yani painted lines on her father's painting. He got 2. At the time, she was only two and a half years old. She cried and said,“I want to 3 like you!” Her father looked at her without saying anything. He 4 remembered his childhood. He also wanted to draw and paint, but his parents didn't understand. They just got angry. He didn't want to see the same thing happen to his daughter. So he decided to 5 her.

    With her father's help, Yani soon 6. Her lines became flowers, trees, and animals. Her father took her to parks and zoos to get   7 for her paintings. By the end of six, Yani had made over 4,000 works. Her paintings were very special. People 8 her works. When she was eight, one of her paintings was made into a Chinese postage stamp.

    Yani became famous when she was young. Her works were 9 in different countries in Asia, Europe and North America, 10 her parents never sold her paintings. She is well-known to the world, and art is still a great joy in her life.

    When I was 8 years old, I once decided to run away from home. With my bag and some sandwiches, I started for the front door and said to Mom, “I'm 1.”

  “If you want to 2, that's all right,” she said. “But you came into this home without anything and you can leave the same way.” I 3 my bag and sandwiches on the floor heavily and started for the door again.

  “Wait a 4,” Mom said. “I want your 5 back. You didn't wear anything when you 6.” This really angered me. I took my clothes off—shoes, socks, underwear and all—and 7, “Can I go now?” “Yes,” Mom answered, “but when you close that door, don't hope to come back!”

    I was so 8 that I slammed (砰地关上) the door and stepped out of it. 9 I found that I was outside with 10 on. Then I noticed that two neighbor girls were walking to my house. I ran to 11 behind a big tree in our yard at once. After a while, I was    12 that the girls went away. I rushed to the front door and knocked on it loudly.

  “Who's there?” I heard.

  “It's Billy! Let me in!”

    The voice behind the 13 answered, “Billy doesn't live here any more. He ran away from home.” Glancing(瞥) behind me to see if anyone else was coming. I begged(乞求), “Aw, come on, Mom! I'm still your son. Let me 14!”

    The door opened and Mom's 15 face appeared(出现). “Did you change your decision about running away?” she asked.

  “What's for supper?” I answered.

    I was always 1 and had too many things to do. Whenever my daughter caused me to change my plans, I thought to myself, “We don't have time 2 this.” So the two words I always said to her were: 3.

    The other day, the two of us rode to a 4 near our home. After shopping I bought her an ice cream, and she sat down 5 a table happily admiring the ice cream in her hand. Suddenly a 6 look appeared on her face. “Do I have to eat it up in a hurry, Mum?”

    I nearly cried when hearing this—the pains of a hurried life influenced(影响) my poor girl so deeply! As she looked at me waiting to know if she could 7 her time. I knew I had to make a 8. I thought of the times when I rushed (催促) my child through life, I began 9 what really matters in life….

    “You don't have to 10. Just enjoy it.” I said gently. Her whole face brightened and her shoulders 11. We sat side by side talking about things that interested us.

    When she got to the last bite (一口), she held it out to me, “ I 12 the last bite for you, Mum,” she said 13. As the icy taste put out my thirst, I realized I just got the present of a lifetime. I14 my child a little time… and in return, she gave me her last bite and reminded(提醒) me that things taste sweeter and love is easier to get when you stop rushing 15 life.

    I had worked that day, as a nurse. Now I faced the dirty supper dishes. I wanted to 1 why Jimmy hadn't phoned as usual to say "Good night" to Bob and Tom. "Maybe Daddy's  2 working on an accident," I said to Bob. "Go to 3 now. You'll see him in the morning." Soon there was a knock at the door. "There 4 be something wrong with your phone," my neighbor told me. "The City Police Station wants you to 5."

    I went into the living room and dialed. Then I 6  the words every police wife fears (害怕): "Your husband has been hurt." When I reached the hospital, my heart sank (下沉). The entrance was jammed with TV-news trucks. In the 7 I saw Jimmy's best friend, Smith. "Just tell me -is he alive?" I asked.

    Smith 8 and didn't answer. Then I found my younger sister, Mandy. "He's 9." she told me, and we began to cry together.

    Later, Smith told me 10 had happened.

    In the morning, when my little Bob asked, "Where's Daddy?" I 11 him into my arms and tried to explain. "A bad man 12 Daddy last night." I said. "Daddy can't come home any more. He's in heaven(天堂) now."

    My son looked at me, his blue eyes 13 the picture of trust(相信). "Do they have 14 in heaven?" he asked. "Can I call him?"

    "No, Bob, Daddy still loves you, but Daddy can't 15".

    Ann is a newspaper reporter. She chose this1so she could travel around the world. The work has taught her many unforgettable (令人难忘的) lessons. She has seen wars, earthquakes and death. But she has 2 seen courage, hope and happiness.

    Last year, she won an award for her reporting in Africa. She was very proud 3 it. At first, she thought she got the award because of her good work. But then she realized that she should thank many other people for 4 help.

    Ann was born in Jamaica. Her family was not poor, but it was not 5 , either. Her parents had to 6 hard so that she could go to school. At school, Ann was not a good student, 7 she enjoyed writing because her English teacher said, "Ann, you are a wonderful 8 " The teacher encouraged her all the time.

    Later, Ann went to university in Canada and then 9 a job. It was very difficult. Then, one day, she went to see the editor of a newspaper in Ottawa. The editor gave her a job. "Everyone needs a 10 at first." he said.