As a rule, we have a test about some usual things in our life every two months. During my second month of nursing school, our teacher gave us a pop test as usual.

    I was a serious, hard-working and careful student, so I passed the questions easily until I read the last one, "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

    I thought this was sure some kind of joke. I saw the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark hair and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

    Before the class ended, one student named Nancy asked our teacher if the last question would count toward our test grade. This was also all the students' question. We all wondered why he gave this question in the test, because we all felt it meaningless.

    "Certainly," said our teacher. "In your life you will meet many people. All of them are important. They should get your attention and care, even if all you do is smile or just say an easy 'hello' ." We all kept silent after hearing this.

    I've never forgotten that special lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

    Hannah walked alone in the woods and felt sad . She was nine years old but she had already seen many changes in her short life. They weren't all bad things, some were pretty wonderful. Hannah loved having her new little sister and her stepmother ,Emma, was just lovely. She had to start at another school soon, but she was always able to make friends. Even so, her secret self wished that things didn't have to change at all.

    " Why do people have to leave, families move, a little girl grows up?”These thoughts made her feel worried .

    Hannah kicked a stone on the path and it hit a huge oak tree. She walked nearer to the tree. "Am I dreaming ?” Hannah rubbed her eyes. The tree was moving! Its big branches were reaching out to her. Soon, she was encircled by branches and leaves. Then she became one with the tree. Her brown hair grew longer and longer, as it curled around the leaves. Her body grew lean and strong and it mixed with the outer covering of tree until they shared one trunk. Her arms and legs reached out finger and higher. Finally, Hannah's spirit softly settled into its new home and she became a forest goddess.

    Hannah was now part of the woodland. Seasons changed and brought wonder and warmth to her. Winter was quiet and peaceful. In the springtime, she breathed in the rich smell of the soil and enjoyed the green new life in the forest. Her favorite season was autumn. Her leaves became magnificent colors and she loved to watch them dancing in wind.

    Hannah observed how things didn't stay the same in nature's world. She saw young animals born and the spirit of old creatures pass on. Within the tree, she spent hours watching the clouds move across the sky. Sometimes it was fair, and sometimes heavy and gray .In the evening she watched the stars twinkle against the night sky. As part of the forest, Hannah came to love the changing world around her.

    Suddenly, a nut hit her head. A squirrel hid from the tree quickly. Oh , she realized herself  napping under the oak tree. What a wonderful dream! Hannah learned her cheek against the bark and gave thanks for their time together. Then she went back home, thinking and smiling.……

    Last year, I went to Beijing Qizhi Special Education School for community service（社区服务）.Before we took the bus, my friend asked me a question, "Why are you here?" I did not know how to answer the question.

    The school was not far from my school, but it looked like it was in a different world. A group of children were waiting for us. A boy walked toward me. He held my hands and pulled me to the ground. I kissed the earth and tasted nature.

    I could not understand what he was doing at first, then I was very angry. Though I was very angry, I controlled my anger.

    A teacher stopped this awkward（尴尬的）silence when she shouted at the boy. "What are you doing right here, right now?" she said. "You will never see your mom again if you keep doing this. Now, say sorry!" "Sorry," he cried fearfully and nervously. I said nothing, but I realized something about this child. After lunch I asked the teacher for information about the child's parents.

    She said that the child was very different from other students because of an illness. His family could not afford to treat him. He needed the kindness of his family, but they had abandoned him. So he depended on the support from the teachers and community service workers like us.

    I suddenly realized I could answer the question my friend asked me at the beginning of the day.

    Community service workers help others and make everyone feel better. There are so many people in the world that need help. Playing with lonely children may not make a big difference. But it can light a corner in the children's hearts, making them know they are loved by people.

Dame Daphne Sheldrick did a great job -she protected and returned orphaned (孤儿的) elephant babies to the wild. In 1977, Sheldrick and her team David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust began to save and raise hundreds of orphaned elephant babies in Kenya. Here is what she shared with us in an interview. 

Question: Can you tell us about your first interaction (互动) with an elephant?

Sheldrick: My first close interaction with elephants was that with my husband's two elephant orphans. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Question: Why did you set up David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust?

Sheldrick: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}David was, at the time, the finest wildlife warden (看守人) in Africa. After my husband died, there were many orphaned elephant babies that needed to be saved, so I came to help. That is how it all began.

Question: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Sheldrick: The orphans often come back to see their human family and the other orphans... Elephants never forget. They love their keepers for life.

Question: What can children do to protect wildlife?

Sheldrick: Children can help keep the environment clean and safe for wildlife. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}They can also raise money to help those working with wildlife.

Do you want to save and raise orphaned elephant babies like Sheldrick when you grow up? Why or why not? (答案不超过15个单词){#blank#}5{#/blank#}

For his eleventh birthday, Tom was given a gift that would shape his life. On that day his father took him to the Children's Activity Centre and said he could choose any course（课程） that interested him. There was just one requirement (要求): Tom would have to promise（承诺） to study it for at least one year. 

Tom had many hobbies, but none kept his interest for more than a week or two. His mum once gave him a bag of stamps to encourage stamp collecting. That hobby lasted a week. Then his father got him some paints hoping that Tom's artistic side would shine through. Those paints were now under his bed, still unopened. This time Tom's parents would let him decide. 

Tom's eyes moved down the noticeboard that listed (列出) all the courses on offer. He stopped at "Photography". He liked the idea of taking beautiful pictures but the notice said that each student needed their own camera. Although Tom's family weren't poor, they weren't rich either, and a camera cost a lot of money. He continued looking. 

The next course to catch his eye was "Language Art". He didn't even know what that meant. His father explained that it taught people how to make public speeches（演讲）. Tom, a shy boy, could think of nothing worse. Then he saw "cooking", which sounded like something he'd like to do. It was inexpensive and convenient(方便的). It could be done alone and it was also creative. 

Based on（基于） Tom's hobby history, his dad had doubts (怀疑), but he agreed. Much to his parents' surprise, he practiced at home and made delicious meals for his family. Everyone looked forward to birthdays, when they could eat his cakes. Tom got great satisfaction from the pleasure his food brought to others. 

The months turned to years but his hobby never changed again. Now Tom is an adult and runs a successful restaurant. When customers（顾客） say they enjoy his meal, he still gets the same pleasure he did as a child, and remembers the special gift he received all those years ago.