Jay Chou（周杰伦）was born in Taiwan on January 18, 1979. Now he is one of the most popular singers in China and famous as the king of Chinese popular music.

    Jay was 1 by his mother who was a single mother and a teacher in a high school. Showing 2 in music, little Jay was taught to play the piano at the age of three. 3 he was a third-grade student in a primary school, his mother 4 to give him music lessons every day. She also took him to concert（音乐会）to 5 his taste for music. Those were beneficial to his careers later.

    Jay first entered the music industry when he 6 a talent show as a pianist with his friends. Although his performance wasn't 7, the organizer saw his music 8 and gave him a chance. He was 9 to write music for other singers. During the following years, he 10 many songs and some of them became popular, but almost11 knew him.

    Later, Jay got a 12 to produce an album of his own. In 2000, he released（发行）his first 13, to everyone's 14, which became an instant hit（成功）. Soon he is popular throughout Asia, 15Taiwan.

    Jay16 both Chinese and western music to produce his own music, which is quite different from mainstream Taiwanese music. His songs cover 17 topics. For example, the song Dad I am Back is about family life, and the song Rice Fields18 environmental protection. Taipei Times once named his music Chou Style.

    According to Baidu, the most popular Internet search engine in China, Jay is the number one searched singer in 2002, 2006 and 2007. And Jay was 19 as one of the 50 most important 20 in China in 2009.

    Judging people by what he or she looks like has become a common practice in our daily life. Is it wise to do so? The 1 is "no".

    One day, a(n) 2lady and her husband, both 3in old but tidy clothes, walked into the 40ffice of Harvard University without being 5 The president could6in a moment that they had no business at Harvard, and probably didn't deserve(值得)to stay here. For hours, the president 7 them, hoping that they would 8become discouraged and go away. 9, they didn't. Then the lady said with great care, "We had a son that 10Harvard University, he loved Harvard. Unfortunately, he was killed 11. We would like to donate(捐钱)a building to Harvard University in memory of our son." The president was 12at what he heard. He stared at the ordinary woman, "Donate a building? Do you have an 13 how much a building costs? We 14more than seven million dollars setting up a chemistry lab, can you 15 to set up a building?"

    The lady was 16 for a moment. The president was pleased: He could 17them now. The lady turned to her 18and said quietly, "Is that all costs to start a 19?" her husband nodded. The couple walked away, travelling back to Palo Alto, California 20 they built a university named after their son-Stanford University, which turned out to be a famous university in America.

    When I was growing up, I loved playing sports. This is partly 1 my dad was a high-school athletic 2 who passed his love of sports down to me. The problem was that in the 1960s there weren't any organized sports for young 3.

    In the seventh grade, I finally had a 4 to try out for a team--the cheerleading team (拉拉队). It was the only sport my junior school offered girls, and that was 5 to support the boys' basketball team. I really wanted to play sports, but I devotedly tried out for cheerleading.

    Actually, trying out for cheerleading was a really big 6. It 7 a very organized tryout and a lot of rehearsing (排演练习). I practiced in front of the mirror in my bedroom for days. "I was very 8 and I was an athlete. Why wouldn't I 9 the cheerleading team?” I thought to myself.

    When the results were posted on the locker-room (衣物间) door, my name wasn't on the 10. I was so 11about such a failure. For a week, I didn't want to go to school. I 12 myself as a great athlete, 13 I couldn't even make the cheerleading team! My parents encouraged me. They 14 me that 15 I got to high school, I'd have a chance to play sports. I would go on with life and do just fine. It was my first lesson in coming back from 16.

    When I got to high school, I played on the field-hockey (曲棍球) and basketball teams. I got a scholarship to play basketball in college, and after college I played 17 in France. I went on to have a very successful career in sports, which all 18 with failing to make the junior-high cheerleading team.

    Life is like that. You don't always get what you want. But if you come back 19 after suffering a 20, you can succeed.

A chance encounter left both inspired about the country

    Anthony Maggert knew just about everything about Colin Powell. He'd read all of his books. He'd watched him on television, awed by the1 he showed even in the hardest times. And then, he got into the military, 2 23 years in Afghanistan, where he lost one3. It had been Powell whom he'd thought of 4. He was an ideal to strive toward.

    On Tuesday, Maggert was driving on the Capital Beltway. When he noticed a tall man5down beside his car, trying to fix a flat front tire, Maggert immediately thought he 6him.

    But no, it couldn't be. Out here? Thinking he'd help the trapped driver7way, he8his car, and with an artificial leg, walked toward the man. That was when he realised that he'd been9. A few miles away, in Washington, the government had shut down, two sides shouting at each other.  But out here, the matter at hand was 10, a flat tire. The two of them11about Afghanistan while fixing the tire.

    "Such a gentleman,"Maggert said of the former U. S. secretary of state, now 81, 12whom he again saw that effortless calm. "I hope when I'm that13, I'm as energetic as he is." All that day, Maggert thought about what happened.

    Later that day, Maggert wrote him a14:"General Powell,I hope I never forget today because I'll never forget reading your books," he said.  "You were always a(n)15, a leader and statesman. You were the giant whose shoulders we stood upon to carry the torch to16the way and now it is tomorrow's generation that must do the same. "

    Powell then17in kind: "Thanks, Anthony," he wrote in a public Facebook post. "You touched my soul and18me about why this country is so great. Let's stop19at each other. Let's just take care of each other. You made my 20."

    Returning from a trip overseas, I sensed that something was wrong between Keith, one of my two sons, and me. So I asked him, "Keith, have I done anything that really1your feelings?" Immediately, he said, "Yes. Last Christmas you promised us a special2 that we really wanted but you3gave it to us. The4was that I'd completely forgotten about it. I5, "Is there anything else I've done wrong, but I haven't apologized for?" Again, his6was immediate, "Remember last Christmas when Mom said you had to go to the7 because Kate, my little sister, was going to be born? You left us at home and8in a hurry. Remember?" "Well, you left and 9the suitcase." I couldn't believe he10all the details! "After you came back from the hospital, you were11to see the suitcase had been opened and12 had been thrown all over the place, and then you13 me."

    "And you didn't do it?" I asked. "No, I didn't. I was just searching for my gift." My heart sank. I felt14. I hugged Keith and asked him to15 me. His honesty made me think of my other son, Kevin. Maybe I'd hurt his feelings, too. I went to ask him the16question. Kevin answered as immediately as his17, "Last Christmas you18us a special toy, but you forgot about it."19 Christmas had passed, I took my two sons to the store that day and bought them what I had promised. The20thing wasn't the toy. The problem was I'd made a promise too lightly and didn't keep it as their father.

    I was driving in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was 1 along. The song was a 2 one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it 3, however. The sweet sound of the music 4 and there came the 5 news. Gas prices 6 again. Fans of two sports teams got into fight. I sighed and wondered about this 7 world we live in.

    8, I could take no more and turned off the 9. Silence seemed preferable to listening to 10 else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a town and 11 the people as I drove by. A tall man was 12 an elderly lady out of a car and helping her place her walker so she could go into store. A smiling woman was 13 food onto the square while a dozen birds flew down to enjoy the 14 being laid out before them. A young man was walking along, carrying his 15 safely in his arms. When the daughter pulled the hat off his head, they both 16. I laughed too as I looked at all of his 17. The radio may have been off in my car, 18 in my heart I was 19 singing.

    In truth, this world could have more kindness and less 20. Kindness makes us all winners in this life and our life is full of kindness, love and joy.