Heaviest snow in half a century hit the south of the country. It snowed continuously for half a month, 1the railways, highways, and runways in the airfields. Ice wrapped and paralyzed（使瘫痪）the power and communication system. Many people were2in railway stations, bus stations and airports, and3in cars, buses and trains. Governments and people did everything they could to fight the snow4, resulting in the good news that no one was killed from5and hunger. Gradually, trapped people all went back home6. While fighting the snow, people forgot their7until a moving story of a swallow couple was widely8on the Internet.

    Being hungry and cold, the swallow couple tried to fly9people's home to warm themselves, but every house was closed10. They jumped and flapped their wings to11the attention of the people inside the house, but failed. The wife's body was12, she could not move any longer. The husband came near and wrapped his wife with his wings. He lost his13soon because of his opened wings. The couple died in the end.

    The next morning, the housemaster went to the balcony to14his flowers because of concern and saw a15swallow outside the window pane. Touching it, he found that they were two16together. Moved to tears, he took them in, giving them some17, but in vain. He found a small cardboard box, laid them in and18them in the back garden.

    In my hometown, in the countryside, a swallow family lives in the19of my house. I wonder if they will come back this spring20they did.

    “A bird with a broken wing will never fly as high.” I'm sure that John would agree with this saying1he felt this way almost every day in school.

    By high school, John was the most famous2in his town. He was always absent, didn't answer questions and got into 3He had failed almost every exam by the time he entered his senior year, yet was 4each year to a higher grade level. Teachers didn't want to 5 him again the following year. John was moving on, but definitely not moving 6

    I met John for the first time at a weekend leadership training program since John was one of 405 students who7At the start of the training, John was just standing 8the circle of students, against the back wall. He didn't 9 join the discussion groups. But slowly, the interactive games 10 him in.

    The ice really melted (融化) when the groups started building a list of 11and negative things that had occurred at school that year. John12 some constructive ideas on those situations. The other students in John's group 13 his comments. All of a sudden John felt like a 14 of the group, and before long he was 15 like a leader. By the end of the training, he had joined the Homeless Project team. The other students on the team were 16 with his passionate concern and ideas. They17 elected John co-chairman of the team.

    John started18at school every day and answered questions from teachers for the first time. He led a second project19300 blankets and 1,000 pairs of shoes for the homeless shelter.

A bird with a broken wing only needs20. Once healed, it can fly higher than the rest.

    I have always considered myself a positive optimist,trying to find the best in every situation.I've recently become aware of how two little1have had a great impact on people.

    My son2to tell me about a house he was interested in.I said,"Honey,I am glad that you've found something you like,3…"There,I continued,"Don't you think,with the gas prices,you might want to buy one4to your work?"As he told me all about the possible house,I could hear the5in his voice.The moment I spoke the word, BUT,it was6I pricked a balloon with a needle（针）.I could hear him slowly deflate（泄气）.I7that if I had used the word AND—"Honey,I'm glad you found a house in your8range,AND I'm happy for you."—he wouldn't have been9,and we'd have both hung up feel better.

    My daughter10at my door dressed like a princess on her way to the prom.I told her how graceful looked and I was11of the young lady she has become,and I said,"Sweetheart,you12having a great time,but please don't drink tonight."I know she doesn't engage in13behavior;she's responsible and sensible.She looked as though I'd snatched her crown."Mom!"The tone of her voice indicated how I'd14her feel.How I wish I'd said,"I want you to have a great time,AND I15you."

    My husband helps around the house.I was16he had lightened my work load.I told him how wonderful he is, and I used that naughty word again."BUT,why did you17crumbs（面包屑）all over the counter?"Why?Why?Why didn't I say,"Thank you,ANDI am18or all you do around the house."

    I've been doing some19.I am going to remove that naughty little word from my20and replace it with the word AND.This is a decision I intend to keep!

    When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a person that has not only changed physically, but mentally as well. In the three years of high school, my second year was the most 1 one because I had to do what most teenagers would never want to do.

    It all 2 in the middle of my second year in high school. One day, my dad asked me if I had ever 3 going to Holy Family Catholic High School which was good at preparing students for 4 . After many nights of careful thinking, I 5 to go to Holy Family, Transferring schools in the 6 of high school was the hardest thing for me to do, 7 , it was the best decision I could have ever made.

    I was one of the 8 people at my school who had had to 9 transferring to a new high school as a junior. On my 10 day of school at Holy Family, I didn't know what to expect. My 11 kept thinking about finding all my classes, making new friends, and wondering if people would like me. To be honest, I hated uncomfortable situations, and 12 I would just sit there and be quiet. But this time was 13 for me, I thought that now that I was in a place where no one 14 me, I could be whoever I wanted to be. I decided to 15 the schools' soccer and track teams to try to meet more people.

    The experience of transferring shoos has 16 affected my life in a dramatic way. It has shaped me into a more outgoing person and a harder worker, 17 me to achieve more than I could have imagined. The 18 I have gained by attending Holy Family will 19 me throughout my life. I will have to use these skills in the next couple of years while I try to further my 20 by going to college.

    Until a few years ago, I had what most people would call a good life. I had a 1 job that paid the bills; I had a good family that I was close to, and I had a place to live and money in the bank for trips and 2, and there was nothing much wrong in my life. 3, I was bored.

    I wanted more. I wanted to live 4 and loudly and make sharp memories instead of the 5 ones of everyday life. But I was 6. I had never had any 7 in myself. As a child, even buying something in a shop caused me a great deal of 8, and even though I did get better as I got older, I never quite 9 that childhood shyness.

    And I tried everything, like reading books about confidence. I also took tiny steps leading to my goals. But none of them really 10.

    So I 11 that the small steps weren't enough. I signed up for an internship (实习期的工作) of teaching English in Vietnam, an 12 huge step, one that 13 me as much as it excited me. And then the day came and I left my home and my loved ones. I was alone in a country where the food was 14 and the streets were unfamiliar. I had no idea whether I would be able to 15 everything that this very strange environment would 16 at me.

    I spent five months in Vietnam, teaching, exploring and laughing, I'd learnt to 17 myself, my skills, my abilities and my decisions. I returned home 18, even to myself, let alone to others. The 19 that had controlled my life and the self-doubt were 20.

    That one big chance changed everything for me, and in me.

    Every year around this time kids perform in their holiday concert. For many schools it is the most well-attended 1 of the year. In years past, my daughter has joined her classmates in singing. This year was 2 though. She had a few 3 parts.

    My daughter was very 4 about earning these parts. Yet with her excitement also came some nervousness. She 5 practiced her lines until she knew them 6. And, each day her class would prepare for what was going to be a special 7.

    Each day she would tell us that she did well but that she was very 8. She was worried that people would 9 her if she made a mistake. 10, she was worried about speaking in front of over a thousand people.

    Then the 11 night came last week. We luckily got front row seats, which was great for 12.

    When the time had finally arrived for my daughter to recite her lines, she did it 13. But she thought she had made a mistake, and I could see that she was close to 14 when she had finished her first part. You can only imagine how 15 it was for me not to run up on stage and 16 her and tell how much I 17 her. What happened next was the reason she is now my 18.

    She went back up to the microphone two more times and spoke her lines perfectly. The 19 it took to do that was something I will never forget. I will not 20 myself in any situation as long as I remember the night my daughter showed me what real courage looked like.