My mother was a cleaner in our school canteen(食堂) when I was in the middle school. At that time she was such an embarrassment(难堪) to me not only because of her job but also her look. She had only one eye. Every time I saw her in my school, I pretended(假装) not to see her and ran away.

 After graduating, I got a good job in another city. Then I got married and had two kids. I told my family that my parents had been dead, so they never saw my mother, even her photo. But one year later, I got a letter, it read:

 My dear son Jeff,

    I'm sorry to disturb(打扰) you, but I really miss you all the time. I'm afraid that I will have no chance to see you again.

    I'm sorry that I was always an embarrassment to you when you were growing up. However, I had no choice. When you were very young, you got into an accident and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand that you would have to grow up with one eye. So I ……

    I was proud of my son who was enjoying his beautiful world for me with that eye.

    With all my love to you!

                                                              Mom

 After reading the letter, I couldn't help crying.

    Do you want to feel happy and know how great you are? Here are five ways to make you feel good about yourself.

    Encourage yourself. Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am a special person and there's no one in the world like me. I can do anything.” It may not sound so good, but it really works!

    Help others. Do something nice for someone who always makes you feel good.

    Smile! Be friendly to people you meet. No one can refuse(拒绝) a big smile. Look for the good things in your friends and family.

     Learn something new! New things may be great challenges(挑战), but when you fall in love with them or get some progress, you'll be very happy.

    Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your mom and dad or maybe even your cousin. This can make you feel warm and give you confidence to get on well with others.

Information Card

    France is well-known for its fine art, tasty food and romantic scenery  (风景). About 75 million visitors come here every year.

    France is the largest country in Western Europe. It has a population of over 66 million. The country is home to many famous places of interest like the River Seine as well as the Eiffel Tower,

    Many visitors also come for the country's art. Sculptor(雕刻家) Auguste Rodin and painter Claude Monet once created their great works here. If you visit France today, it is not a surprise to meet street artists in the city or come across a singer in the subway.

    No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to Louvre, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. Inside, there are about 400, 000 works of art, such as the painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and the statue. Darid by Michelangelo. It will take a few months to enjoy all the pieces.

    Besides, French food is world-famous. Bread is very important in France. The best-known French bread is called baguette(法棍面包). It is long, delicious and tastes salty. Snails(蜗牛) are also a must-have here, French people eat 40,000 tons of snails every year!

    But France is not always good. Paris, the city of light, may also show its dark side to visitors. Chinese visitors feel sorry about the crowded subway in Paris.

   Eileen Collins is the first woman ever chosen to be a spaceship pilot. She is also the first woman to be a leader in a spaceship. Today she has flown for more than 5,000 hours in more than 30 kinds of airplanes.

   Talking about high school, she said, "I began reading all kinds of books about famous women pilots. These women went and flew into dangerous places. Their stories encouraged me." In 1977 Eileen got a pilot's license (证件) and the following year she finished her university. She went into space in 1999 at the age of 43. She took the hopes with her and dreams of a nation of young people on the earth.

   Eileen is not only an astronaut, but also a wife and the mother of a young daughter. She has short curly hair and friendly brown eyes. She met her husband, Pat, while they were together in the air force (空军).

   When she was named as the First Woman Spaceship Commander (指挥官) in 1998, Eileen smiled and said, "When I was a child, I dreamed about space. It was only a dream that I would be one of the astronauts some day. I hope all children will be encouraged to reach for their dreams, when they see I go into space. I believe dreams do come true!"