Ever since I was a child，my mouth has caused me trouble．I'm not a bad person；I have just had a hard time learning when to keep my mouth closed．

My mom has told me again and again，"Robert，your constant bad words are hurting me．If you continue to be this rude，you will get into big trouble．"

    It's been a problem at school several times，too，when teachers have told me something I didn't want to hear．I used to feel it was my duty to stand up for myself and tell them ______ off．

    One day in English class I began working on my homework until I heard a classmate talking behind me．It was Nathaniel，talking to himself as usual．

I said ever so nicely，"Nathaniel，would you be quiet?"

Nathaniel continued talking to himself．I quickly shouted，"Nathaniel，shut up!"

    For the next five minutes，we threw hurtful words back and forth at each other．

"At least I don't have an ugly lazy eye like you!"I shouted．

    I knew this would bother him deep inside．It would hurt his feelings and shut him up．

What I said filled him with anger．He tried to reach over my seat and grab me as he shouted．"That's it! That's it!"

    Surprised at his reaction，I sat back in seat．Never had I seen Nathaniel act like this before．

Later on，we were taken to the principal's office．

There，the principal told US to discuss the matter．It wasn't until then that I finally found that when I hurt someone physically，the wounds(伤口)eventually heal．But when I hurt them with my words，sometimes the pain never goes away．

    At the end of the discussion，I said sorry to Nathaniel．

    When I headed back to my room，I spent some time praying． I began to think about how often what I said hurt others．But I believe that as I keep praying and asking God to help me，he'll tell me when to keep my mouth closed．

B

    Tom has tried many ways to be ill. He doesn't wear a sweater when he should, and two days ago he walked in the rain without his shoes. But nothing happened.

    Yesterday Millie told Tom about a boy in her class who liked being away from school. The boy would rub(摩擦) the end of the thermometer(温度计) until it went up to 39℃. Then he put it in his mouth and his mother would think he was really ill.

    This morning Tom was trying doing that but it never went above 35℃ and he rubbed it for ten minutes. So he held the thermometer next to the light on his desk and it went up to 40℃. He thought he'd put it in his mouth and walk downstairs like that. Then his mother would take it out and she would be worried when she saw that he was rather ill.

    The only trouble was that he didn't know the thermometer would be so hot. As soon as he put it into his mouth it burnt his tongue(舌头) ! He spit(吐) the thermometer out. It fell on the floor but it didn't break.Then ,Tom will have to think a better way to get his mother and father back together.

    Benedict's explorations are often dangerous，but he likes them. One of his favorite explorations was in 2001. He wanted to be the first person to travel alone across the ice from Siberia to Alaska. So he went to Siberia and lived with the Chukchi people. He learned how to live like the Chukchi people and drive a dog team. He traveled 622 miles with only a dog team. The weather was really bad. There was a lot of snow, wind and ice，so the journey was very difficult. Benedict almost lost the dog team，and he almost died，so he ended his journey early. It was scary, but he learned a lot.

    An officer（军官）is at a bus stop. He wants to see his girlfriend by bus. He wants to tell his girlfriend the time of his bus, and then she can meet him at the stop in her car. He wants to call his girlfriend on a pay phone（付费电话）,but he doesn't have a coin（硬币）for the phone. He wants someone to help him.

    A soldier（士兵）is near the stop. The officer walks to the soldier and asks,“Do you have any coins for the phone?”

    “Let me have a look,” says the soldier. “I'll see if I can help you.”

    “Don't you know how to speak to an officer?” says the officer. “Now let's say it. Do you have any coins for the phone?”

    “No, sir,” says the soldier.

    One day. Many years ago, when I was working as a psychologist in England, David was brought into my office. His face was pale(苍白)and he looked at his own feet.

    David lost his father when he was two years old and lived with his mother and grandfather ever since. But the year before he turned 13, his grandfather died and his mother was killed in a car accident. His teacher told me that he refused to talk to others from then on.

    How could I help him?

    David didn't say a word. As he was leaving. I put my hand on his shoulder.

    "Come back next week if you like, "I said.

    He came and I suggested we played a game of chess. He agreed. After that we played chess every Wednesday afternoon in complete silence. Usually, he arrived earlier than he agreed. It seemed as if he enjoyed my company. But why didn't he ever look at me?

    "Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with." I thought.

    Months later, when l was looking at his head, he suddenly looked up at me. "It's your turn, "he said. After that day, David started talking. He finally had friends in school and he even joined a bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times. Now he had really started to live his life.

    Maybe I gave David something. But I learned a lot from him. I learned how time makes it possible to overcome(克服)what seems to be so painful. David showed me how one without a word—can reach out to another person. All it takes is a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch and an ear that listens.

    Kathy could still remember the night she had to leave her home in Hungary. It was the beginning of World War II and her family had to leave their country as soon as possible. She quickly filled a bag with a few pieces of clothing, her diary, and her treasure—a beautiful silk scarf.

    Kathy and her best friend, Monica, had asked their parents to buy them matching scarves. They each would wear the scarves as a symbol of their friendship. Kathy had no idea that she was going to America that night and would not be returning.

    Kathy kept that special silk scarf for many years. One day she decided to give it to her granddaughter, Eliza, to wear to her first job interview for good luck. Kathy was afraid that Eliza would lose the scarf, but the granddaughter promised, "Don't worry, Grandma, nothing's going to happen to your scarf. You'll see. It is going to bring both of us luck today." And with that, Eliza kissed her grandmother and left for the interview.

    That afternoon Eliza left the interview, feeling sure that she had got the job. So she decided to celebrate by going to a restaurant. As she was sitting at her table, she felt someone looking at her. Sitting next to her was an old woman, who could not take her eyes away from her.

    "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Eliza asked.

    "I'm sorry, dear, but you make me think of someone I once knew," the old woman replied. "My best friend looked like you and used to wear a scarf just like the one you're wearing around your neck." Eliza listened carefully, with her eyes and mouth wide open. She had heard stories of her grandmother's best friend and knew the meaning of the scarf. Could this be Monica, her grandmother's childhood friend?

    Eliza introduced herself and waited to hear the name of the other woman.

    "My name's Monica, dear. I lived in Hungary as a child, but my family had to leave when I was fourteen years old. I've been living here in California ever since." said the old woman.

    Eliza could not believe her ears …