I drove to a local supermarket the other day. My shopping list was 1and my wallet was light. Still, I needed to get a week's worth of groceries for my family. I parked my car, looked down at my list, and hoped I could 2 it all. As I 3 the door, I saw a man with kind eyes and a gentle 4. He said he was collecting for a local food bank that helped to 5 the hungry in my area. He handed me a second shopping list of things they could use and asked me to 6 if I could. I smiled back, took the 7 and walked into the store. I really wanted to help, but wasn't sure if I could this time.

    I walked through the store, picking up vegetables, soup, spaghetti, bread, milk, cereal, macaroni, bananas, and a dozen other things. I slowly 8 each item off my list until I was done. When I looked down at my full cart I 9 again if I even had enough to pay for it all. Then, as I put my own list back into my pocket, I saw the food 10 list under it. I smiled and decided to trust my heart.

    With the food bank in mind, I went over and 11 two of the biggest boxes of rice the store had and put them in my cart. It took 12 six dollars out of my wallet to pay for them, 13 my heart felt six times larger when I did. And when everything was 14, I had just enough to pay for it all.

    It 15 so little to make our world a better place. A few dollars can help to fill a child's 16belly(肚子). A smile and hug can help to heal(愈合)a hurting heart. An17word can inspire someone else to live and to love. A random 18 of kindness can change another's day and life. It is up to us, 19. If we can20a few dollars on rice , then we can share a love that will last forever.

    There was a man who played the piano in a small bar. There were not too many1, but because he was a good piano player, some people2came in every night just to hear him play. But one night, a patron (老主顾) told him he didn't want to hear him play but to sing a song.

The man said, "I have never3that before in public. I think I'm4at playing the piano."

But the customer5. He told the waiter, "I'm6listening to the piano day after day. I want to hear something new and I want that guy to sing."

The waiter7across the room, "Hey, buddy! If you want to get8, sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!"

    9in order to bring some money home that night, the piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And 10 had ever heard the song Mona Lisa sung before11that night by Nat King Cole, and it surprised all, including the12himself!

    He had talent he was13on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he14 to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.

You, too, have skills and15. You may not feel as if your "talent" is particularly16, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence (坚持), most skills can be17. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you18! The19is not "What ability do I have that is useful?" It is20"How will I use whatever ability I have?".

    It was the last day of the final examination in a large eastern university. On the 1 of one building, a group of engineering seniors gathered, discussing the exam due in a few minutes. On their faces was confidence. This was their last exam—then on to graduation and 2.

    Some talked of jobs they already had; others talked of jobs they 3 get. With the certainty of four years of college, they felt ready and able to take 4 of the world.

    The approaching exam, they knew, would be an easy task. The professor had said they could bring 5books or notes they wanted, requesting only that they did not 6 each other during the test.

    7they entered the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles8on the students' faces as they noticed there were only five essay­type questions.

    Three hours had passed9the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a 10 expression. Paper in hand, no one spoke as the professor faced the class.

    He looked at the 11faces before him, and then asked,  “How many completed all five questions？”12a hand was raised.

    “How many answered four？” still no hands.

    “Three? Two？” The students moved restlessly in their seats.

    “One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.” But the class 13 silent.

    The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I 14, ”he said. “I just want to impress upon you that, 15you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the16you don't know. These questions you could not answer are relatively17in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added, “ You will all 18this course, but remember—even though you are now college graduates, your education has just19.”

    The years have20the name of this professor, but not the lesson he taught.

    As a temporary teacher, my daily routine1driving to a new school2every day, so I'm usually unable to anticipate (预料) the day's events, good or bad.

    On one particular day, I was teaching in a very3class. I was managing behavior all the morning and by lunch time, I needed coffee to4the afternoon. So at my lunch5, I drove to a nearby plaza to get a cup of6. Upon returning to the car, I realized I had7my keys and my phone8. I had about 15 minutes to get back to the school which was a good 4–or–5 minute9. I thought of rushing back, but it being10, I thought a nasty fall on ice would only make the situation much11.

    So I ran into a McDonald's which was in the12plaza and asked the man at the counter who 13to be the manager to help me call a tab. I14explained my situation and he hurried to the back to use the phone15I paced in the restaurant.

    The manager returned16to tell me that the cab company had put him on hold and then the line got17. My expression began to resemble some combination of hopelessness and fear.

    Almost immediately, the manager grabbed his coat and18to drive me to the school. Without19, I followed him into his car and made back into my classroom with 2 minutes to 20before the bell!

Anytime I travel on my bicycle across the country,I'm always amazed by how kind people can be to strangers.

One night,my friends and I were camping in a town in Missouri.There was a severe storm and we were getting  1 .A complete stranger came by to2 us that there were tornadoes(龙卷风)heading  our  way.The stranger invited us to his home.We were surprised by his3 for our safety.Later we learned that there had  been a lightening strike near the place where we had camped and several cattle had been4 .

Fortunately,we spent the night in a nice dry home.We were5 given the opportunity to take a shower. The next morning we had breakfast with the family and6 contact  information.In  a way we  felt  like  the family had become a part of our journey.This was one of the most heartwarming7 of my life because this  family had nothing to8 by being so kind to us.We were9 not the type they would usually10 but they treated us with respect and kindness.  The kindness of a stranger always11 my faith in humanity.Whatever the person12 always comes with no strings attached and that's the most13 part.

That family 14 us so much that during the rest of the trip,we 15 others out every chance we got. We even bought food with our busking(街头卖艺)tips for the homeless.It's always heartwarming when giving feels  as good as receiving.

This wasn't the way I wanted to see Rome. Sure, it felt  1 to spend Christmas there and stand in awe of the city's attractions. But life wasn't meant to turn out like this. 

I was supposed to go to Rome with my mom back in 

2012. However, life had different  2 . A week before our trip, I got a stomach infection, a condition that required a week of  3 . What's worse, my mom  4 a cough, which later proved a stage-four cancer. 

My mom spent the final months of her life5 the terrible disease though it was a losing 6 . After she passed away, I 7 a trip to Rome. And 8 , you never get used to a world that mom isn't a part of. You just deal with it because you don't really have a  9 . 

I spent two weeks doing all the things we had wanted to do. Maybe she wasn't physically there, but I  10 her presence every minute. Her presence also11 me that life isn't about the things we buy or the money that we have. It's about making 12 with the people we love. They never really 13 us since they are constantly influencing our lives in  14 ways. 

After my trip to Rome, 15 knew that my mom would always be there because she had forever changed my life in the best possible way.