I decided to ski to the North Pole. It was after I saw a(n)1in a newspaper looking for people to join a team that would2350 miles to the Magnetic North Pole. Back in 1996, a woman from the UK had never3 this challenge. I wondered what it would be like to4in temperatures that cold, so I sent off for the application form.

    When the application form5, it said “Are You Man Enough for the Ultimate Challenge? ” and it was6pictures of male explorers. I was angry and decided that women could do it too, so it made me even more7to get on the team.

    Over 500 individuals8for a place in the team, and the selection process included physical and psychological tests designed to 9the best group. One test was to complete the Sandhurst military assault course, where the UK's best officers are trained, and it's not for 10 We had to climb a huge rope ladder, and I stopped at the top because I have a fear of 11 I thought all hope was 12But two others helped me over, and later I found out that the organizers were not looking for amazing 13 but great team players, and it was this moment14had shown them who would look out for others in the team. I had also shown my real self, and in a place like the Arctic, you have to be yourself, 15there is nowhere to hide. These 16 of asking for help and showing your real self are necessary for women to master.

    I realized that by being yourself, I could 17 I was chosen for the team, and as a result became the 18 British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole. I realized that I could achieve more than I ever19-but more importantly, by sharing my story with others, I could20them to take a step into the unknown.

    While my father was an officer of the British army in South Africa, we lived in a two-storeyed house. One evening my father and sister and I were sitting together. He was 1 the window. I suddenly 2 that he was turning very pale. I sat 3 for I didn't want to 4 my sick sister. Soon father said in a 5voice, “Kate and Joan, a friend of mine 6 here to see me this evening, and I wish to be 7 him. Will you go up to your own room?” We obeyed, went to our room and closed the door.

    Soon I heard a8 like that of a door burst in, and then a climb of feet. They were hurrying 9 the narrow stairs. Fearing that there was10 near, I seized the pistol (手枪) on the table. Then I heard my father cry out, “For God's sake, child,11 the door.” I did so. To my scare, I saw,12 my father's shoulder; a gorilla (大猩猩), the worst enemy of the soldier in Europe, he was 13 my father. I raised the pistol and fired. The animal fell backwards with an/a 14 loud cry. Father took the still 15 pistol from my hand, and fired another shot, which killed the gorilla.

    It happened when father 16 us upstairs because he thought he would be able to 17the door-which was twenty feet away 18 the animal reached it. However, the gorilla was too 19and this was the cause of the 20 flight (escape) up the stairs.

    As a high school coach, I did all I could to help my boys win their game. I cheered as hard for 1 as they did. A dramatic 2 however, following a game in which I was a referee(裁判), changed my 3 on victories and defeats.

    It was a league championship basketball game between New Rochelle and Yonkers High. New Rochelle was 4 by Dan O'Brien, Yonkers by Les Beck. The gym was5, and the noise made it impossible to hear. The game was well played and 6 competed. Yonkers was 7 by one point as I 8 at the clock and discovered there were but 10 seconds left to play. New Rochelle, the home team, took 9 of the ball, passed off and shot. The ball 10 around the rim(篮筐边沿) and off. The fans11. New Rochelle recovered the ball, and tapped it in for what looked like victory. The noise was 12.

    I looked at the clock and saw that the game was over. I hadn't heard the final buzzer(终场哨) because of the noise. I 13 with the other official, but he could not help me. So, I 14 the timekeeper, a young man of 17 or so. He said, “Sir, the buzzer 15 before the final tap-in was made. ” Yonkers won!

    I had to tell O'Brien the sad news. His face 16. The young timekeeper came up and said, “I'm sorry, Dad. The 17 ran out before the final basket. ”18, like the sun coming out from a cloud, O'Brien's face lit up. He said, “that's okay, Joe. You did what you had to. I'm 19 of you.” The two of them then walked off the 20 together, the coach's arm around his son's shoulder.

    As a child, I started learning to play the piano, my favorite musical 1,but I was forced to give up when I started my middle school 2 I could concentrate more on my studies.

    It's one of my biggest 3to stop practicing the piano when I recall sadly today. During the following years, I kept telling my piano teacher that I would4. However, I didn't keep my promise because I was 5 with my study. 6 I lost touch with my teacher. Some years later, my teacher died. I was very sad because I lost such a good teacher. She was a very warm and gentle person. It hurts me to think she may have been 7 that I never returned. I haven't taken lessons since then but to be honest, I 8 to. Sitting at the piano, I couldn't help recalling many 9-- times of my practising at home and playing before my teacher and one time my teacher 10 me after I played entire pieces of music wrong in front of her colleagues. I was so11 that I could hardly say anything. But her12 helped me ease my shame. These memories, 13, good or bad, never caused my 14 for playing the piano again.

    This thought then led me to think that15is like music, and that we all try to play different 16in the instrument of our life. Sometimes the pitch(音高) is 17when we play it well, but sometimes we are out of tone. However, we all continue to create our own 18style of music. No matter what style our music is, it is 19 that we sing the songs of joy, quietness and love. Though I may never make it back to piano lessons, it doesn't20 that I've stopped making music.

    Don't stop believing. If you're not reaching your highest potential, it might not be for lack of talent or determination, 1 because you're not keeping the right things in front of you.

    A few years after my dad died, I was 2 with the desire to write a book. For 3, I set two copies of my dad's most popular book beside my bed. One copy was in English, the other in 4. My dream was that my book would be translated into Spanish, too.

    Kevin is a twin. He 5 having twins himself. His wife Lisa had several surgeries. They attempted every 6 treatment. But 7 worked. They were beyond 8. One day Kevin found a small package in the mailbox. There were two diapers (尿布) inside. He ran into the house and 9 Lisa. “Look, honey, we just got the first diapers for our babies！”He wrote the date on them and put them on his 10 table. Month after month, they were the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, and the last thing he saw 11 he fell asleep. Several years later, Kevin and Lisa got a phone call asking if they would be interested in 12 a baby.“Yes！” they said. The caller asked, “Would you consider accepting two？These are twin girls about to be born, and they need a good home.” Talk about a dream 13！

Remember that 14 I dreamed about writing？In 2004 I wrote Your Best Life Now. When the publishers read it they decided to 15 it in English and Spanish at the same time.

    Proverb says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish (毁灭).” 16 vision your dream will die, and part of you will die with it. Studies show that we move toward what we 17 see. Is there something you see every day that 18 you？Keep them in front of you to 19 you of what you're aiming for. If your dream is to go to a particular college, buy a T-­shirt with the school name and wear it 20.

    Lori was suspended (暂停)from school for having cigarettes in her locker. She told her dad, "I don't know how they got there! I was just putting them in my pocket to take them to the principal when a teacher 1 and sent me to the office." Dad had a hard time 2 that Lori didn't know how the cigarettes got into her locker, 3 only she had the key. He also found it hard to believe that she was putting them in her pocket to take them to the principal. He felt disappointed that Lori would 4 to him because they had always been such a close and loving 5. He was also worried that she was beginning to 6 her life by getting involved in smoking, drinking, and drugs.

    Dad felt like 7 and punishing and letting her know how disappointed he was.

    8 , he decided to look for the positive. It is never difficult to find, if you are willing to look for it. As he got into Lori's 9 he could understand that she was probably having a tough time deciding how to 10 with family values and still be part of the crowd. He also realized that the only reason Lori would lie to him would be because she loved him so much that she wouldn't want to disappoint him.

    With this 11 , Dad approached Lori. Instead of scolding and punishing, he kindly said, "Lori, I'll bet it is really difficult trying to 12 how to stick up for what you believe and yet not be called a 13 by your friends.

    Lori felt such 14 as she said, "Yes, it is."

    Dad went on, "And I'll bet that if you would ever lie to us, it would be because you love us so much that you wouldn't want to disappoint us." Lori got tears in her eyes and could only nod in 15. Dad added, "Lori, we would be disappointed if you did something that would 16 you. But if you don't know that you can always tell us anything, then we aren't doing a good enough job in letting you know how much we love you — 17Lori gave her dad a big 18 , and they just held each other for a while.

    They never did directly discuss the problem of smoking and lying. Over a year has gone by, and Lori seems to delight in letting her mom and dad know every time she 19 the temptation(诱惑)to do something contrary to her 20. She also feels proud that she is influencing her friends to stick up for their belief.