The summer before the ninth grade, procrastination(拖延 )affected my life in a deep way. With only a few days until the start of school, I had1just one of three homework tasks we were2Instead of enjoying my last few moments of 3, I spent that time doing homework, which was an4way to end the vacation.

    Putting in 100 percent5, I always started with strong6at the beginning of each school year.7I struggled to maintain that energy as the weeks passed.

    One night, my father and I were having a8about college. He told me, "It doesn't 9much whether you get into an Ivy League university or just a(n)10college-what matters is how you get there and what you do to11it". This really spoke to me, because it made me focus more on the12of my work rather than the quantity.

    Thanks to that conversation, I13the way I went through life. I started to 14 that trying my15best is a thousand times better than simply doing something to get it done.

    My effort began to16in my first year of high school. I had never17that my grades in some harder classes could be better than those in the easier ones I took last year.

    Now I would rather work hard for something and enjoy the18of success, than not try at all or give up halfway. Motivation can 19become a habit if you repeat a(n)20that helps you avoid procrastination.

    The day I received my letter of acceptance to NewYork university, I was extremely excited. It was my dream university. And my1 were pleased for me. But they also hadn't2 me to get into such a competitive school. In fact, the best thing they ever did for me was to 3  me from doing things4 - indeed, when I was in elementary school, they offered to buy me a present5I got a C.

    It 6 when I was in the third grade. An only child in an Asian family, I had just 7 with my family to Los Angeles. Months into the third grade, I developed a strong feeling of8 about getting bad grades. Seeing my anxiety, Dad said, "Kate, tell you what. If you get a C or 9, I'll buy you a present. If you score higher than that, I won't buy you anything, because you won't10 it."

    Clearly dad wasn't the 11Asian tiger parent, pressuring me to work tirelessly for the best12, and neither was my mom. They didn't want to push me. They wanted me to be13 and healthy. Dad's 14  of a "failing grade" gift amazingly15 my worries and reassure. What's more, I16getting A's and B's throughout high school, but without the added stress and fear of failing. I think it was my parents' lack of stress on grades that gave me 17 to encourage my own desire for achievements. I now realize I was 18 when I thought I didn't receive a present from my dad that day. He gave me two invaluable19 : the space to develop my own desire for excellence, and the healthy mind to 20it.

    One Saturday morning I decided to walk into Liverpool city center and buy myself something. I didn't1 anything, and I was just going to spend some2! I stopped into a general3 to buy myself some sweets. While I was making up my mind, the door4 and in walked a girl, four years old at the most. She was wearing a summer dress and sandals(凉鞋)5 it was a bitterly cold day. She was not too6, obviously from a poor family. She walked up to the counter(柜台), 7 up and placed a fifty pence coin on the glass. Then, she proudly announced she had8 this up for her little9 a teddy bear as a birthday gift and she10 that one there. The woman behind the11 told the little girl the teddy bear cost12 50 pence. The little girl tried another one, and another one, and another one.

    I knew that13 of the bears on display could be bought for 50 pence. I also knew that I could 14 buy the best bear there 15 the money I was going to waste that day－16 did I want to encourage a little girl to take money from 17？

    The little girl changed her mind when I 18 to buy a teddy bear for her. "Oh, well," she 19 to the world. "I'll just give him mine then."

    "I'll just give him mine." Didn't sound like she was going to give him ONE of her teddies. She was going to give her little brother HER teddy, probably the 20 teddy she had!

    Bowen was grown-up, and for his birthday that year his father gave him a1without any pictures in it!

    Bowen's father found he was not2about it, and told him, "Son, this isn't just any3book; it's a magic (有魔力的) book. But to discover its magic you'll have to4it."

    Well, that was better. Bowen liked5to do with magic. He started reading it, 6he wasn't very willing to.

    The next morning, his7asked him, "Have you found the magic8?"

    So… there was a key to find! Bowen flicked through (快速翻阅) the book, but there was no9of the key.

    And then his father10him, "You won't find it like that. You have to read the book. "

    Bowen didn't have much patience (耐心) , thinking his father just told a11A little later, his little sister, Rainer, asked him12the book. After several days, she13shouted, "I've found the key! " And she wouldn't stop14all the places she had visited using the magic key.

    This made Bowen read the book again. At first it was a15; there wasn't even one single16in the book. But, gradually, Bowen became17the adventurous (冒险的) prince's life. Then, suddenly, he was there.

    The book18was the key!

    It was true that every time he19it, he felt going to its valleys and seas, and he lived the adventures of the prince.

    From then on, with every new book, Bowen never20being attracted by the letters and words inside.

    It started four years ago. My wife would see a 1 man near where she worked. It was the week before Christmas and she said she wanted to purchase a new coat for him because his coat was 2. We don't have a lot of 3. We are really a step away from being homeless in rags most months but we try to 4 when we can.

    We talked and found a way to get some money together to 5 him a coat. I 6 that since we were giving a coat to him, we should look at what else he might 7. We decided to fill a 8 with some useful 9 things—a toothbrush, soap, clothes, a hat, gloves and some food. A small gift and Christmas card was put in it as well.

    We haven't had money to exchange 10 for birthdays or Christmas for many years, too. It feels wonderful to have someone 11 you at Christmas but I've always been a little 12 when friends ask "What did you get for Christmas?" It always makes my wife feel bad that she can't 13 to give me anything and I feel the same. So I would 14 and say she bought me this thing or that. But that year we could say we 15 something to others instead and that's 16 what happened.

    People asked and we said what we did. They also wanted to help the following 17 and we made ten more backpacks the following Christmas, and this year we really 18 the gifts.

    I still can't afford to buy my wife some gifts to 19 on Christmas day, but the 20 we feel makes up for it ten times!

Motorcyclists born to ride supplies to firefighters

Chongqing motorcyclists are being hailed as heroes for volunteering to transport much-needed supplies to the fire and rescue workers fighting the wildfires caused by prolonged heat and drought across multiple districts in the municipality.

As of Wednesday, Chongqing has issued a red alert, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} most severe in the four-tier warning system, for high temperatures for 16 consecutive days.

In the scorching heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires have ravaged many parts of Chongqing. As of Tuesday, several large wildfires have been brought {#blank#}2{#/blank#} control with the joint efforts of the fire and rescue workers, social organizations and residents. No casualties have been reported.

Facing the tough situation, the city government called for volunteers with {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(relate) skills and experience to join the firefighting, and a large number of {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(motorcyclist) have played an important role and won widespread praise.

"{#blank#}5{#/blank#} is my honor and duty to guard my hometown," said 27-year-old Li Xin, a member of Yueqi Motorcycle Club in Beibei district.

On Sunday night, upon {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(hear) the recruitment notice, Li organized a team of 15 club members to support the firefighting in Beibei's Xiema town, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is the epicenter of the local blazes.

The team members {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(take) turns to use five dirt bikes and four scooters to carry materials and equipment to firefighters and to transport people and necessities.

{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(prevent) heatstroke in the extreme outdoor heat, the team gave up dressing in {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) thick riding suits.

"We will stay and help until the fire is out," Li said.