Tom is a young man. He has a very big dog and he has a very small car, too. He likes playing tennis. Today he plays tennis for two hours at the club and then he wants to go home by car. His dog comes after him, but it does not jump into the same car. It jumps into the next car. "Come here, foolish(愚蠢的) dog!" Tom shouts at it, but the dog still stays in the next car. Tom puts his key into the lock（锁）of the car, but the key does not turn（转动）. Then he looks at the car again. It is not his car! He is in the wrong car! And the dog is in the right car!

    John was a very strong man. Once he got a job of cutting wood in a forest. His boss gave him an axe(斧子) and showed him the area where he should work.

    The first day, John cut down 18 trees. "Good," the boss said, "keep it up!" John was encouraged by the words of the boss and tried harder the next day, but he could only cut down 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only cut down 10 trees. Day after day he was cutting down fewer and fewer trees.

    "I must be losing my strength," John thought. He went to the boss and said that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you had sharpened(使锋利) your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpened? I had no time to do it. I have been very busy trying to cut more trees." said John.

    While John was working hard, he didn't think about how to do his job better.

    I'm not much of a crier most of the time. But recently when I was reading a book on a plane, l started crying. Of course, it came as a big surprise when tears came up, no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't able to control myself.

    Oh no, not this now, I thought to myself. But even as the thought entered my brain, I felt the first hot drop of salty water coming down my face. I put my head down, hoping that I could go on reading.

    In fact, the harder I tried, the more team pushed their way out of my eyes. You could guess how surprised the man next to me looked.

    I dropped my head in shame. He must think I was crazy. Maybe I could turn toward him, hold up the cover of the book and say in my crying voice, "Pm sorry, sir. It's just a really good book!" But I didn't say anything. Instead, I just put my head back against the seat and let the team run. Do you know what decision I made while I was crying? My decision was that it was okay if he thought I was crazy. I'd rather be crazy than be the kind of person who wouldn't cry when the situation called for it, or who wouldn't let herself feel anything at all.

    I've been that girl who has spent so much time trying to make sure people didn't think 1 was crazy. But now I don't want to be that girl any more--that bored and sad girl. I'd rather be this girl who is able to forgive(原谅), love and act, even if it means being disappointed or being hurt again and again.

    Not only kids of Tiger Moms go to Harvard.

    Dawn Loggins of Lawndale, N.C. is on her way to Harvard, one of the eight world-famous universities in the eastern US. Nobody encouraged her to study or paid for her special classes. This girl created her own future.

    The teen was abandoned by her family last summer, when her parents and two sisters moved to Tennessee. She found herself homeless and had to spend the night on friend's sofas.

    The school bus driver learned about Dawn's situation and invited Dawn to move in with her family. Soon, Dawn had a job at Burns High School. She worked from 6 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. before the first school bell rang. she swept floors and picked up trash again in the afternoons, before diving(跳水)into her studies in the evenings.

    Dawn's hard work paid off, she finished school with a 3.9 GPA and scored 2,110 on the SAT.

    "There were times when I felt like it would be easiest if I gave up," the 18-year-old said." But it was never in me to give up, because I realized that I was never going to be successful unless I got an education."

    Even before Dawn's family left her, she led a difficult life. Her family was poor and cups of noodles were often the only food. Dawn "studied by candlelight" because her parents couldn't afford to pay the electricity bill(电费).

    Dawn has now reconnected with her family. They are proud of her accomplishments(成就) and are attending her high school graduation.

    Bill was a boy of 15. His parents went gambling (赌博) all day and all night. Nobody cared about him. He couldn't pass the exams. So his teachers didn't like him, neither did his classmates play with him.

    Bill often slept in class because his heart was not in school. He almost gave himself up.

    One day, Miss Jones, a new teacher, came to Bill's class. She was a loving and beautiful woman. Bill was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teacher.

    It was Miss Jones' class. She was asking a question. "I'd like the smartest boy to answer my question." Then she said loudly, "Bill, please!"

    Bill was surprised. And he stood up without a word.

    "Just try it! I believe you can!"

    After school, Miss Jones had a long talk with Bill. She told him that she cared about him and believed in him.

    Bill thought a lot that evening. From then on he arrived at school on time every day. Miss Jones helped him with his homework in the afternoon. She even cooked delicious food for him. She told Bill, "Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it."

    Later, Miss Jones gave them another exam. Bill did it with all his heart. He was very amazed to find that he had passed the exam. Now Bill discovered that not only could he learn, but also he could do it well. A change took place in Bill's heart.

    You see that one teacher saved one boy. It's really simple.