My mother seemed to be able to make dolls (洋娃娃) out of anything. She made some dolls for me and my two elder sisters. I 1 playing with them, but still, secretly, I hoped for a store-bought 2like the one our rich cousin had. Her doll 3 open and close its blue glass eyes and even say "Mamma". I 4 stopped admiring it and hoping to have one.

    However, my dream 5came true when I was six. One day my father came back from his business trip with three 6 dolls! They were much smaller than our cousin's doll and their eyes were just painted ones, but I did not 7 such differences. They were 8 "store-bought" dolls. We each chose one and I named 9 Misako.

    Soon my sisters and I became devoted 10. Our "children" kept us 11 all day. We gave them a bath, 12 them, brushed their hair, took them out for a walk and put them to bed. Several months later, they got more like real children — their 13 and bodies became dirtier; their dresses got stained; their hair less smooth.

    But, by then, 14 interests seemed to have moved into 15 toys. Their dolls were abandoned (被抛弃) and in bad condition. One had 16 one of her arms, and 17 was one-legged. "You can 18 them if you want," my sisters said to me. Thus, I had 19 dolls. They were more or less handicapped (残疾) and they often looked at me as if they needed me to 20 them. I enjoyed this feeling of being needed — being the only one in the world who could protect them with a lot of love. Indeed, they made the rest of my childhood days very happy.

    Recently I understood the true meaning of love. The 1 was Kane, my neighbor Joline's two-year-old son.

    Kane was born with a physical problem on his 2. And I witnessed（目睹）the3 that Kane's physical shortcomings had on his family. I also witnessed much more than that. I saw a 4 family that embraced（拥抱）this special child. A family that wouldn't allow Kane to know he was5. Joline had constructed a small cart手推车just a few inches off the floor for his son to 6 . Kane used his hands to move about, and the cart7 him to "go to" any place just as everyone else was able to do. Kane was not just a member of the family, but the8 of the family.

    With a wide smile, it was easy to see that even at the age of two, Kane liked to 9 with people very much. With wisdom of an individual, this boy even 10 the most complex of human emotions. Later I came to 11 that this child was sent to help some of us who weren't just getting what love was all about.

    Kane demanded attention, 12 not because of his mobility（移动能力）challenges or other apparent shortcomings. In his mind, he had no13 or shortcomings. The14 was that he received attention because he was alive and real and had so much to offer.

    Kane 15 me in a deep way. His ability to refuse to be different has 16 me. Kane was and is 17 lots of warm and powerful energy to me. From him and his family I learnt the 18: love surpasses（超越）all things. I can only imagine that as the parent of a child like Kane one might be filled with19. But I believe that having a child like Kane is actually a(n) 20. The parents of such special babies are angels too, just as the babies are.

    It impressed me a lot. I never thought that little help would 1 out to be the most satisfying thing I have ever done. He was tired, and 2 to climb further. With a broad 3, he asked if I could help him with some money. He was paralyzed in both legs and was 4 funds for some operation. He said that if operated successfully, he could 5 training guaranteeing him a job. I was full of 6 and even asked him to show his legs. I gave him the 7 money. After a few days, he again came at my doorstep asking for more money for accommodation. This time I was more or less 8 he is not cheating me. I gave him some and said this is all I had.

    A year went by and I had moved to a(n) 9 place. One fine day I got a call from an unknown number. The caller called out his name but I didn't 10 him. Then he said he is the very paralyzed person I helped a year ago.

    I asked him how he is doing. He said, "What sir? You recognize me not by my name but by my 11 state."

    "With your kind help I am now able to 12 on my legs without support. I was operated 13. I am married to a beautiful lady and have a stable 14."

    I don't 15 remember if I gave him my phone number. 16, what he said next was touching. He said he wanted to return my money so that I didn't feel cheated and continued to help people 17 in the future. I don't know whether he read my facial expression the day I helped him but tears were 18 down my face. That day I promised him I will continue to help people as I see a(n) 19—small or big. 20 that changed my life.

    I became a gardener when I was twelve. My early 1 of gardening may not have come from my love for nature. It was to 2 my parents.

    At that time we had a big yard in which a beautiful maple tree stood. But my mother often looked with 3 at this work of natural art. Those golden leaves seemed like tons of rubbish to her, something else to 4. Seeing the neighbors busy with gardening, my father even thought it a waste of time.

    At that age, I always did something 5 to whatever my parents did! If gardening were something they found 6, I would plant a garden!

    I planted some lily seeds in the yard. But they failed to 7, I continued to plant sunflower seeds and roses. Wild 8 joy, I found the first rose bloom (开花). One by one, the flowers bloomed their heads off. 9, I was touched by this land of wonder.

    10, my parents showed no interest in my garden. My father even 11at me because he found it was 12 to move around my garden to the driveway. To my mother's 13, I put in her vase my real roses which in her eyes were simply weeds 14 flowers.

    Regardless of their 15, I kept on planting my garden and 16 to enjoy the pleasure of gardening. Plants make such good companions: they breathe, they bloom, they 17 to care and love.

    It has been many years since I made my first garden out of my desire to 18 my parents. Today I become known as Mrs. Green thumbs (手指), teaching gardening and hosting a gardening show, which makes my parents feel very 19. And now I could say it my affection for 20 that makes me a real gardener.

    In the 1950s, I was an only child of a single mother, living in a modest cottage in New Zealand. There was no TV and very little1to spend on entertainment.2we had our books and enjoyed3better than reading aloud to each other. My mother read me The Faraway Tree Stories, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Treasure Island and poetry as well.4I turned seven, I was able to take my 5at the reading role, and we spent many pleasant evenings laughing over6characters.

    In 1964, I was 18 and moved to Auckland, but we still phoned each other and talked about books. Years later, Mum's eyesight began to7. She found it8difficult to read the small print of her beloved books. She enjoyed looking at magazines but missed9up with the latest books by her favourite10.

    Later, I became a Special Needs library assistant and my11was to select books for12impaired（损伤的）people. In time, I introduced my mother to large-print novels and audio-books, which gave her a great deal of13as her eyesight grew more dim(模糊的).

    In her 70s, Mum's choice of reading seemed to14to mainly murder mystery stories. I was15to see that, so I bought her a more “worthy” audio-book. The next day, I asked, “How are you getting on with that latest book?” “Oh, not so well,” she replied16. I didn't try to “improve” my mother's literary17after that.

    A few years ago Mum18away. There are still so many thing I'd like to tell her. I'd like to19her for her early guidance in the20world of books. And I'm happy to say that I'm also into audio-books now.

    When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant 1 Miller King, who was the best 2 at our school.

    Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for 3.

    Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from 4. He looked very 5, but he didn't cry.

    That season, I 6 all of Miller's records while he 7 the home games from the bench. We went 10­1 and I was named most valuable player, 8 I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller's 9.

    One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller 10 going over a fence­which wasn't 11 to climb if you had both arms. I'm sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept 12 from. But even that challenge he accepted. I 13 him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally 14 on the other side, he said to me, "You know, I didn't tell you this during the season, but you did 15. Thank you for filling in for 16."

    His words freed me from my bad 17. I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was 18 ahead of me. I was right to have 19 him. From that day on, I grew 20 and a little more real.