Alia Baker is a librarian in Iraq. Her library used to be a 1place for all who loved books and liked to share knowledge. They2various matters all over the world. When the war was near, Alia was 3 that the fires of war would destroy the books, which are more 4 to her than mountains of gold. The books are in every language — new books, ancient books ,5a book on the history of Iraq that is seven hundred years old.

    She had asked the government for 6to move the books to a7 place, but they refused. So Alia took matters into her own hands.8 she brought books home every night,9 her car late after work. Her friends came to 10her when the war broke out. Anis, who owned a restaurant 11 to hide some books. All through the 12 Alia, Anis, his brothers and neighbours took the books from the library,13them over the seven-foot wall and14 them in the restaurant. The books stayed hidden as the war15 Then nine days later, a fire burned the16to the ground.

    One day, the bombing（轰炸） stopped and the 17left. But the war was not over yet. Alia knew that if the books were to be safe, they must be 18 again while the city was19 So she hired a truck to bring all the books to the houses of friends in the suburbs(郊区). Now Alia waited for the war to end and 20peace and a new library.

    When you're willing to ask for what you want but don't insist on getting it, there are some potential hidden benefits as well. For example, you sometimes 1 the sympathy and generosity in others.

    Several years ago, I arrived in Mumbai very late one evening. 2 having a confirmed reservation, the hotel was overbooked and was 3 people away. The man in front of me was angry and became very 4.

He insisted on getting his way—but there were no 5. He stormed out, defeated and angry. He was totally 6 to the fact that it wasn't the receptionist's 7. It wasn't personal.

I walked up to the receptionist and said8, “I really understand your9 and don't blame you a bit. I would 10 it so much if you would help me. I know you don't have any rooms here, but could you help me find another 11 close by?” I thought it was wise to ask—as long as I didn't 12.

    Hearing my words, she was 13. Remarkably, she said she had some great news, She had completely 14 that fact that one of the guests had to leave in an 15 and wouldn't be back. It turned out the most expensive room! Because I had been so 16, she gave it to me at lower rate.

    The question is, why didn't she 17 this empty room and give it to the angry man in front of me? I think the answer is pretty 18. His insistence pushed her away and may have even 19 to her “forgetfulness”. When I was talking to her, however, she relaxed and felt less 20. Her memory returned and I ended up getting a few hours of much-needed sleep.

    So be sure to ask for what you want, but don't insist on getting it.

    Frank was walking down the 6th Street on a hot sunny day when he saw smoke coming out of the street. He could 1 the smoke, and it was getting2. Seeing the smoke coming out of a storm drain(雨水沟), Frank called the fire department 3. “The storm drain is 4 fire!” he said. The fire department asked for his whereabouts and he said he was near the 6th street. They said they would be right there to investigate the situation. Frank needn't to go anywhere, so he waited for the 5 to arrive. He was curious what could be burning beneath the street. As far as he knew, there wasn't anything beneath the street 6 concrete(混凝土). And everyone knows that concrete doesn't 7.

    A fire truck arrived a few 8 later. “Are you the man who 9?” asked the driver. “Yes.” Frank answered. By now Frank could not only smell the 10 but also hear crackling sounds, just like wood burning. The firemen didn't seem to11it an emergency. “What do you think it could be?” Frank asked the driver. “Oh, we know what it is. We have to 12 a problem like this every few months. It's the homeless people in their 13.”

    Homeless people have been living under the streets for years.14 their knowledge of the storm drain system, they 15 their own “houses” beneath the streets. These living areas have tables, mattresses, chairs, and sofas. The settlers often “borrow” electricity by connecting to a live wire above ground to 16 their own lights and even TVs underground. Either this 17 electricity or a cigarette can cause an occasional fire.

    Frank watched 18  some firemen lifted a manhole cover (井盖) and went beneath the street with a fire hose (消防软管). Then a few minutes later, the 19 smoke turned white. Shortly afterward, the firemen reappeared with a 20 person who seemed to have just been woken up.

    This is a simple T-shirt, but it has taught me the significance of 1. Looking at it, I go back into the past.

    It was a warm day when I 2my elementary school. It made me quite 3. I lay in my front yard in the warm sun. As I fell into sleep, I vaguely heard my mother's steps approaching. Then, I sat up, 4 lemonade or some apples. But she was carrying 5, and her face was just as 6. There must be something wrong. "Simon is in 7," she said.

    Simon was my stepfather's nephew. 8 we were not related by blood, Simon in some way meant more to me than any blood relative. Being both 9, we always went hiking and surfing together. I really enjoyed his 10 I wished to attend middle school with him, too.

    "He has cancer," my mom added. When I heard that, my stomach got heavier. "But he will 11, right?" I asked. "Because he has a rare case, it's not clear whether he can defeat it." My mom replied.

    Day by day, Simon seemed to be getting weaker and his 12 was bad, making him lack nutrition (营养). Throughout his 13, Simon suffered allergic shock (过敏) due to the medicine's side effects. Somehow, Simon was having a (an) 14 later. The whole family were thrilled. 15, Simon's improvement turned out to be a flash in a pan (昙花一现).

    It was around then that I 16 the "Simon Says…" T-shirt, which was designed with letters, "Simon Says… Cancer is a detour (绕行), instead of a stop sign." I proudly wore Simon's present in the summer vacation and 17 wearing it when later attending middle school. That sentence taught me however that challenge fought against us, we shouldn't 18.

    At last, Simon didn't 19it. But his T-shirt would have a lasting positive impact on the world. Simon 20and inspired countless people with his spirits.

    Over the last 15 years, as a doctor, I have had heart-to-heart conversations with countless patients near the end of their lives. The most common emotion they express is 1. And that's 2 I came up with a project to encourage people to write a 3 to their loved ones. It's a lesson I learned years ago from a memorable 4 patient.

    He was a retired 5 with a cancer. Every day, his 6 spent many hours watching him watch television. She explained to me he had never been much of a 7 in their 50-plus years of marriage. But he seemed quite 8 to share his ideas with me, 9 when it became clear his days were 10. He spoke of his deep regret for not having spent enough time with his wife, and of his great 11 in his son, who had joined the Navy in his father's footsteps.

    One afternoon, when I mentioned these 12 to his wife and son, they looked disbelievingly at each other. They thanked me for being so kind but 13 my patient was unlikely to express such feelings. To make sure his family could hear his 14, I took my video camera with me the next morning and with the patients' 15, recorded an open letter from him to his family. When I gave them the 16 letter, both his wife and son were moved to tears.

    The experience 17 my letter project, which can help people complete their life review tasks: remembering to those we may have hurt; 18 those who have hurt us and saying "I love you". It may take much courage to write a life review letter. For some people, it 19 deep and troubling emotions. 20 it may be the most important letter you will ever write.

    I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a 1 rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew 2 I wanted to climb it. That has been my life's passion (钟爱) ever since--3 the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I've long made Yosemite my 4.

    About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of 5, like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It's 6 me why visitors started respecting the place less and treated such a 7 home-like place this way.

    I tried 8 trash(垃圾)myself, but the job was too big. I would 9an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so 10 it that I decided something had to 11.

    As a rock-climbing guide, I knew 12about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a 13. On that day, more than 300 people 14. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was 15how much we were able to accomplish. I couldn't believe the 16 we made --the park looked clean!

    Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and 17 132 miles of roadway.

    I often hear people 18about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by 19 rather than complaining. We need to teach by 20. You can't blame others unless you start with yourself.