As we passed the Eaton's Department store's window, we stopped as usual to gaze and do our bit of dreaming. My mother set her eyes on a red dress1 it long.

    As we continued down the street, mother turned2for one more look. “My goodness! They'd display something a person could use!”

    Christmas was3and the red dress was soon forgotten. Mother was not the one who4items that were not practical. Father5liked to splurge(放纵)whenever the budget(预算)allowed. He'd get blamed for his occasional splurging, but it was all done with the best6.

    On our last trip to town before Christmas, mother suddenly said in surprise, “Would you just look at that!” She pointed7as Dad drove past Eaton's.

    “That big red dress is gone,” she said in8“It's actually gone.” I was certain to feel a bit of yearning(渴望)in her9.

    I'll never forget that Christmas morning. I watched Mother tearing the paper off a large box that read, “Eaton's Finest Enamel Dishpan”. “Oh Frank,” she10in surprise, “just what I wanted!” Dad was sitting in his chair with a huge11on his face.

    “Only a12wouldn't give a priceless wife like mine exactly what she wants for Christmas, “Dad laughed and winked(递眼色)at me, confirming his 13and my heart filled with more love for my father than it could hold!

    Mother opened the14 With trembling hands she touched the elegant material of Big Red.

    “Oh my goodness!” her eyes were15tears. “Oh Frank. You shouldn't have” came her weak attempt at16

    “Oh, never mind that! Let's see if it17he laughed, helping her put on the wonderful dress. Mother completely 18into another person.

I watched surprisedly19by the happiness in my parents I had 20noticed before. “You look beautiful,” my dad whispered to my mom—and she surely did!

    I grew up on a big farm in the small rural community of Catevisa, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children. My parents, Archie and Altha, often 1 during meals how everything on the table came from the 2.

    Besides running the farm, Dad was also a 3. In the fall of 1970, he was working on a house when the ladder broke 4. His back was fractured in two places and 5needed rescue.

    He stayed in the hospital for three weeks, 6 his back to align (校准) correctly so the bones would 7 perfectly.

    On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in the hospital. We always killed pigs the day after the holiday so that we had enough pork 8 for the next year, and that year my uncle 9 with a couple of cousins to help my three older brothers prepare our year's supply.

    After Dad returned home, he was in a back brace, saddened for 10 to work. Worse still, the doctor told us his chance of complete recovery was 11. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming 12 as Christmas approached.

    One night we heard a car coming up the long driveway and we kids were 13 about who was visiting. Peggy Phelan, my neighbor, was at the door, holding an envelope 14 with money which, according to her account, she had 15 in the community. And she was there to 16 it!

Dad tried to 17 but Peggy would have none of it. I can still hear her saying, "Archie, whenever someone's baler (压捆机) is broken, you help them to bale their hay. Every time someone passes away, Altha is cooking. It's our18."

    That evening, I understood what being a good neighbor was, and that 19 my parents were good neighbors, their 20 would be paid back.

    When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my 1. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn't a 2student; I talked too much; I was too3 , always feeling superior to（胜过）others, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. 4, I became very angry. I ran to my father with 5in my eyes.

    He6 to me quietly, and then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever 7what you're really like? Well, you now have that girl's8. Go and9a list of everything she said and mark the points that are10. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”

    I did11 he told me. To my great12, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't 13 (like being very thin), but a good number I could – and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I went to a fairly 14picture of myself.

    I brought the list back to Daddy. He15to take it. “That's just for you,” he said. “You know16than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to17, not just close your ears in 18, feeling hurt when something said about you is true, you'll find it of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your affairs. Don't 19your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”

    Daddy's advice has always 20 me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice.

    April 1st is a day on which, in some countries, people try to play tricks on others. If one 1 in tricking someone, one laughs and says: "April Fool!" and then the person who was tricked 2 laughs, too.

    One April 1st, a country bus was going along a 3 road when it 4 down and stopped. The driver5 turned switches and pressed buttons, but nothing happened. 6 he turned to the passengers with a 7 look on his face and said: "This poor bus is getting 8 . It isn't going as well as it used to. There is only one thing to do if we want to get home today. I'll 9three. I want you all to lean(倾斜) 10 suddenly as hard as you can . This should 11 the bus started again, but if it doesn't, I'm afraid there's nothing else I can do. Now, all of you lean back as 12 as you can in your seats and get ready."

    The passengers all obeyed and waited 13.

    Then the driver turned to his 14and asked:" Are you ready?" The passengers 15 had enough 16 to answer: "yes."

"One! Two! Three!" counted the driver. The passengers all leant forward suddenly— and the bus started 17 at a great speed.

    The passengers breathed more 18 and began to smile with relief. But their smile turned to 19 and laughter when the driver 20 cried: "April Fool!"

    It was a normal Monday morning at an assembly, and the old headmaster was giving the students a speech about important things in life and about1ourselves to what is important to us. This is2the story went: An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he3wake up every morning and go to the4, where he got the train right to Central London, and then sat at the street corner,5. He did this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years. His house was dirty, and it smelled6. The neighbors could not7the smell anymore, so they asked the police officers to8the place. The officers knocked down the9and cleaned the house. There were small bags of10all over the house that he had11over the years. The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a12. They waited outside his house expecting to share the good news with him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one of the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more13he was a rich man now. He said14at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the street and15to beg.16, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything important for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying17the things we enjoy doing. We should remain true to our course, which may mean devoting yourselves to things that people around you may disapprove. Let nothing prevent us from being happy, let nothing else decide our fate (命运), but18. What makes us happy is what19in the end…not what we gain.

    This particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I don't focus on courses, I20myself of this story.

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my1wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local3center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't 4. Four more "hero-types" were already lying back in donor chairs with lines5to their veins, and machines quietly pumping away to6their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a difference in the life of someone I would never7.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just do it. But a few months ago, during one of my8donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center9ever since.

    My wife Karen is a10, too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髄) list for fifteen years, ever since she signed up to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia (白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her,11Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential12for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. "Yes," she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race13time.

    I wish I could say that this14was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd15on the donor list. "Of course," Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll16an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may17. Most likely it will be a18, but on any day the person needing a blood product could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to19our time to donate.

    I really do feel20every time I donate. And I like the feeling.