I went home one Saturday afternoon in the autumn of 1993 to get some work done in the garden. While sweeping leaves on the ground, my five-year-old son Nick came over and asked me to write something on a piece of paper to make a sign for him.

    "What for?" I asked.

    "I'm going to sell some of my stones," he answered.

    Nick was fascinated with stones and had collected many stones from all over. "I'm too busy to do that for you. Go and ask your mum for help," I said.

    A short time later, Nick, returned with a sign, reading, "Stones, One Dollar Each". He took the sign, a small chair and 4 of his best stones and walked to the road in front of our garden. There he put the stones in a line and sat down on the chair.

    After half an hour, nobody passed by. I walked to him and asked him to go back, but he didn't. Another half hour later, a small car came down the road. I watched as Nick stood up, holding his sign up. A woman rolled down a window and read the sign. I couldn't hear their talk, but I saw the woman turn to the driver and the man reach for his pocket.

    I sat in the yard, as Nick ran to me. Waving the dollar, he shouted, "I told you I could sell one stone for a dollar—if you believe in yourself, you can do anything."

    On the first day of school, a new classmate touched my shoulder, "Hi, handsome! I'm Rose. I'm 87 years old. Can I give you a hug(拥抱)?" I turned around and found a little 1 lady with a warm smile. I said heartily, "Of course!"

    "2 are you in college at such an age?" I asked.

    She joked, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get 3, have children, and then travel around."

    "No, seriously." I asked.

    "I always4 of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. In no time, we became friends.

    Over the year, Rose became an icon(偶像)and she easily made friends. She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the 5 from the other students. At the end of the term, we invited Rose to our party. I'll never forget what she said.

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. Here are the 6 of staying young. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you 7 your dreams, you die! There's a huge difference 8 growing old and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability," she added. "But 9 requires finding the chance in change. Have no regrets."

    One week after graduation that year, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. She taught us by example that it's never too 10 to be all you can possibly be.

    Mr. Jones and Mr. Brown work in the same office (办公室). One day Mr. Jones says to Mr. Brown, "I will have a small party at our house on Monday evening. Would you and your wife like to come?"

    Mr. Brown says, "Thank you very much. I'd love to, but let me ask my wife first." So Mr. Brown goes to the other room and telephones his wife. Then he comes back and looks very worried.

    "What's the matter?" asks Mr. Jones. "Is you wife there at home?"

    "No," answers Mr. Brown." She isn't there." My small son answers the telephone. I say to him, "Is your mother there, David?" and he answers "No, she isn't in the house." "Where is she?" I ask , "She is somewhere outside(在外面). ""What's she doing? ""She is looking for me."