It was the night before my writing task was due. As I looked at the list of {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, “The Art of Eating Spaghetti”{#blank#}2{#/blank#}caught my eyes. The word “spaghetti” brought back the memory of an evening spent at my uncle Allen's house in Belleville. Before all of us were seated around the table, aunt Pat {#blank#}3{#/blank#}spaghetti for supper. Spaghetti was an exotic(外来的) treat in those days. I had never eaten spaghetti before, and {#blank#}4{#/blank#}of the grown-ups had enough experience to be good at eating it. What{#blank#}5{#/blank#}arguments we had about the polite way for moving spaghetti from plate to mouth! I thought about writing about this for my writing task, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}I wanted to write about it just for my own enjoyment – not for Mr. Fleagle, my writing teacher. For him, I would write something else. When I finished writing that evening, the night was half gone and there was no time left to write another paper for Mr. Fleagle. I ended up {#blank#}7{#/blank#}him my spaghetti paper the next morning. Two days later, Mr. Fleagle read my writing in front of the whole class. The whole class was laughing {#blank#}8{#/blank#}fun. At that moment, I felt so happy, for my words had the power to make people {#blank#}9{#/blank#}It's so simple to share{#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

A: What's the matter with you, Peter?

B: I think I'm going to {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the math test today, Dad.

A: Why?

B: Well, because I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the bus and I was late for the test.

A: So?

B: We're not {#blank#}3{#/blank#} to get to class late.

A: You weren't allowed to take the test?

B: That's right. But I know I could pass the test.

A: Well, every school has rules, you know.

B: I know. But I think it's {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I should be allowed to take the test later.

A: I agree. You {#blank#}5{#/blank#} talk to your teacher tomorrow.

B: Yeah. Maybe she'll understand.

Several years ago, when I was teaching at a middleschool, a girl sent me a message. She found someone write a very1messageon her locker. She made a picture of it and then sent it to me asking for2.

A few hours later, I noticed that on herInstagram she had posted that picture and asked if anyone3whodid that.

Well, the following day, the girl came to mewith a boy. She showed me a4she had received. It was a heartfeltapology. I asked her if she knew who had done it, and the boy repliedembarrassedly(尴尬地), "It was me. I don't know why I did it,but I know it was5. So I wrote her this note. I6wantedto do something to try to make up for my meanness."

My heart felt so full of7forthis boy. I told him how8he was to come forward and how amazing itwas that he did something9to correct his mistake. I10thegirl and asked her if she could forgive him. Without hesitation, she said, "Yes."

I think middle school students are not littlechildren any more, and not grown-ups yet. It is normal that they make mistakes.Every day I remind myself that although I am an educator, my students trulylove me.

In 2004, Zhang Guimei saw a girl sitting silently on the side of a road on a cold morning, with a broken basket at her side.

Zhang, a local high school teacher, asked what was wrong. The girl told Zhang that she wanted to go to school, but her family was too poor to afford it. Zhang went to the 14-year-old girl's home and advised her parents to allow their daughter to continue schooling. However, they finally refused her. Unable to help, Zhang left. With the teenager always on her mind, Zhang was trying to work out how to help the local girls.

She came up with the idea of building a girls-only high school where students wouldn't have to pay anything. In 2007, Zhang attended an important meeting. She spoke, through media, to the public about her long-hidden dream. With the support from the local government and warm-hearted people, Huaping Girls' High School was opened in 2008. On the first day of the new school year, 100 students entered the school, most of whom were from mountainous areas. Since she started the school, Zhang Guimei has visited more than 1,600 families, traveled more than110,000 kilometers, and walked to many places to encourage parents to send their daughters to school for more than 15 years, so the girls could improve their education to change their lives.

Thanks to Zhang's efforts to help the students improve their studies, many of them were able to get offers from universities. Zhang Guimei worked silently for years, helping more than 1,800 girls in poor mountainous areas realize their dreams.

It was a sunny summer day and I walked back home from school. When I stood (站在) in front of my 1 , I found I lost my key. It was very 2 for me, because I only had one key. And my parents were out for some days.

I walked around the neighborhood, wishing to find the lost key. But I didn't find it. I 3 my mom and she told me to go to my aunt's home. My aunt lived in another house of our neighborhood. I could 4 with her that day, but I still needed to get my key back.

The next day when I went past the security hut (保安室) in the neighborhood, I saw something on the window. It was my key! "Is that yours, boy?" the guard (保安) asked me. "Yes. I lost it yesterday. 5 found it?" I said. The guard answered, "I don't know. Someone picked it up last night."

I was happy. I couldn't thank the person, but I can pass on (传递) his or her kindness.

Li Hua: Hi, Sally! Welcome to China. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Sally: Of course I did. I went to the West Lake in Hangzhou last summer. 

Li Hua: Really? {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Sally: Yes. I went with my grandparents. They like China a lot. 

Li Hua: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Sally: We just stayed there for three days but we had a great time. 

Li Hua: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Sally: There was lots of delicious food to eat. Everything tasted really good!

Li Hua: Sounds great. So where would you like to go this time?

Sally: Hong Kong, I think. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Li Hua: You're right. Hong Kong is a great place for you to buy many things.