Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.

    Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they 1 for along time. They discussed the 2 they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, "I had a 3 house built for Mama." The second said, "I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer (经销商) send a 4 to her.” The third said, "I built a beautiful 5 for Mama." The fourth said, "You know 6 Mama loved reading poems and you know she can't read anymore because she can't 7 very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot (鹦鹉) that can recite many 8. It took him 20 years to 9 it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years, 10 it is worth it." On hearing that, the other brothers were 11 by his good thought.

    After the holidays their mother 12 her thank-you notes. She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to 13 the whole house. It's a tiring job. Thanks anyway."

    "Marvin, I am too old to 14. I stay home and have my foods delivered, so I'll 15 use the car.  The 16 was good, although not practical. Thanks."

    "Michael, you gave me an expensive building for 50 people to 17 plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I've almost 18 my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I won't use it. Thank you all the same."

    "Dearest Melvin, you are the 19 son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so 20. I liked it very much. Thank you.”

    Many people think that babysitting is one of the1jobs for young people. They imagine a teenager putting a few well-behaved children to bed and then continuing to watch television until the parents return home to hand over some money. Well, I can tell you how2that thought is.

    I now work all3on Wednesdays for a Ukrainian family with three young boys. In the early morning, I go there to 4the older two while their mother does her jobs or takes care of her six-month-old baby. However, I am also there to5their English by teaching them songs and games in my native language.

    Now, four months later, I get home at the end of the day6exhausted！Babysitting is not a job for the7or the weak. I expected8children who would behave well and listen to me all the time. 9,I don't think those kind of children exist at all. While my two boys are usually polite and calm, they are10children and also like to fight, scream and lose their temper for no real11. I often have no idea why they cry together.

Being a babysitter requires you to play a hundred different12throughout the day. I have to be a friend when I play with the boys, but their 13when I tell them to do something. When they hurt themselves, I have to be their14, and when they fight over15 things like sharing their crayons(彩笔)，I have to be a negotiator(调停者)。 When lunchtime rolls around, I am a(n) 16to prepare the meal and then a maid as I clean up after lunch. Finally, in English, if someone is very17, we say they have the "Patience of God". I think I embody(体现) this 18sometimes!

    Despite the19involved in my job, I usually do enjoy it. Working with children is so tiring that I always feel20after leaving them with their parents at the end of the day！

    I started my travel business 6 years ago. I didn't have a1 budget, so I simply told everyone I was familiar with my business.2, I had got very few clients.

    Late one evening I received a call from a woman 3 about a cruise she had booked. I didn't 4 her voice so I asked her where she lived. She replied, “Montana.” I told her that I didn't have any clients in Montana and that she must have been 5. “Sir, I have your6 written down right here on my piece of paper,7 I must have booked it with you. Could you recheck it, please?” she 8 responded.9, she had my website but I wasn't her travel agent.

    I 10 her name, phone number and sailing information and told her I would call the cruise line and see 11 I could find out. She greatly 12_ my offer to help. The next day I called to tell her that I found out that one agency did have her 13and gave her its number. The woman was very 14 with the solution. We also talked for a few minutes about her15 and I gave her some tips while on board. She thanked me again and I told her it would be my 16 to help her any time in the future. After a few days, I completely 17 about the encounter.

    Several months later, much to my18 I got a call from the lady's sister from Montana, who wanted to get married on a cruise ship. That's just the beginning of the story. My little 19 to the lady in Montana brought 30 brand new clients! Time will only tell how many new clients will come my way,20 one simple offer.

     “Now,” Mrs. Virginia White said, smiling, “we are going to discover our professions.” The class seemed to be greatly surprised. We were only 13 and 14 years old! The teacher must be1“Yes, you will all be searching for your future2 Each of you will have to3 someone in your field, plus an oral report.

    Finally, I picked print journalism. This4 I had to go to interview a newspaper reporter. I was extremely nervous. I sat down in front of him 5 able to speak. He looked at me and said, “Did you bring a pen and some paper?” I6my head.

    Finally, I thought he realized I was 7 and I got my first big tip as a8 “Never, never go anywhere without pen or paper. You never know what you'll run into.”9a few days, I gave my oral report totally from 10 in class. I got an A on the entire project.

    Years later, I was in college looking around for a new career, but with no success. Then I 11Virginia White and my dream at 13 to be a journalist. And I called my parents. They didn't 12me. They just reminded me how13the field was and how all my life I had run away from competition. This was true. But journalism did something to me; it was in my 14 For the past 12 years, I've had the most satisfying reporting career,15 stories from murders to airplane crashes and16 choosing my strongest area.17I went to pick up my phone one day, a wave of memories hit me and I realized that had it not been 18 Virginia White, I would not be sitting at that desk.

    I get 19all the time: “How did you pick journalism?”

     “Well, you see, there was this teacher...” I always start out. I just wish I could 20her.

    When I was a small boy my family was very poor. My father always used his savings to 1 my mother to visit her parents who lived far away. There was just my younger brother and myself in the house. One evening Dad came home from 2 and there was no food in the house, not 3 a piece of bread. Although we were 4, my brother and I went to bed without eating anything.

    My father had no money, but l knew from the 5 on his face that he could not let us have an empty stomach. He 6 the house and about two hours later returned and quickly 7 us up. He had in his hand two small potato pies, which he gave us to eat. I don't know where he got the 8 but somehow he 9 to get us something to eat.

    My father had not eaten and had worked all day 10 he sat there with great satisfaction watching us eat. This has 11 stayed in my mind and left more of an impression than any amount of 12 he may ever have given me.

    At that moment, l felt happy knowing that he was there and would not let us13.

    I guess the 14 I am trying to make is that in difficult times it is 15 not to show weakness but strength and character. If a 16 is the cement（粘合剂）that holds a family together, then the father is 17 that strengthens that cement.

    It is his values and 18 and memories that have carried me forward and helped me to 19 my own problems in life. In my own 20 I have learned that it is the valuable time you spend with your children and the values you give to them that will remain with them always.

    I didn't grow up in a very loving family. In fact, there are few,1, happy memories I have of my childhood2my family members. My3moments were those spent with the few friends I was4to have. My family eventually alienated (排斥) all the neighbors.5, I didn't even have kids to play with and became quite serious just to hide my pain.

    There was another family in town that seemed6to mine. They had a lot of children too. I always wondered what it would be like7my family were more like them. They never knew it, but I watched them and8them. They were kind, genuine and close.

    9later I found myself back in the very same place, in that same small town I had10. This time I was in that town for my mother's funeral. My family gave each other the cold11, as always. I felt upset that neither time nor circumstances could make them act with12toward each other. As I approached the church for the funeral, memories came13back to me. I remembered the warm, kind smiles of that family.

    After the funeral service a meal was provided. When looking for seats with my husband. I heard a14voice I hadn't heard in decades call my name. I15and the father of that family I had admired was there. He was a church volunteer for my mother's funeral lunch. We chatted for a bit. I16my happy child a few meters away to him and it was at that point that I realized I was raising my boy in a way I had seen him bring17his own children so long ago. He wasn't18of it, but my son's life has been greatly19by him.

    So, live your life with love and kindness. You never know who's watching, who you will20and whose life you'll change.