Once, a professor held a test on his students. The professor started with the following question, “Now,1 you are going to cut trees on a hill. One of the trees has a big 2 while the other's small. Which will you cut?” The question got a quick 3, “Of course the big one! No need to4 .”

    The professor5, “The big tree is a poplar（白杨）6seen everywhere, while the small one is a Korean pine. Consider again?” A second7brought students more sense: a Korean pine is much more8than the poplar, so they changed their decision. “9 we'll cut the pine. The poplar isn't worth our10.”  Smile still11on the professor's face. “But the pine's trunk is less12than the poplar.” Rather puzzled, they became13, then said, “While, we'll cut the poplar.” The professor gave more detail. “14the poplar is straight, the trunk became empty within. Then what's your choice?”

    Finally one of the students lost his15and said, “Professor, you have asked a series of questions leading us to change our answers16. What do you want to 17 after all?”

    The professor's smile18. He said, “Why none of you ask me for what purpose to cut the tree? Though my questions 19all the way, they are decided by one thing: your20to take the action. If it aims at making handicraft articles you may cut the pine; if you just want to have some firewood, you'd better cut the poplar.”

    I've been taking a bus to school for years. I found that most passengers keep to themselves and no one ever has a 1 with anyone else.

    About a year ago, an elderly man entered and said 2 to the driver, “Good morning!” Most people looked up, confused and 3, and the bus driver took it for granted and 4responded with a grunt (哼声). The next day the man 5 and again he said in a loud voice, “Good morning!” to the driver. Another grunt. By the fifth day, the driver finally agreed to accept the elderly man and 6 him with a little cheerful “Good morning!” Then the man 7,“My name is Benny.” The driver told the man he was Ralph.

    That was the first 8 any of us heard the driver's name and soon people began to talk to each other and say9 to Ralph and Benny. Soon Benny10 his cheerful “Good morning!” to the whole bus. Within a few days, his “Good morning!” was11 by a whole bunch of “Good mornings” and the entire bus seemed to be more 12. People got to know each other.

    “If a 13 is someone who makes something happen, Benny was the one who took a lead in showing friendship 14 us,” I thought.

    A month ago, something 15 happened and Benny didn't 16 in the bus. Everyone began to 17 about Benny and lots of people said he may have passed away. No one knew what to do and the bus got 18 again. So last week, I started to act like Benny and say, “Good morning!” to everyone and the whole bus cheered up again. I guessed I was the leader now. 19 Benny could come back to see what he had started really 20 a lot.

    Here is a story. A young man while walking in the desert1a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so2, he filled his leather canteen so that he could bring some back to a tribal（部落）3 who had been his teacher.

    After a four-day4 he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled 5 and thanked his student sincerely for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a 6 heart.

    Later, the teacher let another student 7 the water. He spat(吐) it out, saying it was 8. It obviously had become smelly because of the old leather 9.

    The student asked his teacher, "Master, the water was smelly. Why did you 10 to like it?" The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the 11.The water was 12 the container for an act of loving-kindness and 13 could be sweeter."

    I think we understand this 14 best when we receive gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a post card or a birthday cake, the natural and 15 response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea 16 the gift.

    Gratitude(感恩) doesn't always come naturally.17, most children and many adults value only the thing given 18 the feeling included in it. We should 19 ourselves and teach our children about the beauty of feelings and expressions of gratitude.20, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

    In high school I had a math teacher, Mrs. Davies, who took her job seriously and expected her students to put forth the same degree of commitment (付出). Strict but fair, she held our attention with her great method. One of her 1 was for students who were more advanced academically. I chose to 2 it and soon realized that the course was a bit over my head. I 3 with the complex problems that others seemed to learn without much effort.

    One Friday we were tested 4 our ability to use a theorem (定理) that no one in the class thoroughly understood. The teacher would 5 our papers based on our ability to progress through the problem which easily filled two pages of formulaic notations (公式符号). I was absolutely 6. Finally, I didn't use the required theorem. Instead, I decided to use more familiar theorems to arrive at an 7. I knew I had failed because I hadn't done the 8 assignment. I became resigned (顺从) to my fate.

    Our test papers were 9 back the following Monday. Everyone received a "C" except for me. To my surprise, I received an "A". I 10 that there must be a mistake. I watched 11 as the teacher approached my desk, smiled, and asked for my test 12 back. She then went back to copy my work onto the blackboard, 13 the class how I had arrived at the correct answer. "Mathematics is meant to be a creative tool, pushing our minds to a rewarding answer," she said with confidence. 14 I didn't use the required theorem, she seemed really proud of how I'd worked through the problem. The class saw her fold my test paper and put it into her textbook. She announced that it would be 15 with future classes.

    My teacher would have been justified (合理的) in giving me a 16 grade. Instead, she used the 17 to deeply influence a student who often struggled. And after forty years, I still cherish the 18. It helped change my self-image. I 19 up to a broad boundary of possibilities which has made my life an adventure. She understood that teaching went beyond strict demands and could be used to 20. Thank you, Mrs. Davies.

    I still remember that the year when I started university. It was a very 1 time for me. Like many other new students I missed my mother's cooking and my friends, got quite homesick and 2 thought of leaving university and going home.

    The 3 me for many students was getting letters from home, and at first my mailbox was full. But 4 the letters gradually became fewer and finally the day came when I found my mailbox was 5. It made me feel quite miserable. Then one day while I was waiting for the postman I saw that I had a postcard in my box. Happily I sat down to read it, 6 that it was from one of my friends. 7 it was 8 of a young woman called Annie and her new baby. I took the card back to my room, put it into my desk drawer and 9 all about it.

    Several days later, I 10 another postcard. This time it was about Antonio, Annie's cousin. Soon later, another card came and then another, 11 full of interesting information about people I had 12 met. I began to really look forward to them,13 to see what the writer would 14 next. They made me feel 15 unhappy with my own life and I even began to smile. 16 while the cards 17 coming, I joined some societies and made some new friends. At last I was beginning to enjoy 18life. The postcards had made me feel happy and helped me begin a new life so I 19 all the cards and even now bring them out 20 I feel miserable.

The Cost of Dishonesty

    David began studying in Germany two years ago. The college was a little far from 1 he lived, so he had to take the 2 every day. This clever student soon found it was 3 to escape buying subway tickets, 4 he often went and returned without a ticket to 5 money. As a result, he had been caught with no 6 in the subway four times but he 7 took them to heart. He thought what he should pay more attention 8 was his study. He did work very hard in the last two years and graduated with 9 grades a month ago. Everyone, including David 10, thought he would get a good job easily in Germany and have a bright 11. He went to a big local company 12. But to his surprise, he was not 13 given his chance for an interview! He then went to 14 famous company, only to receive the same treatment. When he was 15 a third time, he couldn't 16 telephoning the company to ask why they didn't 17 him. The answer was simple, "We don't offer jobs to 18 people in Germany!"

    Being dishonest may bring us something useful sometimes, but the truth will 19 sooner or later and the cost is high. So remember, 20 is the best policy (策略).