As I drove my blue Buick into the garage, I saw that a yellow Oldsmobile was 1too close to my space. I had to drive back and forth to get my car into the 2 space. That left 3 enough room to open the door. Then one day I arrived home 4 , and just as I turned off the engine, the yellow Oldsmobile entered its space — too close to my car, 5 . At last I had a chance to meet the driver. My patience had 6 and I shouted at her, “Can't you see you're not 7 me enough space? Park farther over.” Banging(猛推) open her door into 8 , the driver shouted back: “Make me!” 9 this she stepped out of the garage. Still, each time she got home first, she parked too close to my 10 . Then one day, I thought, “What can I do?” I soon found 11 . The next day the woman 12 a note on her windshield(挡风玻璃):

    Dear Yellow Oldsmobile,

    I'm sorry my mistress(女主人) shouted at yours the other day. She's been sorry about it. I know it because she doesn't sing anymore while 13 . It wasn't like her to scream 14 . Fact is, she'd just got bad news and was taking it out on you two. I 15 you and your mistress will 16 her.

Your neighbor,

Blue Buick

    When I went to the 17 the next morning, the Oldsmobile was gone, but there was a note on my windshield:

Dear Blue Buick,

    My mistress is sorry, too. She parked so 18 because she just learned to drive. We will park much farther over after this. I'm glad we can be 19 now.

Your neighbor,

Yellow Oldsmobile

    After that, whenever Blue Buick 20 Yellow Oldsmobile on the road, their drivers waved cheerfully and smiled.

    One summer, Aunt Betta and Uncle Bill invited me to travel with them back home to Pennsylvania. I had never been1Los Angeles and was eager to meet our relatives.

    Our first night, we drove through the desert, and then through roads cut through hills. The next day we went through the Rocky Mountains. It was2driving up long inclines（斜坡） with abrupt U-shape turns on the steep hillsides, then driving3slowly with great caution. Beyond Colorado, we drove through miles of 4, where I saw actual food being grown. I5some of the crops.

    In one small town we passed through, Aunt Betta decided I needed new6and took me to a country 7. I was used to8dresses and skirts. Now I had my first pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, shorts and a T-shirt. I loved them all.

    9 we reached our destination. Uncle Bill's aunt had a perfect little two-story house. The first thing I 10was a bed in a cute little room — for me! I looked forward to that. It would be like sleeping in a dollhouse. In the backyard, I saw red things11the back fence. Uncle Bill's uncle said, "I think you never ate a 12tomato in L.A." I hadn't. He 13picked one for me.

    I met all my new aunts, uncles and cousins. My cousins taught me how to do cartwheels (恻手翻) in the big front yard. Country people have more14, I thought.

    All the adults cried when we 15, but I took home all the 16of everything I'd seen. Back in L.A., my lungs hurt when I took a deep breath. I 17 the fresh air. I dreamed of homegrown tomatoes. My country clothes seemed out of 18, but I wore them anyway.

    I was two weeks late starting19, but I told my teachers only that I'd been in Pennsylvania and decided to 20all the rest to myself. If only they could have experienced everything that I did!

    I think that sleeping is perhaps the most comfortable thing in the world. While 1, I will do nothing but close my eyes, leaving all the trouble behind. However, I2 get up early almost every morning.

    My class begins at 8:00 am, but the teacher asks us to arrive at the school before 7:15 am, so we will have3time to prepare for the classes. If you are 4, then you will lose one point. And when you lose 105, your parents' visit to school will be a must. Though I think it's 6 to arrive so early, I still don't want to lose any points.

    One morning, my alarm clock7to work. I8with a start(吃惊) and found that it was already 7:00. I had lost two points that week, that is to say, I would lose three points in a9. My teacher said that he 10me to be late that morning. And my friends joked that my 11was coming soon. I finally  12to do something to change this. I bought a new alarm clock. It sings songs on time every morning 13 I turn it off.

    The new alarm clock is perfect for a lazy cat like me. The first time I 14it, I was able to get up at 6:00 the next morning. Proud of 15 I took a deep breath and found that the air in the early morning is surprisingly 16 I read some English books, 17that morning is really fit for reading English. I hadn't realized 18 that morning is so wonderful.

    “Life is 19a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get,” just as Forrest Gump said. Sometimes if you make a 20, you may find that things will end up with the better.

    It has always been my dream to attend college. When I was younger, I would watch TV shows with college students having lots of 1. It looked like a great experience — going to parties,2with friends and letting the good times 3. When I entered high school, however, I started learning the real 4 of college－to get a good education and a well-paid job. Therefore, with a passion for success in life, I expressed my5about attending university to my parents. They were 6 I'd chosen the path, but were disappointed because they couldn't 7the cost. Upset and stressed, I started looking for 8 to pay myself.

    My search for money began online. I went to every free scholarship search engine and spent up to five hours each day looking for scholarships I 9 for. It was hard, but I knew it would 10  when I'd found almost all the scholarships I could apply for, I 11 them by deadline, which gave me a way to prioritize my schedule. After  12 everything, it was time to fill out the applications. Despite the amounts, ranging from ＄100 to ＄40,000, I took each scholarship 13  because together they would fund my goal. With this in my mind, the hardest part began: writing the essays. To14 my writing, I asked friends, relatives and teachers to  15 over my work. Now I've won 16 scholarships and can attend college for free.

    The scholarship search truly made me a 17 person. I learned the importance of setting a(n)  18 and accomplishing it.19 I did have to read several rejection letters, those made me stronger. I'm thrilled I had the opportunity to learn more about my 20 to succeed no matter what difficulties got in my way.

    Dr. Lee was one of my favorite professors in college. He was 1because of a trick he employed at the beginning of his first class. “I will put a2into each of my lectures. Your job is to try and3me in the Lie of the Day.”

That was a 4way to focus our attention at the dry and 5subject—Capital Markets. On those days we actively6Dr. Lee's statements. Every once in a while, a lecture would end with 7seeing through the lie. Dr. Lee would say, “Ah ha! Each of you has a lie in your notes.8among yourselves what it might be, and I will tell you next Monday.”

What made Dr. Lee's teaching 9smart was that there was no lie during the most technically10lecture. He offered the same challenge to11 our lecture notes. On the following Monday, he would hear our 12for almost ten minutes before he finally said, “Do you13the first lecture—how I said that every lecture

    Has a lie?”

    Tired from having our best theories shot down, we14.

    “Well, that was a lie. My previous lecture was completely true and15. But I am glad you reviewed your notes 16 this weekend. Moving on …”

While my knowledge of the Capital Markets has17over time, the lessons hay stayed with me. “Experts” can be18and say things that sound right—so build a habit of 19new information and check it against things you already accept as 20.

    Ten years ago I was visiting Costa Rica when I found I was in a bad situation. I only knew basic Spanish, and the only 1 I had was some coins and a return ticket to Guatemala in two weeks.

    With the coins, I managed to arrive at Santa Rosa by bus. It was 2 in the middle of the night, but I could see some 3 in the distance, so I 4  toward them.

    I went 5 door to door, explaining my situation. “I can 6 and clean and look after your kids, I can do anything, can you give me a 7 ?”Everybody replied saying “Oh my gosh, but we are so 8.We have no extra food. Maybe you can try the next 9.”

    Finally, I arrived at a Chinese restaurant, the owner of which was incredibly 10 .She told me that her son had a(n) 11 experience. At that time, some other people were very kind to him, and she remembered how 12 that made her feel. She called the Red Cross to 13me. With their help, I spent my 14 days in Costa Rica.

    I've 15 all over the world. But this was one of the best trips, the best two 16 I ever had in my traveling life.

    At first, I felt 17 and stupid for not traveling with a clear plan. But then I realized that when you're in a position to be able to 18, it actually makes people feel happier. Being able to receive kindness is a 19 for other people as well. And kindness 20 more kindness in small ripples(涟漪).