My whole life began to make more sense after I was diagnosed with Turner syndrome（特纳综合征）at 12. Before that, I1understood why when the rest of my classmates were growing like weeds, I 2a seed stuck in the ground. I had always struggled being the3girl in my class and was known as “Shorty” . Though this 4 me deeply, I refused to let my classmates5my enthusiasm for school and learning. I 6 lots of after-school activities, though they sometimes presented problems. Because girls with Turner syndrome tend to have 7coordination (协调), I hardly had any athletic ability. I loved to sing, but it proved 8to share a microphone with a group of girls seven inches taller. Despite this, I 9 to drive myself to prove that heart and brains could make up for lack of 10. Once diagnosed, I was given a 11plan that involved daily growth hormone (激素) injections. I am the type of person who 12 a doctor's appointment for weeks in advance, 13 getting used to injections every day — and even worse, giving them to myself — was a true test of my character.14 , I got over this difficulty and after five years, I have grown 11 inches. This was a(n) 15 response and I consider it my own little miracle. I am not 16that I have Turner syndrome. It has built up my character and17me into the person I am today. I have learned that you need to try your best to 18the difficulties in your life. Someone once told me, “No one can make you feel inferior (自卑) without your permission.”This statement has always 19 me and so I will journey on to the next stage of my life with  20and self-confidence.

    Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to 1 how much I wanted to see France; obviously, my excitement really came through in my words. Once I 2 that I was going, all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel and making all sorts of new and 3 friends. While traveling was inspiring and meeting people was4 ， nothing about my term in France was what I 5.

    The moment I arrived in Paris, I was 6 by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. My entire experience was joyous and exciting 7 I received some shocking news from my program coordinator (协调人)：there had been a death in my host parents' extended family. They had to travel outside France for several weeks. That afternoon, I had to 8 out of one family's house and into another. The exchange coordinator told me I'd have a 9 this time and asked whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation (诱惑) to 10 my native language, I asked not to be 11 with an English­speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I 12 myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian(巴西人) the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of the 13.

    I left France with many 14, so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they are always 15 to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the scores of weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends 16 France we enjoyed together. I love how people 17 seem so different, but end up being so 18. The most valuable lesson I gained from studying in France wasn't just to respect the French people 19 to respect all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful 20.

    Despite being married for over 17 years, Jeff and Angela Hartung are still going through the getting-to-know-each-other stage of their relationship. That's because, close to five years ago, Angela was 1 by a car while crossing a New York City intersection.

    "I do not 2 anything at all. I asked for my two 3 .I thought they were like 2 and 8 years old. They were 17 and 23 years old," said Angela.

    After the accident, Angela was 4 to recall about fifteen years of her life. When she woke up from her coma ( 昏迷), Angela thought she was still 5 to her first husband, who had passed away years ago, and she had zero memory of her present 6 , Jeff. Even after seeing their wedding album, Angela had no 7 who Jeff was. This left Jeff with a difficult  8—how could he 9 his wife's love for the second time?

    First, Jeff covered their house with photos, and reminders of 10 times before Angela's accident. He then 11  courting ( 求婚) her all over again .Most importantly, Jeff refused to leave Angela's 12 , even when she couldn't remember who he was.13, Jeff's efforts paid off and Angela 14 for him all over again. This called for some kind of 15 .

    In order to restart their 16 love story, Jeff and Angela retold their vows in New York City's Central Park. They 17 invited all of their closest friends and family members.

    Jeff truly feels 18 that he was able to earn his wife's love all over again. "I 19 believe that this happened for a reason," he said:"How many times have we said, 'I wish I could go 20 and do something over again?' I've gotten to do that."

    A boy guarded the barrel(桶) in his father's winery. Every morning he1up every barrel with a piece of cloth, and then put them in2row upon row. To his 3, the wind blew the barrels here and there4. The boy was so angry that he wrote a letter to the wind, "Please don't blow down my barrels." After5that, his father asked the boy with a smile, "Can the wind read your6?" The little boy said, "I don't know, but I have no way of dealing with the wind."

    The next morning, when the little boy ran to look at the barrels, he found that the wind had7his request, still blowing the barrels here and there. The little boy felt8and burst into tears. His father stroked his head gently and said, "Son, don't be sad. We can't deal with the wind, but we can think of our own methods to 9the barrels.

    Then the little boy10his tears and sat near the barrels to think over and over. After thinking half a day, he finally11a way. He12some water from the well and poured it into those13barrels. At14, the little boy got up in a rush, ran out and saw the barrels still15in good order. He smiled happily and told his father, "We do have a way to16the barrels from blowing down. It's a very17way, that is, to add weights to the barrels." The little boy's father smiled 18.

    We can't change many things, but we can add the weight of our own19, so that we can stand20in the world not to be knocked over.

    When I was 13 years old, I stopped speaking. I'm still not exactly sure 1. I think I felt that words got me into trouble. The boys in my class were always 2 me, telling me to shut up. One day, I 3 into uncontrollable sobs behind the sports hall.

    So throughout my 4, I was silent dealing with the wider world only in whispers and shrugs. My isolation(孤立）led to indescribable 5 that nothing could relieve. I couldn't 6 or socialize. Then, at 15, a psychologist saw 7 in me She said I was in intelligent but 8, and needed to change schools for a fresh start.

    My parents sent me to a different comprehensive. I knew no one and I had the chance to 9 myself. Cheered by the psychologist's 10 in me, I worked hard and became a swot(刻苦学习的人). As a result, my parents were 11. Finally at 20, I was referred to a psychiatrist and he diagnosed me with a mild form of autism(自闭症). It was such a(n) 12 to know what was happening that I cried on the bus on the way home.

    It took a further five years to 13 again, a decision that was as much a surprise to me as it was to everyone else. I 14 myself hard, becoming more confident. Gradually, I 15 my speech. I definitely get more than usual pleasure from the use of 16. It's still such a fresh experience for me 17 different words—ones that can sound so complex, and carry so much 18.

    When I think of what I have 19, I feel like crying, but I don't 20it up anymore. Instead, I enjoy talking about it.

    I was a single mother of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always1, but we had a roof over our heads, food on the table, 2on our backs. It was Christmas time, we3 downtown to see the Christmas lights, and enjoyed a special dinner, 4 the big excitement for the kids was the fun of Christmas 5 at the market. They talked and planned for weeks ahead of time, 6 each other what they wanted for Christmas.

    The big day arrived and we started out early. I 7 each kid a twenty-dollar bill and asked them to8for presents. Then everyone scattered (散开).

    Back in the car driving home, everyone was9 about Christmas, laughing and asking each other about what they had10 . I found my younger daughter, Ginger, had only one small and flat bag with her. I could 11 enough through the plastic 12 to tell that she had bought candy bars— fifty-cents candy bars！What did she13 with that twenty-dollar bill I had given her? I was so14. After getting home, I called her into my bedroom and closed the door. This was15 she told me.

    "I was looking around and thinking of what to buy, and I 16 to read the little cards on one of the Salvation Army's 'Giving Trees'. One of the cards was 17a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll with clothes and a hairbrush. So I took the card off the 19 and bought the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn't have anything."

    My anger 20 and I had never felt so rich as I did that day.