Little Bit

    "Meow, meow, meow," is what I heard as I walked through the alley. I approached the noise and observed a tail sticking out from under a piece of wood Under the wood was a 1 black and white cat I picked him up and 2 he must be freezing to death 3 home with the cat held in my jacket.

    My new best friend, who soon became known as Little Bit, received his name because he was almost4when I held him in my hands. He stood about five inches tall. Little Bit's small size had a great advantage—he 5 perfectly in the pocket of my jacket, which made 6 him everywhere very easy.  Any time I was home, he wouldn't leave my 7 He was always  8 to me. When I fell asleep at night,he would always rolling up around my head to ensure that I was warm.

    Unfortunately, I grew up. My teenage life 9 my relationship with Little Bit. I lived at such a fast10 that I stopped making time for him. My free time was spent with my friends instead. I would come in the house on my phone and not 11 him at all. His meows became an annoyance to me, but it wasn't his fault that he wanted my 12 back.

    Time had caused a13 to Little Bit. His body began shocking down and by the time I  realized 14 was wrong with him, he had already lost his balance. He lay there and looked at me, and 15 this day I still remember the 16 look in his bright green eyes. I took him to the vet (兽医 ), but there was nothing he could do The last time I17 him he wasn't he same tiny cat I had found ten years before. Little Bit filled my arms and he was put to sleep that day.

    Little Bit's 18 made me realize how much he meant to me.He was always there for me when I needed him. I 19 our last years together and I feel sorry for not always being there for him.I will always20 the special memories we made.

    A large cat arrived at a farm where many mice lived. None of them dared go outside for fear of being1by the cat.

    The mice decided to hold a 2to find a way of stopping themselves from being in 3One day, when the cat was out, mice of all ages4 into the meeting room.

     “Let's build a big trap,” one mouse5 When this idea was6 another said. “What about poisoning(毒死)her?” But7knew where to buy the poison. One young mouse, whose mother had become the cat's food, said 8.” Let's cut her teeth, so she can do no more harm.” But the meeting did not accept his 9.

    At last, one mouse,10than the rest, jumped onto a table. Waving a bell, he called for11 “Be quiet! We'll tie this bell to the cat's tail, so we'll always know12she is! We'll have13to escape, and the slower and weaker mice will hear her coming and be able to 14!” Hearing the words, everyone got15and they congratulated him on his good idea.

     “We'll tie it so tightly(紧紧地)that it will never16!”

     “She'll never be able to walk 17again! Why, the other day, she suddenly appeared right in front of me! Just imagine”.

    However, the wise mouse said, “We must18who is going to tic it on her tail.” There was not a sound in the room. Nobody was19enough to put the plan into action. The meeting ended without any decision being made.

It's often very easy to have bright ideas, but putting them into practice is more20matter.

    I work as a volunteer for an organization that helps the poor in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to 1him.

    Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and2.For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too 3for a 17-year-old. Then, on Day three, as we were 4over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned(咧嘴笑), “Pretty hard.”

    After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes 5large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized(着迷). He couldn't stop6 Later he said7“I wish I could speak French.” I was8-this from a boy who hated and 9French classes throughout school.

    Usually silent, he 10Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed(活泼起来).

11the moment that really took12breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was13a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in14.Through determination, she had learned to read and write, and 15to become part of the leadership of the16.

    Learning her story, Barrett was as 17as I by this tiny woman's achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a18of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.

    When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay19as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This20achieved all I'd expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18th birthday. He'll be a man.

    Once upon a time, a group of businessmen were sailing on the Atlantic Ocean, 1 much American goods back to Paris, however, they 2 a terrible thunderstorm, both the men and ship 3 into the Atlantic Ocean 4 their goods.

    The only survivor of the shipwreck was washed up on a small, 5 island. He prayed 6 for God to rescue him, and every day he 7 the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. 8, he eventually managed to build a little hut(小木屋) out of driftwood to 9 him from bad weather, and to store his few 10. But then one day, after searching for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was shocked with 11 and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

    Early the next day, 12, he was awakened by the 13 of a ship that was 14 the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the 15 man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke 16," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and 17.

    Remember, next time your little hut is 18 to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that calls for the grace of God. For all the 19 things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive 20 to it.

    When we're young, especially in our twenties or even thirties, we may feel uncertain about our future. For years I have had no idea what I have been doing with my life, I was a thirty-year-old lawyer in New York. 1 being a lawyer was never my dream or goal in life. I honestly wanted to be a writer. I have a great 2 and would write amazing stories in my head. But I always knew that being a writer was 3 possible for me because it was a better 4 decision to stay a lawyer.

    Lately, I couldn't fall asleep 5 my usual time of 10 p. m. and when I did fall asleep I had the same dream 6. The dream starts with me in the ocean 7 to go for a swim and I'm searching for something, but I start to 8 and have no control over my 9. Then a light shines through the waters and when I look up, all I can 10 is myself in a bright white mom writing a 11. Then I hear a voice say 12, “Now is the time to try something new: now is the time to try something new.

    Something indescribable always stayed in my mind. It wasn't just a dream; it was my 13 to make something good out of my life. That afternoon, I 14 my job at the law firm and I couldn't have been any 15. My life started at 30, and every day 16 that point I haven't stopped enjoying life. I started to 17 and have been on the best-sellers list for the last two months. Things have definitely 18 well.

    19 is a good thing; it gives us an opportunity to take a chance. So my two favorite words I live by and so 20 you are "change and chance".

    It was March 15, 2012. My two brothers were out in the driveway shooting around when they suddenly screamed," The sky! The sky! It's green!" My dad 1 turned on the TV news. There was a tornado heading towards Dexter. I quickly ran up the stairs and seized my most 2 items that I felt I needed. My mom was piling clothing up in the basement to make a fort(堡垒)to 3 us. My dad was still up stairs watching the news. He usually never comes down when there's a bad 4. As my ears heard a loud "pop", I looked up to see my dad 5 full speed down into the basement swiftly 6 the door behind him to join us.

    I for a brief moment thought that I was going to 7. When the tornado was going by it sounded like a heavy train was tearing through our 8.

    Everything started to settle. My dad made his way back up the stairs to see what the damage was. The ceiling(天花板) had fallen down. Everywhere I 9all I could see was pure destruction. In that moment I felt 10, I had no idea what to do, and I didn't know what was happening or what the situation was. All I could think about was that my home was 11 going to be the same again.

    This was the event that caused my family to have a(n) 12 on how lucky we were to be alive and together. Although the tornado wasn't one that was that deadly we felt extremely 13 to be alive. This moment was a scary and life-changing situation, something that I never thought I would have to experience. It just made me think how I should be 14 for everything that I am able to have because you never know what 15 can throw at you, especially when you least expect it.