It was a bright sunny day, and the terrible experience happened when I was studying in Bangalore. One day, I got a call from my mom that my brother's 1 was fixed and they were arranging the wedding ceremony in the next few days. My 2 was pretty far. So the next thing I was 3 to do was to book my 4 ticket as there was no direct flight to my hometown. The 5 was done by an agent in my neighborhood. I paid the whole amount 6But when the day approached the 7 disappeared，leaving me without the train ticket, and thus 8 all my travel plan.

    But as it is said, once you face such 9 situations, you realize your inner strength. I 10 decided I would complete my whole journey by bus. Without further 11, I took a bus to the first city stop. The next bus was again not 12 —it was 8 hours to a city near my hometown, where my aunt lived. They were also going to 13 my brother's wedding ceremony. So I called them and 14 them to accommodate me. They15. Half the battle was won.

    Then next day, I was just a few hours from my hometown. When my aunts family and I were boarding our car, my 16 asked me to switch places with her.

    The journey continued. We were trying to overtake(超越) another car when 17 a truck appeared in front of us and we went directly head on in front of it. We 18with the truck. In this accident, almost everyone in our car was 19. Fortunately, I didn't have any injury, 20 my cousin who switched places with me was seriously injured!

Crayon Crisis

    The telephone rang. It was my sister, who was working in an elementary school. She told me she used my crayon 1 again.

    Over 40 years ago, I sat in my first-grade classroom2 the teacher asked me to go to the principal's office. I was shy. And I hated to be  3 For me, being called to the principal's office was my worst dream.

    When I pushed open the door, it was worse than I thought. Seated in front of the principal's desk were my 4 My father walked straight over to me. Holding my drawings, he asked, “Why do you only use a black crayon when you draw?" I couldn't speak.

    “5 me your desk,” said my father.

In my classroom, my father pulled out my crayon box from my desk. A single nub of a crayon rested in his palm—it was black.6, my father asked, “Where are the rest of your crayons? ”

    I quietly explained that I'd given all the other crayons to friends. I'd been   7 like my parents had taught me. My father let out a deep 8“You were sharing?”

    I nodded my head.

Back to the office, I looked at my father, then at the principal—both their faces were 9The principal whispered that I could go. I waved goodbye to my parents. My mother waved back, but I couldn't get my father's 10 he was glaring at the principal.

    I learned years later that my father's face was red due to 11 and the principal's was red due to embarrassment. The principal,12 seeing all my artwork done in black crayon, assumed (猜想) that I had deep emotional problems. He had called my parents in to discuss “my 13” and to suggest some psychological counseling (心理咨询).

    I was too afraid to say that I only had one crayon left. I was too shy to ask for my “shared” crayons back. Because I didn't 14 up for myself, others assumed the worst.

    Today my sister tells her students, “Don't be 15 to speak up. If you don't, I just might make the wrong assumption. Let me tell a story about my sister, when she was around your age...”

    Michael Wang was a senior at James Logan High School, US, back in 2012. According to The New Yorker, he was confident that he could get into an Ivy League university, such as Harvard or Yale. He had a high GPA, 1 at debating and co-founded a math club. He was also a talented pianist. 2, his dream universities turned him down. His less talented classmates, who were Hispanic or African-American, were admitted into these schools. It made him wonder if he was 3 because he was Asian.

    On Oct 15, a lawsuit against Harvard brought on behalf of Asian-American students like Wang Began students for Fair Admissions(SFFA),a US non-profit organization. 4 Harvard for using racial balancing in their admissions process. Harvard has denied the 5considers many factors when 6 whether a student should be admitted, including academic performance and extracurricular activities. Harvard added that the number of Asian-Americans admitted to the school had greatly increased since 2010.”Race alone is never the reason a student's7 admission, ”William Lee, a lawyer for Harvard, told the guardian. ”And race is never the reason a student is denied.”

    Harvard is not the only university to have been accused of 8against Asian-Americans. In September, the US Justice Department begin to9whether Yale University discriminates against Asian-Americans, The case has 10 a longstanding debate over affirmative action policies(平均法案政策) that allow universities to use race as a factor when considering applications. The policies11 benefit African-American and latino students in an effort to make up for centuries of racial discrimination, according to THE NEW YORK Times, the SFFA wants the use of race in the admissions process to be ended, 12 that it causes inequality.” People should be judged on character and 13,”However, in a student, Havard said that 14 the race criterion would “reduce students' opportunities to live and learn in a diverse campus environment”.

    Although the case has just begun, the15judgement” could influence admissions to US universities for years to come,” according to AI Jaxeera, a Qatar based TV station

    Heroes come in different shapes and sites. Some are born to give others a1. Then there are the people who2 happen to be in the right place at the right time. That was the 3for John Underwood.

    On a cold evening, a storm 4near his home. Underwood was heading over to help his sister when the roads were5. He saw some other drivers get stuck, so he got out of his truck to help. “My6 is that if I have the ability to do good, then I should do it. There should be no7.” he said.

    Underwood wasn't out of his8long before he heard a cry, “Someone was  9, 'My parents, my parents!'” Moments later, a 12-year-old boy ran up to Underwood, saying his parents were 10and asked for help.

    The Hammonds went to get things from the basement when the walls11to bear the weight of rain and fell down, and they couldn't12. Worse still, the water was rising fast. 13 was of extreme significance, so Underwood took action at once. Any inappropriate action could add more dangers. Luckily, Underwood had 14 as a contractor (承包商). “Digging a hole in the living room floor, I knew it's a 15way.” he said.

    With physical strength, patience, and a lot of 16, Underwood saved their lives. He said he did what anyone would do, but that's not necessarily true. It's 17to put yourself in a dangerous way to rescue another. That's why the American Red Cross 18him. Ann Otto, who was in charge of the 23rd Annual Acts of Courage Awards, said the Awards should19heroes like Underwood who have acted 20and selflessly in a time of emergency.

    When I was a kid, my mum liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night 1 when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at 2.

    On that evening so long ago, my mum 3 a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember 4 to see if anyone noticed! 5 all my dad did was reach for his toast, 6 at my mum and ask me how my day was at school… I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember 7 him spread butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

    When I got up from the table that evening, I remembered hearing my mum 8 to my dad for burning the toast. And I'II never 9 what he said: "Honey, I love 10 toast."

    Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really 11 his toast burned. He 12 me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's really 13. And besides, a burned toast never 14 anyone!"

    15 is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at anything, 16 I forget holidays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've 17 over the years is that learning to accept each other's 18 — and 19 to celebrate each other's differences — is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and 20 relationship where a burned toast isn't a deal-breaker!

The university I attend has about 3500 students. One early afternoon, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (walk) around the campus when I found a female student sitting on the walkway with tears on her face. Everyone just walked by her, so I decided to stop {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (give) her a hand. I dropped my books and sat down beside her. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} turned out that she injured her ankle (脚踝) and was {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (able) to walk. So I told her that I would sit with her {#blank#}5{#/blank#} she was ready to get up. It only took a few minutes for her to calm down. Then I took her {#blank#}6{#/blank#}the hand and got her to the nearest hospital.

She thanked me so much for just stopping! Since then, when we run into each other {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (occasional) on campus, she would smile and thank me again. And we have become good friends now. I am amazed that just my sitting there, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (offer) support and comfort to a total {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(strange) would affect her so greatly. She said she was grateful for what I had done, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} made her feel that she was not alone in the world.