Good afternoon, everyone,

    I'd like to introduce my friend Christy to you all. Christy is a great example of how one person with1can make her dream a reality, so she should win the Student of the Year Award. Christy loves to ride bikes. She does not just ride along city streets,2. She is interested in3 trail (小路) rides. 4 Christy knew that people who love riding had to travel5the city to find good bike trails, so she6 to do something.

    Christy knew that Roosevelt Park had a clean, lively creek(小溪）7 through it. 12 miles of land around the creek was8used. Christy decided to get together with other trail9 to ask the city council to10 a bike path along the unused land. Christy 11a petition (请愿书). She and other riders asked all of their biking friends if they would12 the list, and they gathered 300 signatures. The city council evaluated the13 and, more14, agreed to build the bike trail.

    The15took two months of work, and now Roosevelt Park has a16bike trail. It has many ups and downs; it is a great ride. This trail is becoming one of the community's important17 spots. I can't 18 with Christy when we ride together, but I am glad that she decided to work hard to begin the19 of the Roosevelt Park bike path. Christy20this award because she acted on her dream, causing a community to come together.

    Thank you!

    One weekend, my kids and I were heading into the supermarket. On the way, we 1 a man holding a piece of paper that said, “Lost my job. Family to Feed.”

    At this store, a 2 like this is not normal. My 10-year-old noticed him and made a 3 on how bad it must be to have to stand 4 in the cold wind.

    In the store, I asked each of my kids to pick something they thought our “friend” there would 5. They got apples, a sandwich and a bottle of juice. Then my 17-year-old suggested giving him a6. I thought about it. We were low on cash ourselves, but… well, sometimes giving from our need 7 our abundance (充裕；丰富) is just what we need to do! All the kids declared something they could do away with for the week.

    When we handed him the bag of 8, he lit up and thanked us with 9 eyes. When I handed him the gift card, saying he could use it for 10  his family might need, he burst into tears.

    This has been a wonderful 11 for our family. For days the kids have been looking for others we can 12 ! Things would have played out so 13 if I had simply said, “No, we really don't have 14 to give more.” Stepping out not only helped a brother in need, it also gave my kids the 15 taste of helping others. It'll go a long way with them.

    French singer seeks Chinese musical dream

    “The first time I heard the Chinese song Girl in the Flower Room by Chinese rock star Cui Jian, I got the idea of covering it in French, and it 1 pretty good," French singer and songwriter Joyce Jonathan said. Known as the "Pop Queen of Chanson" in France, the 28-year-old singer 2 her first Chinese album Ca Ira on May 16 and toured China from May 19 to June 5 in cities 3Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

    Born on Nov 3, 1989 in Levallois-Perret, France, Joyce Jonathan has always loved to record life through music. At the age of seven, she learned to play the piano and began 4 her first series of songs. "Music is about love and stories. People of different countries may have language barriers5they can all understand what I am trying to say in my songs, and it is the power of music," Jonathan said. In 2005, she posted her musical tracks on the site MySpace, a social networking website, and was able to 6fame on the internet.

    7 that fame, Jonathan began recording her first album Sur mes Gardes in May 2010. It was certified platinum ( 130,000 album sales ) in under a year. On Jan 23, 2011, she 8 the NRJ Music Award for Francophone Breakthrough of the Year,9 an important step in her musical career. "When I win more and more fans, I truly feel very happy. And I like to communicate with my fans and listen to their ideas 10 I can," she says.

    Although a French native, Jonathan grew up in a "Chinese-speaking" family. Her parents worked in China and could speak a little Chinese and one of her sisters has lived in Beijing so far. "When I was a little girl, I visited Beijing, a very 11memory in my childhood.12 and friendly, Chinese people led me into many interesting places," she 13 "The food dumpling and the old places like hutong are really14to me." Because of her interest in China, the singer began to learn Chinese, and in 2011, she15 four of her songs in Chinese for the first time. "The Chinese language is very beautiful with dynamic rhythms. But Chinese is not easy to learn and I will keep practicing."

    16several years of work, the Ca Ira album was made, which included 10 Chinese songs. Some of the songs were 17 from French versions, while others are completely new for Chinese fans.

    In the album, Joyce Jonathan cooperated with Chinese singer Cui Jian, known as the "Father of Rock" in China.

    In April 1989, Cui released the song Girl in the Flower Room in his album Rock and Roll on the New Long March and the song was widely sung by Chinese people in the 1990s. "The song was amazing, both in meaning and melody, and I decided to 18 it in French."

    The French 19 Tes Deserts, which mean "The Love Desert" in English, was produced in May this year and was a sensation(轰动) among many French people. "I could not believe such a romantic song could come from China," French Facebook user, Zombie Baby, said online. According to Jonathan, the song proves music is20and has no boundaries.

    There was my mother, standing in a fuzzy (毛绒绒的) pink bunny(兔子）costume. This can't be, 1 I thought to myself. Being ten was 2 enough.

    Our class was taking a trip to a convalescent home（疗养院) that day.I had 3 to stay at home pretending I'd caught some rare disease. My mother who's a(n) 4, sent me to school anyway.

    When we got there, I 5 wished for that 6. I'd fall to the ground and be 7the humiliation (耻笑) of anyone ever knowing that I 8every day after school there, dressed as a bunny.

“Hi, Shelly!” The residents waved at me, “ Do you know them?” someone asked. “No! They 9 me for someone else. I'm Machille,” I responded. I didn't look up 10 I might make eye contact with them. Then, Mrs. Deist, our teacher, handed us tulips (郁金香) to give to the residents. I quickly went to the back of the 11. My mother just went along her way— hopping（单足跳跃）. Last year, we hopped together. 12, “I'm too old for that now”, I thought.

    I hid behind my class. “ Shelly, how about a game of Fish?” Lou asked. My class and teacher 13 and stared. “ Machille, do you know these people?” Mrs.Deist asked me.

“Um….yes！”  

    “Well you should 14 the way,” she said, smiling. So I stepped forward, handed a tulip to Rose, waved to Frank and gave Mr. Blusso a high-five.

    “My mother is in a convalescent home. I wish she could have someone like you to 15 her.” Mrs Deist said. My mother hopped over then. “This is my mom. Every day she looks after these special people who need nurses' care.” I stood straight as I 16 the information. My mother then explained a program where kids can 17 after school. The residents cheered at the18, and my class seemed excited, too.

    I realized how 19 it made me to make other people smile and feel good. I should never be 20 of that.

    Several years ago, I had a long delay at the Pittsburg airport, 1 I headed for the shoe shine stand where two young 2 worked. One was a pleasant young man, the other was 3. I wanted the 4 one to shine my shoes. However, when my 5 came I got the quiet one.

    I said, “Good morning! How are you?” The man said 6 and I thought to myself, “That's no 7 to build a business!” As I sat down, he 8 rolled up my pant leg and as he used the soap to 9 my shoes he was careful to get none on my 10. He wiped the shoes with extreme care and as he 11 the polish (shoe cream) he made certain that every inch of leather was totally 12. He brushed the shoes, 13then took his shine cloth and really put some energy into the 14. As he was shining my shoes, I looked carefully at the man 15. He obviously suffered from some degree of mental dullness. When he 16 the job successfully, I don't need to tell you that the man got a 17 tip from me.

    Two major observations: his parents must be great people to have18 this young man the 19 of hard work; the second: regardless of your ability, if you 20 it and use it to the fullest, you can become really good at what you do. Major point: Be careful how you judge people on the first impression. Give them a chance.

Even 15 years after my grandfather's death, he is still following me around, 1 in my ear on what to do. He is still the British-accented 2 in my head, giving me a nod of 3 for my right choice, and raising an eyebrow 4 he disagrees with something I'm doing. His wise and optimistic views 5 to affect my life.

My grandfather walked 10,000 steps 6 every day, and not because he had a $100 fitness tracker 7 him to do so. Instead of "exercising," he worked in his garden, 8 vegetables that kept our family through many winters and roses that were the joy of many summers.

He was good to the 9 in the way that people used to be before they had to be told it was the 10 thing to do. Actually, he never 11 a car or learned to drive, so he walked everywhere he could and took a bus the rest of the time.

After my grandmother died, I used to go and 12 with him on weekends. We walked around, chatted to the neighbors, and went to the 13 for food and milk. Occasionally I would 14 a little cake for him in his kitchen. At the end of the day, before he 15 the light, he would say, "That was a (a) 16 day. I enjoyed every minute of it." I never doubted for a moment that he 17 it.

In the morning, I'd 18 to his whistling in the kitchen downstairs (usually it was Raindrops Keep Falling on Mr Head). At the time, it 19 me—I am not a morning person—but now I'd give anything to hear that 20 one more time.