My wife and I moved to the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee in November, from New York to a very rural area. While moving we had the1of our adult daughter.

    During the 2days of moving into our new home, we3in the local community a lot. One evening we decided to have a meal at a buffet style restaurant. It had been a long day of 4boxes and furniture, and the next day would see us on the long drive back to our former home for another 5, a thousand mile long trip. We were all 6. But the buffet was great, and we7our meal feeling rested and relaxed.

    When I went to pay our bill,8in hand, the waitress cashier told me that they didn't 9credit cards. Being from the big city, it was10to use a credit card. Oops!

    I had no11in my pocket, but about 10 miles back down the road I'd seen a bank with an ATM. I told the lady that I would 12my family there and return in a few minutes to pay for our meals. “ Oh, you 13do that,” she told me. “ You just come back 14time and pay us then.” WHAT? I looked at her in 15. These people had16seen me before, did not know if I would ever return, yet they 17me to return to pay for three adult meals? This is not something that I had ever experienced in the big 18, that's for sure.

    We have lived there for almost six years, and every single week I see other acts of trust like this happening. It may be a “country” thing, or just19Southern hospitality. Whatever it is, I certainly like it, and I pass on this 20every chance I get.

    Under a very fearful storm, floods began to submerge (淹没) a small village. A priest (神父) in the church 1 and watched the flood submerge his knees. A lifeguard driving a boat came to2 the priest and said: “Father, come on as soon as possible!3 you will die in the flood!” The priest said: “No! I am 4 that God will save me. You can go to save others.”

    But soon the 5 have come to the priest's chest. At that time, a man was driving a speedboat to the priest. He said: “Father, fast up, otherwise you really will be submerged!” The priest said: “No, I would like to 6 my church. I 7 that God will save me. You'd better start to save others.”

    And after a while, floods have submerged the 8 church. A helicopter flew over 9 the pilot dropped a rope 10 and shouted: “Father11. This is the last 12!” Father firmly said: “No, I would like to keep my church! God will save me.” Rolling in the flood, the priest finally 13.

    Father went to the heaven and asked God the question: “Lord, I give my life to 14 you. Why do you 15 to help me!” God said: “Are you 16? The first time I sent a boat to save you, you refused it—I thought you were 17 about the risk boat; the second time I sent a speedboat to go, you refused it too; the last time I send a helicopter out, you were 18 to accept the results. Therefore, I thought you wanted to hurry back to my 19”

    In fact, too many obstacles in life, mostly because of extreme 20 are caused by ignorance.

    As a child, I started learning to play the piano, my favorite musical 1 but I was forced to give up when I started my middle school2 I could concentrate more on my studies.

It's one of my biggest3 to stop practicing the piano when I recall sadly today. During the following years, I kept telling my piano teacher that I would4However, I didn't keep my promise because I was 5 with my study6 I lost touch with my teacher. Some years later, my teacher died. I was very sad because I lost such a good teacher. She was a very warm and gentle person. It hurts me to think she may have been 7 that I never returned. I haven't taken lessons since then but to be honest, I 8 to. Sitting at the piano, I couldn't help recalling many 9 —times of my practising at home and playing before my teacher and one time my teacher 10 me after I played entire pieces of music wrong in front of her colleagues. I was so 11 that I could hardly say anything. But her 12helped ease my shame. These memories13good or bad, never caused my14 for playing the piano again.

    This thought then led me to think that 15 is like music, and that we all try to play different 16 in the instrument of our life. Sometimes the pitch (音高) is17when we play it well, but sometimes we are out of tone. However, we all continue to create our own 18style of music. No matter what style our music is, it is 19 that we sing the songs of joy, quietness and love. Though I may never make it back to piano lessons, it doesn't 20 that I've stopped making music.

    As she walked round the large shop, Edith realized how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas 1for her father.

    She 2that he were as easy to please as her mother, who was 3satisfied with perfume(香水). 4, shopping at this time of the year was a most 5job. People 6on your feet, pushed you with their shoulders and almost 7 you over in their hurry in order to 8 something cheap ahead of you.

    Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter, where some beautiful ties were on 9. "They are 10silk," the shop assistant told her with a smile trying to 11her to buy one. But Edith knew from past 12that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

    She moved on slowly and then, quite by chance, 13where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some fine pipes on sale and the 14were very beautiful. Edith did not hesitate for long, although her father 15 smoked a pipe once in a while, she believed this was 16 to please him.

    When she got home, with her small but 17present hidden in her handbag, it was time for supper and her parents were already 18table. Her mother was in great 19. "Your father has at last decided to stop smoking," she told her daughter happily. Edith was so 20that she could not say a single word.

    My husband and I have little money lately. We haven't 1 out for a while, so we went to a 2 last night.

    When we saw the 3, we knew we could only afford to get a small pizza, so we would have enough money left for 4. Before long our pizza that was cut to 4 pieces arrived. My husband wanted to act like a 5, so he would like to put a piece of 6 on my plate. Unluckily it dropped onto the 7. I knew he would be 8 about others' opinions on him. I told him, "Honey, don't let other people 9 us. We still have three pieces left."

    The manager 10 this and came over with a broom (扫帚). He 11 the pizza and said he was 12 that the oven (烤箱) had been turned off, or he would have 13 another pizza for us. At the end of our meal he 14 to our table again to thank us for being here. Then he 15 us one coupon (优惠券) for a free small pizza. We were 16because he could have chosen a 17 attitude (态度) when he saw the pizza we dropped during their closing time. Instead he chose to make sure we could left 18. My husband was going to give him tips for our meal that we had prepared, 19 the manager didn't take them. To some people it might not be important, but to us it meant a lot. Our rare treat of enjoying a night out was made more 20.

Cali Scores a Goal

    It was the last game of the season. Cali had been playing soccer all summer. She really enjoyed 1 around with the other players in her blue uniform, chasing the black and white ball across the grassy field. As much as she tried, 2, Cali still had not scored one single goal.

    "Don't give up," said her coach. He showed Cali and her team how to pass the ball to each other and take shots at the goal. Cali was pretty good at passing the ball, but she couldn't kick the ball 3 the goalkeeper. She wondered if she should 4 soccer.

    "Don't give up," said her teammates. "You just need to keep trying and you will get 5 ." So Cali stayed on the team and did her best.

    "Don't give up," said Aunt Lisa. But it was half-time, and Cali was feeling 6 . She was trying! Every time she got a(an) 7 to kick the ball, it would go in the 8 direction or a player from the other team would take control of it.

    The break was over and the referee(裁判) blew her whistle to 9 the game again. The two 10 walked back onto the field, both 11 to win. Cali heard her aunt whisper in her ear. "Look for an opportunity to get the ball. You can do it."

    Cali took a deep breath. 12 she didn't get one goal all summer, she knew that she had tried her best. She dreamed she'd leave her team after the game was over. Suddenly, she was woken by some 13 that was the sweet, happy jingle of the ice cream truck. It was driving right beside the soccer field, playing its music loudly to attract 14 .

    The players on both teams turned to 15 at it. A few girls pointed to it and cheered. The soccer game had nearly stopped. Cali looked around and saw the soccer ball close by, 16 by the nearest player from the other team. Cali dashed over to the ball. She dribbled(带球) it between her feet, moving forward toward the net of the yellow team. By the time the other girls had 17 , Cali was positioned right in front of the net. The goalkeeper was 18 to one side, looking at the ice cream truck. She turned back 19 to guard the net as Cali kicked the ball hard.

    The keeper 20 out her gloved hand. The ball touched the tips of her fingers as it swooshed past, right into the net. "Goal!"