Cathy and I met a few days after I first arrived in China. I was walking around the English academy which had 1me, introducing myself to my new colleagues, most of whom were Chinese. I entered Cathy's2 , saw her, and immediately felt some 3 and happy emotions. She 4 so kind, yet professional. I couldn't stop smiling like a (n) 5 . After introducing ourselves and exchanging6 questions, I asked whether she knew anyone who could7 me in Chinese. She said she could, and 8 to meet after work.

    We sometimes exchanged non-romantic texts in the evening. After a couple9, I invited her to my apartment. I was very nervous. Later, I asked if she would consider 10 me. She didn't immediately 11, but said she would tell me the next day. I found it very difficult to 12, but wait I did.

    This was a13 difference. In American culture, starting to date someone is not a bit important 14, but I think in Chinese culture it is. Well, she said “yes”, and so we spent lots of time together, and 15 love. I asked her to 16 me about 6 or 7 months later.

    We had a Chinese style 17 in Cathy's hometown. My parents came, and it was great. It went really 18. Everyone was very 19. It was a very fun and interesting 20 for me, very different from a Western style wedding.

    Around twenty years ago I was living in Seattle and going through hard times. I could not find 1 work although I had a lot of experience and a Master's degree.

    To my 2, I had to drive a school bus to 3my family. At the same time, I had some4 with different companies but they all5to say I did not get the job. I went to hit bus barn(车库), feeling6.

    Later that afternoon, 7 doing my rounds through the town I had an inner wave rise from deep 8 me and I thought “Why has my9 become so hard?”

    Immediately after this internal(内心的)scream, I 10 the bus over to drop off a little girl. As she11 she handed me an earring saying I should keep it 12somebody looked for it. The 13 was stamped with words “BE HAPPY” Then I struck me. I had been putting all of my 14into what was wrong with my life rather than what was 15!

    One night there was a phone call for me from the 16at a large hospital. She asked me whether I 17 do a one-day training for 200 hospital workers. I said 18 and got the job.

    My day with the hospital workers 19very well. I got a great 20and many more days of work. To this day I know that it was because I changed my attitude to life.

    Before he sailed round the world single-handed, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to 1 round the world but failed. That was in 1931.

    The years passed. He 2flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo 3race across the Atlantic. His 4dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail. His friends and doctors thought it was a(an)5 attempt, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to 6his plan. In August, 1966, at the age of nearly 65, an age at which many men 7, he began his greatest 8of his life.

    Chichester covered 14,100 miles 9stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed 10. On shore, he could not walk 11help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done 12; he must not go any further.13  he did not listen.

    After 14in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of lots of 15. The second half of his voyage was by far the more 16 part, during which he sailed round the risky Cape Horn. After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the following radio message to London: “I feel as if I had waken up from a nightmare (噩梦). Even a wild horse could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that Ocean 17.”

    Just before 9 o'clock on Sunday evening 28 May, 1967, he arrived 18in England, where tens of thousands of people were waiting to welcome him. Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ honored him with a very valuable sword. The whole voyage from 19and back had covered 28,500 miles. It had taken him nine 20, of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish.

    For years, I followed the materialistic standards around me. I thought that without the purses, shoes, and all the other “1” things, I would not be as pretty, smart, or important as others of my age.

    As a freshman (新生) of my high school, I thought top social status could be gained by doing everything to 2. So I became a(n)3 and bought fake (伪造的) designer purses. I felt popular and important, and I4 it.

    But, my parents couldn't understand my strong 5to be someone just to 6 others. They tried endlessly to convince me that I was hurting myself,7 I wouldn't listen. I felt 8 with this way of my life until one day I looked at myself in the mirror and saw someone with makeup and the product-filled hair wasn't me. That person was 9.

    So I quit cheerleading and 10 swimming again, something I had loved for eight years before high school. I also attended my school's top vocal (声乐) performance group, and 11 myself whole-heartedly to community service.

    I wrote articles in my school newspaper that questioned the materialistic 12 of many students at my school. I started 13 my limits academically, which I14 considered less important than improving my social status.

    I found a new group of friends who15 me, unlike my old friends. I found I no longer needed to impress others materialistically. Starting over was 16. My classmates looked at me as if they didn't know me.

    I am to 17 the materialistic culture. I am confident, talented, and optimistic. I know who I am. I'm motivated to explore even more of my 18 as a student and a member of my community.

    I took one of the worst 19 in my life but I turned it around and 20 something beautiful——a life that fits me, with meaning and happiness.

    One Friday afternoon in my first year of high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home. His name was Kyle. He seemed to be carrying all his books. Then some kids ran at him, 1 all his books out of his arms. His glasses went 2 and landed in the grass. My heart 3 to him, so I jogged over and handed him his 4. He thanked me with a big smile.

    Monday morning came and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books 5. I teased him, "Boy, you are gonna build some real 6 with this pile of books every day!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

    He turned out to be the best student of our class and had to make a 7 on the graduation day. As he stood on the stage, he 8 his throat, and began: "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it 9those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings…but mostly your friends… I am here to tell you that being a(n)10to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

    I just looked at my friend with 11 as he talked about the first day we met. He had planned to 12 himself. He had cleaned out his locker 13 his mom wouldn't have to do it later and carry his stuff home.

    He looked 14 at me and gave me a little smile. "15, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the 16."

    I heard the gasp (倒抽气) in the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us about his 17 moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me with that same 18 smile. Not until then did I realize the 19 of the smile. With one small action you can change a person's life. God puts us all in each other's lives to 20 one another in some way.

    I was at the post office early that morning, hoping to be in and out in a short while. Yet, I1 myself standing in a queue that went all the way into the hallway. I had never seen so many people there on a weekday. It seemed someone might have made an announcement, welcoming customers to carry as many 2 as they could and bring them in when I needed to have my own package 3. The queue moved very slowly. My patience ran out and I got4. The longer it took, the angrier I became. When I got to the counter finally, I finished my5quickly and briefly, and then walked past the queue that was now extending past the front door.

    "Excuse me," I said, trying not to be too pushy. Several people had to move 6 to make room for me to get to the 7.

    I stepped out, complaining about the 8 conditions. Thinking I was going to be late for my dentist appointment, I headed into the parking lot.

    A woman was coming across the lot in my 9. She was walking with determination, and each step sounded very heavy. I 10 that she looked as if she could breathe fire. It stopped me in my tracks. I 11 myself and it wasn't pretty. Had I looked like that? Her body language said that she was having a 12 day. My anger melted away. I wished I could wrap her in a hug but I was a13. So I did what I could in a minute14 she hurried past me－I smiled. In a second everything changed. She was astonished, then somewhat 15.Then her face softened and her shoulders16. I saw her take a deep breath. Her pace slowed and she smiled back at me as we passed each other. I continued to smile all the way to my 17. Wow, it's amazing what a simple smile can do.

    From then on, I became aware of people's 18 and my own, the way we show our feelings. Now I use that 19 every day to let it 20 me that when facing the world, I can try a smile.