With his leg lame（瘸的）and his teeth uneven, the boy almost thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He 1 played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always 2 his head without a word.

    One spring, his father brought home some saplings（树苗）. 3 of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, “Whoever 4 his sapling best shall get a favorite gift.” The boy certainly wanted to get his father's gift. 5 seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, an idea 6 him: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never 7 it.

    Several days later, when the little boy went to see his tree again, he was 8 to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh 9. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his 10, bought the little boy one of his favorite gifts and said from the tree he planted, he would surely become an outstanding 11 when he grew up.

    From then on, the little boy slowly became 12 and confident. One night, he suddenly 13 biology teacher once said that plants  14 grow at night. Why not go to see his tree?

    When he came to the courtyard, he found his father was working near his tree! Instantly he 15 his father had been secretly 16 his small tree! He returned to his room, with tears 17 in his eyes.

    Decades passed. The little boy didn't become a botanist. 18, he became the U.S. president. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

19 is the best nourishment（滋养品）of life. 20 it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

    I decided to ski to the North Pole. It was after I saw a(n)1in a newspaper looking for people to join a team that would2350 miles to the Magnetic North Pole. Back in 1996, a woman from the UK had never3 this challenge. I wondered what it would be like to4in temperatures that cold, so I sent off for the application form.

    When the application form5, it said “Are You Man Enough for the Ultimate Challenge? ” and it was6pictures of male explorers. I was angry and decided that women could do it too, so it made me even more7to get on the team.

    Over 500 individuals8for a place in the team, and the selection process included physical and psychological tests designed to 9the best group. One test was to complete the Sandhurst military assault course, where the UK's best officers are trained, and it's not for 10 We had to climb a huge rope ladder, and I stopped at the top because I have a fear of 11 I thought all hope was 12But two others helped me over, and later I found out that the organizers were not looking for amazing 13 but great team players, and it was this moment14had shown them who would look out for others in the team. I had also shown my real self, and in a place like the Arctic, you have to be yourself, 15there is nowhere to hide. These 16 of asking for help and showing your real self are necessary for women to master.

    I realized that by being yourself, I could 17 I was chosen for the team, and as a result became the 18 British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole. I realized that I could achieve more than I ever19-but more importantly, by sharing my story with others, I could20them to take a step into the unknown.

    It had been a long time since I had been to Jacksonville, Florida. I had driven to town 1to find the old barber shop where my hair had been cut as a child. As I 2around, I was a little disappointed to see the old buildings had been3with new high-rise ones.

    After walking about a block I saw an open shoe store. Wondering whether I could get the 41walked in. As I stood talking to the salesman, the front door opened and a young man about twenty came into the store in a 5 “I need a new pair of shoes,” said the6As he turned the corner, I was 7to see that the young man had no legs.

    Seeing us 8 the young man said, “When I was a 9my parents used to buy me a new pair of shoes every year. That was such a wonderful feeling—10I have never forgotten.”

    Soon the salesman came with a large box. He put it down on the floor, took out a boot and handed it to the young man. Placing the boot 11his nose, the boy closed both eyes, and took a large breath. I did not know what to say as tears began to roll down his 12.

    Suddenly we heard the salesman shouting to an old man 13who looked in the window from time to time. The young man looked at the old man and then turned to me. “Would you walk out and see what14that fellow wears?” he 15.

    Wondering why, I 16walked to the front door, opened it and asked the old man to17“What size shoes do you wear?” the boy asked the man. “I don't know,” he replied, as he18his old tennis shoes. “I would say nine and a half,” I suggested. “What's your19hiking boot in nine and a half?” the boy asked the salesman. Within a minute. The salesman returned with a pair of hiking boots. The boy 20out, took the boot, placed it to his nose and took a large breath. Once again, tears came to his eyes. “Sir, would you mind trying on these boots?” the boy asked the old fellow.

    I come from one of those families where you have to yell at the dinner table to get in a word. Everyone has a strong1 and talks at the same time, and no one has a2leading to heated arguments. We often talk or even debate with each other on different topics.

    3 a family like mine has made me more 4 about the world around me, making me tend to 5 anything any one tells me. But it has also made me realize that I'm not a good listener. And when I say “listening”, I'm not 6 to the nodding-your-head-and-politely-answering-Uh-huh-or-Ooh-I-see variety. I mean the kind of listening where you find yourself deeply 7 with the person you're speaking with, when his story becomes so 8that your world becomes less about you and more about him. No, I was never very good at that.

    I spent summer in South Africa two years ago. I worked for a good non-profit 9 called Noah, which works 10 on behalf of children affected by AIDS. But 11 you asked me what I really did in South Africa, I'd tell you one thing: I listened, and I listened. Sometimes I 12 but mostly I listened.

    And had I not spent two months 13, I might have missed the 14moment when a quiet little girl at one of Noah's community centers, orphaned（孤儿）at the age of three, whispered after a long 15 “I love you.”16 that summer, I knew how to hear. I could sit down with anyone and hear their 17 and nod and respond at the18 time—but most of the time I was 19 about the next words out of my own month. Ever since my summer in South Africa, I have noticed that it's in those moments when my mouth is closed and my20 is wide open that I've learned the most about other people, and perhaps about myself.

    It was a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon some fifteen or sixteen years ago. I took my two kids to the local playground. As soon as we got there my daughter headed for the swings (秋千)and asked for a1. I noticed another little girl2to get her own swing going high as I was3my daughter to go higher and higher.

    I walked over to the little girl and asked4she needed help. She smiled and said YES and I soon had her feet flying towards the5while she laughed happily. For the next two hours I found myself pushing swings and playing games with my daughter and the little girl. By the time we headed home, I was6tired, but my spirits were flying7than those swings.

    Three years later I was8again after a day's work. Still, I needed to9my kids from their school before heading home. I stood in the10waiting area waiting for my children. Suddenly, I felt two11arms wrapped around my legs. I looked down and there was the little girl I met 3 years before on the12smiling up at me. She gave me a big hug before running away to13the school bus. As I watched her14, I didn't feel tired any more and my spirits were once again15with that swing.

    The love we16with others will find its way back to us. It will travel from heart to heart. It may take seconds or it may take17. The law of love,18, is never broken. We will get back what we give. We will harvest what we19. The kindness we give and the joy we create will always come back to20us.