Diana got married and had a 5-year-old son named Dusfin. They lived a very happy life and have been expecting a new family member coming. But a disease forced her to experience an emergency operation to deliver their new daughter.At 12 inches long and 1 only one pound and nine ounces，she was a premature baby.But the doctor's soft words dropped like 2.“I don't think she's going to make it” he said.“There's only a 10-percent 3 she will pull through the night，and even then，if by some chance she does make it，her future could be a very 4 one.”

    David and Diana listened as the doctor 5 the serious problems the newly—born baby，Anna，would 6 face if she survived.She would never walk；she would never 7；she would probably be blind；and so on.

    “No! No!” was all Diana could 8.The whole family had long 9 the day they would have a daughter to become a 10 of four.Now，within a matter of hours，that dream was slipping away. But Diana insisted，“I don't care what the doctors say! One day she will be coming home with us!”

    Certainly，there was 11 a moment when Anna suddenly grew 12.But as the weeks went by，she did 13 gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of 14 there. At last，when Anna turned two months old，her parents were able to 15her in their arms for the very first time though 16 continued to gently but coldly17 that her chances of surviving，much less living any kind of normal life，were next to zero.

    Finally，Anna went home from the hospital，just as her mother had 18.Today，five years later，Anna is a little but lively young girl with bright gray eyes 19 a strong interest for life. She shows no 20 of any mental or physical injuries. Simply，she is everything a little girl can be.

    I'm Jessica. Roland, my father, was a carpenter. When I was just a baby, I was so weak and sick that I had been in and out of the 1 for a whole year. The doctors were not2 that I would live another year.

    Taking care of me was 3 so our family was deep in debt. My father saw no 4 at the end of this tunnel. Then one day he saw a(n) 5 in the newspaper: “Security guards 6. $100,000 a year.” Without any hesitation, he 7 the number. The line was busy, but he kept calling and 8 got through. He was worried that the jobs were all9 but they told him plenty of jobs were still available. And they would fly him to Iraq for his 10 in five days.

    My father 11 it was dangerous; he might get injured or killed, but the money was too good; 12, the family would have full medical benefits, which would 13 me to get the care I needed. He said if he 14 the first year, he would probably sign up for a second year.

    My mother was 15. She asked, “What if you get killed? What are we going to do16 you?”

    “You've got to think 17. Think about how well of we'll be in two or three years after I bring back all that money. This is the 18thing I could do for this family.” He said to my mom. Then my dear father19 to Iraq five days later.

    Roland, my beloved father, put all his heart to support our family just 20 he loved me, loved us.

    In October, I told the eight-year-olds in my class about my plan. “I'd like all of you to do 1  jobs around the house to earn some money, ”I said.“ Then we'll 2  food for a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who might not have a nice dinner  3  .”

    Early in Thanksgiving week, the boys and girls arrived in the  4 , clutching their hard-earned money. I watched them running up and down, busily doing their 5  .At last we headed toward the checkout, pushing a  6  filled with turkey and all the trimmings(配料).Then someone spotted a “necessity” that sent them racing.

    “Flowers!' Kristine cried. The group 7 toward the holiday plants.

Stuck in the middle was a pot of purple mums. “She'11 like this one.” the children  8 , and put the purple plant into the cart.

    We finally 9 in front of a small bungalow in the woods. A slightly-built woman with a weary face came to the door to 10  us.

    My little group hurried to get the 11. As each box was carried in, the old woman oohed and aahed(欢天喜地)—much to her visitors' 12 .When Amy put the mums on the counter, the woman seemed surprised. She's 13 it was a bag of flour, I thought.

    We returned to the car. We could see the kitchen 14 .The woman inside waved15, then turned and walked 16the room, past the turkey, past the trimmings, straight to the 17. She put her face in their petals(花瓣).When she raised her head, there was a 18on her lips.

    The children were quiet. In that one brief moment, they had seen for themselves the 19 they possessed to make another's 20 better.

    I feel that l was blessed by an Angel not long ago.1 was out in town with my husband. We live in a 1town. Because of the cold, my2shrunk, causing my anniversary ring to 3. I didn't notice this until we got home. I became 4ill ached all over. I thought my husband was going to have a heart attack.

    Although it is a material item, it is yet very5 He went out and retraced our6to where we came back. I called the stores we were in and no one7it in. I thought it was8 for sure.

    Well, at around midnight last night, our dogs went mad. We have a sunroom9to our home. The door to that is usually10. But that night, we Left it unlocked. My all-terrain motor scooter(小型摩托车)was 11 out there. In its basket was a ring box-- holding my ring! Along with the ring was a diamond circle.

    There was also a 12 that told the story of this stranger13 the ring and recognizing the work, as it is a piece made particularly. The person then went to the jeweler and14 about finding the ring. The jeweler is a friend of mine so she gave her my 15 and the town is so small, we are 16 to find. The stranger who found the ring 17the ribbon(丝线)in the store in order to keep the ring around the finger when it is 18 out. And then also left a gift card for us to take our family out to the movies as a Christmas gift. The note was 19 "Santa's Elf(小精灵)". My friend is keeping her lips 20 about whom it was.

    I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most 1 and tiring games I've ever had. When Ed first phoned and 2 we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an 3 victory. After all, Ed's idea of 4 has always been nothing more 5 than lifting a fork to his mouth. 6 I can remember, Ed's been the least physically fit member in the family, and 7 proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned out between his T-shirt and trousers.

    Although the family often 8 about that, Ed refused to buy a 9 T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed 10 for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly 11, I was so surprised that I was 12. My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. 13, at the point in our game when I' d have predicted (预计) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was 14 7 to 9—and Ed was 15. The sudden realization was painful. We 16to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious 17 about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone (更不用说) 18 that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to 19. In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my 20.

    What is intelligence anyway? When I was in the army I1 an intelligence test that all soldiers took, and, against2 of 100, scored 160.

    I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not3 have scored more than 80. 4, when anything went wrong with my car I hurried to him and he always 5it.

    Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man6 questions for some intelligence tests. By every one of them I'd prove myself a7. In a world where I have to work with my8. I'd do poorly.

    Consider my auto-repair man9. He had a habit of telling10. One time he said, "Doc, a deaf-and-dumb man11some nails. Having entered a store, he put two fingers together on the counter and made 12 movements with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He13 his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk14 him some nails. He picked out the right size and left. Well, Doc, the15 man who came in was blind. He wanted scissors (剪刀). 16 do you suppose he asked for them?" I lifted my right hand and made scissoring movements with my first two fingers. He burst out laughing and said, "Why, you fool, he used his 17 and asked for them. I've been18 that on all my customers today, but I knew 19 I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you are so goddamned educated, Doc. I knew you couldn't be very 20."

    And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.