My mum was young when she fell pregnant with me. After I was born it was decided that my father's relatives would 1 me in Manchester. No one spoke about Mum. Eventually, I was shown letters from Mum, 2 that she was a drug addict.

    All this was running through my head as I arrived in Glasgow on 27 December last year. My sister Leanne, from my mother's side, had 3 me down on Facebook, and we had been 4 for some time, but had met only once or twice. Leanne had been brought up by our mother's parents, and had some 5 with Mum throughout her life. She was now living in Canada, but returning for Christmas and 6 to see all the family together. A big party had been arranged to welcome her back, and everyone would be there, including our 7.

    In a very short time my sister and I hatched a 8. I'd meet my sister as she arrived at Manchester airport, then we'd drive up to Glasgow 9. Keeping it a surprise gave us a rush. After about a four-hour drive, we were there. I'd 10called someone “Mum” before. But there she was.

    We embraced (拥抱) and although we could hardly get the words out fast enough, we were soon 11. Seeing someone so alike looking back at me was the strangest but most 12 experience. Though a lifetime may have 13 us, this woman at a party in Glasgow was my mum. She 14 at me for a second, before giving me a tight hug. All she could say was that she never thought we'd 15 again.

    She'd been 16 of drugs for five years. She told me how she now works for a charity that helps young people 17 the same problems she had. We now talk regularly, and I feel 18 she's my mother. That's something I couldn't have even 19 when the door opened to her at that Christmas party. Life may be short, but it's always 20 enough to reconcile (和好).

    One sunny afternoon, a seven-year-old girl went for a walk. She crossed a large area of grassland into the woods 1 she realized that she was lost.

    Sitting on a rock and2what to do, she began crying.  After a while. She3 to walk along a wide path lined with tall trees and thick bushes.4 it was getting dark, she saw a small, dark wooden house. She opened the door and 5 stepped in. Suddenly, she heard a strange noise, and she ran out the door and back to the 6. Cold and tired, she fell asleep near a 7.

    The girl's parents were out and her dog, Laddy, was at home. Laddy8 that his mistrees（女主人）was in danger. He jumped 9 a window, breaking the glass. He looked in the fields. But he couldn't find his mistress anywhere. However, from the ground came a 10 scent (气味) as he lowered his head. He 11the scent and walked across the grassland. Barking 12 into the air, the dog 13 through the woods until he found the 14. But the girl was not there, so he headed back to the woods. Much to his 15 , he saw his mistress' blue shirt in the distance. He 16 over some bushes and saw the little stream, where the girl was 17.

    When she opened her eyes and18 her dog standing beside her, the girl said, “you 19me, Laddy,” and she kissed him several times. Seeing their daughter and dog coming back, the parents burst into tears of20 . That night Laddy had a heror's supper: a huge meal of steak

    There once was a king in a faraway country. One day, he decided to1a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of 2 So many artists 3 The king looked at all the pictures.4 there were only two he really liked, and he had to 5between them. One picture was of a 6 lake. The lake was a perfect mirror with peaceful huge mountains all around it. Above was a 7 sky with light white clouds. All who 8 this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

    The other picture had 9too. But these were not flat at all. Above was a (an)10 sky, from which rain fell heavily and in which lightning played11 Down the side of the mountain was a waterfall with loud sound. This did not look12 at all.

    But when the king looked 13 he saw behind the waterfall a small tree 14 in a crack (缝隙) in the rock. In the tree a mother bird had 15 her comfortable home. There, with the flow of angry water, the mother bird was 16 her hungry children in the nest, taking no attention to the 17things around them — in perfect peace.

    Which picture do you think18 the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

     “Because” said the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,19 or hard work. Peace means although noisy things are around you, you 20 keep calm in the heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”

    "How dare you!" My anger finally burst out when my son 1 to go to the piano classes for the third time that day. He rolled his eyes at me, which made me even 2. I completely lost my 3 and screamed at the top of my lungs, "Enough! You are not my boy anymore!" He didn't 4 or talk back to me. He responded in 5 with a look of helplessness that I had never seen before. He used to cry violently and beg me to 6 him. The innocence shining in his big eyes would 7 that hot-tempered beast in me away in the end. 8, this time…

    Did what he had done really make me 9? No. Did such anger come entirely from his improper 10? No. Had I ever given it a chance to listen to and 11 him? No. My demanding job, my 12 housework, my kid's cry for company..., all formed a minefield and all that was needed to 13 it up was a fuse (导火索). My son was the 14.

    The rest of the day, he 15 an outdoor walk, a ride in the park and even his favorite games and just wanted to be alone. I could 16 the greatest sorrow and the most true innocence in his eyes. After admitting my own fault, I held this tiny trembling creature 17 in my arms, tears swelling in my eyes.

    For those who believe "Sticks and stones may break the bone, but 18 can never hurt anyone", I have a piece of heartfelt advice. Do not try this most powerful weapon 19 the people you love. It is 20 enough to cut the deepest into a soul.

    I stood in the front of the classroom like a specimen(标本) under examinations  of 23 pairs of eyes. I began stuttering(结巴)and gave wrong answers to some questions.

    In the summer of 2016, I worked as an assistant teacher at a children's day camp. Lacking in experience, I 1 to create weekly lesson plans. Kids shouted at each other in class. Sometimes, I had to pull apart kids who were 2 each other. The rare moments of3 came only after my booming calls for attention. Every day was a 4 between me and these wild little creatures.

    One day I suddenly 5 that I was supposed to teach them instead of being led by the nose. It was time to do something to change the 6. I was older, more knowledgeable, and most 7, I had more authority. The next day, I firmly8into the classroom and stood in the front9.The students studied me curiously. But I did not stutter this time. It10 me that the class went smoothly without being 11 for the first time. From that day on, they gradually started to pay attention. Some 12started calling me "Ms. Amy". Seeing a sign of respect in their wild eyes was like getting 13 for my achievements. I was finally acting as an authority figure. The 14 I received also increased my self-confidence. It made me believe that I had the15 to overcome difficulties.

    One month after my summer job 16, I went back to visit the students. I saw the 17 kids running around in the classroom. 18, their playful shouts were a different kind of music to my 19now. Instead of the unpleasant sound I heard the first day, this was a20 song that played during my march to self—confidence.