It has always been my dream to attend college. When I was younger, I would watch TV shows with college students having lots of 1. It looked like a great experience — going to parties,2with friends and letting the good times 3. When I entered high school, however, I started learning the real 4 of college－to get a good education and a well-paid job. Therefore, with a passion for success in life, I expressed my5about attending university to my parents. They were 6 I'd chosen the path, but were disappointed because they couldn't 7the cost. Upset and stressed, I started looking for 8 to pay myself.

    My search for money began online. I went to every free scholarship search engine and spent up to five hours each day looking for scholarships I 9 for. It was hard, but I knew it would 10  when I'd found almost all the scholarships I could apply for, I 11 them by deadline, which gave me a way to prioritize my schedule. After  12 everything, it was time to fill out the applications. Despite the amounts, ranging from ＄100 to ＄40,000, I took each scholarship 13  because together they would fund my goal. With this in my mind, the hardest part began: writing the essays. To14 my writing, I asked friends, relatives and teachers to  15 over my work. Now I've won 16 scholarships and can attend college for free.

    The scholarship search truly made me a 17 person. I learned the importance of setting a(n)  18 and accomplishing it.19 I did have to read several rejection letters, those made me stronger. I'm thrilled I had the opportunity to learn more about my 20 to succeed no matter what difficulties got in my way.

    "Hi! John." Mary ran towards me with a rare bright smile on her face, saying, "I'm going to have a 1performance tonight. I hope you'll come. Here is the2." She left in a hurry, disappearing in the crowds of people3.

    "Is that true?" I asked myself.  She was a quite4girl. I had never seen her making up or wearing attractive clothes, for she did not know how to 5indeed.

    I arrived at the6with the ticket, and found my seat.  Her performance was the seventh one.  I knew I would7from a hard time before her turn, for I had no8of art, but her performance was9watching, no matter how long I would wait.  Time went slowly. I10 with myself not to fall asleep.

    "Let's welcome the next exciting dance - Latin !" 11filled the hall at once.

    I opened my eyes as large as possible,12to lose anything. Wearing a golden and shining skirt, Mary appeared on the stage. Dancing with a charming smile, she was fully13in the Latin music. At this moment, she looked like a pretty butterfly14on the splendid stage.

    After all the performance15, I waited for her at the gate.

    "Hi!" She stood in front of me with a bag and her crystal high-heeled shoes in her hands, and16as she used to be, but the making-up still could be seen.

    "How do you feel?" There was not a little bit tired17on her face.

    "18!" I answered.

    "Thank you! I knew it would be." She could not19her excitement, laughing like a child.  Looking at the shining crystal high-heeled shoes in the wonderful starry night, I 20that every girl has a pair of special shoes which are like the crystal shoes of Cinderella.

    I was eleven years old when the fire broke out that year. I stood outside in just my underwear while I watched the 1 that I grew up in rapidly burn to the 2. A few minutes earlier I had been 3 asleep in my nice, warm bed when a 4 woke me up. My mum's bedroom was just next to mine and my brother's. A fire had broken out there and 5 her. While I stumbled(跌跌撞撞地走)around in the 6 and darkness, she ran from room to room quickly waking everyone in the house. The house, however, was over 50 years old and made of wood. Before we could do anything the fire 7 it. We all barely 8 outside before the 9 engulfed(吞没) every room.

    I stood there 10 while the fire destroyed my books, clothes, and toys. I watched 11 while my mum cried and my Dad swore. I 12 what was going to happen to us 13 we had lost all of our things. As I looked around, though, I realized something for the first time: The things that 14 aren't things. I realized at that moment that we were all alive. 15 that was essential had 16 the fire. We would all be around to love each other for many years to come. And that was all that mattered.

    I still think of that fire in the 17 that helped me to become who I am today. It showed me for the very first time what is truly 18 in this life. It helped me to learn that the love we 19 is far more important than the things we 20.

    I always come across random acts of kindness in my life. Many years ago, I was 1Costa Rica when I found myself in an 2situation: my credit cards and bank cards went out of 3 abroad, and I only had $5 to my 4.

    I had no way to get money. I didn't know anybody in this country. I only knew basic Spanish, and besides the cash the only 5I had was a return ticket to my country in almost two 6. Back then, there was no such thing as mobile phones, and7email was very limited. To find help, I decided to go to the countryside. With the only coins I had, I 8the bus terminal(终点站)and found a village, which 9almost the exact amount. About 4 hours later, I arrived at Santa Rosa Abajo at midnight.

    I knocked door to door,10in my very poor Spanish that I was a foreigner travelling in Costa Rica with no money but I 11to stay here for over ten days. I begged them for a 12－such as cooking , cleaning and looking after their kids, anything like that. Everybody 13, “oh my, but so poor are we that we have no 14 food or space. Maybe you can try the next 15.” And they'd point me to another house.

    16, I arrived at a Chinese restaurant. The owner of the restaurant was very 17. She gave me food and called the Red Cross to come to 18me. With the help of the Red Cross, I spent my19days in Costa Rica.

    This is one of the best trips I've ever had, because I realized that when you're in a position to be able to 20, it actually makes you feel happy.

    Spelling was sort of my superpower. I wasn't a math or science guy, but I could chew and 1 books.

    "Your word is onomatopoeia," said the announcer. On the stage of "School Bee," my brain 2 to the spelling bees ahead: first the county championship, then the state, and finally the national spelling bee. I glanced back at Alexa, who wanted another chance at 3. If I missed this word, she'd be 4 in the game. But that wouldn't happen. Chin up, shoulders back, I 5 my throat, "O-n-o-m-a-t-o-p-o-e-i-a." I made it.

    The trophy (奖杯) was presented to me. I shouted onstage, "I am the alpha-best". Surprisingly, my sister, Deandra, rolled her eyes. "You're a 6 winner." Deandra made a 7 face. "She tried to shake your hand but you 8."

    I didn't 9 at all. "Anyway, I won the school bee." "Don't be proud. You'll soon be facing the 10 of the best in the county bee."

    "Will they 11 me? I am the alpha-best with no efforts at all." After six rounds, the number of students 12 from more than 100 to just seven and I was one out of the seven. If I had been given words like aerospace or conical, I'd make 13 already. Unfortunately, I 14 with the word maestro at last. I stood 15 for the longest moment.

    The final winner acted the exact 16 of mine. He accepted his trophy with a small bow, and then shook hands with the runner-up (亚军). I got to know Deandra's words 17.

    I apologized to Alexa, "I'm sorry I was so 18 when I won." "How was the county bee?" Alexa asked. "A 19." If you need a study partner for next time, I'm happy to help." "Really? Let's 20 on it, partner." "Better late than never." Alexa said, shaking my hand.

In 1984, I was a painfully insecure teenage girl from a dysfunctional family, depressed, underweight, and rejected by my classmates. My only comfort was to be the stage manager at our school.

One day, actors from the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival came to perform for the school. One of them was Barry Kraft, and he was unlike anyone I'd ever met. As I ran around backstage helping him, he treated me with friendliness and respect that he would show for friends in his living room.

He showed up at our drama class and asked everyone to narrate a monologue (独白). To my shock, he took me aside after class and said, "Your monologue was the best. That was really very good."

I made it through graduation and got accepted to college. That summer, I traveled with a friend to see Mr. Kraft perform. During one performance, I gathered up my courage and dropped him a note during the break, saying I was visiting and if he looked he could see us. Almost immediately I regretted sending the note. I thought it was the most presumptuous (冒失的) thing I had ever done.

At the end of the show, he was waiting for me! He smiled broadly and gave me a hug. Then he said, "Would you like to visit backstage?" And off we went. Every time we met someone, he introduced me and said, "She's a very good performer who was a huge help to me at her school visit."

It is difficult to describe how important this man's attention was to me. A successful actor doesn't have to give a depressed teenager the time of day, but he did far more. My confidence had just increased 800 percent. I am now a happily married professional, and whenever I notice a teenager in need, I remember Barry Kraft. He saw a teenager in need of attention and support, and he took the time to help. So now I take the time, too.