I received a devastating（毁灭性的）blow to my self-confidence in the first interview of my college years. I1to be a host in our Student Acting Troupe and felt 2 that I would be accepted. But one of the panel members told me, "You seem inadequate and you are a little vertically（垂直地）challenged." My life has never been3 since. I used high heels to make up for my4and psychological strategies and tricks to5 my lack of confidence. But no matter how hard I tried to6 the part, there was still something 7.

    As president of English Club, I organized the rehearsal of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for an English party8 we could not find an actor to be the dwarf. It had to be someone who was humorous9and fluent in English. Suddenly, all eyes turned to me, and I knew I would have to be dwarf. To my surprise and delight, once 10I was totally11 in the performance and my humorous nature was put to full use. As the dwarf, I was a big12.

    Yes, each of us is only one among millions of people, but each of us is an individual and each of us is 13 Cultivating（培养）our individuality will 14 our life, making it a kaleidoscope（万花筒）of new colors and textures.

    A world lacking 15would be a boring place. The real16 is not being short or shy or ugly, but having your17 lost in a world in which everyone is a (n)18 of a model, a cool boy or a flawless charming girl.

    Given a choice, I would rather be19than live in such a world. I'd rather be a genuine dwarf accompanying a Snow White than be a Snow White among nothing but Snow Whites. I would rather be myself. I would20 my individual and unique colors to the more diverse universe. Please, be yourself!

Always Challenge Yourself

    I started out my career as an editor for a travel magazine. I didn't really mind the work, but I wanted something more 1. My sister sent me some details for a content management 2 with a digital reading startup（新创办的小公司）. The job was a seemingly perfect mix of my skills and interests, 3 I jumped at it.

    However, soon after I 4 the company, its model changed to focus on 5, and everything about my position changed. I was asked to6 content to teachers and train people. Although I had no 7 in sales, training and education, I knew I wanted to make a serious 8 on the company. I told myself that everything feels overwhelming（难以应对的）at first and I should 9 have a go.

    I was fortunate to be surrounded by very 10 people. My best friend reminded me I'd made huge leaps of 11 in the past. It also helped that my boss seemed to have more faith in my 12 than I did. She never asked if I thought I could do it she 13 asked if I was interested in trying.

    I spent hours 14 my company's products, asked lots of questions and spoke to so many teachers. I looked for opportunities to put in extra 15. The more I did, the better I felt.

    It was rewarding to see the company 16 and know I had something to do with its success. Sure, I 17 more than I could handle and occasionally made mistakes. But it's important to take risks and accept new 18, even when you're not 19 whether you'll do well. There is nothing worse than failing because you refuse to even20. I'm so glad I tried, and know I'll do it again.

    For most people, getting a car opens up a new world of freedom. You can go wherever you want and whenever you want. Getting a car did 1 these for me, and it also brought my best friend and me 2. But then it tore us apart (分开).

    My best friend lives not far from my 3, soon I seemed to become her 4 when I turned 16 in December, since her 5 is in late summer, seven months behind mine.

    And so I 6 her up for school and took her home. We made ice-cream 7, went shopping and to the movies —all in my car. I would drive to her house just to sit on her bed, read magazines and have a good laugh. I went to her house so 8 that she gave me a key to her house.

    A week after I began to9, she was with me when I had my first accident. She was there and10 me and we kept it a 11, since I didn't want people to 12. From then on, I, my car and my best friend share happiness and sadness.

    High school is a time of 13, but for a long time I couldn't 14 how we became so distant （疏远）. Finally, my best friend 15 her dream car. With its 16, the passenger seat of my car became 17. Our car trips became less frequent until I didn't 18 drive down her street.

    It's funny how a car can change a(n) 19 so much. I had wanted her to get a car, but when she did, I 20 it. I wanted her friendship back, even if it couldn't be the same.

    It's only after three weeks into a new job that I made a serious mistake. My boss called it “extremely embarrassing” in a company-wide e-mail, which he wrote because he felt he needed to explain that what I did was something 1 in the company should ever do.

    I wish I could give a good excuse for what I did. At the very least, I wish I could 2 it somehow — 3 it on youth, inexperience or ignorance. Unfortunately, I'm 4, experienced and I know better.

    5I work with some very kind people. For the past couple of days many of them have taken time to6by my desk and offer comfort, encouragement and support. Some have shared with me similar7they have made. Evidently I'm not the only “8” person here.

    One of the exchanges I had this week was with Lois, the much-honored, much-respected professional who9 the desk right next to mine. Lois was completely10about her work, and to be honest I was a little11about how she would12to such an extremely embarrassing incident.

    As I expected, Lois mentioned the13when she saw me the next day. She mentioned it directly, 14 with empathetic(感同身受的) consideration. She listened to my15. Just as I was ready to express my regrets, she brought my self-pity to a(n)16.

    “It happened”, she said, “There's nothing you can do to 17that. It happened. But it's over now. It's 18. It's in the past. You need to let it go, and move on.” And with that she returned her 19 to her work, as if to say, “We're done here.” I beat myself up for weeks. At such times I need to remember those 20words: It's over. It's done. Let it go. And mostly, move on.

    Shayla Mitchell, 16, was diagnosed with the terminal stage of cancer. As a father, Mitchell always stayed home to care for her. He said the 1left them financially worse off. Then a group called Growing Hope 2 in with $1,800 to help with his living costs.

    3, he wanted to pay them back. In his 4, he had been a 5. So at age 40, Mitchell took up the6again, participating in two fights in Fairfax. Mitchell was7out in the first and second rounds, but he still8to raise $ 20,000 that he gave to Growing Hope. During this time, he 9 his daughter. "I fell into a dark bottom," Mitchell said, and for six months, he did little but 10.

One day, Mitchell11 upon a Mark Twain quote— "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you 12why." "After I read that quote, I was going to spend the rest of my life helping kids with 13and their families." he said.

    Mitchell thought of creating a foundation, though boxing did not seem 14anymore for fund-raising due to his age. Then he found that 15 could be a source to raise money. In the Corps Marathon, he cut a striking figure on the course.16by this success, he set his sights higher. He 17each of the miles of the race to a different child with cancer, and he carried their 18with him. Years after his daughter's death, Mitchell now 19up in the morning knowing his 20.

    Raynor Winn and her husband Moth became homeless due to their wrong investment. Their savings had been 1 to pay lawyers' fees. To make matters worse, Moth was diagnosed（诊断）with a 2 disease. There was no 3, only pain relief.

    Failing to find any other way out, they decided to make a 4 journey, as they caught sight of an old hikers'(徒步旅行者）guide.

    This was a long journey of unaccustomed hardship and 5 recovery. When leaving home, Raynor and Moth had just ￡320 in the bank. They planned to keep the 6 low by living on boiled noodles, with the 7 hamburger shop treat.

    Wild camping is 8 in England. To avoid being caught, the Winns had to get their tent up 9and packed it away early in the morning. The Winns soon discovered that daily hiking in their 50s is a lot 10 than they remember it was in their 20s. Raynor 11 all over and desired a bath. Moth, meanwhile, after an initial 12, found his symptoms were strangely 13 by their daily tiring journey.

    14, the couple found that their bodies turned for the better, with re-found strong muscles that they thought had 15 forever. "Our hair was fried and falling out, nails broken, clothes 16 to a thread, but we were alive."

    During the journey, Raynor began a career as a nature writer. She writes, "17 had taken every material thing from me and left me torn bare, an empty page at the end of a(n) 18 written book. It had also given me a 19, either to leave that page 20 or to keep writing the story with hope. I chose hope."