The journey my daughter Cathy has had with her swimming is as long as it is beautiful.

    Cathy suffered some terrible 1her early childhood. After years of regular treatment, she 2 became healthy.

    Two years ago, while Cathy was watching the Olympics, a dream came into her sweet little head—to be a swimmer. Last summer,she wanted to3 out local swim team. She practiced hard and finally 4 it. The team practice, 5 was a rough start. She coughed and choked and could hardly 6 her first few weeks. Hearing her coughing bitterly one night, I decided to7 her from it all. But Cathy woke me up early next morning, wearing her swim suit 8 to go! I told her she shouldn't swim after a whole night's coughing, but she refused to 9 and insisted she go.

From that day on, Cathy kept swimming and didn't 10 a single practice. She had a 11 intention within herself to be the best she could be. My ten-year-old was growing and changing right before my eyes, into this 12 human being with a passion and a mission. There were moments of 13 of course: often she would be the last swimmer in the race. It was difficult for Cathy to accept that she wasn't a 14—ever. But that didn't stop her from trying.

      Then came the final awards ceremony at the end of the year. Cathy didn't expect any award but was still there to  15 her friends and praise their accomplishments. As the ceremony was nearing the end, I suddenly heard the head coach 16, “The highest honor goes to Cathy!” Looking around, he continued, “Cathy has inspired us with her  17 and enthusiasm.  18 skills and talents bring great success, the most valuable asset(财富)one can hold is the heart.”

     It was the greatest  19 of my daughter's life. With all she had been 20 in her ten years, this was the hour of true triumph(成功).

    Years ago when I volunteered at a homeless shelter, I talked with a boy, Albert. He said he liked my1 “Do you want to see mine?” he said, 2 his leg. He was barefoot. He said he'd been meaning to pick up a pair but hadn't gotten one. I felt a 3 feeling in my stomach.

    A few days later I was at home helping to 4 my daughter. I smiled when I 5 the socks over her feet. At that moment, Albert flashed in my 6.

    At noon, I went to a department store and 7 a shopping cart with socks — nothing 8, just white cotton men's socks.

    The next morning, I drove to the Palisades Park, which is a common overnight—destination for 9 individuals,

    I grabbed one of the 10 from my trunk and walked across the grass. It was dark out. It was a beautiful feeling to 11 before the sun and most living things.

    I headed fro a group of three men. Two were asleep and the third was digging through his shopping cart. It was loaded with plastic bottles and some clothes, and a few books — most 12, everything he owned in this world. As I walked toward him, he turned and 13 me, perhaps questioning my intention.

    “I thought you might 14 some new socks, ” I told him, handing him a pair. He looked 15 at first but took them, smiled and said, “Thank you.” I gave two more 16 for his partners.

    I 17. After 20 minutes, I returned for the second bag. An hour later, I 18 all the socks. Most people were sleeping, and I felt like a(n) 19 Santa Claus. I knew when they woke up they would find a very meaningful 20. That gave me an amazing feeling.

    Once upon a time, there lived two parent parrots. Every morning they flew out to 1 food for their two young birds. One day, a hunter 2 the young birds. The young birds 3 to free themselves from the hands of the hunter. One 4 from the hunter, while the other was taken in a cage by the hunter to his house. He gave it to his 5.

    The other parrot flew away and came to a place where some holy men lived. They did not 6 the young parrot, so it stayed there. It 7 their talk and learned to say a few words.

    Several years later, a traveler was walking near the hunter's hut(小屋). He sat near the hut, extremely 8. He heard the parrot that lived there say, “9, why have you come here? I will cut your throat.” The traveler 10 got up and left the place in a hurry. Then he happened to reach the place where the other parrot lived. The parrot was sitting on a tree. Seeing the traveler, it said, “Welcome, traveler. Welcome to this hermitage(偏僻的寺院). We have a lot of good 11 in this forest, which looks sweet and delicious. Eat whatever you like. The holy men will 12 you well.”

    The traveler was 13. He couldn't understand why this parrot was so polite 14 the other one was so rude. They were both parrots, after all. 15 it wasn't strange. The parrot he met first lived with the hunter's children who often spoke 16 words, while the parrot he met later had learned the 17 of holy people.

    Our growing environment is of great 18. It is the company that shapes our words and deeds. Good company helps us learn good things while bad company 19 the contrary. Therefore, choose the 20 people to grow up with.

    It was Tom's first visit to England, and he was looking forward to his first journey on London's Underground Railway. And against his friends'1, he was determined to travel 2.

    He entered the station shortly after five o'clock in the afternoon. This is a 3 time to travel in London,4 crowds of people go home from work at this hour. He 5 to join a long line of people waiting for tickets. When at last his 6 came, he had some difficulty in making himself understood by the ticket seller. 7, he got the right ticket in the end and by asking people the 8, he also found the right platform. It was 9with people. He did not10 to get on the first train, but he was able to move nearer to the platform so as to be in a better 11to get on the next one. When this train came in, Tom was12 forward onto the train by the 13 of people from behind. The doors closed and the train moved off. He was unable to see the14  of the stations where the train 15but he knew that the station he wanted was the sixth 16 along the line. When the train reached the sixth station, Tom got off, feeling  17 that his journey had been so easy. But he suddenly realized that he had come to a station he had never

18 He explained his19 to a man who was standing on the platform. With a 20 on his face, he told Tom that he had caught a train going in the opposite direction.

    The first time 10-year-old Jordie Rowland came into the barber shop, it was a disaster.

    Jordie, who has autism (自闭症), 1 with his parents to run outside the moment he entered the shop. I ended up 2 around the shop with him that day. I got in a few cuts 3 stopped the haircut when I saw Jordie was 4. Cutting hair can be 5 for some children with autism. Jordie was no different. I felt I'd 6 and it made me 7 to learn more about autism so I could connect with him and take away his 8.

    After the first 9 haircut, I suggested to Jordie's parents they bring him back every two weeks at closing time. That went on for a few months. His hair was long. I could 10 cut it properly. I'd get a couple of cuts in, and then he'd just go crazy. That was a really 11 time. But I knew we had to just keep going.

    I even went to his house to give it a try. No 12. Then the owner of the barber shop 13 me for allowing a customer to come in after closing time. Discouraged, I 14 that job, and soon opened my own shop. Every two weeks, Jordie would 15 my shop after it was closed. This lasted about eight months.

    A few weeks ago, we made 16. I sang "The Wheels on the Bus" to him. I didn't know he was 17 nursery rhymes (儿歌). I was just trying to 18 him. He looked at me as if he were mesmerized (迷住). I gave him a full haircut for the first time. I realized our slow, two-year effort had 19.

    Two weeks later, Jordie let me do it again. I often don't charge them the cost of the haircut. Maybe the reason I do something like this is to increase my 20 of the kids like him.

    A businessman was deep in debt and could see no way out. He sat on the park chair, with 1 in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from 2.

    Suddenly an old man appeared before him and was willing to 3 him help. He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying, "4 me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time." Then he turned and disappeared as 5 as he had come.

    The businessman saw a check for $500, 000 in his hand, which was 6 by John D. Rockefeller, one of the 7 men in the world! "I can remove my money worries 8!" he realized. But the man decided to put the check in his safe, 9 it might give him the strength to find out a way to save his business. With a renewed 10 attitude, he thought of some new business ideas which soon led to his success in several big 11. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making 12 once again.

    Exactly one year 13, he returned to the park with the check. At the time they have agreed on, the old man 14, too. But just as the man was about to hand back the check and share his 15 story, a nurse came running up and 16 the old man. She said the old man was always 17 from the rest room and telling people he was John D. Rockefeller. Then she led the old man away 18 the arm hurriedly.

    The man just stood there, 19. Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money 20 his self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.