Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to 1 how much I wanted to see France; evidently, my excitement really came through in my words. Once I 2  that I was going, all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel and making all sorts of new and 3 friends. While traveling was inspiring and meeting people was 4 , nothing about my term in France was what I 5.       

    The moment I arrived in Paris, I was 6 by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. My entire experience was joyous and exciting  7 I received some shocking news from my program coordinator（协调人）: there had been a death in my host parents' extended family. They had to travel outside France for several weeks. That afternoon, I had to 8 out of one family's house into another. The exchange coordinator told me I'd have a 9this time and asked whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation(诱惑) to 10my native language, I asked not to be 11with an English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I 12 myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian（巴西人） the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDS! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of the 13 .

 I left France with many 14 , so when people asked me what my favorite part of the trip was, they are always 15 to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend Paolo and scores of weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends16 France we enjoyed together. I love how people 17 seem so different, but end up being so18 . The most valuable lesson I gained from studying in France wasn't just to respect the friend people 19to respect all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful 20.

    I spent last summer volunteering at a hospital.It was a gift to 1so many amazing people and I'd like to share one of these moments.One day，I was called to a room where a(n)2woman was staying. Usually I helped with3who were ready to leave.Instead，she 4to go to the gift shop.I got a 5 ， helped her into it，and headed down to the entrance.

    When we got there，it wasn't open yet.After a 30-minute 6 ， we entered the gift shop.As I pushed her around，I could see the 7in her face as she looked at everything，happy to be out of her room.She 8some window decorations，and then saw chocolates.

    She asked me to push her in that 9 ， and then I helped her10all the different chocolate arrangements.11 she decided on three different boxes.

    She told me to write the numbers 1，2，and 3 on the boxes.She 12that the nurses were taking such good care of her，so she13chocolates for each of the three shifts of nurses.As we gave the current shift of nurses their box of chocolate，they14offered some to me before taking some themselves.

    There were15all around.Witnessing the old lady's16and getting the opportunity to spend time with someone who got so much joy from life was a17in itself. I have so many more stories，and each person made an impact on my life. I've 18that health has a way of bringing people together.19is a blessing，and being in a place where health is so 20and appreciated is unlike anything else.

    Last weekend, I had some extra time before going through security to catch my flight at the airport. While wondering what to do, I decided it was the1time and place to look for an act of 2 to do!

    One of the magazine stands outside the security check area had flowers3. I told the clerk that I'd like to buy flowers for someone else, and she could4who to give them to. She looked a little5, so I explained perhaps she could hand the smile cards with the flowers to someone who seemed to need some to6 .

    At first, the clerk7, “That's8. I can't tell which customer needs encouragement.” But then, I explained a little more about9cards and the concept of doing something kind for a complete stranger, and she10up.

    “I'll never know how it11out,” I said, “but you will have the 12 to make someone's day.” At that point, she started to seem genuinely excited about it.

    She went to take the 13 out of the water. Then I explained, “It's fine to __14them there until the person you want to give them to 15 .”

    At that point, I thought she was somewhere between surprise and delight, __16 it was clear this was not a(n) 17 she had ever gotten from a customer before.

I 18 the flowers, said goodbye, and headed for the 19 line.

    I'll never know how it turned out, but I was in good 20 for the rest of the morning.

Sharing Hope with Refugees(难民)

    The night before she had a test at school, eight-year-old Trisha Rao was worried. To give herself 1 , she wrote a poem about believing in herself. Her words gave her courage, and she 2 the test.

    One day while listening to the news with her father, Trisha learned about the war in Syria. Conditions in the country were tough, and many people were leaving for safer regions. "I was 3 that they lost their homes and some of them lost their family," Trisha said. "They didn't have enough money to buy lunch even."

    It made Trisha think. If the poem she had written the night before her test had given her 4 , maybe it could do the same for the refugee children.

    Trisha worked on her poem and turned it into a book called Believe in Yourself. It's the story of a puppy named sunshine and his father, Papa Dog. The dogs travel around the jungle. From fellow animals, they learn 5 about persistence, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, courage, and kindness.

    Trisha illustrated (加插图) the book, too. With the help of her mother and a family friend, she 6 the book in English and Arabic.

    For a family vacation, Trisha asked 7 she and her family could go to Turkey. Many Syrian children who lost their homes in the war were living there now, and Trisha wanted to 8 their spirits up.

    Her family got in touch with Support to Life, an agency that provides emergency relief after a disaster. 9 the group's assistance, Trisha was able to meet refugee children and read her book to them.

    For every book she sells, Trisha gives away a free copy of Believe in Yourself to children around the world. Her purpose is simple but 10: "I hope it will give them hope and that they will learn many lessons from the book and believe in themselves."

    Now you're a fool for helping. "I don't want to get involved" seems to have become a national motto. One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City, California to New Orleans, Louisiana. In the middle of the desert, I passed a young man standing by the roadside. He had his 1 out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time 2 you'd be called a jerk for passing by somebody 3.

    Several days later I was still 4 about the hitchhiker（搭便车的人）, about how I didn't even lift my foot 5 the accelerator(油门)for him. "Does anyone stop any more?" I wondered. I recalled Blanche DuBois's famous line— "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Was that 6 these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey 7 the US without any money, just 8 on the good will of others. What would happen? Would he find food, shelter and support?

    The idea intrigued(激起兴趣)me.

    The week I9 37, I realized that I had never done something truly crazy. 10 I decided to really do it: travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny. I would only accept 11 of rides, food and places to sleep. For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4,223 miles across 14 states. I was treated kindly 12 I went. I was 13 by people's readiness to help a stranger.

    In Oregon, a house painter named Mike 14 the cold weather and asked if I had a coat. I didn't, so he gave me a big green army-style jacket. A lumber-mill worker in Michigan named Tim invited me to a 15dinner with his family in their shabby house. Then he offered me a tent. I refused, but Tim insisted, packing it into my bag himself. I found people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought me food or 16 with them whatever they happened to have. Those who had the 17 to give often gave the most.

    I'm 18 to all the people I met for their rides, their food, their shelter and their gifts. My faith in ordinary folks was 19. I was proud to live in a country where people were still willing to help. In spite of everything, you can still depend on the 20 of strangers.

    From childhood, Moira loved to write. Throughout school she1writing, but pursuing it2was never a possibility. Her father was a doctor, her mother a nurse. "Medicine was a fairly3choice," Moira says, "and writing was a career where it wasn't a4that you'd have high income."

    She became a doctor but still wanted to write something. However, being a doctor was so5that she didn't take up writing until her thirties. She6a novel – a fictionalized version of her travel in China after university. She got excellent7. Moira sent it off to as many agents as she could find, and found one who wanted to8her. Suddenly, it seemed she was on her9as an author.

    "I had one lengthy phone call with the agent where we10all possible areas that she thought needed11. I worked on those and sent it back to her but didn't hear anything." It wasn't long12Moira found another agent who was13if she was willing to rewrite it from the first person to the third person. She did the hard work and sent it off again. "I got back a really brief letter: 'Thank you, I'm no longer interested.' It was really14."

    A decade went by, and Moira found herself eager to write again, this time15for her own enjoyment. She16herself the challenge of creating a thriller and chose Western Australia as her setting.

    As she was writing just for herself, something surprising began to happen. "The characters17a life of their own; they started doing things I hadn't thought about. It just18." One day, an agent called from Australia. Three weeks later, Moira had a publication deal. Her novel, Cicada, was published in March.

    "19it hadn't been published I still gained so much from the20," says Moira.