Dear Mom and Dad,

    I'd like you to know that I appreciate everything you've done for me, such as teaching me, taking care of me, and loving me.

    I'm writing this thank-you letter, Mom and Dad, because I want you to know what a big 1 you have truly made in my life. You   2 me so many things about the world and myself. You were the first ones to tell me about the importance of 3 by telling me it was 4 to refuse all my other playmates from using my toys. And to this day, 5 those toys are long gone, I 6 to live by the idea of sharing my blessings (祝福) with the people 7 me.

    Mom and Dad, you also 8 me to be sympathetic (同情) towards the blind old man. You told me that our pets are there for us to 9 and not to hurt. And because of those 10, I've learnt to be 11.

    Thank you, Mo m and Dad. You gave me some of the nicest 12. Mom, I remember how you would let me sleep in your bed 13 how you used to bring me my favorite fried chicken and take care of me whenever I was 14. Dad, I remember how you worked 15 to make me a playhouse in the yard so my friends and I could 16 happily there.

    I may have 17 you and your purposes when I was much younger. But now I know that 18 you did was for my own good.

    Mom and Dad, I hope this thank-you 19 is enough to let you know how much I 20 everything you've done for me.

                                                                                                                                                                         All the love,

                                                                                                                                                                                Rex

    The sky was getting dark as we walked through the forest. My two friends and I felt hot and 1. We were heading for a small village in northern India. The villagers were 2 us, but we were already four hours late.

    As the last of the daylight 3, we began to feel very 4 and afraid. We tried to find our way to the village, but it was 5 to tell which path we should follow in the darkness. All around us, strange creatures made 6 noises as they woke up and began to hunt for food. We hoped they wouldn't want to eat us!

    Then George, who was in front, 7 suddenly. He ran towards us rapidly, pointing at a large, dark shape moving through the trees. We could 8 the black stripes (条纹) and shining yellow eyes of the most dangerous animal in the 9. We stared at the tiger, too 10 to move.

    After a few seconds that felt like hours, there was the sound of branches (树枝) breaking, and the tiger jumped at us, roaring (咆哮) loudly. We 11, because we were sure it would kill us.

    12, though, the tiger stopped — and then I noticed that it had six legs, two of them 13!

    The "tiger" stood up, and a young man 14 the striped skin covering his head and shoulders. "Hello!" he said, smiling broadly. "I'm Abi, from the village. When you didn't 15, we were worried, so I came to 16 you," he explained. "It's traditional for us to 17 the tiger skin to greet new guests ... and I couldn't help playing a trick on you! I hope you don't 18."

    Recovering from the 19, we began to laugh. We followed Abi to his village, where the villagers gave us a warm 20.

    Last fall I hung outside my window a bird feeder(喂鸟的食槽). Knowing 1about wild birds, I 2that3 I hung this bird feeder outside, numbers of beautiful birds would be swooping(飞扑)to my new addition. However, days, weeks, and months4, NO BIRDS.

    I asked so many people, “What to do？5 was I doing wrong？”“Nothing, ”most of them replied, “just6！”So I waited and waited and waited, trying everything7to attract these birds. I cleaned off the deck(平台), 8the feed, and washed the feeder. I9 made the cat go out the other door！But nothing seemed to10. So I waited with patience and11.

    Two months later, on a Saturday afternoon, I 12 ！What came to my eyes was the most beautiful bird I have ever seen in my life！All of a13 , hundreds of birds were14 from everywhere!

    What a beautiful15I learned from this little creature！Patience and hope will16 the beautiful things in life. Yet I had never17how much patience I really do have and how much I do rely on hope to 18 the questions in my heart.

So I 19hoping and waiting, waiting and hoping. I will try to use this “little lesson” with so many other things in my life. I guess patience is a 20 after all.

    A father and his daughter have donated a C$44-million cattle ranch (牧场) to a school for veterinary medicine (兽医学). They want to 1  students a unique resource to learn about animal medicine. 90-year-old Jack Anderson and his daughter Wynne Chisholm have been 2 W.A. Ranches since 2005 when the senior 3 from his work in the gas and oil field. They are now 4 the 19,000-acre (about 77km2) ranch to the University of Calgary's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). Their only 5 for the donation are guaranteed 6 for their five full-time ranch workers and the ability to visit the ranch from time to time.7 that, the university will take on full 8 and ownership of the ranch and all of its property.

    According to the news, the ranch is the single largest 9 of a ranch to a university in North American history.

    “Our hope is that this gift will 10 the teaching and learning at UCVM, and make the students able to 11 and share scientific, evidence-based 12 .They will strengthen our industry, 13 animal care and welfare, and inform the public,” Chisholm added in a statement.

    Dr. Baljit Singh, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said: “The gift of a cattle ranch of this size and standard offers unexpected educational 14 within the creative teaching model practiced at the university.

    “The ranch will provide a platform for 15 with other equipment, industry and the public sector. It can also 16 interdisciplinary (跨学科的) learning and research, and help develop an international centre in beef cattle health.”

    “This gift will 17 the leadership of our Faculty of Veterinary Medicine even further. It actually 18 a unique opportunity for our students to 19 practical learning. This will also develop their professional skills, and make the 20 between human, animal and environmental health,” says university president Elizabeth Cannon.

    Recently I understood the true meaning of love. The1was Kane, my neighbor Joline's two-year-old son.

    Kane was born with a physical problem on his2. And I witnessed the3that Kane's physical shortcomings had on his family. I also witnessed much more than that. I saw a4family that embraced (拥抱) this special child. A family that wouldn't allow Kane to know he was5. Joline had constructed a small cart just a few inches off the floor for his son to6. Kane used his hands to move about, and the cart7him to "go to" any place just as everyone else was able to do. Kane was not just a member of the family, but the8of the family.

    With a wide smile, it was easy to see that even at the age of two, Kane liked to9with people very much. With wisdom of an individual, this boy even10the most complex of human emotions. Later I came to11that this child was sent to help some of us who weren't just getting what love was all about.

    Kane demanded attention,12not because of his mobility (移动能力) challenges or other apparent shortcomings. In his mind, he had no13or shortcomings. The14was that he received attention because he was alive and real and had so much to offer.

    Kane15me in a deep way. His ability to refuse to be different has16me. Kane was and is17lots of warm and powerful energy to me. From him and his family I learnt the18: love surpasses (超越) all things. I can only imagine that as the parent of a child like Kane one might be filled with19. But I believe that having a child like Kane is actually a(n)20. The parents of such special babies are angels too, just as the babies are.

A big fire took the life of the mother in this family. When I 1 , the father and his child Mario were 2 staying in a garage. There were already quite a few 3 at the door. A mother and her daughter caught my 4 . The mother said to her 5 , "Look, this is the best jacket your daddy just 6 . This quilt is Mommy's best one. We all can 7 our best to Mario's family, so why can't you give your best? Can we change this old bear to your most 8 one?"

The daughter asked, "If I give away my best to Mario, will he give it back to me?" I couldn't help but 9 , "Of course not, once you donate something, you can't 10 to get it back."

Together, we 11 the garage. As the little girl's mother 12 the quilt and clothes, the girl took Mario's hand, whose eyes filled with tears, and 13 and carefully placed her mother's 14 into Mario's small one. Her face was pale. She bit her 15 as if making a big 16 , and said, "Mario, I am donating my mom to you, now you have a mom." After doing so, tears streamed down her cheeks, and she turned and 17 .

Her mother ran after her. The little girl, with tearful eyes, looked up at her mother and timidly said, "Mom, no, Mario's mom, I don't want to take you back, but I still want to give you a 18 kiss. Can you let me kiss you without telling Mario?" Her mother 19 her tightly, and I saw that the mother's eyes were filled with tears, her face beaming with happiness and 20 .