I'm Dave. I'm from the west of Ireland. When I finished university, I1to leave Ireland to find work. Although I2home. I enjoyed living in London for two years. But after that, I felt I needed a3. so I bought a ticket to Ecuador ,a country that many of my friends were talking about. Two months later,4was in Quito，a beautiful city high up in the mountains. First，I explored(考察)the city. Next，I decided to walk on the Camino Real，the most important Inca road. It was hard work. 5the views(景色)were really wonderful. During the walk，there were more and more clouds and it was6to see. Suddenly I heard some magical Irish music. It 7me of home. “How could it be?”I just 8believe it. I thought l was dreaming. The next day, when I came down for breakfast at my hotel. I9found out the truth. 10 was practicing Irish music at the hotel garden(花园). It was an American tourist who was making the magical music of my home!

    A young man once asked Albert Einstein, the German scientist, 1 the secret of success(成功的秘密)was. The scientist 2 him that the secret of success was hard work. A few days 3, the young man asked him the 4 question again. Einstein was very angry. He did not say 5,but wrote a few words 6 a piece of paper and handed（传递） it to the young man. The young man looked 7 the piece of paper. On it was written: A=X+Y+Z. “What 8 this mean?” Asked the young man. “A means success,”9 the old scientist. “X stands for (代表) hard work, Y stands for good methods(方法), and Z…Z means 10 talking and start to work.”

    Washington was the first president of the United States. He was very1even when he was still a 12-year-old boy.

    Once a thief 2 some money from Uncle Post, Washington's neighbor. The door of the house was not broken, and things in the room were in good order. Washington 3 that the thief must have been one of the villagers.

    That evening at the villagers' meeting he said, “We don't know who stole the money 4.

    God does. God sends his wasp（黄蜂）to tell good from 5 Every night the wasp flies 6 us but few people notice it.” Then, all of a sudden Washington waved his band and cried out, “Look! The wasp has landed on the thief's7 It is going to sting（叮咬）!”

    Everybody turned to 8 the thief. But soon the noise died down. All eyes were 9 on a man who was trying hard to drive the “Wasp” off his hat.

    “Now we know10 stole the money,” Washington said with a smile.

    I used to feel hopeless and frustrated. Last year my mother became 1ill and had an operation on her brain. I felt my whole world turn upside down and I had no 2what I could do to help her to reduce her pain. My eyes were filled with tears 3I was alone.

    Last month I 4a watch, which was an 18﹣year﹣old birthday gift from my father. I could not fall asleep for a couple of nights because I felt5about the loss.

    There have been many bad things like these in my life. I could never know how to deal with such tough things6I read" If You Have a Lemon, Make Lemonade".

    "When the wise man is handed a lemon, he says, 'What 7can I get from this? How can I improve my situation? How can I turn this lemon into a lemonade?'" the author wrote.

    I suddenly 8that life is full of ups and downs, so I need to stay positive all the time. Now when I think of my past, I wish I could have done with things 9. When my mother was fighting against her illness, I should have held her hands in mine, telling her things would get better10hiding and crying.

    Several weeks ago, I took part in a school singing competition. I didn't 11a prize. If I had not read this article, I would certainly have felt 12again. But instead, I smiled after the competition. I was happy that 13I had got some stage experience.

    Life is not just a bed of roses. There are thorns （刺） 14, but these thorns help us become brave and strong. When life 15us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.