Jason, our son, was born one month early and so he was weaker than most children. My wife Margaret and I often comforted him as he faced many 1 in his childhood.

    In his seventh grade, Jason 2up for the school running team, which made me both proud and worried. One afternoon, Jason returned home in tears, covered all over with food. He threw his bag on the floor and shouted: “I'm never going to 3 again!” As we later learned, a few older students made fun of his performance on the playground and then threw 4 at him on the school bus on the way home.

    I called the school leader about what happened on the bus, and Jason never experienced that again. He stayed on the team, even though the trouble 5.

    One day in October, we had a heavy 6.As the other kids exercised in the gym they noticed one runner—Jason—7 around the snow-covered playground.

    A few weeks later, Jason had something to tell us. “Mom, Dad, sit down,” he said. I was ready for the8.

    He told us that each month, students chose an “athlete of the month”. The coach would list the top athletes, and the other students 9 for the winner. Jason's name had never been listed.10 that day, one of the students said: “Sir, I would like to choose Jason for athlete of the month.”

The coach looked surprised.

    “He works 11 than any of us, Sir,” the student continued.

    “Does everyone 12 with this?” the coach asked.

Tears formed in Jason's eyes as he told us what happened next. “Mom ... Dad ...13 in the team put their hands up.''

His mother and I, also in tears, looked on as he14showed his certificate (证书).

    Whenever I am sad, I think of this story. I remind myself that challenges are not overcome (克服) by15 but by patience, determination, and faith.

    Jason is in university these days and often holds the highest mark in his class. He is also training in martial arts. I am completely sure he'll wear a black belt someday, and wear it proudly.

    Once there was an old farmer, with a horse which was almost as old as himself. He 1 one morning with his young son 2 the horse before it died. Father and son walked, 3 the farmer did not want the horse to be 4.

    They met two men on the road 5 said:"Why are you walking, farmer? You have a horse. It's 6 to market."The farmer knew that this was 7, so he rode on the horse, 8 his son walked.

    Then they met two old ladies. " 9 are you doing up there, farmer? Can't you 10 how tired your boy is?"11 the farmer got down, and his son rode 12 .

    13 , three old men stopped them. One said:"Why are you walking, farmer? 14 . It's too hot for an old man like you to walk today."So the farmer got up 15 his son, and they 16 . 17, a young woman passed them."Why aren't you walking?"she asked. "It isn't 18 to market. Give your poor old horse a rest." So the farmer, and his son, got down 19.

    It is a fact that you cannot please（使喜欢；使满意）20the people all the time.

    Skydiving isn't an activity for the faint of heart, but when you do it at 101 years old, you're pretty much a superhuman. On May 13, Verdun Hayes became the 1person in the world to complete a 15,000-foot tandern jump (双人伞), 2 the Guinness World Records he once set up.

    Verdun Hayes wasn't 3. He finished the jump with eight family members and two close 4 at Dunkeswell Airport in England. As they5to make the jump, the entire family looked nervous, but6as well. Hayes' grandson–in–law Ian Honnor, the organizer of the family's jump, told TODAY, "He was probably the calmest one on the 7. He had no fear and just loved it. He just wanted everyone to8it and be healthy." Honnor, who helped 9the outing, said this wasn't Hayes' first jump! "When he was more than ninety years old, his family kept telling him he wasn't 10 to do the jump. However, he didn't give up his 11. At the age of 100, he 12realized his ambition and became the first man of such an advanced age to 13a tandem skydive."

    This time he decided to shoot for the world record. "Because it's such a big14, it was decided that as many people in the family as we could possibly get were going to go15him," Honnor said. "He had four generations(世代) of his family in the 16at the same time—they ranged from age 16 to 101." The family held a big party to 17his achievement.

    Hayes even had some18for those people hoping to 19the same thing at his age. "Just keep your mind20occupied by positive thought and keep your body as fit as you possibly can," said Hayes. "Those are the two great things."

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my1wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local3center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't 4. Four more "hero-types" were already lying back in donor chairs with lines5to their veins, and machines quietly pumping away to6their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a difference in the life of someone I would never7.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just do it. But a few months ago, during one of my8donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center9ever since.

    My wife Karen is a10, too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髄) list for fifteen years, ever since she signed up to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia (白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her,11Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential12for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. "Yes," she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race13time.

    I wish I could say that this14was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd15on the donor list. "Of course," Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll16an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may17. Most likely it will be a18, but on any day the person needing a blood product could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to19our time to donate.

    I really do feel20every time I donate. And I like the feeling.

My mother has taught kindergarten for 39 years. She used to collect and wash old tennis balls. 1 my father drilled holes in each one. Once my dad finished them，the balls would fit 2 onto the feet of a standard school chair and 3 the annoying noise that let out every time kids moved the chairs. When you are in 4 of a classroom filled with kids who have never been to school before and turning them into students, the little things 5.

One day, a boy was transferred (转学) into my mom's 6. He had a long record of misbehavior, including eight suspensions (暂时停学) from his 7 school. His teacher still remembered being 8 about how he would influence her classroom. However, my mother welcomed him with a smile and kindly 9 the rules and expectations for her class. The next day, he 10 directions with, "What are you going to do if I don't do it?" My mother still smiled at him. She explained that she was there to help him and 11 he could do well. Day after day, she praised everything he did that was 12. It was a few tiring months but well worth the 13. He gradually turned into one of the best students that year.

By 14 a loving heart with right classroom management measures, teachers can do 15 in a single school year.

One teacher had two students. One of them had a positive vision while the other had the 1 one.

One day, the teacher 2 for a park with both the students and while wandering in the garden, they 3 a mango tree from which some ripe and juicy mangoes were 4 . On seeing this, the teacher thought to 5 both of his students. Then, he asked the first one, "My dear child, what do you think of this mango tree?"

The student answered instantly, "Teacher, in spite of people 6 this tree with stones, it gives us sweet and juicy mangoes. It does 7 but still it gives us fruits. I wish all human beings learn this important 8 from the mango tree-to share their 9 even if they have to suffer for this."

After that, the teacher asked the other student the same question. The student 10 answered, "Teacher, this mango tree is no good and will not give mangoes by itself but only when we hit it with stones and 11 . Therefore, we should hit it hard to get sweet mangoes from it. That is the only way to 12 these mangoes. It is also clear from this tree that in order to get good 13 from others, we need to be violent and only when we become violent, then and only then will we get 14 ."

The teacher was delighted with the answer given by the first student because he had an admirable vision and 15 the tree with positive vision.