On August 26,1999,New York City experienced a torrential downpour.The rain caused the streets to1and the subway system almost came to a stop.

    Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour.Many people who were going to work were2to go home.Some battled to3a taxi or to get on a bus.Still others faced the4bravely,walking miles to get to work.

    I 5 to be one of the people on the way to work that morning.I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most6had stopped.After making my way7crowds of people,I finally found a subway line that was 8.Unfortunately,there were so many people waiting to9the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the10.So I took the train going in the opposite direction,and then switch back to the downtown train.Finally,after what seemed like an forever,the train11my stop.Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office,I was12through,exhausted and13.

    My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off.When it was 5:00 pm,I was ready to go home.I was about to turn off my computer14I received an email from Garth,my Director:

    I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and15reported to work.It is always reassuring（今人欣慰）,at times like these,when employees so clearly show their16to their jobs.Thank you.

    Garth's email was short, but I learned more from that17message than I ever did from a textbook.The email taught me that a few words of18can make a big difference.The rainstorm and the traffic19had made me tired and upset.But Garth's words immediately20me and put a smile back on my face.

    Madison Williams,aged 13 ,was studying in her bedroom in Dublin, Ohio. Suddenly,her mother,Leigh Williams,rushed in saying1"A little boy fell into a septic tank（化粪池），and no one can2him.”

    They ran to the neighbor's yard,where they found the boy's desperate mother and other people3a septic tank opening that was slightly wider than a4The boy,only 2, had slipped in.

    Madison quickly5the situation. She was the only one who could6 through the small hole. Without7she got on her stomach next to the opening, placed her8out in front of her9told the adults, “Lower me in.”

    Leigh and the others10her waist and legs. She moved her arms and shoulders from side to side until she got through the11Inside,the tank was dark ,and the air was sick. She used her hands to12the boy in the dirty water, and jammed her left wrist13 a hidden pole, injuring the muscles in her wrist and arm. Ignoring her14Madison continued. Minutes ticked by before she15grasped his foot.

    Then, ten minutes after Madison had16the tank, she and the boy were17.But the boy wasn't out of18He had been kept from oxygen long enough that he wasn't19An adult gave him several hard hits on the back. It was only when Madison heard him cry that she knew he was 20Madison's action made her a hero.

    I grew up on a 40-acre farm in the small rural community of Illinois, as the fifth of six children.

    My parents, Robert and Patti, often noted during meals how everything on the table except sugar and wine came from the land.1 running the farm, Dad was also a carpenter. In the fall of 1980, he was working on a house when all of a sudden the ladder broke. His back was broken.

    He stayed in hospital for almost a month with his head and feet down, 2his back to align (成直线) correctly so the bones would heal.

    On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in hospital recovering from his back injury. Normally he would take us to butcher pigs the day after the holiday, and that year my uncle 3 up with my four cousins to help my two elder brothers 4 our year's supply of pork.

    When Dad came back home from the hospital, he was still in a back brace (支架) and 5 to work. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming in as Christmas 6 . Another day we saw a car coming up the long driveway. Always longing for company, we kids were7 about who was visiting. Rose Anderson, our neighbor, was at the door, holding an envelope stuffed with money. She told my dad she had8 money in the community and came to deliver it.

    Dad tried to refuse,9 Rose insisted. I can still hear her saying, "Robert, whenever someone's baler (压捆机) breaks down, you bale their hay. Whenever someone passes away, Patti cooks. It's our 10."

    I learned later that we also 11 gift baskets from more than one organization. That Christmas, I, a 6-year-old kid, understood what being a good neighbor was, and that as my parents were good neighbors, their12 would be returned. These tales of Christmas kindness will 13 our heart, too.

    My parents were accustomed to being the 14, not the receivers of such generosity. They had a bit of pride to swallow, but continued all of their lives to show us kids the 15of kindness.

The Homeless Hero

    For many, finding an unattended wallet filled with £400 in cash would be a source (来源) of temptation (诱惑). But the 1 would no doubt be greater if you were living on the streets with little food and money. All of this makes the actions of the homeless Tom Smith 2 more remarkable.

    After spotting a 3 on the front seat inside a parked car with its window down, he stood guard in the rain for about two hours waiting for the 4 to return.

    After hours in the cold and wet, he 5 inside and pulled the wallet out hoping to find some ID so he could contact (联系) the driver, only to 6 it contained £400 in notes, with another £50 in spare change beside it.

    He then took the wallet to a nearby police station after 7 a note behind to let the owner know it was safe. When the car's owner John Anderson and his colleague Carol Lawrence returned to the car—which was itself worth £35, 000—in Glasgow city centre, they were 8 to find two policemen standing next to it. The policemen told them what Mr. Smith did and that the wallet was 9.

    The pair were later able to thank Mr. Smith for his 10.

    Mr. Anderson said: "I couldn't believe that the guy never took a penny. To think he is sleeping on the streets tonight 11 he could have stolen the money and paid for a place to stay in. This guy has nothing and

    12 he didn't take the wallet for himself; he thought about others 13. It's unbelievable. It just proves there are 14 guys out there."

    Mr. Smith's act 15 much of the public's attention. He also won praise from social media users after Mr. Anderson 16 about the act of kindness on Facebook.

    Now Mr. Anderson has set up an online campaign to 17 money for Mr. Smith and other homeless people in the area, which by yesterday had received ￡8, 000. "I think the faith that everyone has shown 18 him has touched him. People have been approaching him in the street; he's had job 19 and all sorts," Mr. Anderson commented.

    For Mr. Smith, this is a possible life-changing 20. The story once again tells us that one good turn deserves another.

Tell mommy I love her

    John had been on the road visiting customers for more than three weeks. It was coming up on Mother's Day. He said to himself, "I'll 1 Mom some roses."

    He went into the small shop and saw a boy 2 to the clerk. "How many roses can I get for six dollars, ma'am?" the boy asked. The clerk was trying to 3 that roses were expensive. 4 the young man would be happy with carnations (康乃馨).

    "No. I 5 have roses," he said, "My Mom was sick so much last year and I didn't get to spend much time with her. I want to get something 6. It has to red roses, because that's her favorite."

    The clerk 7 John and was just shaking her head. Something inside John was 8 by the boy's voice. He looked at the clerk and 9 mouthed that he would pay for the boy's roses.

    The clerk looked at the young man and said, "Okay, I will give you a dozen red roses 10 your six dollars." The young man 11 jumped into the air. He took the flowers and ran from the store.

    John 12 his own flowers and had the clerk be 13 that delivery would include a note telling his mother how much he loved her. 14 he drove away from the shop, he saw the young boy walking down the sidewalk. He 15 him cross the street and enter a cemetery (墓地). The young man stopped by a small monument and went on his knees. He 16 laid the roses on the grave and began to sob. John heard the young man speak, "Mommy, oh Mommy, 17 didn't I tell you how much I love you? Jesus, please, find my Mommy. 18 my Mommy I love her."

    John 19, tears in his eyes, and walked back to his car. He drove quickly to the florist and told her he would take the flowers 20.

    Eddie has lots of hobbies, but he loves baseball best. So it is his1sport. Eddie plays baseball on a team every year in the spring. He loves to go to baseball2.

    Every day when it is3, Eddies father throws a baseball to Eddie in the backyard. This is the time of day that Eddie4best. He enjoys spending time with his father and he loves practicing baseball.

    Eddie5baseball cards throughout the year. He and his father visit the6and buy cards for Eddie's collection. Eddie spends hours with his baseball cards. He arranges them in different7and trades them with other baseball8.

    One day, Eddie s father came home with two tickets to9the Atlanta Braves play the next Saturday. Eddie was so10. He counted down the days on the calendar.

    Finally it was the day of the game. Eddie and his father11to Atlanta early in the morning. Before they watched the match, they12the Braves' museum at the stadium and saw a short movie on the history of the Atlanta Braves. Eddie enjoyed seeing the13

    They ate14at the stadium when it was at noon, and soon it was time for the game.

    The game was exciting. Eddie tried to15every move the players made.16he watched carefully and practiced a lot, he might just be on one of those baseball cards some day!

    17the game, Eddie and his father drove home. They talked about the game. They talked about which18were the best, and which19were the most exciting. Eddie went to sleep that night still20of baseball. His dreams were filled with images from his very special day.