My elder brother,Steve,in the1of my father who died when I was six,gave me important lessons in2that helped me grow into an adult.For example,Steve taught me to face the3of my behavior.Once when I returned in4from a Saturday baseball game,it was Steve who5the time to ask me what happened.When I6that my baseball had flown through Mrs.Holt's basement window,7the glass with a crash,Steve encouraged me to apologize to her.After all,I8not have played in the path between buildings.9my knees knocked as I explained to Mrs.Holt.I10to pay for the window if she would return my ball.

    I also learned from Steve that11property is a sacred（神圣的）thing.After I found,a silver pen in my fifth-grade classroom,I wanted to12it,but Steve explained that it might be important to13else in spite of the fact that it had little value.He reminded me of14I'd hate to lose the small dog my father gave me to someone else.I returned the pen to my teacher,Mrs.David.

    Yet of all the15Steve gave me,his respect for16is the most vivid in my mind.When I was twelve,I killed an old brown sparrow in the park with a BB gun.17with my accuracy,I screamed to Steve to come from the house to have a look.I shall never forget the18he stood for a long moment and stared at the bird."Did it19you first, Mark?"he asked.I didn't know what to answer.I really felt terrible then,but that moment20out as the most important lesson my brother taught me.

    On a cold winter evening, I was walking home alone, when suddenly came screams (呼喊声) from behind some tress.1 I slowed down to listen, and 2 that what I was hearing were the sounds of a fight. A woman was being attack (袭击) not far from where I 3.

     “Should I go to help her?” I thought. I was worried about my own 4 , and I regretted having suddenly decided to take a new way home that night. “What if I am 5 too? Shouldn't I just6 to the nearest phone and call the police?” But already the girl's 7 were growing weaker. I knew it was time for me to act fast because I could not 8 the life of this unknown woman, 9 it meant risking my own life.

    I am not a 10 man. I didn't know where I found the 11  and physical strength (体力), but once I had finally 12 to help the girl, I changed suddenly. I ran behind the bushes and 13 the attacker off the woman. Struggling, we fell to the ground, where we fought for a few minutes 14 the man jumped up and ran away.

    15 heavily, I came up to the girl, who was crying. In the 16 I could not see her clearly, but I could certainly 17 her shock. Not wanting to frighten her any further, I spoke to her from a distance.

     “It's OK,” I said 18“The man ran away. You're safe now.” There was a long stop and then I heard the words, said in both wonder and 19 “Dad, is that you?” And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest 20 Katherine.

    A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot (弹弓) to play with out in the woods. He 1 in the woods, but he could never hit anything. Getting a little2, he headed back for dinner. As he was 3 back he saw Grandma's pet 4. Just out of impulse (冲动), he let the slingshot 5, hit the duck right in the head and killed it. He was shocked and 6.

    In a panic, he hid the7duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said 8.After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the 9." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he10to help in the kitchen." Then she11to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny washed the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Before they left, Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I12Sally to help me make supper," Sally just smiled and said, "Well, you needn't worry about it13Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went 14 and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of doing both his15and Sally's, he finally couldn't 16 it any longer. He came to Grandma and admitted that he had 17 the duck.

    Grandma squatted down(蹲下), gave him a 18 , and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the 19 thing, but because I love you. I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a 20 of you. If you make a mistake, just be brave to admit to it and promise not to make it again. In that way, everyone will forgive you."

    William Weaver was one of 14 black students integrating(使融合进入) the all—white West High School. A teacher told him that he “didn't belong.” He had a test and the teacher 1 him and then just took the paper away and said, “ 2 is up.” The first report card he got was 3 F's. So he started to think maybe he didn't belong and that he was 4 .

    One evening he was at home and Edward Hill, his science teacher from the 5 school, came by to visit. Weaver told Mr Hill that the white school were trying to 6 him away. Mr Hill asked Weaver to come to his old school after 7 . So every day waiting for him would be Mr. Hill with other teachers and they 8 him. Once he got past those F's, he stopped 9 himself. But no matter what he did, he was never 10 at that school. Weaver never had a 11 with a counselor(辅导员)about going to college. But, to his 12 , he got a letter telling him he had been awarded a scholarship. Weaver 13 it and went on to 14 Howard University.

    Many years 15 , Weaver came across Mr Hill and told him, “Mr Hill, if I had not gotten that 16 , I don't know what would have happened. And I don't know 17 I got the scholarship because I never even applied for it.” Mr Hill said, “I know, because I filled in the 18 and sent it off for you.” So Mr Hill stepped 19 and changed his life, 20 at that time Weaver didn't realize how much he was being helped.

    A sound woke Damian Languell at 8:15 in the morning. It was so 1that he assumed it came from inside his house. As he 2to investigate, he heard another sound, this one coming most 3from outside. Looking out of his bedroom window, he 4a tree covered by smoke about 500 yards away. A car was wrapped around the tree's 5, its engine on fire.

    Languell 6buckets of water and ran to the crash site. The car, a 1998 Buick Regal, was split nearly in two, and the 7was where the driver's seat ought to have been, as if 8there. No one should have 9this crash. Yet there was 16-year-old Quintin Thompson, whose 10face pressed against the driver's side window, in 11pain. Languell, 35, tried to put out the fire with his buckets of water with no 12. "When the flames got into the front seats, I 13I had to get him out of there, he told WAGM-TV."

    In an act that a police report described as showing "complete 14of his own safety", Languell climbed into the Buick's After Thompson was 15of the seat belt with his help, Languell pulled him out and then dragged the teen to 16before the entire car was totally in flames

    Although Thompson 17multiple injuries to his legs, arms and face, a social media post described him as "looking great, smiling and 18." Languell thinks about that day often. "My heart 19Thompson. When you are that close to that level of hurt, you feel the 20to help so directly."

    Today, I was sitting with some other students and teachers as the judges of the annual singing contest of Beijing National Day School(BNDS). Watching the wonderful performances on stage, I could not help 1what happened last year.

    Last year was the first year I came to the BNDS International Department. The first month at BNDS was almost a(n) 2: Curiosity quickly 3, replaced by a heavy workload. To make matters worse, I was

    4a total stranger in a new environment. When I was in trouble, I was too5to turn to anyone for help. I shut the door to the outside world.

    I thought I might continue to 6in darkness by myself, until one day, I saw the7of the annual singing contest. If I was not brave enough to communicate in words, maybe I could 8my heart out. Having made my decision, I joined the audition (试镜). Luckily, I9among more than 100 contestants and entered the top 32. After another three rounds of competition, I made10to the finals together with three other contestants.11more and more students knew that I joined the contest, they went to watch my performance, volunteered to 12for me and then shared my singing videos on social media. It seemed that I became well-known overnight.

    Finally, the big day came. When I13the nerve to walk onstage, I could not believe my eyes. The dark theater was suddenly lit up by14sticks, which were like stars in a dark sky. "Come on, Becky!" A shout broke the silence, followed by kind laughter. When it became15again, I began to sing.

    The music started, which drew me back to16. Now I might not remember clearly what songs I sang last year, but I would never forget the17in the darkness.  From then on, I had my18, made friends, and I even joined the singing club. Singing opens the door19a brand-new world. I know I will stay at BNDS, and I won't be20.