Welcome to Inspire 21!

    Our aim is to provide ”Inspiring words for the 21st century”. So, here we offer a unique collection of inspiring short stories, motivational short stories, and humorous short stories for you to read and share.

    If you do care to share, click the “SHARE”button in the bottom left corner of each page. And thanks for telling others about Inspire 21.

    The inspiring stories that are labeled(标记)“TRUE”are done so to the best of our knowledge, but we do not have full proof in some cases. However, all of these stories and messages are provided because of their uplifting content, whether true or not. Many books we've read and movies we've watched were totally untrue, but we enjoyed the inspiration they gave us—especially if they had a happy ending.

    So, please read and share these stories at your own discretion(判断力). Thank you for your understanding!

    Also, many of the inspiring stories used here are used with permission from the author. However, we cannot grant(授予) permission to reuse any of these inspirational stories, as the majority of them are not ours.

    Lastly, many inspiring stories(emailed to us or we came across online )are listed as “Author Unknown” If you happen to know the author's name, to whom credit should be given, please contact us with that information so we can keep our inspiring story collection accurate. Thank you again!

    When it comes to car hiring,all car hire companies require that you should have a full driving license for at least one year,some of whom may ask for two years,especially for younger drivers.

    Most car hire companies will not automatically hire out a car to someone under the age of 25 or to people over 70. But there are exceptions. Some listed companies are normally prepared to serve people of 21 and over. And some may go over the age limit and provide service for older people( aged 70 and over) providing you have no record of breaking the law and valid license, and a doctor's letter of good health.

    Now read on for some information about national companies with many bases hiring out cars to people aged 21 and older drivers.

Dear God,

    Now that I am no longer young. I have friends whose mothers have passed away. I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully thanked their mothers until it was too late to tell them.

    I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive. I appreciate her devotion more each day. My mother does not change, but I do. As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is. It's sad that I am unable to say these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen.

    How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child? For running after a toddler（学步儿童）, for understanding a moody teenager, and for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For wailing for the day when the daughter realizes what her mother really is?

    How does a grown woman thank a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice when asked or remaining silent when it is needed? For not saying “I told you so.” when she could have voiced these words dozens of times? For being essentially herself－loving, thoughtful, patient and forgiving?

    I don't know how to thank her, dear God, except to bless her and live up to the example she has set. I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine.

English Language Courses at ELC Los Angeles

At the English Language Center (ELC) Los Angeles you will find a variety of English courses and programs that meet the highest academic standards of any English language school in the United States. Through its 40 years of teaching students at all levels from all over the world, ELC has developed teaching and training techniques and programs that really work for everyone.

ENGLISH COURSES OFFERED AT ELC LOS ANGELES

● GENERAL ENGLISH COURSES

Intensive English Course

Semi-intensive Course

Individual Intensive Course

● TEST PREPARATION COURSES

Cambridge Preparation Course

TOEFL Preparation Course

● BUSINESS ENGLISH COURSE

Individual Executive Business English Course

ENGLISH CLASSES LOS ANGELES FACT FILE

● Length of lesson: 50 minutes

● Number of levels: 12

● Average number of students per class: 8-9

Maximum number of students per class: 10 (14 during July and August only)

ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT ELC LOS ANGELES

The ELC Los Angeles staff is eager to assist international students in achieving their long-term learning goals. ELC offers the following support services to ensure each student's time at ELC is enjoyable, effective and worry-free:

● Student Visa

ELC has been approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)to issue the SEVIS Form I-20. Students enrolling in a minimum 24-lesson-per-week course are eligible (有资格的) to receive an I-20 form in order to apply for an F-1 student visa in their country.

● English Level Evaluation with Multi-level- Placement

Each student benefits from our English level evaluation with multi-level placement. Our method means students usually have different teachers for different levels and ensures that students study English in the learning environment that is best for them.

● University Admission Services

ELC is pleased to offer free counseling and university placement services to all ELC students interested in continuing their education at an American college or university in California and around the United States.

Tonya, Elsa and Mark are students at SAR Senior High School in New York City. It's a school with regular academic(学术的)classes, but it also gives special attention to the performing arts. Tonya likes dancing, Elsa wants to be an artist and Mark is a singer. 

The students are all 15,and they're in the 10th grade. They study subjects like English, maths, and science. They also choose a foreign language. Students have many academic classes, but during the school day they also take classes in the arts, like dance and music. 

There are even more activities for SAR students after school. There are more than 40 clubs for students. For example, there's a movie club, a music club and an environmental club. "We have so many choices to select," says Tonya. "I like taking photos. It's a so a great way to meet people with common interests. "

Students at SAR can also do many sports. For example, they can play basketball, tennis, volleyball and soccer. Students practice them after school. They compete against other high schools. Mark says, "At school, I study by myself. I'm a singer, and I do that alone, too. That's why I like playing on the basketball team. We work together and compete against other teams. "

SAR offers various great classes, clubs and sports to students. Students at SAR get a good education and they also develop their own interests. Many SAR students become dancers, singers and actors!

As I have perfect pitch(绝对音感) and started playing piano at 3 years old, it's much natural for me to join the school's choir when I got to college in the US.

At first, everything went pretty 1 . I passed the audition(试音), and was even invited to join the more selective Chamber Singers. However, I soon became 2 after several rehearsals(排练). From jokes to music theory, I simply couldn't understand what they were talking about! And when I 3 others' pitch mistakes, they seemed unwilling to accept. I remained silent even when I knew the pitches were 4 .

It was our New Year Concert last year that 5 me out of deep waters. When we were singing the words of a song: "To live is to give", I thought "how could I be 6 just being a silent Asian?" Soon after the 7 , I started my plan. In my second term, I 8 to join all the conversations and started to help fellow singers with my abilities 9 identifying pitch. I was overwhelmed by the content of helping people, and was thrilled 10 more choir members came to me for casual talks.

From March to May, I was 11 soloist(独唱者) for four different songs, an unusual 12 for a first-year student. Among them, my favorite piece was a Spanish folk song that we 13 during the choir's spring tour to Madrid. A Chinese student singing a Spanish song in an American choir—how proud I was to 14 as an ambassador of cross-cultural communication! When the audience applauded us, I came to see a better world with understanding, 15 and love.