People from every corner flooded into the streets that Christmas Eve. "Frosty the Snowman," and "Jingle Bells" 1 in stores; on the pavements, the street singers performed happily. Everyone was 2 by someone else, delighted and cheerful. I was alone.

    As one of 8 kids of a Brazilian family, brought up in America's crowded apartment, I'd spent several years searching for aloneness. Now,3, at 27, a college student after the 4 with my girlfriend, every cell inside me wanted to be alone,5  not at Christmas. My family had 6to Brazil and my friends were 7with their own lives. Dusk was approaching, and the fact that I had to return to my 8 home made me sad. Lights from windows blinked (闪烁), and I hoped someone would 9 from one of those homes to invite me inside with a Christmas tree decorated with shiny fake snow and 10 presents.

    At a market, I felt more 11 when people were buying lots of goods, which12 the gifts we received as children in my mind. I missed my family and wanted to cry for wanting to be alone and for having achieved it.

    Outside the church, a manger (小耶稣) had been set 13. I stood with others watching the scene, some of them 14 themselves, praying. As I walked home, I realized that leaving Brazil was still a painful experience as I struggled with 15 I had become in 15 years in America. I'd mourned (悲叹) the 16, but for the first time, I recognized what I'd gained. I was independent, 17 and healthy. My life was still ahead, full of 18.

    Sometimes the best gift is the one that you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself 19 for what I'd obtained up to now and promise to go forward. It is the best gift I've ever got, the one that I most 20.

    As I held my father's hands one night, I couldn't help but notice their calluses (老茧) and roughness. His hands tell the story of his life as a1, including all his struggles.

    One summer, I remember, a drought (旱灾) hit Ontario, turning it into a2desert. On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last3from the grocery shore. Fifty dozen was all we needed, which4took twenty minutes. That morning, however, the process didn't5quickly. After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field, we6needed twenty dozen. I was completely frustrated and7. Dropping the basket heavily, I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen, they can pick it themselves!” Dad8“Just think, my little girl, only ten dozen left for each of us and then we're9. ” Such is Dad—whatever problem he10he never gives up.

    11the disastrous effects of the drought were felt all over our country. It was a challenging time for everyone,12Dad remained optimistic. He13to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates. Only then did I truly begin to14Dad and his faith guided us through the hard times.

    Dad is also a living example of real15From dawn to dark, he works countless hours to16our family. He always puts our happiness17his own, and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games18his exhaustion after long days. His loving and selfless nature has inspired me to become more sympathetic and19, putting others first.

    Dad, the life20I have learned from you will stay with me forever. You are my father, teacher, friend and, most importantly, my hero.

    One month ago, my daughter started kindergarten. As usual, I wished her success. I was telling a lie. What I actually wish for her is 1. I believe in the power of failure.

    Success is 2 in a sense. Success is proving that you can do something that you already know you can do, or doing something correctly the first time, which can 3 be a problematic victory. First-time success is usually a fluke (侥幸). First-time failure, 4, is expected; it is the natural order of things.

    Failure is how we learn. I have been told of an African phrase 5 a good cook as “she who has broken many pots”. If you have spent enough time in the 6to have broken a lot of pots, probably you know a fair amount about 7. I once had a late dinner with a group of chefs, and they spent time 8 knife wounds and burn scars. They knew how much credibility (可信度) their 9 gave them.

    I earn my 10 by writing a daily newspaper column. Each week I am 11 that one column is going to be the worst column of the week. I don't just set out to write it; I try my best every day. 12, every week, one column is inferior (较差的) to the others, sometimes extremely so.

    I have learned to 13 that column. A successful column usually means that I am treading (踏) on14 ground, going with tricks that work, or dressing up popular ideas in fancy words. Often in my inferior columns, I am trying to 15 something I've never done before, something that I'm not even sure can be done.

    My daughter is a perfectionist. She will feel her failures, and I will want to 16 her. But I will also, I hope, 17 her of what she learned, and how she can do 18 next time. I probably won't tell her that failure is a good thing, because that's not a(n)19 you can learn when you're five. I hope I can tell her, though, that it's not the end of the world. Indeed, with luck, it is the 20.

    For most people, graduation day is exciting. 1, my graduation day...was not

    Two years ago on my graduation day, my family and friends flew in from across the country to 2 me. But like everyone else in my graduating class, I had 3 the economy turn from bad to worse during my senior year. We graduates had degrees(学位)， but very4 opportunities. Countless applications had not been 5.

    The weeks ahead weren't __ 6. I drove to Southern California to find work 7 I knew my small university town couldn't offer me any 8. But 100 job applications later , I found myself in the 9 spot as I was before. And the date to begin 10 my student loans (贷款) was drawing ever closer.

    You know that feeling when you wake up and you are just filled with 11? And the most frustrating part was no matter how much I tried, I just couldn't seem to 12.

    I began to write. Something about writing gave me 13. I channeled my frustration into a children's book. Beyond the "river" was the story of an unlikely hero featuring a little fish who refused to give up on his 14.

    And then one day, 15 any sort of writing degree or contacts in the writing world — just a lot of hard work and perseverance(坚持) — I received a publishing contract for my first 16 ! After that, things slowly began to fall into place. I was 17 a second book deal. Then, a few months later, I got an interview with The Walt Disney Company and was 18 shortly after.

    The lesson of this story: Don't give up. Even if things look 19 now, don't give up. Things 20.

    If you work hard, give it time, and don't give up, things will always get better. Oftentimes our dreams lie in wait just a little further upstream. All we need is the courage to push beyond the river.

    Last summer, I travelled to Meixian County with my friends. It is a small county at the foot of Taibai Mountain in Shanxi Province. We stayed there for one week and I1 my vacation because of the beautiful scenery at the top of the mountain.

    I will2forget the day when we climbed the main peak(山顶). The3in that area changes very quickly: it was sunny in the early morning when we set out,4it began to rain heavily when we were only halfway up.

    Soon, we were all5and some of us wanted to go home. They said, "There is nothing6here. We came to see the scenery,7the pouring rain!" However, the guide8, "Since we have got wet already, why not just go on with our journey？"

    So we carried on up the mountain and,9we even noticed, the rain stopped and the sun was smiling again. When we reached the top of the peak, the view was unique (独特的).

    Up there, it was bright and clear. The sky was10and the air was fresh. The gentle wind made us feel cool. All the clouds were just like waves in the ocean,11and falling under our feet. We could only see the peaks of mountains, as if they were12floating sparsely (稀疏的) in the ocean. It was a really magical experience.

    While we were enjoying the scene, the guide said13,"You see, I knew that there would be no rain above the clouds."

    It is14. While it may rain below the clouds, the sun is still there above them.

You will never see the sun15you don't try your best to climb to the top of the mountain. If we had stopped and gone home when the rain was very heavy, we would never have seen the beautiful scenery16the clouds. I think this is also true in17.

    As the song says, "You won't see the rainbow unless you have gone through the thunder and storm." I think in the18, whenever I have any difficulties in my life, I will remember the19from the top of Taibai Mountain and the20which touched my heart deeply: There is no rain above the clouds.

    When I was young, my mother could not even 1 a 50-cent chocolate bar for me. However, instead of focusing on poorness, my mother selflessly 2 me to fight for success so that I could lead a 3 life. She worked long hours every night to support the family. 4, she would find time to 5 with my sister, Emily, and me. Although I did not have two parents, I was loved and 6 just as much.

    Not all of life's milestones were easy. Some even left a 7 taste when my mother married a man in Maryland. The first few months were 8: baseball games dinners together and movies. It felt like we were the 9 All-American family. Then things 10. Screaming matches between my stepfather and my mother ruined dinners, and he 11 movie tickets for wine.

    We spent five years living in a family setting that had turned into a 12 zone. To our great relief, they finally 13 and we settled in Texas, where Mom is still working hard for a better life. Now, as I write this article with some dark 14 at hand, I realize my family and I are at the 15 point of our lives. I have succeeded both in my 16 and personality. I have been 17 my hunger for knowledge and I am to 18 from high school, not making a bitter product of my 19, for I know that hard times in life are also learning experiences. 20, like candy, can be the sweetest treat of all.