My neighbor is a doctor. He and his wife are some of the1people I have ever met. A few years ago, we started this kind of "favor war" where one of us would do something kind for the other, such as2the driveway or building a shed, and next time the other would3to top it with another favor.

    Yesterday morning, it snowed heavily and I remembered he shoveled (铲) my driveway for me. So I took out my shovel and took care of both our driveways and sidewalks because it was my turn to do a favor4. It took a while but I finished it and got into my car for work.

That night I got a5on my door, it was my neighbor. He immediately shook my hands and thanked me for shoveling his driveway and sidewalk, so that he was able to get to work earlier and6a boy.

    "As soon as I started the car early this morning, a call came through that a young boy in our neighborhood was seriously ill.7, my partner and I were only about 2 minutes away, but the closest ambulance 10 minutes," added he. "A young boy got to live his life because you did me the favor."

    It wasn't too much8to shovel a driveway, but what I did got a young boy to see his family again, go back to school again and live his life again.9favor is too small. Even the smallest favor can make the biggest10. One favor will always be followed by another.

    There are many different kinds of disasters around the world. As an adult you know what to do during a disaster, but what about the children? Some adults think it would probably never happen to them, so they don't teach their children what to do. Before it's too late, here are ways to help you prepare your children for a disaster.

    Educate: It is always good to let your children know about possible disasters. This doesn't mean children have to live in fear. When teaching them about disasters, keep the conversation positive (积极的) by telling them there is a solution (解决办法) to the disaster. Keep the conversations short, allow for questions and answer them honestly.

    Prepare: Always be prepared. And that is the best piece of advice for children. For example, when preparing for bad weather, get the tools you need, like candles, radios, food, water and medicine. Teach your children what is needed in certain disasters so that they know what is available for them, if ever needed.

    Plan: You should always have a plan for you and your children for any dangerous situation. Write out a simple list that they can read. The plan could start with "listen to an adult's advice and/or call 119".

    Practise: Once you have got the correct safety tools and worked out the right plan, practise every few months. Practising what to do during a disaster with your children will help them if the time comes.

    Disasters can't be avoided but they can belessened once you are prepared and ready for one.

Betty is a biologist. She studies brain diseases that come along with aging. Her 1 is not an easy one. She is trying to understand what goes wrong with the brain over time, and how people can age in a healthy way. It is very important, especially when people are living a 2 life now.

Betty does not have a natural gift (天赋) for math. She never 3 that she could be a scientist one day when she was little. Now, she has got a doctor's degree in biology and become a famous 4 researcher. Betty has made it partly because she is curious about everything. This is a very 5 quality for a scientist. Another 6 is that she is a creative thinker. "After all, science is all about problem-solving," Betty said.

Betty thinks the best part of her research is trying out an idea to see if it will work. Her heart is filled with joy when her idea is proved right and 7 by other scientists. But when things don't go 8 as she plans, she feels no disappointment. She says mistakes may 9 a new idea.

Few are born to be a 10 . According to Betty, curiosity and creativity play the biggest role.

Years ago, my father and I were on a summer road trip from Dallas to Austin. On our way back, the battery meter (电池电量计) seemed to act funny, jumping up then dropping down. 

We stopped to buy a new battery and replaced (替换) the 1 one in the parking lot. And we went on our trip. We got about 20 miles outside the city when our car died. Then we 2 it was not the problem of the battery. We had to 3 on the side of the road. My father 4 the car and repaired it on his own, but it still didn't work. 

We were about to call for help when a 5 stopped in front of our car. A man got out and started walking towards us. He asked us what the problem was. My father 6 that our car was dead. The man said he had a tow chain (拖链) and would be able to tow us to Dallas, which was about 200 miles away. We agreed and thanked him. 

Then my father stayed in our car, and I got on the truck. Later I learned the 7 of the truck driver. About a year ago, he was told by the doctor that he had lung cancer (肺癌), and his days were 8 . Instead of doing treatment (治疗), he decided to accept the fact and spend the rest of his life driving all over Texas, and 9 people who were in need. 

I can't remember his name anymore, but I'll never 10 him helping us that night.

A good king needs honest ministers (大臣) to help him manage the country. However, one king believed that his most important minister was a bit too honest!

The Valuer's job was to say what the price of everything in the country should be. He did his best to set fair prices, so that buyers and sellers would be happy. 

This did not please the king! "A good Valuer should set the prices that I want-then I can buy things cheaply and sell them expensively. " he said. "What's the point of having a Valuer if he doesn't set the prices I want?"

Soon, the king invited a foolish man to be the Valuer and fired (解雇) the honest Valuer. People brought all kinds of goods-rocks and fruit, fans and potatoes, fish and elephants. The foolish man had no idea how much anything was worth, so he just said whatever price came into his head. People were angry about many of the prices he set, but what could they do? He was the king's Valuer, after all!

One day, a horse trader came, leading five hundred fine horses. He bowed to the king and the Valuer, and said, "How much are my horses worth?" The king wanted the horses, so he told the Valuer to set a very low price. The Valuer thought for a moment and said, "Your horses are worth. . . a cup of rice!" The horse trader was speechless! But he had no choice but to accept the Valuer's price. 

However, the next day, the horse trader went back, carrying the cup of rice he had been given. "Yesterday, you said that my five hundred horses were worth a cup of rice, " the horse trader said to the Valuer. "____"

The foolish Valuer was surprised by this question. He said, "Your cup of rice is worth, er. . . this big city, and everything in it!" There was silence. . and then everybody started shouting at once. 

"That is silly!" shouted the king. "This city is worth far more than a cup of rice!"

. . . 

Wendy is a junior high school student.  She is a happy girl and she has 1 friends.  She is also the best friend of 2 .  All her friends like collecting things.  For example, Julie likes collecting coins and Michelle likes collecting dolls.  However, Wendy doesn't collect anything because her room isn't 3 enough. 

One day, Wendy asked her grandma, "Grandma, do you collect anything?"

Wendy's grandma smiled and 4 , "You know, for many years, I didn't think I collected anything, 5 I have many dreams.  Maybe I am a dream collector.  Dreams can 6 you happy.  Dreams don't take up any space, so you always have enough room for all your dreams.  Dreams don't need any special skills, so you don't need to be good 7 anything.  Besides, no one can take away your dreams and they can last forever. "

After 8 with her grandma, Wendy knew that her grandma had many dreams in her collection. 

Wendy also has 9 dreams.  She thinks she is also a dream collector.  Her dreams always make her 10 happy.