On Sunday I had my own Father's Day celebration. Suddenly I 1 about my dad a lot. My dad is 2 the kindest man in the world. He would never 3 anyone in trouble.

    Every Thursday night, my dad would 4 Shreveport, to a church there. I always drove the car for him.

    Although this happened many times, I 5 one incident on one of those trips to Shreveport. That time on the 6 , my dad saw a hitchhiker (搭便车的人 ). Dad asked me to pull the car over and offer him a 7. Dad asked him his name and address, told him ours, and talked to him about all sorts of things.

    At first the hitchhiker was hesitant (迟疑的 ), but he changed his 8 as he could tell we were really listening to him. I did know that it was quite 9 outside and the hitchhiker was very happy to be able to get a lift in our warm car.

    We 10 another forty-five minutes and learned that the hitchhiker was 11 many difficulties in life. Dad told him to keep his head up and said that 12 would become better for him soon. He 13 into his pocket and handed the hitchhiker a twenty-dollar bill, leaving only a ten-dollar bill for himself. The hitchhiker then became very 14 .

    I was always told never to 15 a hitchhiker and yet my dad did it every time he saw one. Dad always gave them money 16 he did not have much of his own.

    From that I've learned a lot about my dad and 17 . I've learned that if you come from a place with 18 , you will show a lot of kindness to people who are 19 . Just one single kind act may 20 someone's life.

    Robby was 11 when he took his first piano lesson. I1students begin at an earlier age,2I explained to Robby. Robby said it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student.

Much3Robby tried, he4the sense of tone and basic rhythm. But be dutifully reviewed his lessons.

    Over the months he tried and tried, and he'd always say, “My mom's going to hear me play someday. ”But it seemed5 He just did not have any inborn ability.

    Then one day Robby stopped coming. I was glad, as he was a bad6for my teaching!I7he had decided to pursue something else.

    Several weeks later, my students were to have a recital（演奏会）. To my surprise, Robby came, asking to play in the recital.

     “It is for8pupils, but you dropped.

     “My mom was sick. But I have been practicing. I've just got to play!” he insisted and I agreed.

    The night for the recital came. I put Robby up last in the program9I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought I could save his poor performance through my "curtain closer".

    The recital10well. Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked dirty. “How could his Mom?”I thought.

    Robby began and it was Mozart's work. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers even11on the keys. After six and a half minutes he ended and people were all on their feet in wild12

    13and in tears I ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How did you do it?"

    Through the microphone Robby explained :"Well , Miss Hondorf, remember I told you my mom was sick? Well.14she had cancer and15this morning. And well. . . She was born deaf, so tonight was the16time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it17"

    There wasn't a18eye that evening. I thought to myself how much19my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. However, he was the teacher, for it is he that showed me the meaning of20and love and believing in oneself.

    My 9-year-old daughter and I were flying from our home in Carolina to spend a week with my husband in Florida. We were1bout the trip because we hadn't seen him for five months, and my daughter2 her Dad terribly.

    As usual on the Charlotte-to-Miami flight, the plane was totally3. Because we did not get our boarding passes (登机牌) until we 4 the gate, Kallie and I could not get seats together and were 5 by the aisle（过道）. I asked two passengers in my row if they would switch places with Kallie and me,6 we could be together. They 7saying they thought they should stay in their assigned seats.

    Meanwhile, a mother and her three children were in a 8several rows ahead of us. There had been a mistake in their boarding passes, and9 the whole family had been split up. The passengers in her row10 refused to move elsewhere. She was very11about the younger boy sitting with strangers. She was in tears, yet nobody12to help her.

    There were a troop of Boy Scouts (童子军) on 13Suddenly the Scout leader stood up and said, "Ma'am, I think we can help you." He then 14 five minutes rearranging his group so that adequate space was 15 for the family. The boys followed his directions cheerfully and without16 and the mother's relief was obvious.

    Kallie, however, was beginning to panic at the 17 of not being next to me. I told her that there wasn't anything I could do.18 the man sitting next to the Scoutmaster,19 to me and asked, "Would you and your daughter like our seats?"20 to himself and the Scoutmaster. We traded seats and continued our trip, very much relieved to be together and watch the scenery from Kallie's window seat.

    There are many kinds of friends. Some are always 1 you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only 2 friends leave footprints.

    I shall always recall the autumn and the girl with the 3. She will always bring back the friendship between us, I know she will always be my best friend.

    It was the golden season. I could see the yellow leaves 4on the cool 5. In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, 6to the sound of them.

    Autumn is a 7season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me8. But one day, the sound of a violin 9 into my ears like a stream （小溪） flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was 10 in playing her violin.

    I had 11seen her before. The music was so nice that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn't know that I had been 12there for so long but my existence did not seem to disturb her.

    Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building 13 I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became 14. 15we didn't know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believe she also loved me.

    Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly16. To my astonishment, the girl came over to me.

    “You must like violin. ” she said.

    “Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.

    Suddenly, a 17expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.

    “I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that 18me. ” she said.

    “In fact, it was your playing 19gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let's be friends.”

    The girl smiled, and so did I.

    I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure of the girl. She is like a 20 — so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.

    Many families usually take their children to travel during school breaks. But Julie and Tim Rivenbark planned a(n)1vacation with their two children―a one-year trip around the world. They plan to230 countries in all.

    Right now, the four travellers are about halfway through their 3. Ms. Rivenbark says they are trying to see as much of the4as they can.

    Mr. Rivenbark says the family has5on ostrich (鸵鸟) birds, elephants, and camels. But, he says, one of the most6experiences of the trip has been meeting new people.

    “People have been7friendly and welcoming and love our kids―and it's lovely to see them interacting (互动) with new people and their8to see our kids enjoying themselves in their country.”

    Eleven-year-old Tyler says he has enjoyed9about the people they have met. “I learned in Africa that people have very10lifestyles to those in America.” His sister Kara11that she liked Thai food.

    Ms. Rivenbark says that the trip is12the children a lot more than short visits would have. “I think that the longer we travel, the more13it has on how they see the world. I can see them14more than they can see themselves,” she said.

    It took the family a year to15for the trip. They had to sell their house and cars. Ms. Rivenbark16her job and her husband is using unpaid leave. They carry small bags17lightweight clothing and whatever else they need. Ms. Rivenbark says she18being able to carry everything she needs on her back.

    Tyler and Kara each have iPads so they can communicate with teachers to stay19with their schoolwork. Tyler is also20a 365-day video blog.

    My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat which was hanging at a secondhand clothing store in Northampton Mass. While the other coats drooped(低垂), this one looked as if it were1itself up. The coat had beautiful tailoring, a Fifth Avenue label and a(an)2price of $28, which was popular just then with3, but could cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even better, bearing that4of classic elegance(优雅). John tried it on and the fit was perfect.

    John5the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big smile" Did the kids like your coat?" I asked. "They loved it," he said,6folding it over the back of a chair and smoothing it flat. Over the next few weeks, a7came over John. Agreement replaced contrariness (作对) and reasoned discussion replaced fierce8. He became more mannerly and9, eager to please. He would generously loan his younger brother his tapes and lecture him10his behavior.

    When I mentioned this incident to his teacher and11what caused the changes, she said laughing. "It12be his coat!" Another teacher told him she was giving him a good13not only because he had earned14but because she liked his coat. At the library, we ran into a friend "Could this be John?" he asked surprisingly,15John's new height, assessing the cut of his coat and extending his hand, one gentleman to another.

    John and I both know we should never16a person's clothes for the real person within them.17there is something to be said for wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see and for18what is on the inside to what is on the outside.

    For John it is a time when it is as easy to try on different approaches to19as it is to try on a coat. The whole world, the whole future is stretched out ahead, a vast landscape20all the doors are open. And he could picture himself walking through those doors wearing his wonderful, magical coat.