Forever friendship

    Twenty-one years ago，my husband gave me Sam，an eight-week-old dog，to help me ease(减轻；缓解) the loss of our daughter. Later my husband and I moved from New York to New Jersey where our neighbor，whose cat had 1had kittens，asked us if we would like one. We were afraid that Sam would not be2 ， but we made up our3to take a kitten.

    We picked a little，gray，playful cat. She 4around running after imaginary mice and squirrels and jumped from table to chair very 5 ， so we named her Lightning(闪电)．

    At6 ， Sam and Lightning were not close to each other. But slowly，as the days went on，Lightning started 7Sam. They slept together，ate together and played together. When I took 8one out of the house，the other was always 9by the door when we returned. That was the10they lived for years.

    Then，without any11 ， Sam suddenly died of a weak heart. This time，there was no Sam for Lightning to greet and no way to 12why she would never see her friend again.

    In the13that followed，Lightning seemed heartbroken. She could not14me in words that she was 15 ， but I could see the pain and 16in her eyes whenever anyone opened the front door. The weeks17by，and the cat's sorrow seemed to be lifting(消失). One day as I walked into our living room，I18 to have a look at the floor next to our sofa 19we had a sculptured replica(雕塑复制品)of Sam that we had bought a few years before. Lying next to the statue(雕塑)，one arm wrapped around the statue's neck，was Lightning，sleeping with her best20.

    William Franklin came to my class half a year ago.But from his first day here,he 1 himself in his own world and he never spoke to others.As his teacher,I tried to start a talk with him but 2.It seemed as if he just didn't want to break his 3.

    After the Thanksgiving holiday,we received the news of the4Christmas collection of money for the 5 in our school."Christmas is a season of 6,"I told my students."Some poor students in our school might not have a 7 holiday.By giving a little money,you will help 8 some toys,food and clothing for these needy students.We will 9 the collection tomorrow." 

    The next morning, 10 ,I found out almost everyone had 11 this matter except Willard Franklin.He came up to my desk with his head down. 12 ,he dropped two coins into the small box."I don't need milk for lunch,"he said in a 13 voice.

    After school I couldn't help sharing what had 14 in the morning with our headmaster."I may be wrong,but I 15 Willard might be ready to become part of our class. "I am 16 to hear that," he nodded."And I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need 17 .Here,take a look at it."

    As I sat down to 18 ,I found Willard Franklin was at the top of the list.At that moment,I felt I really 19 Willard for the first time:a cold face with a warm heart.From this 20 ,I also learnt that whether rich or poor,every child has a kind heart.

The Change of Bossy (好指挥人的) Lily

    I am a helpful person. However, my classmates used to call me “Bossy Lily”.

    One day, the class shouted again, “Bossy Lily, bossy Lily!” My teacher, Ms. Flora sent me to sit in the 1 for a while to quiet the class. I didn't understand why the class got 2 when I tried to show Mike how to handle the record player. I was only trying to 3 I also couldn't understand why the teacher had sent me to the corner. I was taught to always help my 4if they didn't know something. I thought the class was 5 in their judgment of me. I thought the teacher was wrong in 6 with them.

    When everyone was excused for break, Ms. Flora kept me in. I 7 I was in serious trouble, but I still didn't understand how my 8 could have caused the teacher to react like this.

     “Why am I here and not at break?” I asked Ms. Flora. The teacher didn't say a word.9 she placed a word puzzle in front of me. Surprised as I was, I got out my pencil and 10 to solve it. It was 11 with many words I didn't understand. I raised my hand for help, but Ms. Flora 12 me. I 13 with the word puzzle until I was about to give up. But I was not a quitter, so I stayed with the challenge. Soon I had solved the problem 14my own. I was so proud I did the puzzle by myself that I raised my hand high to get Ms. Flora's 15. Ms. Flora picked up the finished puzzle and 16.

    “I'm glad that you learned this important 17 from me.” I was 18. She hadn't done anything. Now she was taking the credit for my hard work!

    “Now perhaps you have learned to let other students make discoveries 19. After all, that is the fun of 20.”

    In that moment, I decided that I would never do anything that would cause them to call me “Bossy Lily” ever again.

He Had a Go

    It was a cool spring evening in Melbourne, Australia. I drove to my boxing gym for a Friday night training session. After1up, I started training. Then I noticed a tall and slim young man walking through the doors. There was something about him that caught my2.

    Before long, I realized that he might have a mental illness. Having volunteered for mental illness support groups, I really3his problems when I looked at him.

    He paid for the session, put on a pair of gloves and then started hitting the punching bags. I watched him from a4 and wanted to help him to punch straighter and better. Then I felt it was best to leave that up to the trainer who was 5watching him.

    After a few seconds of punching the bag, he stopped and started staring at the   6.The trainer went up to him and 7to help him. It was almost like he woke up from a dream. He8 eye contact with the ceiling at once.

    Then the bell rang and it was the end of the round.9 rounds we are required to do five push-ups(俯卧撑),10all the boys that were training that night did five push-ups. He11to complete his five push-ups. The bell sounded again and the next round began. He punched the bags for a few seconds and then he12. This time he was taring at the walls which were decorated with boxing posters.

    It was clear to me that he could not 13for long.

    When I finished training, I decided to go to him and offer him my help. I held the bag for him and asked him to punch. He14 the bag a few times and then stopped again.

    I smiled at him and asked, "Do you like boxing?"

    He replied with a very shy 15on his face, "Yes, boxing is alright."

    What else could I do than16 this man and his willingness to give it a go? Most people put self-imposed(自我强加的)17on their lives and stop themselves from having a go. I kept thinking about this man while admiring him for even turning up to a boxing gym, let alone training at what appeared to be his18

    There are many lessons to learn from this man. What I19admired about this man was that he had a go! That is what20ordinariness from greatness.

So what will you have a go at?

    I used to hate running. It seemed too hard, and pushing outside my comfort 1 was not something I was raised to do.

    In fact, I wouldn't have become a(n)2 if it weren't for my husband Charles He had been a 3 competitive runner for many years. After our marriage, he wouldn't stop talking about how much he 4 it.

    So he picked it up again, and after about a year, I started to join him at the 5. Just a few weeks later, Charles signed us both up for a five-kilometer race. I 6 about doing it. It was too soon.

    But on race day, there I was.

    The gun went off Thousands of runners 7.

    The first kilometer was tough. I was already breathing 8 and painfully aware of the group of runners9 past me.

    After another minute I saw the three-kilometer 10.All I could think of was that I was 11.

    I rounded a comer, and saw both sides of the street12 with people watching the race, all cheering the runners on. I 13 my legs to keep going.

    Then I looked up and saw the clock. The 14 ticking away gave me an incentive(助力). I knew that if I had 15 finished this race I would have achieved something, So, I 16 up, and kicked it.

    I had my arms 17 higher when I passed through the finish line. A volunteer put a(n) 18 around my neck.

    "You did great! I'm so proud of you!" Charles was thrilled that I'd 19.

    "That was amazing! I want to do another race." I proudly hugged my medal as we started to walk to the post-race festivities. My lungs and my comfort zone both20.

    Jen and Jeff Fisher were a lovely couple with two kids who would soon be faced with a life-changing decision. Not only would it change the1of the family that they already had but it would also change the2of three young children that came into their home.

    The Fishers already had two3of their own: 13-year old Aiden and 10-year-old Macy. The Fishers decided to4another child and were introduced to the foster (寄养的) system. It was through foster care that they'd5three kids who would change everything.

    A social worker who worked with the foster system6the Fishers to an 11-year-old girl named Tannah Butterfield. She and her two younger siblings (弟妹) lost their7and no longer had a home of their own. Tannah wanted nothing more than a8of her own.

    As is9with the foster system, siblings are at risk of being separated from each other and sent off to10homes. But that's when the Fishers did something extraordinary.

    The Fishers11Tannah and her siblings, six- year-old Teagun and two-year-old Tallie, into their home. It was an extremely polite gesture,12since some foster families won't accept siblings together due to their13differences.

    When Tannah and her siblings set foot in the Fisher household for the first14, the switch couldnt have been15. They got along well with Aiden and Macy as if they'd all16each other their whole lives!

    A majority of kids in foster care often17separated. Luckily for Tannah, Teagun, and Tallie, they were able to18with the Fisher family for whole two years. At that point, Jen and Jeff Fisher19that they wanted to adopt the three kids that they had come to20as their own.