After thirty years in the classroom, I have come to realize that teacher's behavior can make a world of difference for a child. This is one such 1.

    While I was attending a party being 2 at a high school one evening, I looked around and noticed a young girl who looked 3. I thought she had been a(n) 4 of mine. I tried to remember her 5, but I couldn't. I felt so frustrated (沮丧的), 6 I have always been able to 7 former students.

    Her eyes met mine and she threw her 8 around me and said, “Mrs. G, it's me, Sarah, and I'm still 9!” The memories 10. You see, Sarah was 11 a student in my classroom. Sarah's mother had abandoned (遗弃) her, and her father had 12 her. She was sent to live with her grandparents the year I 13 her. Sarah was angry, often in 14 and often in the office.

    It was during one of those 15 visits that I first met her. She was writing. I introduced myself to her and asked her 16 she was writing. Sarah shared her story with me. I knew it was healing (康复) for her to put her 17 on paper. Every morning before school she would come into my classroom and we would work on her writing skills.

    Our conversation that evening was filled with 18. She expected to go to college. Driving home, I could not help but 19 the impact (影响) for both good and bad that teachers have upon their students. Taking the time to 20 with a child has the power to change that child's life. That's why I teach.

Baby elephant repaying her lifesaver

    There's a saying about elephants that goes, “elephants never forget.” A recent online video holds1to this saying, as a baby elephant saved a man from drowning.

    The five-year-old elephant was named Kham La. The man she “2” is Darrick Thomson, her trainer.

    Darrick3to Kham La while he was in a rushing river of Elephant Nature Park, Thailand. Kham La4to her favorite person and immediately offered her trunk when she got close to Darrick. To further5 him from the rushing water, Kham La blocked it by putting up her left leg. Darrick 6 her trunk when Kham La attempted to bring him to safety.

    7 Darrick wasn't in danger. He pretended to be 8to show people the close band he had formed with Kham La. The close band was formed when Darrick saved Kham La from the9meihods used on baby elephants for tourist attractions.

    “Kham La was in a really10 way when she came to us,” explained Darrick, “She had been tied up and 11 to have cruel training known as 'crushing' to prepare her for work. We12 her and helped her to recover. She became really13 to me. I went in the river to show just how close our14is. If you show warmth and kindness to them, they'll15 you well, too.”

    “Crushing” is a 16 method used on baby elephants. They are beaten 17 they obey their trainers.

    “She's now a(n)18 young elephant. The video shows just how close she is to me and it's an important lesson to be kind to19.This really goes to show that an elephant truly never20!” Darrick added.

    One autumn morning, I spotted a pair of wild geese on our pond. The beautiful sight caught me by 1 because I'd never seen geese there before. Thinking they would soon leave, I 2 the chance to get close to them. I wondered where they came from and why they had chosen our pond.

    The next morning, the geese were still my 3 I walked round to the mailbox, showing them I meant no harm4I couldn't resist getting a 5 look. I hid behind some trees and 6 the handsome pair quietly through the branches. I was surprised to see they were staring at me, too!

    As days passed, I started 7 to them on my trips to the mailbox. They craned （伸长） their necks and raised their heads 8 but seemed to realize I was their friend. By then, my curiosity about 9 they were staying so long at the pond changed to10. As they were feeding in the grass the other day, I discovered the reason for their 11the male had a broken left wing. He couldn't 12 and his faithful mate wouldn't leave him behind. I asked a biologist what to do. He explained that sometimes a13 wing will heal by itself and suggested letting nature take its course.

    On the first day of November, I was working in the neighborhood of the geese with my tractor. As I bent to fasten a chain from the tractor, I 14some movement from the corner of my eye. Both geese were running towards the pond. Their wings were 15 like crazy, struggling for take off. Gradually, they flew over the pond. They16 enough altitude to fly past a neighbor's house, and then circled back towards me, flying no more than 50 feet over my head as if to say goodbye. Then they were out of my17.

    The season's first snowflakes fell the very next day. The birds must have 18 that winter was coming, and it was time to go. I became fond of them during their 19 visit to our pond, and now I miss them. I'll never forget their 20 to each other.

    A mother and daughter living in my community are two of the most unfriendly people I have ever come across in my life. They are totally separated, mixing with 1. As they drive past 2 they keep their eyes looking away and make no sign of acknowledgement. The only fame they have is making a nuisance of themselves to the local police station by 3 music played too loud, dogs barking more than once a day and any other pretty 4 gripe (把柄).

    On moving into this neighborhood, I was 5 of these two but decided I would make up my own mind. This proved quite a 6 to me as more than once either the mother or the daughter would knock on my door and blast (猛烈抨击) me with some 7 or other.

    I 8 answered politely and made sure I 9 as they went past my place and also made the effort now and then to make a kind remark (话语) about their garden or pets.

    Time passed and in October, as part of the kindness rock give (送爱心石活动), Maureen and I 10 to place a kindness rock in their garden. Their 11 remained unchanged, however, and I continued to be as friendly as possible. During the Easter eve, we decided once again to 12 these two unhappy ladies to our list and left a packet of cookies on their 13. Imagine my 14 when two days later they 15 at my gate and jokingly said they are considering hanging their Christmas stocking on their gate, and they 16 me a bunch of flowers!

    So, my fellow gifters, do not 17 gifts of kindness. You may never know just what this 18 to others, nor how many broken or 19 hearted people you may just change with a simple act of 20.

    Zigfried, a little mouse, blew his breath on the frosty window of the farmhouse and rubbed it to see the outside. Still nobody came. Maybe today, he thought 1 It was only a few days before Christmas and he was watching for a miracle (奇迹).

    This farmhouse had been 2 too long. It needed a family. Zigfried's 3 made a noise. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. He jumped from the windowsill (窗沿), grabbed a 4 from his home, and went next door to Farmer Mike's.

    Farmer Mike's house had been a great place for the little mouse 5the farmer married a wife who had a cat. Zigfried 6when he thought of it. He looked around cautiously as he 7 into the room where grain was stored and was quite 8as he filled his bag with wheat. He was turning to leave when suddenly he 9a hot breath about his ear. His heart beat 10, and without thinking he started to run and luckily 11 the cat's paws (爪子).

    The next afternoon Zigfried heard some good news: a 12family would be moving into the farmhouse soon. Zigfried's granny would arrive on Christmas Eve to 13 with him. He hoped that the family would come before his granny came. Before long, a car came 14 the road leading to the house, with butter sandwiches, cheese and chocolate.

    Zigfried's Christmas miracle did arrive!

    The house came 15 the next few days. Zigfried 16 every single hour of them. 17, the day before Christmas when he was drinking hot chocolate with a 18 smile at the door of his home, he heard the 19 of the children of the family about what they might get for Christmas. What? A cat? The 20froze on his face; his mouth fell wide open. After a long while, he at last found his voice: "Hey! Whose Christmas miracle is this?"

    George Springer helped his team Houston Astros win the World Series in 2017. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player, 1 his struggle is mostly hidden. His 2 is not in trying to hit a fastball, but in 3 it. He stutters(口吃).

    Growing up in Connecticut, Springer was the kid who would 4 raise his hand in school, the kid 5 every time he opened his mouth.

    "I was the guy who didn't talk," he said. "I would 6 speaking at all costs."

    He was often 7. Sometimes he was bullied(欺侮). The phone was suffering to him. 8were worse. If he wanted a dish that he knew would be tough to say, he would 9. If he was with his family, his sister Nicole would 10 for him.

    He remembers a couple of attempts at speech therapy(语言治疗), but he said he was 11 with encouraging parents, an ability to 12 himself in sports, and a small group of friends who 13.

    "If therapy works for you, 14. But for me, I also developed my own 15 to handle it," he said. "Besides, when I was around all my friends, it didn't really seem to 16 them. If I did it, they would 17 until I was done, then finish the conversation."

    To help other kids 18 the same issue, Springer frequently appeared in interviews and even agreed to wear a microphone 19 during the 2017 All-Star Game. He then added "I can't let anything in life I can't 20 slow me down or stop me from being who I want to be." These 22 words proved it.