I was a single parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a 1 over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, and if not a lot, always2. Not knowing we were poor, my kids(孩子们) just thought I was 3. I've always been glad about that.

    It was Christmas time, and although there wasn't 4 for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big 5 for the kids was the fun of Christmas 6.

    They planned weeks ahead of time, asking 7 what they wanted for Christmas. Fortunately, I had saved $120 for 8 to share by all five of us.

    The big 9 arrived. I gave each kid a twenty-dollar bill and 10 them to look for gifts of about four dollars each. Then everyone scattered(散开). We had two hours to shop; then we would 11at the “Santa's Workshop”.

    Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, 12 my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually 13. She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies— fifty-cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn't say anything 14 we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door,15 to be angry again. This is what she told me：

    “I was looking 16 thinking of what to buy, and I 17to read the little cards on the 'Giving Trees'.One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll(玩具娃娃). So I took the card off the tree and 19 the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn't have anything.”

    I never felt so 20 as I did that day.

    When I heard the news, tears ran down my face. Some years ago on a hot summer day, a little boy decided to go for a 1 in the lake behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the 2 water, he ran out of the back door. He flew into the water, not 3 that an alligator（鳄鱼）was swimming toward the 4. His mother in the house was 5 of the window and saw the alligator 6 it got closer and closer. In fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her sin as 7as she could.

    Hearing her voice, the little boy became 8 and made a return to swim to his mother. It was to 9. Just as he reached her, the alligator 10 him. From the shore, the mother grasped her little boy by the arms just as the alligator grasped his legs. The alligator was much 11 than the mother, but the mother was much too struggling to let the boy go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her 12, raced from his truck, took aim and 13 the alligator.

    14, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy 15. His legs were scarred by the animal and, on his arms, were 16 scratches where his mother's fingernails scratched. A newspaper reporter, who 17 the boy, asked if he would show him his 18. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious 19, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let me go. They are my mother's 20 for me.”

    I was a lovely child with a loving family. I was not a (n) 1, but a leader in school. But what made me special was not seen from the outside: I was 2 about life. My best character was my personality.

    At age twelve, my life had a breakdown. It was then that I developed OCD (强迫症). I was no longer the 3 girl. I finally told my mother I was suffering from depression. I started taking medicine. 4, the medicine did help. But one thing didn't 5: I still was overwhelmed with depression. I still was 6 sad and I started to believe that my life no longer 7.

    Thinking my life no longer had 8, I decided suicide was the solution. I wrote a note to all my friends and family, expressing I was 9 for leaving them. As I was folding the note, my eyes fell on a photograph. It was a little girl wearing a carefree smile.

    It took me a few minutes to 10 who the girl in the photo was. I 11 couldn't believe that smiling child was me! It seemed my younger self had sent me a 12. Right then and there I knew I couldn't 13 myself. Once I had been a strong girl, and I had to be like that again. I swore I wouldn't only 14 my medicine. I would fight the depression with my 15, too.

    It's been two years 16 I recovered. The real reason I'm 17 is that I refused to let depression 18 my life. I learned a lifelong 19: Never give up. Life is good. Everyone has 20 in life, but everyone can survive. I am living proof of that.

    Many years ago at Christmas time I parked my car in the town centre on my way to the post office to post my Christmas cards. It was the last posting day for Christmas cards if they were to be 1 before Christmas.2 I came out of the car park I saw a boy who was 3 and holding his fight hand side. I 4 some bigger boys had perhaps bullied him and he was in 5 .I had to go to his aid and see if I could 6.

    He told me that his sister who was a 7 had bought him a Christmas present. It was a mobile phone. He only had it days when he 8 it and cracked the screen! That's 9 he was holding his right hand side of his body—his mobile phone was in the upper right hand pocket of his coat. The little guy was extremely 10 , tears rolling down his face as he told all this to me. My heart 11 for him. It was clear he 12 his present and knew that this was a lot of money for his 13 to spend on him, for nurses didn't make much money. He'd been to a phone shop and they'd told him it would be￡80 to get a new 14 .

    I had to help, though I was 15 to make ends meet myself. I searched my purse and gave the boy the only￡20 I could find and made some 16 as to why I could only give him so little. I didn't want him to know it was all I had until pay day. I could not 17 pay for his phone to be repaired but I hope the 18 he received from a stranger was 19 that stayed with him when he became a man.

    The Christmas cards not getting posted somehow didn't seem 20 ; greater issues had been addressed with a kindness stamp.

    Like many military wives, I had to stand the long separations until my husband retired. Though I supported him in his chosen career, I1every moment away from him.

    To 2 our separations, I wrote letters every day. I made up dozens of small 3 for him which I secretly put into his bag, so that he could 4 them when he was out to sea. To this day those notes are still 5 to us.

    6in 1996 my husband retired from the Navy. But the only job 7 for my husband was six and a half hours of driving away in Norfolk, Virginia.

    We spent eight months 8. That was our hardest separation, perhaps because we had 9 planned to be apart again. He 10 to apply for jobs in the area where we hoped to live. We expected we would soon be able to be 11 again.

    One day Louie called me with the good 12 . He found a job in southwest Virginia. We were excited! There was only one small 13. Louie would have to live in a camper (露营车), while our daughters and I lived in a little house an hour and a half of driving 14. My daughters were 15 enough to take care of themselves? So I left them and stayed with Louie.

    Louie and I spent several 16 weeks together. One morning after he left for work, I sat 17 in the camper trying to remember any possession that was as priceless as the 18 we stayed together. I couldn't 19 a single thing. Then all of us moved into that camper and lived there for a year. It was pure joy! I've learned that the greatest 20 I have is the time I've spent with the ones I love.

When I look back at the first half of the year. I am amazed by how many challenges I have been through. The biggest one was definitely my high school graduation 1.

When I first arrived in this Czech Republic four years ago, I was just a normal exchange 2who spoke only English, then at the end of the year-Long exchange program, I came up with the idea of 3my high school studies there.

At that time, I was only sixteen and delighted by my new future. What I underestimated was the 4of completing school in the Czech language, which is considered to be one of the most 5languages in the world. As I 6 knowledge of certain subjects I receive the worst marks and people around the world doubted whether I could graduate. However, I practiced all the time. Gradually, I could communicate with others fluently and my 7 grew.

The final exam day came. Thinking about everyone who had helped and supported me along my journey, I felt8and confident.

In May, I received notice that I had 9the exam. At my graduation ceremony, my Czech teacher said very proudly in front of everyone, "One student, she is from China with merely three years of learning Czech, she 10. She deserves a golden folder for the certification. "

My journey through high school was finally finished, though the journey of University is just about to begin, I think I am ready.