My father sold everything we owned, took all the money and disappeared from our lives. My mother suddenly found herself 1 to care for five boys. I worried about the situation, but my mother stayed 2, and assured us that she would keep us tog ether as a  3 and safe from harm. Although small in size, she could 4 heavy horse-drawn plows（犁）. Besides, she 5 found time to help us with homework.

    As Christmas approached, my mother didn't seem to smile as much. I 6 She had no money to buy us presents. Considering myself practically grown, I hid my 7.

    One day, my mother took a saw(锯) into the forest and 8 with some tree branches. She left them in the barn(畜棚) and didn't tell her 9 children what they were for. She worked on her project 10 I was in school, but I looked 11 into the barn when I had a chance. Several days later, I still couldn't 12 her purpose. When later I saw she used nail and paint, I 13 that she must be making presents.

    By Christmas week, my mother was her 14 happy self again. Her project was apparently 15, and she obviously kept it secret because I'd looked everywhere without 16.

    On Christmas Eve, I lay awake for a long time, 17 Christmas morning.

    The next morning, my mother handed out the handmade presents happily in front of her delighted kids. Many difficult years would follow that particular Christmas, but I never again doubted my mother's 18 to care for us. We were never hungry, and she make sure we got a(n) 19 in school. She taught us to have faith in our own abilities. That faith 20 me still.

    “Look, it's Baldy!” A boy shouted in my direction across the playground. Even though I was used to regular insults (侮辱) because of the1on my head, it was2horrible to hear. I sighed as I headed back to the class.

When I was just 20 months old, I suffered serious3after a bowl full of hot oil fell on my head. I was4to hospital and had to stay there for weeks while the doctors5to save my life. “Holly's very6to be alive,' "they told Mum and Dad. “But she'll be7with scars on her head, and of course her hair won't grow there. ”

    As a child, I cared much about my scars, so I8wore a scarf to cover them up when I left home.9I didn't, people would call me horrible names like Baldy. Although my friends were always comforting me, they never10understood how it felt.

Then through the hospital I was11to a children's burns camp, where children like me can get any help. There, I1214-year-old Stephanie, whose burns are a lot more serious than mine. But she is so13that she never lets anyone put her down. "You shouldn't14what people say about what you look like because we're not different from anyone else, Holly,” she15me. “And you don't need to wear a scarf because you look great16it! ” For the first time in my life I could speak to someone who'd been through something17.So weeks later, at my 13th birthday party,18by her bravery, I gave up my scarf and showed off my scars. It felt amazing not having to19away behind my scarf.

    Now, I am20of what I look like and much happier, because I have realized it is your personality(个性) that decides who you truly are.

    I went with some colleagues from my office for a dinner in a very popular local restaurant. It was1business time and the restaurant was packed. We2found a table in a corner for three of us.

    As soon as we sat down, we heard a crash when a cleaning boy3the floor with all the plates he was carrying. There was_4and no one was saying or doing anything.

    In a flash I remembered my5many years ago. Once. I passed out in the airport because I had rushed there on my own on a(n)6_stomach I was7and taken care of by two strangers. Now this was my chance to8it forward.

    I ran to the young man's side immediately, turned him on his back and screamed for someone to9a hot drink. Soon people started asking if I was a doctor. I said I was not,10I was skillful at blacking out (晕厥).

    The kid soon opened his eyes,11what had happened. I12him by saying it was OK and I had had a13 experience. He had not eaten anything. I held the14_drink to his mouth till he finished it and sat with him till he felt OK. By then the15had arrived. I asked her to give the kid something to eat. I offered to pay.

    The manager was kind enough to refuse the16and agreed to make sure the kid ate before he went home. By the time all this was17_, it was getting late for my colleagues. Since we hadn't18anything yet, they decided to go home.

    I slowly walked home, not hungry any more, feeling19for the opportunity I pay forward the20I had received many years ago.

Three years ago, when I entered my school for the first time, I was welcomed by students wearing white shirts with a badge (徽章) saying "Prefect" on them, who greeted me with the1"Welcome to Huaxia Middle School". I was immediately impressed and2 I could be one of them. Then next year, in the summer of 2016, my wish3 when I was selected to be a prefect. Just like the ones4 me, I was to stand at the school gate and 5 new freshmen.

    So, you may wonder, what 6 is a prefect? Prefects are student leaders in our school. They're usually top students7 from higher grades to help teachers run the school 8 of the classroom9 you're chosen to be a prefect, you need to be a nearly perfect student. Becoming a prefect wasn't10 for me. I used to be sensitive and 11 caring too much about what others thought of me. But since I was12 to become a prefect, I tried my best to be more brave and hardworking, making rapid13in a year.

    The biggest benefit of being a prefect is that it teaches me to be14 and set an example for lower grade students. I was a member of the school soccer team, but I wasn't a good 15 and felt embarrassed about my poor 16. After having some students from lower grades join our team, however, I knew that I had to set a good example. So, I kept practicing my skills and 17 greatly.

Being a prefect doesn't 18 mean I have a badge on my shirt. It also means that I have a hardworking attitude deep in my19"You can make it," I always remind myself. Becoming a prefect has20 me to work harder and become an even better person.

    I became a gardener when I was twelve. My early 1 of gardening may not have come from my love for nature. It was to 2 my parents.

    At that time we had a big yard in which a beautiful maple tree stood. But my mother often looked with 3 at this work of natural art. Those golden leaves seemed like tons of rubbish to her, something else to 4. Seeing the neighbors busy with gardening, my father even thought it a waste of time.

    At that age, I always did something 5 to whatever my parents did! If gardening were something they found 6, I would plant a garden!

    I planted some lily seeds in the yard. But they failed to 7, I continued to plant sunflower seeds and roses. Wild 8 joy, I found the first rose bloom (开花). One by one, the flowers bloomed their heads off. 9, I was touched by this land of wonder.

    10, my parents showed no interest in my garden. My father even 11at me because he found it was 12 to move around my garden to the driveway. To my mother's 13, I put in her vase my real roses which in her eyes were simply weeds 14 flowers.

    Regardless of their 15, I kept on planting my garden and 16 to enjoy the pleasure of gardening. Plants make such good companions: they breathe, they bloom, they 17 to care and love.

    It has been many years since I made my first garden out of my desire to 18 my parents. Today I become known as Mrs. Green thumbs (手指), teaching gardening and hosting a gardening show, which makes my parents feel very 19. And now I could say it my affection for 20 that makes me a real gardener.

The light from the campfire brightened the darkness, but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis's Swamp (沼泽地) creeping into their bones. It was a strange place. Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack'sdare. They liked camping, but not near this swamp.

"So," Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals. "How did this place get its name?"

"Are you sure you want to hear it? It's a scary story," warned Jack.

"Of course!" cried out Tom. "If there were anything to be scared of, you wouldn't have chosen this place!"

"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you," said Jack, and he began this tale.

"Way back in time, a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here. He built that cottage over there to live in. In those days, the area looked quite different — it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystal-clear river. After three hard years, Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops. He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.

"‘You are clearing too much land,' warned one old man. ‘The land is a living thing. It will hit back at you if you abuse it. '"

"‘Silly fool,' said Dennis to himself. ‘If I clear more land, I can grow more crops. I'll become wealthier. He's just jealous!'"

"Dennis continued to chop down trees. Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed. He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door. He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land. He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants."

"What happened?" Martin asked. It was growing colder. He trembled, twisting his body closer to the fire.

"The land hit back — just as the old man warned," Jack shrugged. "Dennis disappeared. Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater. His body was never found."

"What a stupid story," laughed Tom. "Plants can't …" Before he had finished speaking, he screamed and fainted (晕倒). The other two boys jumped up with fright, staring at Tom. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom's face. It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.