A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had 1a beautiful sports car in a showroom, and knowing his father could well2it, he told him that was all he wanted.

    As Graduation Day came near, the young man awaited 3 that his father had bought the car. 4, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his5 study room. His father told him how 6 he was to have such a fine son, and told him how 7 he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully8 gift box.

    Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and 9 a lovely, leather- bound (皮纸封面) Bible, 10 the young man's name pressed in gold. 11, he raised his voice to his father, and said “With 12 your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house.

    Many years passed and the young man was very successful in 13. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very 14, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him 15 that graduation day.

    Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram16 him his father had passed away, and gave all his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and 17things.

    When he arrived at his father's house, sudden 18and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift — wrapped Bible 19 as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Suddenly, a car key dropped from the back of the 20. It had a tag (标签) with the date of his graduation on it, and the words PAID IN FULL.

    My father's only child, I was an obvious candidate to be his fishing companion.

    My most vivid1 of our fishing outings are those at Lily Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. By the age of 6, I'd 2 my first lesson in fish behavior: fish like an 3 breakfast, which means crawling from our sleeping bags 4We climbed the winding road to the lake,5 the wooden footbridge, built above a dam. A path led us to the6tied up at the water edge.

    My father rowed us through the dark green channels. We spoke7 and the only other sounds were the liquid dipping of the oars（橹）and an occasional bird cry.8a promising-looking spot, we baited our hooks,9 our lines, and waited. For those few hours, the lake was ours.

My father and I had an uneasy 10His behavior had too often embarrassed me. But on those fishing mornings, he could11 me the lessons of fishing—not only how to fish, but also other lessons:

    We wouldn't always get what we 12

    With patience, though, we might.

    The wait could be as13 as the reward.

    Much could be heard in the quiet of the dawn.

    14between two people don't need to be filled.

    I don't remember how old I was the last time I went fishing with my father at Lily Lake. But those times 15fishing were the closest moment I 16with my father as a child.

    My father is gone now, but I 17 recently to Lily Lake. I crossed the wooden footbridge and stood on the shore. A silver flash18 the water's surface, spreading littering rings. I was there again with my father,19 through islands of lily pads, and I whispered a thank-you for 20 he taught me.

    A few weeks ago I was at the comer store, and there stood an old lady in front of me in line. She seemed very 1 when the cashier asked her to pay $ 38.00. She had about $ 5.00 in her wallet, and she began to 2. The cashier became very 3, telling her that she cannot buy these 4 because she didn't have enough money. So, I told the cashier not to 5 it, and that I would 6 the difference. The cashier gave me a funny look,7 I really felt for this woman.

    Anyway, I paid for my groceries and 8 the store. When I got outside, I saw the lady standing there. I asked her what was 9. She said that she could not remember where she lived, and she began to cry again. I said some names of the 10 around the area but she had no clue (线索). Just then, a car 11and a woman jumped out of the car. It was this lady's daughter. I 12 that her mother couldn't find her way home. The daughter told me that she had Alzheimer's disease (阿尔茨海默病) and that she had been 13 off a lot lately. Then the daughter14 that her mother had 3 - bags of groceries and wondered 15 she got the money to pay for them. I was not 16 if I should tell her that I paid for them, but I did.

The daughter wanted to pay me back, but I 17. The daughter said “Thank you” and I said “Good bye”.

    I felt so 18and happy right through the day, because making others feel 19 makes me feel good. I know that if this 20 happened again, I would do the same thing.

    Early in the morning, it was freezing cold, and the day didn't break. It was snowing. Because I had much work to do on my final day, I set off for work1. I walked tardily along the sidewalk towards the2. I looked up at the building in which many of my3hours for the last five years had been spent. My heart4fast and I was unwilling to go in. I didn't want it to5.

6, I was made to go through the doors of the company for the last time. The morning went by as I had plenty of work to finish and I7on having the task done and ignored the office clerks —they also kept their heads down,8eye contact. My9was sad to them too.

    That day two10of our team were leaving as part of the over-staffed programme. At noon we had a leaving speech11, leaving cards and promises to stay in12 . Before leaving my position, I began to think about my future13.

    In one week I would fly to NewYork where I had14spent an amazing year working. Actually, this job had15my interest in working in diversity.

    I decided to go to America with another two friends and I planned to take time out to16my next move with them. This is absolutely necessary in such a17. If possible, it is18for your physical, mental and emotional well-being to get out of your regular19, away from home and all reminders of work to recharge your physical and emotional batteries and20calmly on what comes next.

    As a young man, Albert was a skilled artist, a potter with a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son 1 a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some 2 intestinal (肠的) disorder, neither Albert nor his wife took the condition very 3. But the boy died suddenly that night.

    Knowing the death could have been 4 if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, he always felt he was 5 . To make matters worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two 6 were more than Albert could stand, and he 7 alcohol for help. 8 Albert became an alcoholic.

As the alcoholism 9 , Albert began to lose everything he 10 —his land, house, etc. Finally Albert died alone in a small 11.

    Hearing of Albert's death, I thought, "What a totally 12 life! What a complete failure!"

    As time went by, I began to 13 my earlier rough judgement. I knew Albert's now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I saw the love between Ernie and his children, thinking that 14 and caring had to come from 15 .

    I hadn't heard Ernie talked much about his father. One day, I 16 my courage to ask him what on earth his father had done so that he became such a special person. Ernie said 17, "As a child 18 I left home at 18, Albert came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, 'love you, son.'"

    Tears came to my eyes as I realized 19 a fool I had been to judge Albert as a failure. He had not left any 20 possessions behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and left behind his best love.

    Heroes come in different shapes and sites. Some are born to give others a1. Then there are the people who2 happen to be in the right place at the right time. That was the 3for John Underwood.

    On a cold evening, a storm 4near his home. Underwood was heading over to help his sister when the roads were5. He saw some other drivers get stuck, so he got out of his truck to help. “My6 is that if I have the ability to do good, then I should do it. There should be no7.” he said.

    Underwood wasn't out of his8long before he heard a cry, “Someone was  9, 'My parents, my parents!'” Moments later, a 12-year-old boy ran up to Underwood, saying his parents were 10and asked for help.

    The Hammonds went to get things from the basement when the walls11to bear the weight of rain and fell down, and they couldn't12. Worse still, the water was rising fast. 13 was of extreme significance, so Underwood took action at once. Any inappropriate action could add more dangers. Luckily, Underwood had 14 as a contractor (承包商). “Digging a hole in the living room floor, I knew it's a 15way.” he said.

    With physical strength, patience, and a lot of 16, Underwood saved their lives. He said he did what anyone would do, but that's not necessarily true. It's 17to put yourself in a dangerous way to rescue another. That's why the American Red Cross 18him. Ann Otto, who was in charge of the 23rd Annual Acts of Courage Awards, said the Awards should19heroes like Underwood who have acted 20and selflessly in a time of emergency.