“Just sign here, sir.” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.

    The package consisted of a long, narrow box1wrapped in brown paper. 2 the box, Oscar saw an umbrella inside — a very old one with a beautifully carved handle._3 he had not seen it for more than 20 years, he recognized it 4

    Oscar was 16 when he first saw the5umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat. Impressed by its6 Oscar felt a strong desire to find its7.

    Oscar 8the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name matched the seat 9Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O'Brien.

    Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O'Rrien's 10 on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I 11 you? ” she asked. “I'd like to return it if it's yours.” Oscar said, 12 the umbrella as if presenting a13 that had long been wished for. “Why, yes! It's mine.” replied Mrs. O'Brien with a14 smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your 15?” “No, ma'am,” he said, “my grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.” “Well, that's 16 what my father used to say. What is your name? Young man?”

    Years later, Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O'Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how17 it was. Why had it arrived here today? As if 18 a note fell from the paper. It read: Mrs. O'Brien wanted you to 19 this umbrella as a present for a kind, 20gesture long ago.

    Many years ago, I was working in an office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We had a large1that looked out over a busy street. I was standing by it one day when a woman in a2 car looked up and made eye contact. Naturally I 3. As she turned and tried to identify me, a quiet laugh 4my lips. My co-workers began taking an interest, and stood back watching the5I received, and laughing happily. Then the stress of work was6away.

    Christmas approached, and job 7 were announced. Several of my co-workers were losing their jobs, and everyone was8. While I was working a night shift, a red jacket, a box of foam (泡沫橡胶) packing and strips of tape in the corner attracted my 9 They could be Santa's jacket and beard! Then I folded a red file into a 10 and tied the beard to it.

    The next day I walked 11 down into the office in the costume. My co-workers 12 around me and laughed for the first time in weeks. Suddenly, my boss came up to me13 shook his head and then left. I feared 14. Then the phone rang.

    With a bead of sweat 15 my forehead, I entered the boss' office.16he laughed: “Thanks, Mike! It's been hard to enjoy the Christmas season. Thanks for the laugh. I 17 it.”

    That evening, I stood 18by the window and waved at my fans, with my heart 19with joy. For a few minutes of that day, we'd been able to forget our 20

    In the eyes of a teenage girl, my dad is not the considerate type. He's not the father who will prepare a 1 for his daughter's birthday, and nor is he the man who can easily come up with words 2 an upset kid. So he is not a 3 father I admire very much.

    Being in grade 10 was far more difficult than I had 4. The most horrible thing wasn't my5 grades but my lack of confidence. Under the pressure (压力) of both 6 and relationships, I began to doubt if I could finish school 7.

    It only took less than half a year before I became 8. Worse still, I didn't dare to tell my parents9 about the fact that I had lost all my 10 to study hard.

    One difficult Saturday, I felt sad when I couldn't 11 a math problem. I let tears 12 my face and onto my homework. It was disappointing that my father was right there in the room with me but I still couldn't ask him for 13.

    I was doing my homework 14 Dad silently went out on a burning hot day. I 15 he would be out for the rest of the day. However, this thought turned out to be 16 when he returned home with a big bottle of iced tea for me, and a big smile.

    There are surely countless 17 in our way as we grow up. Never be disappointed and the most important thing we need to keep in mind is that our parents are always our 18. They can 19 their characters for us，so why can't we 20 our real thoughts with them forever and always?

    Jake was born healthy, but his parents noticed there was something wrong when he was 5. Jake 1 about 20 pounds in just six months. He kept putting on weight 2 eating only salad. In 2015, Jake was diagnosed with ROHHAD, a 3 condition that affects the brain and causes rapid weight gain. Only 75 cases have ever been reported, and 4 of the sufferers is known to have survived twenty years.

But Jake wants to fight for 5. Although there is no way to fully 6 the weight gain, he does everything he can to slow it down, including 7 competing in triathlons (铁人三项). Triathlons help him keep fit and active. It's good for his 8 and also gives him a chance to socialize with other kids. He 9 with the Malta Youth Triathlon Association three times a week.

    “He is extremely 10. He never misses a training session without valid 11 and is constantly eager to train,” Jake's trainer said. “Jake is very lovable and steals the heart of all who know him. It's heartbreaking to see what he has to 12. I look at his family with a mixture of 13 — despite the hardship they try their best to ensure that Jake gets as 14 a life as possible.”

    Everybody is more than happy to help Jake, and they 15 change event dates and training schedules just to make it easier for him to 16. He is always very determined, but due to his condition, he can't 17 himself to push his heart rate too high.

    Jake's 18 is to meet two famous British Triathlon players, 19 due to his disease, he cannot travel. After Jake's story was made public, someone 20 that he would do everything he could to make the boy's dream a reality.

    One evening I was going back from a supermarket. As I 1 my car, I noticed that some person stood beside me. He was the one that could be 2 as a bum (流浪汉). It seemed that he was homeless. I 3 that he would ask me for money, but he did not do that. He only said, "Your car is very nice."

    After several moments of 4, I replied, "Thanks." And then the inner voice 5 to me, "Ask him if he needs help." After a short 6 I asked him that. His response was 7. I will never forget those simple three words "Don't we all?".

    It was a true 8 to me. I needed help, just as those in trouble. Although 9 I had money and a place to sleep, I 10 that I needed help too. Then I opened my wallet and 11 him enough money to get some shelter for a day.

    12 I understood that no matter how much money, 13, luxury things we have, we all need help. And on the other hand, no matter how 14 you are, how many material problems you have, you still might be giving. 15it's just a nice word, it can be 16 to other people.

    Maybe that man was just a homeless stranger, but to me he was 17 that. Maybe he was a man sent by God to 18 me that there is one thing, among all other 19, which is very important and irreplaceable for every person. Actually, it is a true 20 and it is called Giving.

    I remember the first day when I saw Sally playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she struggled her way through the crowed of boys on the playground. She seemed so

    1 but she managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her 2 nobody could.

    I began to notice Sally at other times, basketball in hand, playing 3. She practiced dribbling(运球) and 4 over and over.

    One day I asked Sally why she 5 so much. Without a moment of hesitation she said, "I want to go to college. The only way I can go is to get a 6. I'm going to play college basketball and I want to be the best one. I believe if I am 7 enough, I will get one. My father has told me that if the dream is big enough, the facts don't8. "

    I 9 her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her team to 10. One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting on the grass, her head

    11 in her arms. Slowly and quietly, I walk 12 and sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Oh, nothing," came a soft reply, "I am just too short. " The 13 told her that at 165 cm she would probably never play for a top team -- still less she would be 14 a scholarship -- so she should stop dreaming about college.

    I felt she was extremely 15. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were 16. They didn't understand the17 of a dream.

    The next year, Sally was seen by a college basketball coach after a big game. She was 18 offered a scholarship and 19 to the college education that she had 20and worked toward for all those years.

    It's true: if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count.