One afternoon，as I was driving back home, I stopped at a busy intersection as the traffic light turned red. I waited 1 for the light to turn green，so that I could 2 my journey.

    Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old woman 3 and started asking for 4. That day, I had unknowingly 5 off the air conditioner in the car and my window was down. The old woman was standing very close to my car. As she begged for alms(施舍物), I closely 6 her weather-beaten face, which had lots of wrinkles on it. Her eyes 7 lots of sadness and her whole body was8. I sensed that this elderly lady had 9 some incredibly hard times in her life and at this time there was no one to look after her, 10 forced her to beg on the streets.

    Seeing her condition, I immediately felt from 11 my being a huge surge (汹涌)of 12 for her. It was coming deep from within my heart. I normally gave loose 13 to beggars, however, that day my inner self strongly 14 me that I give her something substantial(大量的)so that she 15 have a decent meal.

    Without any 16 I took out a substantial amount from my wallet and 17 it in her hand. Her weather-beaten face lit up with a toothless smile and she 18 me and went on her way. In the 19 the traffic light had turned green, and it was time to move on.

    As I drove back home I felt within myself a sense of joy and 20 surging through me because I was able to do something for at least one person on this planet.

Flowers for Miss Benson

    Miss Benson was the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful person on the earth in my mind. She was my second-grade 1 Early in the term, I started asking my mother to put an extra apple in my lunch for Miss Benson.2I never quite worked up the courage to hand my gift to her3. Each day it found its way unobserved to the corner of her desk. And each day the response was the same:

    Miss Benson would come in and sit down. “Good morning, children. Why, how nice!” She would pick up the4 of the day, and then look around the room. “What 5little boy or girl brought me this?”

    No one6the honor, least of all me. I kept my head down, looking at my desk.

    “Can it be that I have a secret admirer?” she would ask.

    I would feel the7rising in my face. I was certain that everyone was looking at me, and I would sigh with 8 when Miss Benson started the lesson after putting the fruit away.

    One fall morning, the class was boiling with 9. As was said, the next day, Friday, was Miss Benson's birthday. Everyone wanted to get her a present. My heart gave a jump; at last I could give her something 10. That afternoon was spent combing the fields for wild flowers.

    In the morning I hung back as others 11their gifts. Finally I went to the desk and gave the flowers to Miss Benson. My reward was a smile and a pat on the head.

    The next Monday, Miss Benson didn't 12. Later on, I was asked to go to the principal's office. He, clearly and slowly, told me that because of the poison 13I gave her, Miss Benson was in hospital.

    I 14 all the way home because of the tragedy to my loving teacher. I begged my mother to take me to visit Miss Benson.

    Miss Benson was sitting up in bed when we arrived. Her15was covered with bandages. Only one eye was showing.

    “I didn't know they were poison flowers,” I burst out. “I didn't 16to make you sick. I only wanted to give you something.....” I stopped talking and swallowed hard.

    Miss Benson 17me with the eye. “You wanted to give me something 18 didn't you, Paul?”

    I nodded.

    “All those 19 were from you, weren't they?”

    Again I nodded.

    “I'll tell you a great big secret, Paul,” she continued, “When I am married, if I have a son, I would like him to grow up just 20you.”

    I wasn't certain that I saw tears in her eye as Mother led me out of the room.

    We know children should grow up, knowing the right sense of values. Here is a good example to teach them a good lesson.

    One day, a young man who was dressed poorly begged1door to door along the street.2an old wallet in hand, he was asking for a few coins to buy something to eat. He kept complaining about his bad3and kept wondering why those who had so much money were never 4 and were always desiring more.

    "As5as I'm concerned, if I had only enough to fill my stomach and to wear, I would not want anything more."

    Just at that moment Goddess Fortune noticed the beggar among the crowd and got close to him, greeting, "Hi, young man, I have wished to 6you for a long time. If you open your wallet, I will pour my gold into it. But keep in mind that I will do that only on this 7: All that falls into the wallet will be pure gold belonging to you; but every piece falling upon the ground8become dirt, worth nothing. Are you clear?"

    "I see. Now I'm ready." said the beggar with confidence.

    "Then you should 9! It's obvious that your wallet is a 10one, so don't load it too heavily," said the Goddess Fortune.

    The excited beggar could hardly 11to have gold. He quickly opened his wallet, and a 12 of yellow coins was poured into it. The wallet became heavier and heavier.

    "Is that enough? Isn't it cracking? Will your wallet strong enough for more?" warned the Goddess.

    "Never13.It's still strong enough now" replied the beggar confidently.

    The wallet was filled with14many coins that the beggar's hands began to shake. "Ah, if only the golden stream would 15 forever! Just a little more," said the beggar, "16 just a handful or two."

    "There! It's full. The wallet will 17." reminded the Goddess again, but the beggar insisted 18, "I know it will hold a little more, just a little more!" One more piece was added and the wallet split. The 19 fell upon the ground and became dust. The greedy beggar had now 20 but his broken wallet.

    When I was growing up, I loved playing sports. This is partly 1 my dad was a high-school athletic 2 who passed his love of sports down to me. The problem was that in the 1960s there weren't any organized sports for young 3.

    In the seventh grade, I finally had a 4 to try out for a team--the cheerleading team (拉拉队). It was the only sport my junior school offered girls, and that was 5 to support the boys' basketball team. I really wanted to play sports, but I devotedly tried out for cheerleading.

    Actually, trying out for cheerleading was a really big 6. It 7 a very organized tryout and a lot of rehearsing (排演练习). I practiced in front of the mirror in my bedroom for days. "I was very 8 and I was an athlete. Why wouldn't I 9 the cheerleading team?” I thought to myself.

    When the results were posted on the locker-room (衣物间) door, my name wasn't on the 10. I was so 11about such a failure. For a week, I didn't want to go to school. I 12 myself as a great athlete, 13 I couldn't even make the cheerleading team! My parents encouraged me. They 14 me that 15 I got to high school, I'd have a chance to play sports. I would go on with life and do just fine. It was my first lesson in coming back from 16.

    When I got to high school, I played on the field-hockey (曲棍球) and basketball teams. I got a scholarship to play basketball in college, and after college I played 17 in France. I went on to have a very successful career in sports, which all 18 with failing to make the junior-high cheerleading team.

    Life is like that. You don't always get what you want. But if you come back 19 after suffering a 20, you can succeed.

    I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most 1 and tiring games I've ever had. When Ed first phoned and 2 we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an 3 victory. After all, Ed's idea of 4 has always been nothing more 5 than lifting a fork to his mouth. 6 I can remember, Ed's been the least physically fit member in the family, and 7 proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned out between his T-shirt and trousers.

    Although the family often 8 about that, Ed refused to buy a 9 T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed 10 for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly 11, I was so surprised that I was 12. My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. 13, at the point in our game when I' d have predicted (预计) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was 14 7 to 9—and Ed was 15. The sudden realization was painful. We 16to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious 17 about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone (更不用说) 18 that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to 19. In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my 20.

    From the first week of high school, my best friend, Trisha, was always going out with the popular girls.1I thought, "It's okay; she's just making new friends." But soon I realized that Trisha wasn't interested in me anymore. I'd 2my best friend. It really hurt.

    One day, I told Trisha that we should 3  pretending（假装）to be friends when we really weren't anymore. I wasn't trying to make her mad, 4 she was. After that, Trisha started talking about me behind my back, telling people that I was 5.Some of our friends 6 with her. I felt like she was taking them away from me.

    The more I thought about it, the 7 I got. Finally, I 8a picture of Trisha and drew lines on her face. I wrote, "I  9 this person" across the bottom. And then I did something I'll always 10 : I put it on a website I thought was 11. I thought people would see it, and it felt good to vent(发泄).

    A week later, Trisha's mom saw the 12.She called my mom, who made me take it off the website right away. However, it was already too 13 .Lots of people had seen it, and I was in a lot of 14.

    That whole day, I felt 15 .I had to say sorry to Trisha face to face. She said she accepted my apology（道歉）,but I felt she was 16 angry with me.

    Posting that picture was one of the worst 17 I've ever made. I realize now I could have found a much better way to deal with my 18 .If I'd just told Trisha how much I 19 her, maybe things would have turned out 20. It's too late for me to change things, but I hope you'll learn from my mistake.