With his leg lame（瘸的）and his teeth uneven, the boy almost thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He 1 played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always 2 his head without a word.

    One spring, his father brought home some saplings（树苗）. 3 of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, “Whoever 4 his sapling best shall get a favorite gift.” The boy certainly wanted to get his father's gift. 5 seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, an idea 6 him: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never 7 it.

    Several days later, when the little boy went to see his tree again, he was 8 to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh 9. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his 10, bought the little boy one of his favorite gifts and said from the tree he planted, he would surely become an outstanding 11 when he grew up.

    From then on, the little boy slowly became 12 and confident. One night, he suddenly 13 biology teacher once said that plants  14 grow at night. Why not go to see his tree?

    When he came to the courtyard, he found his father was working near his tree! Instantly he 15 his father had been secretly 16 his small tree! He returned to his room, with tears 17 in his eyes.

    Decades passed. The little boy didn't become a botanist. 18, he became the U.S. president. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

19 is the best nourishment（滋养品）of life. 20 it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

    One day, a well-known speaker was invited to give a lecture to an audience of 200. He started his lecture by1a $ 20 bill. He looked around the room, and asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?”2started going up.

    He said, “I am going to3this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He crumpled up (揉皱) the 20-dollar bill. He then asked, “Who4wants it?” Still the hands were5in the air.

    “Well”, he replied,“6I do this ?” And he dropped it on the7and started to step on it with his shoes. He picked it up. Now it was crumpled and8

    “Now, who wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.

    “My friends, we have all learned a very9lesson. No matter what I did to the10, you still want it because it doesn't decrease in11It is still worth $20, with12we can buy what we need.

    Many times in our lives, we are13, and trampled underfoot by the decision we14and the circumstances that come our way. We feel15we were worthless. But no matter what has happened or what may happen to us, you will never16your value. Dirty or clean, you are still priceless to those who do love you. The worth of our lives is determined not by17we do or who we know, but by who we are. You are18Don't ever forget it.”

    If you19this lesson in mind, it will help you to20again when you fall. Each time it makes you grow much stronger.

    Goran Kropp was a Swedish adventurer and mountaineer. In 1972, at the age of six, with his father's help, he1 Galdhopiggen, the highest mountain in Northern Europe. twenty-three years later, he stood on the highest peak in the world, Qomolangma. His journey to the2shows just how independent, persistent (坚持的), and determined this 3 man is.

    4most people arrive at the foothills of Qomolangma by some sort of modern 5, Kropp bicycled 7,000 miles from his home in Sweden. Traveling by bike was not 6. He stopped many times to 7 his bike because rough roads caused mechanical problems for him. In addition, he was run after by dogs, stung by hornets(马蜂) and was caught in the rain several times before he 8 the base of the mountain.

    Kropp9 to climb Qomolangma the same way he traveled to the mountain: without the10of others and without modern conveniences. Unlike other 11 Kropp climbed the mountain without a guide or helper. He did not 12bottled oxygen to help him13 at high altitudes, and he carried all of his 14himself in a pack that weighed about 140 pounds.

    It took Kropp 15tries to reach the top of Qomolangma. The first time, he had to 16 only 350 feet from the top because the weather was too dangerous. Just a few days earlier, at that same level eight climbers had 17because of a sudden snowstorm in the mountain. He felt deep sorrow for them, but became more 18. The mountaineer waited out the storm, 19, and tried again a few days later. This time, he was 20. After he walked down the mountain, he got back on his bike and rode the 7,000 miles back to Sweden.

    Last week I stopped at a red light. To my left stood a young woman. She had a look of 1 on her face, ragged clothes, and a sign that 2, "Just need a little help. Thank you." I was 3 drawn to her. I had no cash in my 4. Instead, I gathered all the change I had in my car. I rolled my 5 down. "Hi. What's your name?" I asked. "Joyce," she 6with caution in her voice. "Hi, Joyce, I'm Kelley." I 7 my arm to give her a handshake. She unwillingly 8 my hand. "It's nice to meet you. I wish I had 9 to help you with but this is all I have right now." She pleasantly 10 her hands and 11 the coins. She started telling me how their house was burned down last year and they 12 everything. With no insurance and both losing their jobs, they were starting over.

    All week I drove by that place hoping to see Joyce and give her more. One week later, I was the first in 13 at the red light and as I 14 the light I smiled. There was Joyce. I asked her what her 15 were. She said that one of her relatives lived in Texas and 16 a few rental houses, and she had agreed to let them stay in one until they got 17. "I have a little something to help you 18 there," and I gave her a 20-dollar bill. "We all need a little help every now and then, don't we?" We both smiled and nodded in 19.

    Who knows if I'll ever see her again? But I know at that moment she smiled and she knew that things really were going to get better for her. And seeing her smile and the hope in her eyes is what I needed to 20 my trouble in life.

    In high school I had a math teacher, Mrs. Davies, who took her job seriously and expected her students to put forth the same degree of commitment (付出). Strict but fair, she held our attention with her great method. One of her 1 was for students who were more advanced academically. I chose to 2 it and soon realized that the course was a bit over my head. I 3 with the complex problems that others seemed to learn without much effort.

    One Friday we were tested 4 our ability to use a theorem (定理) that no one in the class thoroughly understood. The teacher would 5 our papers based on our ability to progress through the problem which easily filled two pages of formulaic notations (公式符号). I was absolutely 6. Finally, I didn't use the required theorem. Instead, I decided to use more familiar theorems to arrive at an 7. I knew I had failed because I hadn't done the 8 assignment. I became resigned (顺从) to my fate.

    Our test papers were 9 back the following Monday. Everyone received a "C" except for me. To my surprise, I received an "A". I 10 that there must be a mistake. I watched 11 as the teacher approached my desk, smiled, and asked for my test 12 back. She then went back to copy my work onto the blackboard, 13 the class how I had arrived at the correct answer. "Mathematics is meant to be a creative tool, pushing our minds to a rewarding answer," she said with confidence. 14 I didn't use the required theorem, she seemed really proud of how I'd worked through the problem. The class saw her fold my test paper and put it into her textbook. She announced that it would be 15 with future classes.

    My teacher would have been justified (合理的) in giving me a 16 grade. Instead, she used the 17 to deeply influence a student who often struggled. And after forty years, I still cherish the 18. It helped change my self-image. I 19 up to a broad boundary of possibilities which has made my life an adventure. She understood that teaching went beyond strict demands and could be used to 20. Thank you, Mrs. Davies.

    Any form of speech can be challenging, particularly if you are not used to talking in front of an audience. I am very 1 that I have been doing presentations and 2 training programs for many years, 3 I have got used to the nervousness that always appears inside before I speak. The nervousness is always a(n) 4 thing for me as it allows me to channel my energy into what I want to say.

    Just recently I had the pleasure of 5 at a conference about the key success factors (因素) in business and as usual in the days before my presentation I spent a lot of time 6 what I wanted to cover, as well as 7 the content.

    I have always 8 the level of success of my presentations by the applause (掌声) and 9 that I receive from the audience. After the applause ended I had the 10 to personally speak to nearly all of the delegates (代表). The last delegate I spoke with 11 me by taking my hand, shaking it and saying how much she 12 my presentation, and that she had got a lot of 13 tips to use in her business. Usually I feel 14 after any presentation, and I know it is directly related to how much energy I put into what I do. 15, this time her praise gave me a great lift and recharged my batteries.

    This 16 at the end of my presentation also made me realize that what we 17 in life can come back to us and 18, we all need to value the praise when and where it is deserved. As I drove away from the 19 I reflected on how fortunate I had been to receive all those words of praise and 20 that morning.