Heaviest snow in half a century hit the south of the country. It snowed continuously for half a month, 1the railways, highways, and runways in the airfields. Ice wrapped and paralyzed（使瘫痪）the power and communication system. Many people were2in railway stations, bus stations and airports, and3in cars, buses and trains. Governments and people did everything they could to fight the snow4, resulting in the good news that no one was killed from5and hunger. Gradually, trapped people all went back home6. While fighting the snow, people forgot their7until a moving story of a swallow couple was widely8on the Internet.

    Being hungry and cold, the swallow couple tried to fly9people's home to warm themselves, but every house was closed10. They jumped and flapped their wings to11the attention of the people inside the house, but failed. The wife's body was12, she could not move any longer. The husband came near and wrapped his wife with his wings. He lost his13soon because of his opened wings. The couple died in the end.

    The next morning, the housemaster went to the balcony to14his flowers because of concern and saw a15swallow outside the window pane. Touching it, he found that they were two16together. Moved to tears, he took them in, giving them some17, but in vain. He found a small cardboard box, laid them in and18them in the back garden.

    In my hometown, in the countryside, a swallow family lives in the19of my house. I wonder if they will come back this spring20they did.

    I used to abandon myself to despair. Last year my mother 1from stroke(中风)and had an operation on her brain. I felt my whole world turn upside down and I had no2what I could do to help her to reliever her3 . Tears welled up in my eyes whenever I was alone.

    Last month I4 a precious watch, which was an 18-year-old birthday gift from my father. I could not fall asleep for a couple of nights because I felt 5about the loss.

There have been many6like these in my life. I could never figure out how to deal with such tough things 7I read "If You Have a Lemon, Make a Lemonade" by American writer Dale Carnegie.

"When the wise man is handed a lemon, he says, What 8can I get from this? How can I 9my situation? How can I turn this lemon into a lemonade?" he wrote.

    I suddenly10that life is full of ups and downs, so I need to stay 11all the time.

    Now when I think of my past, I wish I could have handled things 12. When my mother was fighting for 13, I should have held her hands in mine, telling her things would get better instead of 14and crying.

    Several weeks ago, I took part in a campus singing competition. I didn't15a prize. If I had not16this article, I would definitely have felt 17again. But instead, I smiled after the competition. I was happy that at least I had got some stage18.

    Life is not just a bed of roses. There are thorns（刺）as well, but these thorns help us become 19and strong. When life20us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.

    I do voluntary work for an organization that helps the people in need in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to 1 him.

    Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and 2. For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too 3 for a 17-year-old. Then on day three, as we were 4 over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned（咧嘴笑）,"Pretty hard."

    After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes 5 large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized（着迷）. He couldn't stop 6. Later he said 7. "I wish I could speak French." I was 8－this from a boy who hated and 9 French classes throughout school.

    Usually silent, he 10 Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed（活泼起来）.

    11 , the moment that really took 12 breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was 13 a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in 14. Through determination, she had learned to read and write and 15 to become part of the leadership of the 16.

    Learning her story, Barrett was as 17 as I by this tiny woman's achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a 18 of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.

    When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay 19 as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This 20 achieved all I'd expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18th birthday. He'll be a man.

    In my whole life I've been interested in martial arts. But it was only when I1in another city New York where there was a kung fu club that I really enjoyed it and fully2why they call it an art. It is fighting and3yourself，but it's also understanding your body more，making it4and healthier. Kung fu is a big 5of Chinese culture. I have always watched kung fu movies（who doesn't know Bruce Lee，Jackie Chan or Jet Li？）, because I loved their6.When I started to practice kung fu, I realized how7it was and a simple kick demanded months of practice. But I loved it！A whole new world was opening to me.

    After I8four years of kung fu in New York，I wanted to go to the9 where this martial art originated from. I went to China with a travel organization. It was a trip that10some kung fu and tai chi lessons. It was a（n）11 group，so there were people from all over the world. We went from Hong Kong to Guilin, Yangshuo, Xi'an, Luoyang and Shaolin and 12Beijing. We did two kung fu lessons in Yangshuo with the brothers Gao, who had a family style which was 13 Bu Di Zhen. We did one tai chi lesson in Xi' an and two14 kung fu lessons in Shaolin.I was15by Yangshuo and the Gao brothers. Yangshuo is a(n)16 town in the middle of mountains and near the Li river. The Gao brothers' family 17of kung fu practice was close to mine in New York. I could only18of my next trip to China.

    The next year my dream 19: I went to China again, together with some friends of my kung fu club. We 20one month in Yangshuo, just to practice kung fu, which made me understand more of Chinese rich culture.

    The day we brought Julie home I knew that we were in quite a ride. She was more than just a 1. Though the smallest one in the house, she didn't let that 2her from trying to show off. It made me 3that she would walk up to the bowl of dog food and bark away a dog ten times her 4. She never once begged, but she wasn't afraid to ask for 5either. Too many times I found my toes being tickled(使发痒) by her tongue until I 6moved her up to my lap.

    Julie didn't mind being petted but wouldn't 7being carried around like a doll. The kids soon learned just how to 8her: with both love and respect. Julie loved a good dog treat and a 9touch. When it came to haircuts and baths, however, she wasn't afraid to show her 10about them with a gentle growl(怒吼声).

    Julie lived on and on while some of my younger dogs had 11over the years, but her 12slowly got worse and worse. She lost weight and had trouble 13. She became both blind and deaf and we had to 14her carefully when we were walking her. Sometimes she slept so 15that I was afraid that she had finally passed away. Yet, she always 16her head when I gently touched her old body. That was until last night.

    I buried Julie in the woods behind my home with 17eyes and hurting heart. I asked myself why I had taken so many dogs into my 18over the years when the 19of losing them was so great. As I was walking home remembering Julie, I came to 20the answer: the love was always far greater than the pain.

Growing up in poverty in rural Kenya,Nelly Cheboi watched her single mother work tirelessly so she could attend school. 

From an early age,she realized that her family,along with others like hers in their village, was1 a cycle that left them little hope. Cheboi attended college.2 a scholarship in the United States,worked odd jobs to support her family,and discovered her3 for computer science. She4 the success in finding jobs to her computer literacy. She knew she wanted to share it with her5 back home. 

Today,she's giving 4,000 kids the chance for a6 future through her nonprofit, TechLit Africa. The organization uses recycled7 to create technology labs in schools in rural Kenya. 

In 2018,she began8 recycled computers. She started small,carrying the machines to Kenya and9 customs fees and taxes herself. TechLit Africa now works with shipping companies to10 the donated computers so it's more cost11 . The donated hardware is12 to partner schools in rural Kenya,where students aged 4 to 12 receive daily classes and13 opportunities from professionals and gain skills that will help improve their education and prepare them for future jobs. 

"My hope is that when the first TechLit kids graduate from high school,they're able to get a job online14 they will know how to code,"Cheboi said. "The world is your oyster when you are educated. By bringing the resources,by bringing these skills,we are15 the world to them. "