A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.

The conversation soon turned into complaints about 1 in work and life. To offer his 2 coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and 3 with a large pot of coffee and a 4 of cups—plastic, glass, metal, porcelain (陶瓷), crystal, some plain-looking, some beautiful. The professor told his students to 5 themselves to hot coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “lf you have 6, all the nice-looking expensive cups have been 7, leaving behind the plain and 8 ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 9 of your problems and stress.”

    The professor continued, “Believe that the cup itself adds no 10 to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even 11 what we drink. What all of you 12 wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went 13 the best cups.”

    Now 14 this: life is the coffee; the jobs, money, and 15 in society are the cups. 16 are just tools to hold and contain life, and the different types of cups we have don't decide, nor 17 the quality of life. If we concentrate only on the cups, we will 18 to enjoy the coffee in it. So don't let the cups 19 you enjoy the coffee instead." At these words, the graduates looked at each other in 20 embarrassment.

    In 1973, I was teaching elementary school. Each day, 27 kids1“The Thinking Laboratory.”That was the 2 students voted for after deciding that “Room 104” was too3.

    Freddy was an average4, but not an average person . He had the rare balance of fun and compassion（同情）. He would5  the loudest over fun and be the saddest over anyone's6.

    Before the school year7, I gave the kids a special 8, T-shirts with the words “Verbs Are Your9 “ on them. I had advised the kids that while verbs（动词）may seem dull , most of the10 things they do throughout their lives will be verbs.

    Through the years, I'd run into former students who would provide 11 on old classmates. I learned that Freddy did several jobs after his 12 from high school and remained the same 13person I met forty years before. Once, while working overnight at a store, he let a homeless man 14in his truck. Another time, he15a friend money to buy a house .

    Just last year, I was16 a workshop when someone knocked at the classroom door. A woman17 the interruption and handed me an envelope. I stopped teaching and 18 it up. Inside were the “Verbs” shirt and a 19 from Freddy's mother. “Freddy passed away on Thanksgiving. He wanted you to have this.”

    I told the story  to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn't help smiling . Although Freddy was taken from us, we all20something from  Freddy.

    How can I forget the day? On 14 July 1974 I travelled in an overcrowded bus to an unheard town called Shendurni. The next day, I was to join the faculty of a junior college there.1 about my new job, but anxious and fearful too, I was out of my2zone. Around 7 p.m. it started pouring with rain. Wondering about my new career in an unknown land, I had 3 in my seat. I woke up with a(n)4 to the sound of the conductor announcing the name of my bus stop. I looked out. It was pitch-dark. Ah, a power cut5 unusual during heavy rains. “Conductor Sahab, can I get a6 for myself here? I'm new to the place,” I heard myself ask 7“Arre bhai, get off my bus and let us go. We8 to reach the next station on time. Where will you get a place to stay in this goddamned town?” he shouted back. Amid mounting panic, I felt a9 tap on my shoulder. As I looked back, a warm smile 10me. “I'm Sawant, from the next town. The bus 11 there for the night and returns tomorrow morning. Why don't you buy a ticket for the next stop? You can spend the night at my place, and join work tomorrow.” I thanked him from my heart and accepted his 12 By the time the bus reached the final stop, it was 8:30 p.m. The kind soul led me to his house. He and his wife took great 13 to make my stay comfortable. I was 14 with warm water for a bath, followed by a hot15 and a comfortable bed. All this took place in semi-darkness. No lights yet. I was up early the next morning and my benefactor (恩人) came to 16 me off. I could not see his face clearly, as it was17 dark. I made it 18the college in time and taught there for almost 11 years. All this while I 19 him, even asking my new friends and students to help find the kind soul. But Mr Sawant remained 20 Perhaps I had got his name wrong. My only regret: I could not thank him again.

    My dad is my hero because he is brave, skilled，and respectful. I know many people say their dads are their heroes, but my dad 1 me about becoming a man, which is 2 important for a young boy.

    Respect goes a long way with my dad, as does patience. As a(n) 3 ，my dad must  4 people every day, some of whom are nice and some are not. Either way, he 5  his well-mannered attitude.

    Dad is not afraid of many things, or if he is, he doesn't tell me 6  he wants to seem tough. He may not be a big guy but since he works with his 7 all day, he is very strong. Dad works outdoors in all kinds of 8 but the worst thing he has to do is 9up and work in an attic (顶楼) in the middle of the summer. Trust me. That is the 10 place you will experience as an electrician and when you come back11, what is in your lungs will make you12for hours.

    My dad and I have a very good 13. We talk about almost everything. We go hunting, fishing, and everything a dad and son would do. My dad and I enjoy hiking 14 because it gives us time outdoors together and there is nothing like that. He has15 and taught me everything I need to know about16.

    I am17  to be the son of Mike C., and would not have it any other way. People come up to me all the time to18me I have a good dad. It makes me feel 19 that a lot of people think so 20 of him. He is a good teacher of my life and would do anything for me. This is why my father is my hero.

Sharing Hope with Refugees(难民)

    The night before she had a test at school, eight-year-old Trisha Rao was worried. To give herself 1 , she wrote a poem about believing in herself. Her words gave her courage, and she 2 the test.

    One day while listening to the news with her father, Trisha learned about the war in Syria. Conditions in the country were tough, and many people were leaving for safer regions. "I was 3 that they lost their homes and some of them lost their family," Trisha said. "They didn't have enough money to buy lunch even."

    It made Trisha think. If the poem she had written the night before her test had given her 4 , maybe it could do the same for the refugee children.

    Trisha worked on her poem and turned it into a book called Believe in Yourself. It's the story of a puppy named sunshine and his father, Papa Dog. The dogs travel around the jungle. From fellow animals, they learn 5 about persistence, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, courage, and kindness.

    Trisha illustrated (加插图) the book, too. With the help of her mother and a family friend, she 6 the book in English and Arabic.

    For a family vacation, Trisha asked 7 she and her family could go to Turkey. Many Syrian children who lost their homes in the war were living there now, and Trisha wanted to 8 their spirits up.

    Her family got in touch with Support to Life, an agency that provides emergency relief after a disaster. 9 the group's assistance, Trisha was able to meet refugee children and read her book to them.

    For every book she sells, Trisha gives away a free copy of Believe in Yourself to children around the world. Her purpose is simple but 10: "I hope it will give them hope and that they will learn many lessons from the book and believe in themselves."

    Mr. West wanted to buy his wife a Christmas present, but he was always very 1, so he was never able to find time to go to the shops. At last, when it was the week 2Christmas, and the shops were very crowded, he decided that he could not 3 any longer. He worked in an office, and 4 had lunch in a restaurant, but one day he bought some sandwiches, ate them 5 and went out to a big shop near his 6during his lunch hour.

    The shop was full of women, who were also buying 7during their lunch hour. Mr. West stood 8at the edge of a crowd of 9 who were pushing forward to try to get to the people who were 10necklaces and earrings. He tried to move forwards slowly, taking his turn with the others, but more and more women were 11into the shop the whole time and pushing selfishly 12him. After half an hour, he was just as 13 from the people who were selling the necklaces as he had been when he came in, and his lunch hour was coming to 14, so he decided to change his 15of doing things: he put his head down, gave a sudden loud shout and started to 16 his way towards the 17 of the crowd as hard as he could. The women around him became very 18 when they saw what he was doing,  and began to scold(责备)him. "Why can't you behave like a 19?" they shouted.

    "Ladies," he answered them, "I have been behaving like a gentleman for the past half hour, and it has got me 20, so now I am starting to behave like a lady!"