That summer,Luke had been my closest companion for five years.We get lots of1in our area during the summer season.Many forests are badly2by fire each year.That hot summer,not far from our shelter,a forest3 fire.It was July,and there had been a heat wave going on for three days.Luke rushed toward the forest where the fire was sending out a4heat.There was no longer any hope at that moment to wait for Luke to come back to the5. In fact,I was waiting for firefighters to tell me that he had6in the forest.Suddenly,a fireman burst into my office and7me that my log Luke had succeeded in saving four kittens who had been8by the flames.According to the fireman,Luke seized the kittens,one by one moving them to a9place.

    I immediately10the fireman to the forest to pick up the rescued kittens.11we got to the scene of the incident,we saw that Luke was not there.Then we heard the12of a dog barking in the forest.I13the barks as Luke's.The fireman followed the14of the dog until they found him barking loudly by the side of an injured fireman who was lying on the ground and15waiting for rescue.

    Thanks to Luke,four kittens and a fireman were saved.That day,I was very proud of Luke for his two heroic 16.Luke showed much compassion（同情心）for both animals like him and for a human being who was trying to put out the fire with his colleagues.Truth to be told,my17was immeasurable.

    I paid a visit to the fireman in his house accompanied by my lovely Luke.What a18scene it was when the fireman hugged Luke tightly to his chest!"One thousand thanks,Luke,for saving my life,"the fireman said.

    This true story of love and compassion shows us that pets are loving,caring and compassionate.We should love and19them.Little animals can do20things for humans.

    One evening after reading a story entitled "A Lady",I began to recall an important moment in my life.It was simple but so precious that it has1inside my mind for years.

    It was a very cold winter evening when a friend of mine got seriously2and was rushed to Westchester Medical Center,where she stayed unconscious for quite a while.Finally she was3.A friend and I decided to4 her,so we bought some flowers and were on our way.After quickly parking the car and signing in,we reached her 5but only a few minutes were6with her.Pretty soon after our7we were asked to leave by the nurses.

    We headed out to the car8did we know that we had to pay for parking.We had no money aside from a spare dollar or two9from our lunch money that day.We had no idea what to do,so I10to pay with whatever money we had,11of course,I was way off.

    A very sweet-hearted woman cleared her throat and said "Excuse me" in order to catch my12.She handed me a $20 bill.I13that she should give me her14and address and I will15pay her back.She refused.I thanked her for her16and told her how much it was appreciated.she turned to me and17with one sentence,“Thank you;being able to help you makes me happy,too.”Her words were so unusual that I was very18to hear that.

    What she did might be considered a small act of19but it is something I will never forget because it taught me that helping others could20both the givers and the receivers.

    I was going through my son Matthew's backpack when I saw an envelope in the bottom of it. Immediately, I knew it was a “thank you” card from one of his1. Totally not necessary since my Christmas gifts to them are my way of saying “Thank you”. I2I read it quickly. And then I stopped.

    I3 the card and read it again. One word caught my attention. “I love working with our Matthew.” One word “Our”. That one word4the meaning of the sentence for me. If she had written “I love working with Matthew”, I would know that she loves working with my son.5by adding that one word, “our”, it meant “I love working with this boy who6here, is accepted here and we all take responsibility for caring for.”

    I7 knew this, of course, seeing a blog I wrote previously, but it's always good to be

    8. In that blog post I mentioned ten reasons why his 9is the right place for him. Since that blog we have had his IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting, where I was10of that feeling again. In that meeting, someone 11“Everyone loves Matthew. We all love Matthew”. And it was genuine and 12. As we went around the room and the staff

    13us on information about Matthew, it was apparent that it went way beyond sharing what he is doing14and behaviorally. Each person had a unique little15to tell about Matthew. Stories that show that they really know who Matthew is and that they16 him.

    In fact just today I had written a note in his communication book that it was 17

    Matthew to see new snow and not be able to play in it. Later in the day I got an email and a picture of Matthew18 with snow in a big container inside the school.

    As I was reflecting on this, I realized that as a family we are really lucky 19school isn't the only place where they think of him as “our Matthew”. It 20 to other parts of our lives as well — our friends, our family, our neighborhood, and our church.

    My 7-year-old daughter always has her nose in a book. She even continued 1 in the car on the long drive to summer camp, where she lost the book. This is the first lost 2 book in my life. In my childhood, my family had always been expected to be 3, but we were poor, and I didn't 4 books. I had to borrow books. My library books lived on a 5 shelf while they were mine, and it 6 me when I had to return them to the library on the due day.

    However, my daughter has 7 books now than I owned my whole childhood. So it's probably my 8 that she didn't cherish the books. “Sorry. I can't find it.” My daughter said with a shrug, “we just pay $20 for the book. What's the big9?” The missing library book just met with a cold 10 from her, but it met with nail-biting 11 from me. I walked into the library in a deep 12 as if I had lost the book.

    Feeling the need to make her feel 13 for the book, I asked her to do the chores. She agreed to clean up all the pets' houses 14 my paying the library book. I'd meant the chore to be 15!

    Surprisingly, she was enjoying herself. I took a picture of her lovely back. So, was I winning or losing at 16? Did I teach her the 17 of keeping a library book if the picture I took shows she is working 18?

    To my 19, my little girl knew what 20 in her life. She could devote herself to the chores as much as books.

    It was January 2000, and I had just finished the final term of my year abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. Warm feelings and happy thoughts1 into my mind. I began thinking about the 2 I was due to take with my friends over the summer, across New Zealand.

    I went shopping for gifts to take back to my family in Malaysia. Then I made my way home. I have always been very careful of3 safety. But, for some reason, on that day I quickly ran across the 4 without looking. At that moment, a 5 turned the corner. I was in the driver's6 spot so he did not see me, nor I him. I was hit by the minibus and was 7 under its wheels.

    When opening my8, I learned that it took 15 minutes to. 9 me from the wheels. A(n)10 team from a local hospital had to lift the minibus off me with their hands.  A tourist in the crowd had come to help, holding my hand and 11 me in the ambulance(救护车). When I arrived at the hospital, 12told me my injuries were life-threatening. They also told me there was a13 chance I could never walk again.

    However, although I14a lot, I was not paralyzed(瘫瘓的). It took me six months to15. I was sad to miss out on the trip across New Zealand but my friends comforted me a lot. 16I was able to attend my graduation, crossing the stage with walking sticks; it didn't matter, because I was just happy to be17. The accident changed my18; it made me think about the terrible things that could have happened. It regularly19me to step back and think twice about my problems, to be20for the second chance I got at life.

    Barry White, Jt., a fifth grade English teacher at Ashley Park PreK­8 School, has a personalized handshake as greetings with every one of his students every day.

    The students know that when they 1 the school gate we do our 'good mornings' and then it's time to 2 " White told ABC News of his enthusiastic 3. "I'm always pumped up 4 . we start doing the moves, which brings them 5 and cheers them up for a high­energy 6."

    Each handshake is different, using custom moves inspired by the student's personality.

    "I started with one simple handshake last year with one of my 7 graders," he explained. "The girl of fourth grade would 8 me every morning before she'd go to class. She'd get in trouble sometimes for being late because she'd wait on the 9."

    "This year I started 10 handshakes with the kids during class breaks. It was just one or two students and then it became contagious (有感染力的) , he 11 ." I saw how much it 12 to them, so I said, Come on, everyone! Come on! Then it was my 13 class, then it was kids from other classes. Now I have third graders wanting to do it too.

    His administration loves the 14 which White brings to his students each day. "Barry's handshakes 15 his own authentic building relationships with 16 . When I walk into my teachers' rooms, I see the 17 of those strong and trusting relationships. When kids know their teacher 18, they are attentive, engaged and driven to be 19. That's the culture we are 20," said principal (校长) Meaghan Loftus.