I was 15, She looked like she was over 70. But on that day, I think she 1 me more than anyone else.

    Walking into church that Sunday was 2. I had 3 let anyone see me cry. But I 4 I would cry that day. My grandfather was suddenly ill. The doctors said he might not live much longer. Everyone else in my family was crying. I felt 5 inside, too.

    I went to the 6 that day to pray. There, I 7 a lady sitting at the end of my row. She was smiling. I closed my eyes and8 for my grandfather to get better. Soon, tears came to my eyes. I tried to hold them back so that others wouldn't 9 I brought my head up and opened my eyes. I saw a hand in front of me handing me a10

    The old lady was sitting next to me,11 She didn't say a word. She just gave me a tissue (纸巾) and a smile. I12 to thank her, but only13 came out. Then she took my hand, I looked into her 14 They were clear and blue, and they made me feel 15 Her smile said to me: I am with you. Everything will be 16, I closed my eyes again. When I opened them, she was gone. I never saw her again.

    My grandfather died the next week. We all cried a lot more,17 when I thought of that old lady's warm smile，I felt a little 18.

    How did she know how I was19? I 20 I could see her again, to say thank you.

Eating the Cookie

    One of my patients, a successful businessman, tells me that before his cancer he would become depressed unless things went a certain way1was “having the cookie”. If you had the cookie, things were good. If you didn't have the cookie, life was 2.

    Unfortunately, the cookie kept3.Some of the time it was money, and sometimes power. At4time, it was the new car, the biggest contract. A year and a half after his diagnosis(诊断) of prostate cancer, he sits5his head regretfully. “It seems that I stopped learning how to6 after I was a kid. When I give my son a cookie, he is happy. If I take the cookie away or it7he is unhappy. But he is two and a half and I am forty three. It's taken me this long to understand that the8 will never make me happy for long.

    The9you have the cookie it starts to fall to pieces or you start to 10about it crumbling (弄碎) or about someone trying to take it away from you. You know, you have to11a lot of things to take care of the cookie, to keep it from crumbling and be12that no one takes it away from you. You may not even get a chance to eat it13 you are so busy just trying not to lose it14 the cookie is not what life is about.”

    My patient laughs and says15has changed him. For the first time he is16.No matter if his17is doing well or not, no matter if he wins or loses at golf. “Two years ago, cancer18me, 'What is really important?' Well, life is important. Live any way you can have it, life with the cookie, life without the cookie. Happiness does not have anything to19with the cookie: it has to do with being 20.

    Walking across campus with every pair of eyes on you can be embarrassing, especially when you're 13 years old. I looked around me in 1 of a friendly face, a smile, anything. I was quite disappointed. And I, 2, felt somewhat foolish, walking across campus 3 with a false smile plastered(粘贴)across my face. I was simply 4 to follow the advice my mother had given me years before: when things get 5, smile. No matter where you are, a smile will always be understood. A smile is 6. At that very moment, however, I felt my mother's advice didn't 7.

    When the teacher 8 me to the class as the "American girl," 10 sets of hands immediately shot up. Some students had 9; others wanted to practice their English with me. Because I couldn't speak much Chinese 10, I communicated with them via gestures mixed in with 11 English and Chinese. Although I was 12, I wasn't sure how much of it was 13. It was almost as if they were 14 about me and I was being examined. 15 who could blame them? After all, I was the first American ever to 16 the school.

    Then, from across the room, a Chinese classmate suddenly 17 at me, and my nerves were instantly 18. Though there are cultural and language 19, we were sharing something in common. And as usual, my mother was right. A smile does make a 20.

    "I have recently completed my college degree." The project we were 1 to do in the last class was called "Smile". The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and record their 2.

    Soon, my husband and I went out to a McDonald's for 3. We were standing in line, waiting to be 4, when everyone around us began to back away. 5 I turned around, I smelled a 6 "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two 7 homeless men.

    As I looked down at the short gentleman, he was "smiling". His blue eyes were 8 of expectation as if in search of acceptance. The second man 9 awkward. I realized the second man was mentally challenged.

    The young lady at the 10 asked him what they wanted. He said," coffee is all, Miss," because that was all they could 11. If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy 12. I realized that he just wanted to be 13. It was too cold outside.

    Then I really felt it—the compulsion(冲动) was so great that I almost reached out and embraced the short man. I noticed all the customers in the restaurant were 14 at me, judging my every action. I smiled and 15 two more breakfast meals for the two men. The short man looked up at me in 16 with tears in his eyes.

    I returned to the 17 on the last evening of class with this story. I turned in "my project" and the teacher read it. Then she said," Can I 18 this?"

    I nodded. She began to read 19 while every student listened attentively.

    In my own way I 20 the people at McDonald's, my teacher, and every student in the classroom. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

    I was driving on the freeway when I noticed heavy clouds roll in. A storm was coming. Glancing at the boxes of 1in the back seat, 1 smiled to myself. The rain began beating 2against my car window, making driving impossible. I 3onto the shoulder of the road and stopped. The rain 4me of Hurricane (飓风) Katrina.

    Hurricane Katrina struck when I was nine years old. I had 5it would strike us in Houston. It missed us, 6other cities were not so lucky. I remembered watching the 7. A reporter stood inside the Houston Astrodome (体育馆), 8people. Many wore dirty and 9 clothes, and some had no shoes on their feet. I noticed a little boy behind the reporter 10an old teddy bear. Watching him, I knew I had to do 11.

    The next day, my friends 12me at our volunteer club and we came up with a plan. We wanted to 13toys and give them to the kids at the Astrodome, which would bring some 14into the lives of these families. We 15the word to our schools and other organizations. Three days later, the donation bins were overflowing with new toys! When we 16the Astrodome with our gifts, children 17toward us from all directions, smiles lighting up their faces.

    BZZZZ. My cell phone brought me back to the present. To my joy, the storm had 18. "Hector. We have more 19of yesterday's tornado." "Well, I've brought clothes I'd like to donate to them. The 20 delayed me, but I'll be there soon!" I eased my car into the suddenly busy traffic. It felt good to know that I was making a difference again.

Motorcyclists born to ride supplies to firefighters

Chongqing motorcyclists are being hailed as heroes for volunteering to transport much-needed supplies to the fire and rescue workers fighting the wildfires caused by prolonged heat and drought across multiple districts in the municipality.

As of Wednesday, Chongqing has issued a red alert, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} most severe in the four-tier warning system, for high temperatures for 16 consecutive days.

In the scorching heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires have ravaged many parts of Chongqing. As of Tuesday, several large wildfires have been brought {#blank#}2{#/blank#} control with the joint efforts of the fire and rescue workers, social organizations and residents. No casualties have been reported.

Facing the tough situation, the city government called for volunteers with {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(relate) skills and experience to join the firefighting, and a large number of {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(motorcyclist) have played an important role and won widespread praise.

"{#blank#}5{#/blank#} is my honor and duty to guard my hometown," said 27-year-old Li Xin, a member of Yueqi Motorcycle Club in Beibei district.

On Sunday night, upon {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(hear) the recruitment notice, Li organized a team of 15 club members to support the firefighting in Beibei's Xiema town, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is the epicenter of the local blazes.

The team members {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(take) turns to use five dirt bikes and four scooters to carry materials and equipment to firefighters and to transport people and necessities.

{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(prevent) heatstroke in the extreme outdoor heat, the team gave up dressing in {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) thick riding suits.

"We will stay and help until the fire is out," Li said.