On a sunny day, Linda and Jack were to try the new boat on the river.Linda jumped out of bed excitedly, got dressed quickly and woke up her brother Jack.

    After1Linda and Jack arrived at the riverbank and2the new blue boat waiting for them.They got into the boat and packed their picnic under the3.Linda started the engine and4they went into the wide, brown and unknown5of the river.

    Suddenly, they found the boat sounded6round a bend in the river.On the distant sandbank they saw a long dark creature7in the sun. It opened one eye at them and then suddenly disappeared into the8.

    “What was that?” shouted Jack.

    “It looked like a crocodile to me!” said Linda.“We'd better be9.”Just as they came round the next10, the engine11and came to a stop.Linda12to start the engine again. But it wouldn't start. They were13.

    “Let's get the wooden oars,” said Jack. “Maybe we can 14 the boat free.

    They tried but failed.

    “We're stuck on a sandbank,” said Linda. “We'll just have to sit here having our15and wait for the water to16.”

    “It's boring!” said Jack.

    Suddenly, they felt the boat move .It moved slowly off the sandbank. And the engine started again. Just at the same time they noticed a black17by the boatside and in no time it disappeared in the brown water ahead.

    They18heir journey down the river. It was so exciting .

    At noon they saw a small river19the main river. It wasn't on the map . “Let's20there!” said Linda.

    The boat turned and went into the smaller channel .On both sides grew thick unknown trees.

    I was invited to attend a presentation at the Kentucky School. That evening I found gratitude（感恩）had amazing 1to change our attitude and our life.

    The young musician Mr. Patrick was 2 onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His 3 danced across the keys as he made beautiful music. He then began to sing as he played, and it was wonderful. But what shocked me most was his 4 smile.

    Patrick was born with no eyes and an illness in the legs, which 5 him disabled for life. However, as a child, he was6 with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first 7, he discovered the piano. When his mom hit any note on the piano, and within one or two 8, he'd get it. By his second birthday, he was playing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". His father was extremely 9. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music together."

    When Patrick was at the University of Louisville, his father 10 classes with him. He was also a part of the 214-member marching band! He was a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father did it together. His father 11 the night shift（夜班）in order to accompany his daytime band practice. Patrick says, "My dad's my 12."

    But even more than his 13 musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that 14 my soul. On stage, between songs, he talked to the audience about his life and about how 15 he was to his great father. When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and 16 for over five minutes.

    We all face misfortune in our lives. 17, it's not the hardship but how we 18 to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives. During 19 times, do we spend too much time feeling 20 for ourselves, or can we, with gratitude, learn how to dance in the rain?

    My mother and her family kept information about my father and his family a secret from me for over half a century. In 2010 I began to 1 my father through Ancestry.com. However, I learned he had 2 cancer on August 6, 1999 in a hospital in Dallas, Texas.

    When I got my father's death 3, the medical examiner told me because my father had no 4 around the city, they buried him in a body bag in a(n) 5 grave in an old cemetery.

    I knew my father 6 in WW2 so I decided to work on getting his remains 7 to my state to be buried in our national cemetery. From 2011 to 2017 I kept working on 8 my debt from a divorce and increasing my 9 score so someday I could get a personal loan.

    That certificate of 10 service proved my father served 43 months in WW2 in the USA Army Air Force fighting the Nazi's. I still did not have the money 11. In July of 2018 a bank approved a $10, 000 personal loan so I had a funeral director 12 a permit to exhume my father. After 4 months of 13 I asked Senator Brown for help again in November. Six days after he contacted Texas officials a permit was 14.

    On July 9, 2019 an airplane will 15 at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport 16 I will be finally 17 with my father and touch his metal casket and the missing piece of my heart will be 18.

    On January 10, 2019 the Ohio Patriot Guard Riders will escort my father's hearse through my 19 to be buried with honors in our states National cemetery and one day in January Senator Brown will have an American Flag 20 over our Nation's Capital to honor my father.

    If you never give up one day your dream will become a reality.

I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a 1rock of 3, 300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew 2 I wanted to climb it. That has been my life's passion (钟爱) ever since— 3 the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I've long made Yosemite my 4.

    About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of 5, like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It's 6me why visitors started respecting the place 7 and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.

    I tried 8trash(垃圾)myself, but the job was too big. I would 9an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so 10it that I decided something had to change.

As a rock-climbing guide, I knew 11about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a 12. On that day, more than 300 people 13. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to 14. I couldn't believe the 15 we made —the park looked clean!

    Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and 16132 miles of roadway.

    I often hear people 17about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by 18rather than complaining. We need to teach by 19. You can't blame others 20you start with yourself.

The weather in Texas may have cooled since the recent extreme heat, but the temperature will be high at the State Board of Education meeting in Austin this month as officials debate how climate change is taught in Texas schools.

Pat Hardy, who agrees with the views of the energy department, is resisting proposed changes to science standards for pre-teen pupils. These would emphasize the significance of human activity in recent climate change and encourage discussion of reduction measures.

Most scientists and experts sharply argue against Hardy's views. "They casually view the career work of scholars and scientists as just another misguided opinion," says Dan Quinn, senior communications strategist at the Texas Freedom Network, a non-profit group that monitors public education. Such debates reflect fierce discussions across the US and around the world, as researchers, policymakers, teachers and students step up demands for a greater focus on teaching about the facts of climate change in schools.

A study, looking at how state public schools across the country address climate change in science classes, gave barely half of US states a grade B+ or higher. Among the 10 worst performers were some of the most populous states, including Texas, which was given the lowest grade (F) and has a huge influence because its textbooks are widely sold elsewhere.

Glenn Branch, the center's deputy director, cautions that setting state-level science standards is only one limited norm in a country that decentralizes (使分权)decisions to local school boards. Even if a state is considered a high performer in its science standards, "that does not mean it will be taught", he says.

Branch points out that, even if a growing number of official guidelines and textbooks reflect scientific consensus (共识) on climate change, unofficial educational materials that convey more biased(带有偏见的) perspectives are being distributed to teachers. They include materials sponsored by libertarian think-tanks(智库) and energy industry associations. 

Taking a gap year between high school and college can be a great way to explore your interests, gain new experiences, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} develop skills that will benefit you in the future. For me, my gap year was {#blank#}2{#/blank#} unforgettable adventure that allowed me {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(step) outside my comfort zone and see the world in new ways.

During my gap year, I traveled to several {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(country) including Thailand, Japan, and Peru. I {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (volunteer) at a wildlife preserve in Thailand, where I worked with elephants, monkeys, and other animals. In Japan, I taught English to elementary school children, and in Peru, I worked on a farming project with a local community.

These experiences were greatly rewarding and taught me valuable lessons about the world and myself. I learned how to communicate {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(effective) with people from different cultures, how to adapt {#blank#}7{#/blank#} new environments and situations, and how to be more self-sufficient and resourceful.

In addition to my travels, I also spent time {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(explore) my passions and hobbies. I took art classes, learned how to cook new dishes, and read extensively about topics {#blank#}9{#/blank#} interested me. These activities helped me to develop my creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking skills. So far these skills {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(be) invaluable in shaping my ideas and I'm looking forward to continuing to improve them throughout my life.