It's amazing how one dollar can change the culture of a school.

    We have a1school of about 30 students. It is really full of2and pressure as most of the kids get good3and try to be the best ones. It's4except that a lot of us middle kids felt really pressured. We got the feeling that we are so selfish—it's every man for5.

    6,my friend and I set out to find a way to7the culture. We decided doing things for others was the only way to8our depression（沮丧）about school.

    On the first day of school we put a9folded into a heart into one of the leaders' lockers with a piece of paper that 10“ Buy yourself a snack.” We11to give away small gifts every day. We didn't know the 12it would have.

    People went 13over it and everyone was talking about who it might be doing the acts of kindness and 14that they should do something too. It is so much fun to see the 15on everyone's faces now! Lots of other people have started sharing16now too: Chocolate bars, cookies and money left17in the vending machine（自动售货机）.And lots of notes are on the thanks board saying: “thanks to whoever started.”

    Now I actually expect to go to school to have the chance to18people up. I hope kindness will19to the other schools.20anybody is struggling with being depressed  At school and work, I totally suggested doing acts of kindness.

    It was the last day of the final examination in a large eastern university. On the 1 of one building, a group of engineering seniors gathered, discussing the exam due in a few minutes. On their faces was confidence. This was their last exam—then on to graduation and 2.

    Some talked of jobs they already had; others talked of jobs they 3 get. With the certainty of four years of college, they felt ready and able to take 4 of the world.

    The approaching exam, they knew, would be an easy task. The professor had said they could bring 5books or notes they wanted, requesting only that they did not 6 each other during the test.

    7they entered the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles8on the students' faces as they noticed there were only five essay­type questions.

    Three hours had passed9the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a 10 expression. Paper in hand, no one spoke as the professor faced the class.

    He looked at the 11faces before him, and then asked,  “How many completed all five questions？”12a hand was raised.

    “How many answered four？” still no hands.

    “Three? Two？” The students moved restlessly in their seats.

    “One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.” But the class 13 silent.

    The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I 14, ”he said. “I just want to impress upon you that, 15you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the16you don't know. These questions you could not answer are relatively17in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added, “ You will all 18this course, but remember—even though you are now college graduates, your education has just19.”

    The years have20the name of this professor, but not the lesson he taught.

Happy Maggie

    During my childhood I experienced greater hardships than most people go through in a lifetime. In my short 17 years of life, I have been1five divorces of my parents. Having a new stepmother or stepfather every few years was2, but the constant moving was worse. My father's cancer diagnosis3 me apart, and his two heart attacks and4 with diabetes put a huge pressure on the family. By age 13, I was5and emotionally scarred. I felt like I had no one to6and that nothing would ever get better. Then I met Maggie, and my attitude towards life changed.

    For many summers, I 7 at a horse-riding camp for people with special needs. We taught children and adults specialized skills8their abilities. For example, we would teach a child with autism(自闭症)9skills, or a child with cerebral palsy(脑瘫) strength-building exercise. Each volunteer was10a specific child during eight weeks. A few weeks later, I was asked to11 another volunteer who was sick. That was the day my12 on life changed forever.

    As I began to work with her, I looked through her file to get more information, which was 13. She had been physically abused as a newborn and throughout her infancy. Her birth parents14her so badly that they caused her a serious brain injury by the age of two. Her skull had been broken, however, the amazing thing about Maggie was her15attitude.

    When I met Maggie, she was 12, and she would say16but "I'm happy!" If you asked her" How old are you?", "I'm happy" she replied each time. Everyone at the camp17her "Happy Maggie".

    My life growing up was a huge struggle, 18Maggie taught me not to get in the way of happiness. Nothing bad in life should be enough to change19I am. She gave me20. If I learned anything from Maggie, it would be, no matter what, be happy.

    The family had had a cat for years. Then, one day, the children finally1to persuade their parents to get them a dog as well. So a little Labrador（拉布拉多犬）2.

    The dog was so3that everyone wanted to hold him and he charmed everyone by just loving them. The cat made it very clear she did not welcome another 4in the house, but the dog just5the cat anyway. The little dog6her anywhere, and tried to make friends with the angry cat. No amount of 7behavior from the cat could persuade the dog not to love the cat.

    The family thought the cat would8like the dog.

    Then one day the family heard horrible9from their back yard. They ran to the10to see what was happening. They lived in the suburbs and so they saw a real lynx（猞猁）was just planning on11their cat for lunch. The poor cat had nowhere to run or hide. It would only be a matter of seconds and their cat would be 12.

    And then suddenly a black lightning ran to the rescue. The little dog13the big lynx with all its strength. It did not14or stop to think. It saw its15in trouble and did what had to be done. The family opened the window and started yelling and the father ran to the yard. The lynx soon disappeared into the16.

    And ever since that day the cat's behavior toward the dog17totally. Now it was the cat that followed the hero dog everywhere. They18in the same basket. The cat even let the dog eat from her bowl.

So if ever anyone is19towards you, don't turn your back on them. They may not rescue your20 —but their kindness can certainly rescue your day!

    I was walking down a dimly (昏暗) lit street late one evening when I heard 1 coming from behind bushes. 2 I slowed down to listen and panicked when I realized that what I was hearing were the sounds of a struggle. Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked.

    Should I get 3?

    I was frightened for my own safety, and I hated 4 for having suddenly decided to take a(n) 5 route home that night. "What if I'm hurt too? Shouldn't I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?" Although it felt like a century, my thought process had only 6 seconds.

    But already the cries were growing 7.

    I knew I had to act fast. "How could I walk away from this?" I asked myself.

    "No", I finally resolved (决心), I could not turn my 8 on the fate of this unknown woman, 9 it means 10 my own life.

    I am not a brave man, nor am I 11. I don't know where I found the moral courage and physical strength, but 12 I had finally decided to help the girl, I became suddenly changed.

    I ran behind the bushes and 13 the attacker off the woman. Struggling, we fell to the ground, 14 we fought for a few minutes until the man jumped up and escaped.

    15 heavily, I got to my feet and 16 the girl, who was sobbing behind a tree. In the darkness, I could certainly 17 her trembling shock.  Not wanting to frighten her any further, I at first spoke to her from a 18.

    "It's OK," I said soothingly. "The man ran away. You're safe now."

    There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered (说) in 19.

    "Dad, is that you?"

    And then, from behind the tree, 20 my youngest daughter, Katherine.

    God has a way of allowing us to be in the right place at the right time.

    I was the fool at school, regarded as a special needs student. I was termed as such, obviously, because I was not interested in school and did not care for my 1.

    Over time, I started to believe in my stupidity. I 2 the fact that I was in special needs classes and poured it out as anger and depression. But one activity 3 this view of myself: chess.

    I started to play chess with my father after school simply because I wanted to 4 him at something. My father was a 5 man, fond of physics, writing, religion…, almost every 6 . He was called a walking dictionary. So, winning in chess against my father would be a 7 that I had intellectual power. On the small chessboard, I had a chance to 8 my so-called inability.

    Game after game, I wanted to beat my father even more. I started to study chess books and play against a chess computer to 9 my skills. One weekend, I finally checkmated(将杀)my father on a ferry ride, which made me feel 10.

    Two years later, I became the second board on my school chess team, with our top board being the best high school player in the state. But before the tournament season, our top player 11 to come. There came my chance to play as top board against the best players in other states.

    I was determined to show who I had become: a(n)12 person able to win with calculation, logic and will. My most 13 game came in the final round. Our team was facing a high school which only excellent students attended. It was 14 a match between a special needs student and a smart soul. My opponent(对手) was playing well and kept 15 while I kept defending to keep my king safe. He spent long trying to break down my defenses, but could not find the final push. I 16 with more defensive moves, trying to make it as difficult for him as possible. With little 17 left, he started to make rapid moves.18 he could make the final decision, he ran out of time. Honestly, as his clock flag fell, I jumped up out of my seat and kissed the floor out of excitement. Of course it was not the most sportsmen-like 19, but I could not control my emotions.

While holding my winner's cup, I knew I was not 20. The inferiority complex(自卑感) had melted away, and I realized that underneath our thoughts, each person is a genius.