One of the most famous Americans in the 19th century was Conwell. One day, a penniless young man went to him saying he wanted to1 a college. Then Conwell decided to build a university for 2 but deserving students. He would 3 a few million dollars. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real 4 in life, nothing could stand 5 of his goal.

    Several years earlier, Dr. Conwell was deeply 6 by a true story. It was about a(n)7 in Africa who sold his only land and was 8 about looking for diamonds everywhere but in vain.9he broke down completely and threw himself into a river and 10 Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm in his yard picked up a(n)11looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his cap as a sort of curiosity. An jewellery expert passing by spotted the true value of the 12 The farm 13 to be the Kimberly (金伯利) Diamond Mine, the richest the world has 14 known. So we can know that the15farmer was actually standing on it until he sold his farm.

    Everyone is in the middle of our own “Acre of Diamonds”16 we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before going off! Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. With talents in speeches he 17 the money to start the college Temple University in Philadelphia.

    When Conwell talked about we being on our own “Acre of Diamonds”, he 18 it. This story does not get 19 -- it will be true forever.20 does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just have to see it.

    My mother and I started our morning by rushing into the local grocery store. I waited in line at the Starbucks counter while she 1 around to pick up a few things.

    As I was 2 there I noticed an elderly woman, wearing layers（层）3 layers of old torn clothing, moving behind me in line.

    She had a few toiletries（化妆品）and seemed to want the Starbucks cashier to 4 since our queue was shorter than the grocery store queues were.

    At some point I became 5 of her moving closer behind me — it was 6 than I was comfortable with! I instinctively（本能地）7 a hand over my purse and drew it closer to me. My fear and imagination raced creating wild 8 about this homeless woman who might try to 9 from me.

    Then it was my 10 to order. As the cashier rang up my total, I discovered I was 37 cents 11. I called to my mother but she was hard of hearing. She asked me to 12 what I said but she still couldn't 13 me out.

    At that point, a long grey arm, with 14 in its sleeves, 15 over from behind me. She laid 37 cents out on the counter, saying, "Here. We all need some 16 sometimes."

    I was 17 ! Here was a woman who clearly had very little to 18 and in great need herself. I had judged her 19 and she had reached out, voluntarily, to help me!

    What an amazing gift and lesson this woman gave me about 20 others. Thank you, God!

    Two weeks earlier, my son, Ben, had got in touch .he'd moved to England with his mum when he was three and it had been 13 years since I'd 1seen him. So imagine my 2when he emailed me saying he wanted to come to visit me.

    I was 3 ! I arrived early at Byron Bay (海湾)where we were supposed to 4. The bay was 5 in sunshine, and there was a group of kayakers around 150m off the shore. Getting a little 6, I realized one kayak（皮划艇）was in7. "Something's not 8!" I took off my T-shirt and 9 into the water. I saw there were two instructors on board and a man lying across the middle. He was 10 violently. Linking arms with one of the instructors, I helped 11 the young man out of the water. He was unconscious and as I looked at his face, something 12 to me. Those brown eyes were very 13. "What's his name?" I asked the instructor. "Ben," he replied, and immediately I 14.That stranger was my son!

    The instructors called for an ambulance.15 , after a brief stay in hospital, Ben was well enough to be allowed to 16and later the family met up for dinner. We chatted about everything and then Ben 17 to me. "I just want to say thank you," he said, "You 18 my life!"

    I still can't believe what a 19it was. I'm just so glad I was there 20to help my son.

    There came a time in my life when my learning curve (曲线) became very steep. I learned so much in such a 1 time that I was reading two grades ahead of my 2 class. At school I was continuously 3 with lectures, because I had already done 4.

    And 5 my knowledge increased, so did my arrogance (傲慢). I started getting into 6 debates with my teachers. I knew more than them, and I was eager to show it at every 7 I got. That was until Mrs T 8. She was new to our school, and a perfect 9 for me. I tried one of my tricks on her in front of the whole class. She didn't scold me. She just 10.

    At the end of the class, she 11 me aside and said the following words:

    "I know that there is an unspoken 12 that a teacher is supposed to be more 13 than the student. We both know that is 14. I know for a fact that you know much more than me. And I won't insult you by pretending otherwise. But remember this. Knowledge is supposed to give you 15, not pride. Today you are the smartest person in the room; tomorrow you won't be. There will always be someone much 16, much more diligent than you. And when that happens, all the pride in the world wouldn't be enough to 17 you from downfall. Everything that you have learnt will be for nothing if you don't learn the 18 of humility."

    Today, I 19 remember her words. I 20 myself of them daily.

    Zigfried, a little mouse, blew his breath on the frosty window of the farmhouse and rubbed it to see the outside. Still nobody came. Maybe today, he thought 1. It was only a few days before Christmas and he was watching for a miracle (奇迹).

    This farmhouse had been 2 too long. It needed a family. Zigfried's3 made a noise. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. He jumped from the windowsill (窗沿), grabbed a4  from his home, and went next door to Farmer Mike's.

    Farmer Mike's house had been a great place for the little mouse5the farmer married a wife who had a cat. Zigfried6when he thought of it. He looked around cautiously as he7  into the room where grain was stored and was quite8as he filled his bag with wheat. He was turning to leave when suddenly he9 a hot breath about his ear. His heart beat10 , and without thinking he started to run and luckily11 the cat's paws (爪子).

    The next afternoon Zigfried heard some good news: a 12family would be moving into the farmhouse soon. Zigfried's granny would arrive on Christmas Eve to13with him. He hoped that the family would come before his granny came. Before long, a car came14 the road leading to the house, with butter sandwiches, cheese and chocolate.

    Zigfried's Christmas miracle did arrive!

    The house came15 the next few days. Zigfried16 every single hour of them.17 the day before Christmas when he was drinking hot chocolate with a 18 smile at the door of his home, he heard the19of the children of the family about what they might get for Christmas. What? A cat? The20 froze on his face; his mouth fell wide open. After a long while, he at last found his voice: "Hey! Whose Christmas miracle is this?"

Achenyo soon arrived at the water's edge with her pot, and she found a huge surprise. The river was 1 ! In its place was a blanket of dark green leaves and lavender-colored (淡紫色的) flowers.

"Oh no!" Achenyo heard the adults crying, "They've 2 again!" It seemed Mama wouldn't have water to mix the dyes (染料) for her weaving.

Last year, the rainy season had brought a(n) 3 of water hyacinths (水葫芦). The plants had covered the river and left no 4 to dip a pot. Every day, people had to walk into the water and clear enough plants to get water.

What a shame to 5 such pretty flowers, Achenyo thought as she 6 the plants with others and threw them on the riverbank. Then, she had an idea. Carrying the plants under her arm, she got Mama's water and ran home 7 .

"Mama, will you teach me to weave?" asked Achenyo. Mama laughed. It was her wish to pass on the 8 to her daughter. But looking at the thick stalks, she was 9 . Achenyo showed her how difficult it was to break and begged 10 Mama said yes. Then they wove together every day after school. It was 11 weaving the stalks into different shapes, but she was 12 .

One afternoon, Achenyo held up her finished work to Mama. It was neatly woven and well decorated. "What a nice mat!" They showed it to their neighbours, who were 13 and began to use the stalks to make things. By the end of the rainy season, the 14 no longer thought of the plant as an invader, but a 15 .