A Welcome Gift

    Dario and his mother loved their new apartment. The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them 1 side by side at the piano. They played jazz music to celebrate their new home. The loud 2 filled the room and made them feel very happy.

    The next morning, 3, their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a 4 under their door during the night. One of their neighbor had written to complain(抱怨) about the sound of the piano. Dario's mother asked the building superintendent(管理员) if he knew anything about it. But he said that they were all 5 people and he couldn't imagine any of them had done that. Later that morning, Dario suggested that they write a letter to their 6 and apologize for their playing.

    “Maybe we could go and 7 everyone in person.” his mother said. “What if we invited them to come here for a 8 instead? Dario asked. They both loved the 9. Over the next few days, they sent out invitations and prepared desserts 10 their guests. They decorated the apartment with streamers(彩带) and party lights.

    Finally, the day of the party 11. Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to 12. One woman, Mrs. Gilbert, 13 Dario's mother with a book of piano music by Chopin.

    “I heard you playing the other night,” she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed. I 14 that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note. I hope you don't think I disliked the playing.”

    Dario's mother smiled at Mrs. Gilbert. “I think maybe we 15 you an apology.” she said. “I didn't 16 how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.

    “You play, you play!” Mrs. Gilbert said. “I like what you play! Just not so loud at night.” She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such 17 music.”

    “These songs are beautiful music.” Dario's mother said. “We will be 18 to play them in the evening.”

    “And we won't play so loud or late!” Dario said. He was already looking forward to 19 the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big smile on his mother's face. It gave him a feeling of 20 and made him feel that they were home at last.

    In March 2007,I was recovering from an operation for breast cancer and going through a terrible time. I spent my days at home1everything to myself. Then one of my colleagues suggested2“Why don't you pick a couple of days and go to Ireland and escape?” I3the tip.

    The trip was fun, but when I got on the4to go home ,I wasn't feeling well. My plan was to sleep for the5journey, but the guy next to me looked good-hearted for a conversation6he had kind eyes.

    “I had an operation,” I said7'I had breast cancer.' 'He paused for a moment and said,“ What's wrong with that? Breast cancer is just a small8of you, like going to college or getting married.”

    I could feel my eyes9up with tears.

    “Don't think too much of your problem,” he said. “Instead, think about how many people you could help.”

    I had tears coming down my face, and said, “I can't10I'm crying in front of you, I don't11know you.”

    “Look, you have a12in life,” he said. “You can either13your things deep in your pockets and take them to your grave, or you can help someone.”

    I've always been a very14person, and aside from the few people who needed to know, I'd kept my illness secret. I didn't want to be15by my weakness.

    But this man, whose name was Ken Duane, showed me that my illness gave me16-because it gave me the ability to17someone else's load. I decided at that moment that I was going to try to help others by sharing my story18,in hopes of inspiring those who were in the same or similar situation. Later that year, I talked about my illness and my19with Ken on air.

    I am forever20that I never took a nap on that flight over the Atlantic.

    Madison Williams, aged 13, was studying in her bedroom in Dublin, Ohio. Suddenly, her mother, Leigh Williams, rushed in saying1 “A little boy fell into a septic tank（化粪池）, and no one can 2 him.”

    They ran to the neighbor's yard, where they found the boy's desperate mother and other people 3a septic tank opening that was slightly wider than a4. The boy, only 2, had slipped in.

    Madison quickly 5 the situation. She was the only one who could 6 through the small hole. Without 7she got on her stomach next to the opening, placed her8 out in front of her9 told the adults, “Lower me in.”

    Leigh and the others 10her waist and legs. She moved her arms and shoulders from side to side until she got through the 11 Inside, the tank was dark, and the air was sick. She used her hands to 12 the boy in the dirty water, and jammed her left wrist 13a hidden pole, injuring the muscles in her wrist and arm. Ignoring her14 Madison continued. Minutes ticked by before she15grasped his foot.

    Then, ten minutes after Madison had16 the tank, she and the boy were17. But the boy wasn't out of 18.He had been kept from oxygen long enough that he wasn't19. An adult gave him several hard hits on the back. It was only when Madison heard him cry that she knew he was 20 Madison's action made her a hero.

    In a used furniture business, unlike new, you cannot order stock from a catalogue. People call in, and you have to go out and make an offer. “You can't 1 what you don't have,” my father would say.

    When I was aged thirteen, my father 2 his store manager, a one－armed guy who could do more with his one arm than many will do with two. With his3 gone, my father came to me. “Will you come in while I go out to 4 the day's calls 5 I find the right person？” he asked. The store has tens of thousands of 6. “People like to bargain,” he told me. “So I don't 7 prices. You just have to know a 8.”

    He took me around and said, “A quarter－horse motor you can sell for four dollars. For a refrigerator, depending on the9, you can sell for thirty－five dollars to sixty dollars. However, if it has a freezer all the way across, sell it for eighty dollars; 10 excellent condition, maybe one hundred dollars. Dishes come in with a houseful of furniture, and I don't even figure them in when I give a price. You can sell them for a nickel to a quarter. Something really nice.”

    Every day after 11, I would pedal(骑自行车) down to the store. Soon after, I was writing up a sales slip(纸条) for an attractive plate when my father walked in. I had asked a dollar and the guy did not hesitate. I was very 12. My father glanced down at what I was doing, 13 the customer and said, “You sure got a14 today. My employee gave you the price and that's the price.” Afterward, I asked my father, “What was that all15？”

    It turned out that it was a(n) 16 plate, worth a few hundred dollars. I was shocked. Here I was 17 to help my father in the business and instead I was losing money for him.

    He said, “I could have stopped the sales if I'd wanted to. You were just writing up the slip and hadn't yet taken the money. 18, by civil law, you're 19 age. But, a man stands by his word and the word of his agent.” It 20 my father a small amount of money, but I learned a lifelong lesson in integrity(正直).

    I was about to get on a plane after a trip. Honestly speaking, the trip was very 1 and exhausting. To make things worse, I had a middle seat in Zone 5, where they 2 the baggage because there wasn't much room in the overhead bins (行李架).

    I had to ask the flight attendant if I could 3 my seat. Trying to be 4, she asked if I was willing to sit in an exit row. "Yes, sure!" I 5 responded, full of hope. But a moment later, she told me that row might not be 6. I could only accept the reality.

    Suddenly I heard her offer two seats in the exit row 7 a young couple next to me. I was filled with 8 that I was ready to get up and 9 with her. I wondered how she could 10 me and then go to help others. I was about to shout at her, 11 my good sense won. For that belief moment, I tried to comfort myself. "If you are impatient, you'll make a 12 of yourself." Then though I was still annoyed, I managed to 13.

    With about 5 minutes to board, when I was worried about how to keep my 14, the attendant handed a new ticket to me. "Is this for the 15 seat?" I asked. "No, it isn't," she responded. "Once in a while I'm able to do this and I'm glad it has 16 this time." glanced down—business class, Seat 2F—no charge! I was very 17 for that and I felt relived that I had 18 my anger. I do know even if I shouted at the attendant, she would 19 try hard to help me, because she seemed very responsible. Now I realize that it is always important to show 20 and understanding for others in life.

    My mother recently read me a speech she had made at a local high school. She read it to me in the 1 that she'd satisfy my endless search for answers-answers to everything. Ever since I was very young, I have2 to my parents, friends and teachers for guidance.3 to make a mistake, I've asked countless times, "What should I do?" Maybe I feared to take my first baby step on my own, I don't remember.

    Sometime during my high school years, I4 . I stopped asking the question continuously. Maybe it was when I decided to try for the5 in Beauty and the Beast. Never mind that I would have to 6 lines and movements, and I would take a risk of 7. The day of audition (试镜)I was still telling myself, "If you don't think you can do it the 8way, just don't go." My heart was pounding (剧烈跳动).My hands were shaking so 9when I got up to sing, that I wasn't 10the people holding the audition would hear me.

    But something happened. When I opened my mouth to sing, the 11 was loud, powerful and sweet. I performed well and even 12the high notes that sometimes were extremely difficult for me. That audition wasn't the13 of the trap that kept me from trying but it was definitely an important part of the 14 of growing.

    I realize that if I want to live my life to the fullest, I have to 15 myself to try things bravely. Now, I do take these chances,16 ones with baby steps, every day, like 17my opinions in class discussions or debates.

    I have come to realize that 18 my parents and grandparents, friends and teachers don't 19have the answer to "what should I do?", they will be there to 20 me when I try. I now know that the choices I make for my life will become easier with every chance I take.