The tourist bus winded its way into a mountainous area. When it was 1 to make a turn, two passengers,  2 of young lovers, were so attracted by the beautiful scenery that they  3  a stop to get down. They were left behind and the bus went 4 . Suddenly they heard a loud boom  5  of the road. It was a huge rock rolling down in the landslide that hit the bus and fell with it into a deep valley. The lovers were greatly  6  by the news that no passengers on board  7 . When they calmed down they  8  and expressed their feelings in a few words.

    The above story was told by a guide when we were riding a tourist  9  to a beautiful mountain. He asked us to guess what the lovers said  10 after the disaster that they had narrowly escaped.

    Often we read reports about traffic accidents, among which there were  11  ones who missed the bus and  12  the disaster. Those people usually said with a sigh of  13 “Fortunately I was not on board.” On our bus the passengers'   14  to the guide were various.

    But the answer was quite out of our expectation. “If we hadn't got down and  15  the bus, it would have  16  the dangerous spot and all the passengers would have survived.”

    The story passed from person to person as a sort of wit (智慧) test, but I think  17 . It actually serves as a(n)  18  of a person's mind. I pay my heart-felt respect to the couple who, instead of feeling lucky,  19  themselves for causing the loss of lives. People all have heart for  20 , but it is often a flashing thought across one's mind that decides whether it is good or evil (邪恶的).

    On the first day of my high school, I ran into my new English teacher, Ms. Kirschmann. I really mean that – I almost knocked her 1 .

    On entering my English classroom, I hit somebody hard. She was tall with red hair, and she was2a black and white skirt. As I began to3, she started “yelling” at me. But soon I realized that she was,4, saying hello and welcoming me to her class in a very 5voice. I realized that I had just met my new English teacher a moment ago.

    Kirsch, as she wanted us to call her, had a6and fascinating character. Her hair color, fashion sense and energy took up the entire room. When we read the play Macbeth by Shakespeare, Kirsch let us play7and wear masks. There was a big drum in the classroom. Every time we read the word “thunder” in the text, she would hit 8 on the drum, making a loud noise! My classmates and I would 9 loudly.

    During group discussions, Kirsch often told us to sit in a10 on the floor. We talked about the 11 while she just sat in a corner and took notes of what we said. Doing so made us feel independent and 12 ourselves more with critical thinking. It is the strangest 13 the most entertaining class I have ever had.

    Kirsch is really a “social butterfly”. She smiles, laughs and tells jokes 14 she goes. But I found out about another 15 of her the other day.

    After school that day, I was walking by my English classroom 16 I saw Ms. Kirschmann with her son. She was trying to 17 him to put on his jacket in a low voice. She spoke in such a gentle manner that I was quite 18 . Until then, it never 19 to me that Ms. Kirschmann could be quiet. I had thought she was 20 energetic, calm, intelligent and caring all at once. All I know was that I couldn't wait for the next day of her English class.

    When I was 16 I wrote a list of things that I wanted to do in my lifetime. Some things were easy, some difficult and some almost Some things were easy, some difficult and some almost 1. One of the things on the list was to do a 2.

    Two years ago I spent three months travelling and it was a great3. One day, we were 4 in a hotel in Brazil, playing games when my friend suddenly 5 an advertisement on the wall 6“Skydive over Iguassu Falls today!” We looked at each other and 7 it was time to do something crazy. Today would be the day that we would 8 a plane.

    That afternoon we were 9 and taken to the Skydive Centre. We put on our harnesses（跳伞装备）and helmets, were given some 10 and then took off into the air. My heart started to beat very fast and I felt very 11.

    12, I was tied to an instructor so I didn't have to worry about anything; I just had to 13 myself. He asked me if I was 14 to fall from the plane but before I had time to15, we fell to the ground at 200 km an hour! After about 20 seconds of 16, the parachute（降落伞）opened and everything slowed down. We 17 peacefully towards the earth, leaving the clouds 18 us.

    This was definitely one of the scariest 19 most exciting experiences of my life. I would do another skydive if I had the20. I think that everyone should do something that scares them once in a while.

    When I heard the news, tears ran down my face. Some years ago on a hot summer day, a little boy decided to go for a 1 in the lake behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the 2 water, he ran out of the back door. He flew into the water, not 3 that an alligator（鳄鱼）was swimming toward the 4. His mother in the house was 5 of the window and saw the alligator 6 it got closer and closer. In fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her sin as 7as she could.

    Hearing her voice, the little boy became 8 and made a return to swim to his mother. It was to 9. Just as he reached her, the alligator 10 him. From the shore, the mother grasped her little boy by the arms just as the alligator grasped his legs. The alligator was much 11 than the mother, but the mother was much too struggling to let the boy go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her 12, raced from his truck, took aim and 13 the alligator.

    14, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy 15. His legs were scarred by the animal and, on his arms, were 16 scratches where his mother's fingernails scratched. A newspaper reporter, who 17 the boy, asked if he would show him his 18. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious 19, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let me go. They are my mother's 20 for me.”

    Bullied(霸凌), bothered and mad, I became a troublemaker in school. In the tenth grade year, it came to a head. I 1 friends with a rough kid who well could have 2 the end of my future. A big fight was planned for that Friday night. My friend said, "Rudy, we're tough. Let's go." I 3agreed. I had a big head. It was a 4 to show off. I would 5those who had made me so mad.

    I waited until the family was 6asleep. Quietly, I 7 out of bed, pulled on my clothes, and tiptoed(踮着脚走) to the back door. I was careful not to make a sound. However, Dad knew something was up. He 8 me off at the door.

    With his hand on my shoulder, he 9 that we talk. I admitted where I was 10. The kids we would fight against had 11 us.

    It was our 12 to teach them a lesson. That's when Dad13 my future, and maybe my life. He replied, "You are no man when a 14fight is your way. You become a man by knowing when to walk away. Learn it now and remember."

    I'm 15 that Dad stayed up to catch me that night. Bad 16 came the next day. Several were badly hurt in the fight. With a 17to the head, my friend was now dead.

    It could have been me, or I might have been 18 and taken away. Either 19, that would have caused my end: Dad, you were the best: You taught me to stop the foolish 20and to know when to walk away:

A Story on an Island

    A ship was lost at sea and the only survivor was washed up on a small, inhabited (无人居住的) island. He prayed 1 for God to rescue him and for hours he just2at the horizon (地平线), waiting for a heaven-sent 3but it never came.

    Then he decided to do something. 4tired and upset, he 5some branches and dry grass. Hours of hard work paid off and a little shelter was built. The "Robinson Crusoe" began his life on the island. Believe it or not, a couple of days going by, he6and it seemed not that hard.

    But then one day, after7 for food, he arrived home to find his little shelter in flames and the8rolling up to the sky.

    The9had happened: everything was lost.

    "God, how could you do this to me!" he criedwith10and anger.

    Early the next day,11, he was awakened by the12of a ship that was coming near to the island. It had come to rescue him!

    "13did you know that I was here?" he asked one of his rescuers.

    "We saw your smoke14", they replied.

    It is easy to get15when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose16, because God is at work in our lives, 17when we are in pains and sufferings.

    Remember, next time your little 18 is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal(信号) that calls 19 the grace of God. For all the negative (消极的) things we have to say to ourselves, God has a/an 20answer for it.