I walked through the door of the office building I worked in. Then I realized that I needed some money so I went to the 1 at the corner of the street.

    As I finished and turned to 2, I saw a wallet on the counter(柜台). The wallet was brown and 3 three hundred dollars, a driver's license, and a 4 card. I didn't know the name on the license, but 5 he was, he was going to be in panic.

    I went home with the wallet. In my apartment, I  6 the online phone book and found no one to 7 the name on the card in the wallet. I really wanted to 8 the man. If it had been my wallet, I would have been sick to my stomach with 9. I 10 the bank card and became 11 in thought. 12 a fresh idea flashed through my mind. On the back was the number to his bank.

"Thank you for 13 Wachovia Bank. Can I help you?" "I found a wallet at one of your bank machines today and I am trying to find the 14." "That's very nice of you, sir. Can you 15 me the number on the card please?" I did what I was told and, "Can you tell me his phone number? I want to contact him to 16 his wallet." "I'm sorry, sir, but we cannot give out the 17 information of our customers." "I understand. Can I give you my telephone number? You could call him and tell him who I am." "I can 18 do that, sir."

I gave her my contact information and hung up. Two days later, a gentleman found me. He 19 thought he would see his wallet again. He was so 20 that he kept saying "thanks" many times.

    I smiled all day long. Doing good for others does good for you.

    People from every corner flooded into the streets that Christmas Eve. "Frosty the Snowman," and "Jingle Bells" 1 in stores; on the pavements, the street singers performed happily. Everyone was 2 by someone else, delighted and cheerful. I was alone.

    As one of 8 kids of a Brazilian family, brought up in America's crowded apartment, I'd spent several years searching for aloneness. Now,3, at 27, a college student after the 4 with my girlfriend, every cell inside me wanted to be alone,5  not at Christmas. My family had 6to Brazil and my friends were 7with their own lives. Dusk was approaching, and the fact that I had to return to my 8 home made me sad. Lights from windows blinked (闪烁), and I hoped someone would 9 from one of those homes to invite me inside with a Christmas tree decorated with shiny fake snow and 10 presents.

    At a market, I felt more 11 when people were buying lots of goods, which12 the gifts we received as children in my mind. I missed my family and wanted to cry for wanting to be alone and for having achieved it.

    Outside the church, a manger (小耶稣) had been set 13. I stood with others watching the scene, some of them 14 themselves, praying. As I walked home, I realized that leaving Brazil was still a painful experience as I struggled with 15 I had become in 15 years in America. I'd mourned (悲叹) the 16, but for the first time, I recognized what I'd gained. I was independent, 17 and healthy. My life was still ahead, full of 18.

    Sometimes the best gift is the one that you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself 19 for what I'd obtained up to now and promise to go forward. It is the best gift I've ever got, the one that I most 20.

    For a few years，I have been wearing a ring on my right hand．It's not always the same ring，but it's always a ring that has 1 on it so that when I look at it，I'm2 or reminded of something important．I have made a 3 of buying rings like this whenever I 4 one in a store．Sometimes I give them away as 5to someone like Jennie .

    I first met Jennie in the 6 waiting room and we had talked several times．One night I sat down beside her and 7 how her son was doing because I knew that he was in very8 condition．She told me that she didn't know what to do any more because it seemed none of the9 from the doctors was good．They weren't at all sure her son was going to 10the accident that had hurt him so badly．With 11in her eyes，she said，“They're 12 my hope.” I knew then that it was 13 just a coincidence that 1 was wearing the ring that I had on that day．As she 14to talk ,I quietly slipped the ring off my finger and 15 it in Jennie's hand. I told her to wear it to 16 that God loved her and he would be with her through all of this . 17 Jennie looked down at the ring，she got excited and then held it tightly, 18 the word written on the ring was “HOPE”．

    The last day 1 was at the hospital，I saw Jennie in the distance as I got on the lift．She19 and held up the hand with the ring on it as she called out to me saying，“Look，I 20 have Hope!”

    Once when there was a famine (饥荒), a rich baker sent for twenty of the poorest children in the town, and said to them, “In this basket, there is a loaf (一条面包) for each of you. 1 it, and come back to me every2at this hour till better times come.”

    The hungry children 3 eagerly around the basket, and quarreled for the bread 4 each wished to have the largest loaf. At last they went away without even 5the good gentleman. But Gretchen, a poorly-dressed little girl, did not 6 or struggle with the rest, but remained 7 modestly in the distance. When the ill-behaved children had left, she took the 8 loaf, which alone was left in the basket, 9the gentleman's hand, and went home.

    The next day the children were as 10 as before, and poor, shy Gretchen received a loaf only nearly half the 11 of the one she got the first day. When she came home, her mother cut the 12 open, and then many new, shining pieces of silver fell out of it. Her mother was very much 13 , and said, “Take the money back to the good 14at once, for it must have got into the loaf 15 . Be quick, Gretchen! Be quick!”

    But when the little girl gave the rich man her mother's 16 , he said, “No, no, my child, it was no 17 . I had the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf to 18 you. Always be as contented (满足的), peaceable, and 19 as you now are. Go home now, and the 20 is your own.”

    When you live in a seasonal environment, you can learn that both outdoor and indoor activities have their place. As the seasons1 so does your mood. Certain activities become more or less attractive2 the weather and the length of the day.

    Spring is a time of the year when the world starts to3 from its winter sleep. During this season, I enjoy going on long walks through parks and watching the world come4.

    Many consider summer to be the top of the year. The city comes into full swing5 the weather becomes warmer and warmer. During the summer, I prefer to spend the daytime anywhere that is air-conditioned. This 6include the library, a shopping center or a movie theater. I often enjoy spending the7evenings sitting on the wide balcony of my house and having drinks with my friends.

    Fall, with the8 of the leaves and the summer heat gradually 9is probably another 10 time to go on long walks during the day. I love to be 11during fall and see the life of the city returning to its hibernation (冬眠). Another12to go outside during autumn is to 13the last days of warmth until the next year.

    Winter14 the shortening of days and cooler weather. Outdoor activities tend to become less 15 and sinking down on the sofa with a good book becomes my16 activity. It is not enjoyable to spend time outside if it is too 17I only choose to go outside when I want to go skiing.

    So, my 18to spend time indoors or outdoors is vastly dependent on the19. Different seasons 20different activities and therefore it is Impossible to choose whether I would spend all of my spare time indoors or outdoors.

    I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people 1I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a 2person.

    I think my 3started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my4and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever5to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really 6It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So I tried a（n）7.I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I 8to help. That was really a big 9for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of 10 are still my best friends today.

    A bigger cause of my new 11, however, came when I took a part-time job at Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer's disease became my 12. Every time I came into her room, she was so13because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never 14her, so I took her place. She let me 15that making others feel good made me feel good too. When she died, I was 16, but I was also very grateful to her.

    I think I am a much17person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not18these experiences. They have 19me to care about other people more than about myself. I 20who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.