I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I'm left1.Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other2?

    I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s,3children from different races and religions played and studied4in harmony. At that time my family lived a stone's5from Ismail's. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu-we just6our differences. Perhaps, our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well7or otherwise.

    We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we'd8the countryside on our bicycles, hoping to9the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his10.

    When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail's family later returned to their village, and I11touch with him.

    One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. I12my destination. The driver acknowledged my13but did not move off. Instead, he looked14at me. “Raddar?”he said, using my childhood nickname(绰号). I was astonished at being so15addressed(称呼). Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two16we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true affection, something17to describe.

    If we can allow our children to be18without prejudice, they'll build friendships with people, regardless of race or religion, who will be19their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies build and20we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “we happy few, we band of brothers”.

    When Mrs. Green told her pupils to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful, she thought how little these children in a(an)1neighborhood, had to be2 for. Most of the 3 would draw pictures of turkeys (火鸡) or of Thanksgiving tables full of everything4 to eat. That was what they believed was 5 them.

    What made Mrs. Green 6 was David's picture. David was so disappointed and likely to be 7 close in his shadow as they went outside for breaks. David's drawing was8 this:

    A hand, whose hand? The class was strongly attracted by his image. “I think it must be the 9 of God10us food,” said one student,

    “A 11 said another, “because they 12 the turkeys.”

    “It looks more like a policeman, and they13 us.” “1 think,” Lucy said 14 “that it is 15 to be all the hands that help us, but David could only draw one of them.”

    Mrs. Green had almost forgotten David in her16at finding the class so responsive(共鸣的). Having the others working on another project, she bent over his 17and asked whose hand it was.

    David whispered, “It's yours, Teacher.”

    Then Mrs. Green 18 she had taken David by the hand from time to time; she often did that with the children. But that it should have19 so much to David . . .

    Perhaps, she thought this was her Thanksgiving, and everybody's Thanksgiving—not the things given to us, but the small 20 that we give something to others.

    As a kid I loved everything about school. I loved books1tests and homework. Most of all I longed to someday march down the aisle (通道) to receive my2.That seemed more appealing even than getting married. But at 15, I had to3because my parents4afford tuition. My hope of getting a diploma was dead.

Pretty soon, I married. I had three Children, and I thought: "There5my diploma."

    Even so, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, our youngest child, had juvenile arthritis (幼年型关节炎) in her6and knees, which made it7for her to function (活动) in a normal classroom.

    One day, I saw an ad in the newspaper for evening courses.

"That's the answer," I said to myself. Linda always feels8in the evening, so I'll just sign her up for night school.

Linda was busy9out enrollment (入学) forms when the secretary said: "Mrs Schantz, why don't you come back to10?"

I11: "There's no way! I'm 55!"

12he insisted, and before I knew what I had done, I was enrolled for classes in English and crafts. "This is only an experiment," I13him, but he just smiled. To my surprise, both Linda and I thrived (茁壮成长) in evening school. I went back again the next semester, and my grades14improved.

It was15going to school again, but it was no game. Sitting in a class full of kids was awkward,16most of them were respectful and encouraging. During the day, I still had loads of housework to do. But when I was down, Linda encouraged me. "Morn, you can't17now!" And when she was down, I18her. Together we saw it through. At last, I got my diploma19 my classmates voted unanimously (一致地) for me to be class speaker, and I got a ＄3, 000 college scholarship.

    Yes, Mom, I was late for school, but I got there20.

    Over the years, thanks to my life's obstacles, I understood the meaning of faith and the strong will to survive. It was Hurricane Ike that made me fully1the beauty of our strength and a human's motivation to2.

Mom had a two-week3in summer. While we enjoyed our holiday in Southeast Texas, we didn't realize the fact that Ike4cause months and likely years of "labor". By September 7th, the "eyes of Texas" were watching Hurricane Ike more5, making the typical mad rush for last-minute hurricane 6. Two days later, both oil and ice were in7 demand.

    In the early hours of September 11th, some neighbors were planning to 8the storm in their homes,9others were making final preparations to get away. At first, we decided to stay. But that afternoon, the Houston-Galveston area would be on the more10side of the storm. Mom and I packed some of our most11belongings in the car and12the East Texas town of Lufkin.

    As Ike pushed farther inland, we13power in Lufkin. On Sunday, our next-door neighbor told us via cell phone that our14had remained well. Our hopes could not have been15. But a few hours later, the neighbors reported that our brick chimney had16, and it was sitting on our living room,17a hole in the roof between two skylights (天窗).

We wouldn't be allowed to return home18September 17th. I climbed upstairs, and looked toward the hole in the roof which showed a beautiful blue sky. Without hesitation, I shouted, "Wow! A third skylight!" My neighbors could not believe I was making jokes19crying, but20 is always good medicine. It was with that joke that I knew, given time, everything would be okay.

    “We have visitors this morning,” Ms. Myers told Class 5. “A journalist and a photographer from the newspaper are doing an article about our new school1. And some of you will be in the photo.”

    The kids were2, except for Brad. He knew he wouldn't be in the photo. Brad was small. Kids were always making jokes about how3he was.

    “They won't put Brad in the photo,” John said. “You'd need a magnifying glass（放大镜）to see him.” The other kids 4. Brad grinned (smiled widely), even though John's comment was rude. He5grinned when people made jokes like that. He figured they didn't mean to hurt his feeling.

    The newspaper people6half an hour later. The journalist was called Tegan and the photographer was a short, fit-looking guy named Rick. Tegan7to the class about how a journalist had to8clear sentences and paragraphs, and then Rick told them about some amazing9he'd taken. Once he had to hang on a rope from a cliff(悬崖) to take shots of a10.

    “I could be a photographer,” thought Brad. I'm not afraid of11. I wouldn't weigh much on a rope, either.

    “Any questions you want to ask our12?” said Ms. Myers.

    Brad put his hand up. “Rick? What things don't you like to photograph?”

    “13are tricky,” Rick said. “Once I had to photograph a mother duck that was looking after a baby duck. She thought I was trying to14the baby duck, so she started hitting me with her wings. Picking on a little guy like me!”

    Class 5 laughed again, and Brad grinned, too. It's OK when you make jokes about15, he thought. It was jokes from other people that could hurt.

Time to take photos. Rick said, “I'll have them.” pointing to 6 kids, Brad16. Brad could hardly believe it.

    In the hall, Rick put them in front of the new library's big painting of stars and planets and books. “It's big, eh?” he said. “We'll get you guys to17in front of it, so it looks even bigger.”

    “Is that why you picked Brad?” called one of the Class 5 kids. “So it looks really big?”

Some people laughed. Brad started to grin, as he usually did.18Rick shook his head. “No way,” he said. “I picked him because he's got a19two miles long.”

    He looked at Brad and said, “Plus, this guy is20inside, where it matters. Right, mate?”

This time, Brad spoke before he could think. “Inside, I'm three miles long.”

    Class 5 laughed again. But Brad knew that they were laughing with him, not at him.

    It was December 22. The bitter wind swept the countless snowflakes across my front yard. My dad was there sweeping the 1. His nose was red as a cherry. With every breath he took, a white puff 2 into the air.

    Inside, my mother was 3 the last of the boxes. As I entered the front door, the 4 that after today I wouldn't enter through that door 5 again burned a hole in my stomach. I picked up my dog and sat Indian style with him in my lap on the 6, wooden floor. I had no 7 but to sit on the floor, for there was no longer any furniture occupying my house. I sat there in a daze (恍惚), just 8. There was no reason for my parents to make me, a once 912-year-old kid, 10. I had two best friends right across the street; I did well in school and I always kept my room clean. 11, this was "my house". By no means did I want a couple of 12 living here. These recurring (重复) thoughts danced around in my mind and I couldn't find a(n) 13.

    Out of the front window I could see the orange top of a truck pulling in the cleaned driveway and I knew it was the other U-Haul. Instantly three men came 14through the back door like World War III was starting.

    I watched 15 as the men, my mother and my dad loaded the truck. My dog even winced(畏缩)as he stared out of the window. I wondered if he was 16, too, or if he just wished to play outside in the snow.

    My mum came in, looking solemn(凝重)for my sake, I imagined. She turned 17 the overhead light, put the 18 in my arm and followed me out of the back door. A totally 19 feeling filled my inside. For the first time in my life, I wondered what 20would be to me tomorrow.