Whenever we hear about "the homeless", most of us think of the developing world. But the1 is that homelessness is everywhere. For example, how many of us would expect to see people living on the streets of a2country like Germany?

    Kurt Muller and his wife Rita have spent eleven years making3for the homeless of Berlin, Germany's capital. They first4 one long hot summer when most Germans were5 on holiday. Kurt Muller and his wife stayed at home, made sandwiches6a table in the street and gave food to the homeless.

    The Mullers soon realized that food and clothing weren't7 “What these people also need is warmth and8” says Rita. The Mullers didn't 9to give their phone number to the street people and told them to phone anytime. Rita 10there was somebody at home to answer the phone and their home was always11to anyone who couldn't face another night on the street.

    The couple were soon12all their time and money, so Kurt visited food and clothing companies to13 donations. Today, over thirty companies 14donate food and other goods to the cause and volunteers help to15them to the homeless. The public also give clothes and money and a shoe producer16new shoes.

    Kurt and Rita receive no17 for their hard work. “We feel like parents,” says Rita, “and parents shouldn't18 money for helping their children. The love we get on the streets is our salary. Though Rita admits she often gets19. She says she will continue with her work because she likes the feeling of having made a20 in the world.

    Many years ago, I was working in an office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We had large 1 that look out over a busy street. I was standing by one of those windows one day when a woman in a 2 car looked up and made eye contact. Naturally I 3. As she turned and tried to identify me, a quiet laugh4my lips. My co-workers began taking an interest, and stood back watching the 5 I received, and laughing happily. Then the stress of work was 6 away.

    Christmas approached, and job 7 were announced. Several of my co-workers were losing their jobs, and everyone was 8. While I was working a night shift, a red jacket , a box of foam packing and strips of tape in the corner caught my 9. They could be Santa's jacket and beard! Then I folded a red file into a hat and tied the 10 to it. With the red jacket , a Santa's Costume appeared.

    The next day I walked 11down into the office in the costume. My co-workers 12around me and laughed for the first time in weeks. Suddenly, my boss came to me, 13, shook his head and then left. I feared14. Then the phone rang.

    With a bead of sweat 15 my forehead, I entered the boss' office . 16, he laughed: "Thanks, Mike! It's been hard to enjoy the Christmas season. Thanks for the laugh. I 17it."

    That evening, I stood 18 by the window and waved at my fans, with my heart 19 with joy. For a few minutes of that day, we'd been able to forget our 20.

    My brother Gene was four years older than me. By the time I turned four, I was upset that he could read but I couldn't. I burned with 1 to read a book like my brother. I begged: "Teach me to read, Mom! Please, please!" Finally, Mom set aside time after lunch 2 reading lessons, and soon after my fifth birthday, I was reading.

    I longed for my father, who was a great storyteller, to read me the books that I couldn't yet read on my own. But my father worked three jobs to feed the family. He didn't have the time or 3 in the evening to read to me. 4, every Sunday morning, my brother and I lay next to him in bed, waiting for him to tell stories about his 5. I can still hear my father's voice 6 the cold winters on the family farm in Poland. His family didn't have enough money to burn wood in the fireplace all night. He told us that he always volunteered to help with 7. I can smell the soup made by my grandma and 8 my father cutting onions, carrots and tomatoes for salad, and when no one was looking, putting a piece into his mouth. "I was always 9," he explained. Hearing my father's stories 10 me closer to the books and the stories they held.

    One Saturday afternoon when I was seven, we walked two blocks to the small 11 in our neighborhood, and my dad filled out forms for a card. That Saturday 12 my life: I met Mrs. Schwartz, the librarian, and my dad said, "You're 13 enough to walk to the library yourself." And so I did—almost every afternoon.

    In my mind, Mrs. Schwartz was "the keeper of books and the guardian of stories." Some days she read aloud to a small group of us 14. Most of time, Mrs. Schwartz let me 15 myself with books I pulled from the shelves and look through them to see which ones I'd 16 out. I remember that sometimes she'd 17 a book and tell me a part of the story. But she always let me choose. Books became my 18 who were my comfort when I felt lonely.

    Yes, reading changed me. It gave me the 19 to study hard so I could become a teacher, and share my 20 of reading with my students. And inside my head, I can still hear the voices of my mother, father, and Mrs. Schwartz, which are with me every time I open the first page of a new book.

    I was born and brought up in Texas and I am a graduate of the University of Texas. However, around my second \rear in law school. I wanted to make a great 1, which was almost unheard of for Texans: I wanted to leave!

    I2this after completing my first year internship(实习期). I knew I wanted something 3and my chance came. A snowstorm blanketed the entire city and thousands of people were4. I overheard that StubHub, a big company from San Francisco, was giving a 5next door to my hotel. I thought if I could get an internship, I could 6the summer and at least see what it was like. Yes, it was a huge leap(巨变). I told myself I was7.

    There was just one problem: I wasn't 8to the StubHub party. But you know I'm the type of person who goes for something she 9. Needless to say, I 10 the party and found my way to the president. I 11 introduced myself and then asked if they had a 12 internship program. Guess what? They 13my request to be an intern, even though no such program 14.

    Although the legal department didn't have a15position for me, the experience has16my life. Working for a great company in San Francisco, I'm incredibly 17for making my decision to leave Texas.

    By leaving Texas, I learned that it is so much more18to try the unfamiliar than to stay in the 19. Exploring the unfamiliar is how you'll understand what 20 your life. I say, dive in head first.

    Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.

    Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they1for a long time. They discussed the2they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, "I had a3house built for Mama." The second said, "I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer (奔驰经销商) send a4to her." The third said, "I built a beautiful 5for Mama." The fourth said, "You know6Mama loved reading poems and you know she can't read any more because she can't 7very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot that can recite many8. It took him 12 years to9it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years,10it is worth it." On hearing that, the other brothers were11by his good thought.

    After the holidays, their mother12 her thank -you notes, which read，"Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to clean the whole house. It's a (an)13job. Thanks anyway." "Marvin, I am too old to14.I stay home and have others work for me, so I'll15 use the car. The 16was good, although not realistic. Thanks."

    "Michael, you gave me an expensive building for many people to17plays or I watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I've almost18my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I won't use it. Thank you all the same.

    "Dearest Melvin, you are the19 son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so20. I liked it very much. Thank you."

Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey. One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while, then the farmer said, "Let's do something to pass the time."

"What do you want to do?" the businessman asked. "We can ask each other riddles(谜语）." The farmer said, "You start." "Let's make the rules first," the businessman said. "That's not fair. You are a businessman with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer."

"That's true." The businessman said. "What do you want we should do?" "If you don't know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. And if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50." The farmer said. The businessman thought about this, then he said, "OK. That's fair. Who will go first?"

"I will," The farmer said. "Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?" The business man repeated the riddle, "What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that's a good one. I'm afraid I don't know the answer." He gave the farmer $100, then said, "Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?" "I don't know." The farmer said and gave him $50.