I still remember an old lady, a customer on the paper route in my hometown when I was 12 years old. She taught me a lesson in 1 that I shall never forget.

    On a(n)2  afternoon, a friend and I were throwing stones onto the 3  of the old lady's house. The stone that I found was too smooth,4 it slipped from my hand as I let it go and 5  straight not for the covering on top of the house but for a small window on the house's back porch. At the sound of broken glass, we knew we were 6 . We turned and 7.

    I was too 8 about getting caught that first night to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window in the freezing weather. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn't been9 ,I started to feel guilty about her  10 . She still greeted me with a smile each day11  I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortably in her 12

    I 13 my mind that I would save my paper delivering money, and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I calculated would pay for her window. I put the money in an envelope with a note 14  that I was sorry for breaking her window and15 that the seven dollars would cover the cost of repairing it.

    I waited until it was dark, moved 16 to the old lady's house and put the letter I didn't sign through the letter slot in her door. I felt 17  and could have the freedom of once again looking straight into the old lady's kind eyes.

    The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and was able to 18  the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and gave me a bag of cookies she had made herself. I thanked her and proceeded(开始) to eat the cookies as I continued my 19.

    After several cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope, I was 20. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said, "I'm proud of you.”

    White clouds filled the sky. The sun's rays 1 through them, spreading cheer and 2. After the meal, Olivia lay back on the blanket, 3 the amazing sky and Dad was 4 the picnic food.

    “Dad, that 5 over there looks like a rhinoceros（犀牛）! There's a horn（角）, two ears and a long tail.” Olivia said.

    “Is there? I can't see it.” Dad sighed and 6 his head.

    “Oh, look, Dad. That cloud looks like a penguin.” Olivia turned to her father.

    “Do you see any 7 in the clouds, Dad?”

    “I see a turkey.” He rubbed his cheeks and 8 her closer with his warm hands.

    “Dad, I see a fighting lion, a running giraffe and a 9 parrot.”

    “I'm sorry to stop our fun, 10 it looks like rain” said Dad, 11 the picnic basket “Clouds don't get big 12 they're going to drop rain on us.”

    A raindrop 13 on Olivia's forehead.” You're right, Dad. I'll 14 the blanket.” The two rushed for the 15. On their way home Olivia 16 out of the window. “Is the sky always that 17 before a storm, Dad?”

    “Beauty is in the eye of the 18, my little angel.” It is 19 that there are some people who would never have seen a rhinoceros or a turkey in clouds. 20 the eyes of the child, the world is fresh and appealing each day.

    It was early one hot morning in 2015 when, accompanied by my mother, I was 1 wheeled to the taxi stand. Three weeks earlier, I had 2 my left ankle at home. Now, I was on my way to being 3 for an operation at the Philippine General Hospital.

    I was feeling 4 as I'd never had surgery before and the thought of it 5 me. After waiting for 6 for more than 90 minutes, we were still standing there. It usually only takes a few minutes, but on this particular Sunday they would 7 us either already filled with passengers or 8 to take us. Perhaps they weren't 9 to carry my 10. My mother was starting to get frustrated as we were fast running out of time; our 11 was scheduled for 10:45am. Then a black SUV 12 and stopped in front of us. The driver, taking a look at us, said, “You two look like you could use a 13!” He told us he'd seen us earlier as he was taking his son to a 14 school activity. He was now returning home and saw that we were still there.

    With no questions asked, this good Samaritan welcomed us aboard and got us to the hospital. We arrived at 10:30 – just in time. He refused any 15, saying people should help one another. He left with a smile.

    I was finally 16. A long recovery process and physical therapy followed and now I am able to 17 again.

    To this day we have not 18 again this friendly driver who went out of his way, but his generosity towards us has 19 in our minds and taught me to keep watch for and help others 20.

Remembering My Father's Vest(背心)

    People get into trouble because they don't know enough to keep cool. As a child, I had a lot of1that had been held back and not released. Worse still, I was not good at2.

    Once as I was getting ready for school, my mother3me my father's vest instead of mine. This was around the time when I was going to be larger in4than my father, so as I put on the vest, I felt like I was being choked(使窒息) in it! I 5 that it was a small oversight(疏忽) on my mother's part, but6the feeling of being choked drowned me and I got very angry.

    I took my anger out on my mother7thinking much. I was so upset when she had handed me the wrong vest, and I8by violently tearing it apart from my chest!

    Later, my mother shared her own9with my father:" See what your son has done."

    Instead of scolding or abusing me, my father10responded by asking my mother to11the vest. He then wore it to work the next day.

    When my mother told me about my father's response much later, when I had 12from my burst, I immediately felt a great sense of13for my violent behavior, just 14that he was spending the entire day wearing a(n)15vest. At the same time, I was filled with great16for my father, whose gentle kindness taught me a life lesson I would treasure forever.

    On that day, I made a17never to let anger get the better of me. I learn to 18others when I think that they behave in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way,  19forgiveness is a tool to turn anger off. And whenever I have difficulty20my strong emotion, I try to remember my father's vest.

My father was a restaurant owner. My name is Vincent Lim. I'm a chef and restaurant owner. Running a Chinese restaurant is one of the hardest and most1 things in my life.

When we first arrived in Australia, my dad2 a Chinese restaurant. I would go there on a3 basis to help him out. And slowly I developed my4 for cooking. The hard work that my dad put into Chinese food makes me feel so proud that I am lucky enough to learn from a5

The first dish that I ever learned to cook was the fried rice, which is the easiest but also the 6 one to get right. From years of experience, I can7 you the difference between a good fried rice just from the feel and from the smell, without even taking a bite.

To lots of Chinese immigrants like us, the restaurant isn't just a business. It's a sense of 8 . The wok hei (锅气)9 every ingredient in the wok, producing an appealing smell. The fragrances of the food10 the air and lingered around so much longer. Those memories, they become nostalgic (乡愁). The sense of home is what makes a11 good dish taste.

In 2017, my dad passed away. I reaized that my love of cooking dishes from my childhood. I 12 the restaurant that I own today. Cooking was a13 way to my dad. I wanted to 14 everything that he taught me. Cooking15 all the hard work and memories that we had.

It was a regular school day, and the air was filled with the usual sounds of chatter and laughter as students prepared for their lessons. Little did I know that this day would soon take a dramatic turn, making it a/an 1 day.

As the bell rang, 2 the beginning of our English class, we entered the classroom, completely 3 of the coming danger. The teacher began the lesson, and we were really 4 our literature lesson when, out of nowhere, a loud fire alarm interrupted everything.

Panic spread as we understood how 5 it was. Smoke filled the hallway, and a sharp burning smell hung in the air. The neat classroom turned into a mess as everyone 6 to the door, trying to get away from the coming danger.

In all the chaos, I noticed my 7 Sarah looking obviously scared by her desk. I quickly 8 she needed help. Without hesitation, I rushed over, took her shaky hand, and told everyone to stay calm. We went through the chickening smoke together, and each 9 felt like a really long time.

As we reached the door, it felt hotter, and we knew we had to hurry. With hearts 10 , we hurried into the playground where teachers and students were making sure everyone stayed safe.

Outside, we took a moment to catch our breath, 11 by the loud sounds of approaching fire trucks. Seeing parts of the building on fire, a sense of 12 washed over us, knowing that we had made it out unharmed.

After everything happened, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of that day. 13 all this taught me it's important to stay calm when things get 14 and how helping others during hard times matters. It was a day when ordinary students became unlikely heroes, bound together by the shared 15 to overcome the unexpected challenges.