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.

    Sudha Chandran, a classical dancer from India, had to have her right leg cut after a car accident. She was also 1 on her career road.

    Though the accident brought her bright career to a 2, she didn't give up. In the 3 months that followed, Sudha met a doctor who developed an artificial 4 made from rubber filled with sponge (海绵). So 5 she wanted to go back to 6 after she had been fitted with an artificial leg. Sudha knew that she believed in 7 and could realize her dream, and 8 she began her courageous journey back to the world of dancing — 9 to balance, bend, stretch, walk, turn, twist and twirl.

    After every public recital (个人表演), she 10 ask her dad about her performance. “You 11 have a long way to go” was the answer she used to get 12. In January 1984, Sudha made a historic 13 by giving a public recital in Bombay. She performed in such a great manner that it 14 everyone to tears and this 15 pushed her to the number one position again. That evening when she asked her dad the 16 question, he didn't say anything. He just touched her feet as a praise.

    Sudha's comeback was 17 moving an event that a film producer 18 to make the story into a hit film. When someone asked Sudha how she had 19 to dance again, she said quite simply, “YOU DON'T NEED FEET TO DANCE.”20 is impossible in this world. If you have the will to win, you can achieve anything.

    One of the easiest things in the world is to become a fault-finder. However, life can be 1when you are not busy finding fault with it.

    Several years ago I2a letter from seventeen-year-old Kerry, who described herself as a world-class fault-finder, almost always 3by things. People were always doing things that annoyed her, and 4was ever good enough. She was highly self-critical and also found fault with her friends. She became a really 5person.

    Unfortunately, it took a horrible accident to change her 6Her best friend was seriously hurt in a car crash. What made it almost 7to deal with was that the day before the 8, Kerry had visited her friend and had spent the whole time criticizing her 9 of boyfriends, the way she was living, the way she related to her mother, and various other things she felt she needed to 10It wasn't until her friend was badly hurt that Kerry became 11her habit of finding fault. Very quickly, she learned to appreciate life rather than to 12 everything so harshly ( 刻薄) . She was able to transfer her new wisdom to other parts of her13as well.

    Perhaps most of us aren't as extreme at fault-finding,14 when we're honest, we can be sharply 15of  the world. I'm not suggesting you16problems, or that you pretend things are17than they are, but simply that you learn to allow things to be as they are—18most of the time, and especially when it's not a really big 19 .

    Train yourself to "bite your tongue" , and with a little 20, you'll get really good at letting things go. And when you do, you'll get back your enthusiasm and love for life.

    Long ago I came to the city near my hometown to find a job. I met all kinds of 1 and so I used up all my money soon.

One day, I 2 a bus quietly at dusk when most people got off work. Suddenly, a 3 cried loudly, "Someone has 4my money!" I felt 5, because his money was in my 6 Some people suggested the bus be 7 to the police station, but some were against it 8 they were in a hurry to go back home. The whole bus was very 9. The driver then 10the bus by the road and turned on the lights to 11 the money. At that time, one passenger said, "Turn off the lights and give the thief a chance to take out the money." Then the bus got 12When I was still struggling (斗争) in mind whether to take out the money or not, the lights were on again. There was no 13 on the floor. Someone said again, "Give him one more 14" Then the lights were off again. My heart kept beating fast. The lights were on again but they got the 15result. The passengers were in heated discussion again. At that time, someone said again, "Give him the 16 chance!" Suddenly I felt 17and took out all the money when the lights were off again.

    For many years I have felt 18 to the one who gave me three chances to  19 my mistake. When the first and second chances come, you may not be prepared well or don't have enough 20 to act. When the third chance comes you should know clearly what you should do.

    My son has been in hospital again, this time with an emergency admission. He was 1 in an ambulance from our local health centre to the children's hospital.

    In this country, all ambulances are 2 and manned by firemen and it was no 3 this time. While one fireman drove, the other was in the 4 with me and my son. He started 5 my son as soon as he was carried in, 6 him whether he'd prefer English or Portuguese.

    When my son 7 either of them, the fireman requested speaking English so that my son could 8 it with him. Of course, that gave him plenty of 9 to draw my son's attention to offering “tuition (学费)”—It was just a joke. The 10 of them chatted for the full hour. 11, he had been assigned the task of keeping my boy 12. He did so so skillfully that our son didn't 13 that I was tearing along with lights flashing.

    Actually, the back of an ambulance is a 14 place for me, and then I got sick and had to 15 the window a little. It was cold, so this absolutely wonderful guy took his own jacket off and 16 it around our son's head and neck

    These excellent guys 17 with us during check-in procedure, and finally 18 when I made sure that my husband was on his way in the car.

    I can't be 19 enough to the firemen. They're our firemen, and they are all 20, of course.

    Greenberg was a lucky guy to enter Columbia University on full scholarship. But just before junior year（大学三年级）, Greenberg's1 changed. One day his vision “2 up” and later he was diagnosed (诊断）with glaucoma (青光眼）. Then doctors operated on Greenberg's eyes.3 , the surgery didn't work. Greenberg was going blind. He was so 4that he refused to see anyone.

    As Greenberg's best friend, Arthur persuaded Greenberg to go back to Columbia and5to be his reader. Arthur read6to him every day, taking time out from his own study, and Greenberg7 scoring straight A's. Still, he was8about getting around alone and relied on his friend.

    Then, one afternoon, Greenberg and Arthur went to Midtown Manhattan. When it was time to go back to campus, Arthur said he couldn't9him because of an appointment. Greenberg10. They argued, and Arthur walked off, 11 Greenberg alone in Grand Central Terminal.

    Greenberg, who was completely12, stumbled (蹒跚）through the rush-hour crowd. He took a shuttle train west to Times Square, and then transferred to an uptown train. Four miles later, he13 at the Columbia University stop.

    At the university's gate, someone14him. “Oops, excuse me, sir. ” Greenberg15 the voice. It was Arthur's. Greenberg's first reaction was16, but in the next second, he realized what he had just17 and realized, too, who had made it possible.18, Arthur had been with him the whole way, using one of the most19strategies（策略）.

    Blindness doesn't make Greenberg fail to appreciate the20 of life. He always says he is the luckiest man in the world.