Have you ever imagined your future? I try to do this all the time. Most of us will follow in our 1 footsteps, by this I mean our adult lives will 2 resemble the lives we live as children, set by our parents' examples. Have you ever 3 and thought about this? What an awful job it must be to 4 a child properly! But, what happens to the children that live 5 drugs, alcohol and violence in their childhood? Where can they find good examples for themselves?

    I know of one place that is trying to 6 all children. It is the McDowell County D.A.R.E. program in McDowell County North Carolina. Our teachers carry on their shoulders the great 7 of teaching kids to just say NO to drugs, alcohol and violence. I am personally acquainted with 8 of these things, not because I have ever 9 them myself, but because of my dad. He drank, 10 drugs and smoked pot (抽大麻). When I was 7 my mom took me and my sister and 11. I wonder if my dad ever thought about the 12 and what this bad decision would lead to when he first started experimenting with drugs and pot at 13. He has been in jail, he can't get a decent job, and he lost his 13. These bad choices also caused him to hurt his children in horrible ways.

    I am 14 that I have at least one parent to help me make wise decisions, and to teach me right from wrong. I am also 15 that the D.A.R.E. program is taught in our schools. One of the most 16 things I learned from D.A.R.E. is that a person that has a parent with an addiction problem is more than twice as likely to become addicted themselves, as compared to a person that has no family history of drug 17. I have learned many things through this 18, especially about the consequences of our trying drugs. You could get arrested, hurt yourself or someone else, 19 your life by becoming an addict, or even die. All of these things are terrible, but I can't think of anything 20 as a parent than hurting our children and the people that love us. DRUGS DESTROY LIVES! I give the D.A.R.E. program two thumbs up, for all the good things being accomplished.

    With his leg lame and his teeth uneven, the boy thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He 1 played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always 2 his head without a word.

    One spring, his father brought home some saplings (树苗). 3of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, 'Whoever 4 his sapling best shall get a gift.' The boy certainly wanted to get the gift. 5 seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, he 6 an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never 7 it.

    Several days later, he was 8 to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh 9. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his 10, bought the boy a gift and said he would become an outstanding11 after growing up.

    From then on, the boy slowly became 12 and confident. One evening, he suddenly13 his biology teacher once said that plants 14 grow at night. Why not go to see the tree?

    When he came to the courtyard, he found his father working near the tree! Immediately he 15: Father had been secretly 16 his tree! He returned to his room, tears in his eyes.

    Decades passed. The boy didn't become a botanist. 17, he became the U.S.18. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

    19 is the best nourishment (滋养品) of life. 20 it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

    Honesty is always the best policy, especially when it comes to mental health problems. In a TV 1, one girl gets very real about dealing with anxiety and panic.

    "I was the best student in my high school. I put so much 2 on myself," she said. "I never 3 a class. But I got sick during 10th grade and I started to 4. That's when the panic attacks began." She goes on to describe what a panic attack 5 like, "One day the teacher handed me my grade 6, and I couldn't breathe. My heart was beating very 7. I felt disconnected. I saw people trying to talk to me but I couldn't hear them. Afterwards, I was sent to 8," she shared.

    It was then 9 the attacks started happening 10 daily, and they haven't stopped. "Last year I started college. And I can't be the best student here no matter how hard I try," she said. "Everyone is so 11. My panic attacks got so bad that I had to 12 my first semester."

    However, now she is facing her anxiety, and things are getting better. "I used to try to hide 13. I thought that 14 nobody know, it didn't exist," she said. "But the more I talk about my 15, the more I realize that other people experience 16 things. So I'm trying to express it more. I had a great teacher 17 told me, 'Instead of letting anxiety keep you from doing your art, let it be the thing that 18 your art."

    Recently, women all over the world took to Twitter to19 what anxiety is like. We are 20 alone.

My childhood memories involve sitting with my dad in his study every night. When he came home from work, he would put his 1items away: his watch, wallet, comb and car keys which would always 2the same spot on the table.

Dad's 3was jade green. He bought it when he married Mum, which made it two years older than I was. Every night, he would smile, and hand me the comb: "Be a good girl and help Daddy 4it, OK?"

I would excitedly turn the tap on, and brush it with a used toothbrush. When I 5returned it to Dad, he would smile at me, and place it on top of his wallet.

Two years later, I started primary school. That was6Dad's business wasn't doing so well, He didn't come home as 7as he used to, and when he did, it was always late and I'd already be in bed. So the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me 8.

Now 28, I've 9from college and got a job. One day last year, Dad came home early. I helped him carry his bags into his10. When I turned to leave, he said: "Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb? It's been a while since I 11cleaned it." I looked at him a while, then took the comb, and headed to the sink. It hit me then: why, as a child, helping my dad clean his comb was such a joy. That routine meant that my dad was home early to spend the evening with Mum and me. It meant a happy and loving family. With 12in my eyes, I brushed it with an old toothbrush.

When I 13the clean comb back to him, Dad looked at it, smiling, and then carefully put it on his wallet. But this time, I had noticed something different: Dad has 14. He has wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiles, yet his smile is still as 15as before.

Table Talk

As we got out of the car, our son announced, "Phones stay in the car."

"Why do you always have to tell us that?" complained our fifteen-year-old grandson.

Our son's wife winked at us and then explained, "We have a family1 that no one may bring anything electronic to the table."

We 2 our phones in the car. Even though the restaurant was filled with families, there was little noise. All I heard were a few quiet conversations and the ding of forks on plates. The 3 unnerved me. I looked around. Everyone, even the young kids, was 4 at some kind of screen. 

The silence was broken when the six of us sat down, and started talking. The waitress stood patiently and waited for our orders. When our food came, we continued to chat. 

An elderly couple at the next table were finishing their dinners and conversing quietly. I noticed that they shot us a few glances, and wondered if our constant chatter was annoying them. 

After the dessert, my son signaled the waitress for the check. She hesitated when she brought the black folder to our table. My son opened the black folder — it was5 . "You forgot the check," he told her.

"There isn't one. Someone else6 your bill — and the tip too." she said with a giggle (咯咯笑).

"Why?" asked our son, his wife and myself at once.

"They loved it that no one was connected." she continued. "They loved watching you guys7 . The old lady went on and on about how nice it was to see a family eating and talking instead of looking at ‘electric games'."

For a moment, everyone at our table was at a loss for8 . Then we all started talking at once. My son's voice rose above the others. "Where are they? We want to thank them."

"They left after you ordered dessert," the waitress replied.

We spent the next fifteen minutes discussing this goodness and camp up with a 9 . Next time we see a family eating at a restaurant 10 looking at anything electronic, we'll pay it forward, just like what happened to us.

Bathed in two cultures from childhood, moving around the world and experiencing different cultures has always been my thing. When I was in high school, I heard about students in my class wanting to take the SAT test and study abroad in the USA. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Actually, what I wanted to experience most was the European lifestyle and cultural mix.

 I used to travel a lot around Europe with my parents as a little kid, and also not forgetting that the French Language is one of my mother tongues, France seemed therefore like a top choice for me. French universities have a good reputation and the French capital is internationally well known for its cultural history. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. My university was one of those small cities and I also got the chance to obtain a scholarship which made it easier for me to start my studies.

 {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Opportunities are offered to develop our network and explore the business world. The university participated as a partner in international networking courses leading to a European Master's degree, a double degree, or training abroad.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. So, if you are an international student who came to France for studies, you can take the chance to explore another country for a term and study in English. I remember wanting to take this opportunity in my first year of my college life and try the program which back then offered students the chance to go on an exchange with Linnaeus University in Sweden. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A.I applied and was lucky to get accepted

B.But I was not that attracted to studying there

C.You can find a lot of student-friendly cities as well

D.Besides, all these universities have their own unique advantages

E.The university I chose was small but used to invite business chiefs and directors

F.Because there are many universities with good reputation which attracts students

G.Plus, all French universities work with several countries to offer an exchange program