Recently I understood the true meaning of love. The 1 was Kane, my neighbor Joline's two-year-old son.

Kane was born with a physical problem on his 2. And I witnessed (目睹) the 3 that Kane's physical shortcomings had on his family. I also saw a 4 family that embraced (拥抱) this special child. A family that wouldn't allow Kane to know he was 5. Joline had constructed a small cart for his son to6 . Kane used his hands to move about, and the cart 7 him to "go to" any place just as everyone else was able to do. Kane was not just a member of the family, but the 8 of the family.

    With a wide smile, it was easy to see that even at the age of two, Kane liked to 9 with people very much. With wisdom of an individual (个人), this boy even 10 the most complex of human emotions. Later I came to  11 that this child was sent to help some of us who weren't just getting what love was all about.

    Kane demanded attention, 12  not because of his mobility (移动能力) challenges or other apparent shortcomings. In his mind, he had no13 or shortcomings. The 14  was that he received attention because he was alive and real and had so much to offer.

    Kane 15  me in a deep way. His ability to refuse to be different has 16 me. Kane was and is 17 a boy of powerful energy to me. From him and his family I learnt the 18 : love surpasses (超越) all things. I can only imagine that as the parent of a child like Kane one might be filled with19  . But I believe that having a child like Kane is actually a(n)20  . The parents of such special babies are angels too,just as the babies are.

    One day, I went to my favorite cafe for lunch. I 1 a burger and went to the outdoor seats. While waiting for my meal, a homeless man on a bicycle stopped to ask if there was a grocery store nearby. After I gave him 2, he asked if I had 3 from Santa Clara University. (I was wearing a SCU T-shirt. )I told him, yes. Little did I know that this 4 response would lead to a 90-minute conversation. The man, Michael, told me he was very intelligent. 5, drug use had ruined both his formal education and his pursuit of 6 in his work. He drifted from one topic to another, 7 the fact that I was ready for my lunch.

    He clearly had more of a 8to talk than I did. I made every 9 to give him my full attention, never 10 our talk would go on and on... Eventually, I did eat my meal, bite by bite 11 responses in our conversation. Michael was a bit strange. 12 his interests and viewpoints. We had little in 13, but he was fascinated with talking with, as he 14 it,“intelligent people.” I have to admit, I wish our conversation had been 15 to ten or fifteen minutes, but when Michael finally 16 off, he thanked me for listening so 17 to him and for my 18 to talk with him for so long. It was then that I 19 that, just maybe, that was my purpose in life for today … to be there, in that place, at that time, to 20 in that conversation.

    A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot (弹弓) to play with out in the woods. He 1 in the woods, but he could never hit anything. Getting a little2, he headed back for dinner. As he was 3 back he saw Grandma's pet 4. Just out of impulse (冲动), he let the slingshot 5, hit the duck right in the head and killed it. He was shocked and 6.

    In a panic, he hid the7duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said 8.After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the 9." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he10to help in the kitchen." Then she11to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny washed the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Before they left, Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I12Sally to help me make supper," Sally just smiled and said, "Well, you needn't worry about it13Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went 14 and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of doing both his15and Sally's, he finally couldn't 16 it any longer. He came to Grandma and admitted that he had 17 the duck.

    Grandma squatted down(蹲下), gave him a 18 , and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the 19 thing, but because I love you. I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a 20 of you. If you make a mistake, just be brave to admit to it and promise not to make it again. In that way, everyone will forgive you."

    One of the most important events in the modern Olympic Games is the Marathon(马拉松)race. The race 1 one of the great events in Greek history.

    In 490 B C. about 10,000 Greeks 2 against the Persian army at a place called Marathon. It is 3 that the Persians were ten times as4 as the Greeks. However, where there is a will, there is a way.5 the brave attack of the Greeks, the Persians were badly beaten and6away from the plain of Marathon. When the Persians had run away, a soldier, who was the most famous7in Athens, was 8 to carry the good news to the city and he was also asked to march at full speed.

    Although he had fought through the battle and 9many wounds, the soldier at once started off toward the 10 city 11 was twenty-six and a quarter miles from the plain of Marathon to the Marketplace of Athens, 12 there the elders of Athens had gathered 13 for news. He ran and ran over 14 and across plains. As he went on, his lips became 15 and his breathing hard, but when he thought of the 16 of the people of Athens on hearing the news, he 17 harder than ever.

    At last the elders of Athens heard a great shout and saw a soldier staggering(蹒跚) toward them.” Rejoice! Rejoice! We won!” said the soldier, and fell down 18.

    In19of this noble soldier and athlete, we have in the modern Olympic Games the Marathon race,20 the athletes run this same distance.

    The day I received my letter of acceptance to New York University, I was extremely excited. It was my dream university, and my1were pleased for me. But they also hadn't2me to get into such a competitive school. In fact, the best thing they ever did for me was to3me from doing things4—indeed, when I was in elementary school, they offered to buy me a present5I got a C.

    It6when I was in third grade. An only child in an Asian family, I had just7with my family from Taiwan to Los Angeles. Months into third grade, I developed a strong feeling of8about getting bad grades. Seeing my anxiety, Dad said, "Kate, tell you what. If you get a C or9, I'll buy you a present. If you score higher than that, I won't buy you anything, because you won't10it."

    Clearly my dad wasn't the11Asian tiger parent, pressuring me to work tirelessly for the best12, and neither was my mom. They didn't want to push me. They wanted me to be13and healthy. Dad's14of a "failing grade" gift amazingly15my worries and pressure. What's more，I16getting A's and B's throughout high school, but without the added stress and fear of failing. I think it was my parents' lack of stress on grades that gave me17to encourage my own desire for achievements.

    I now realize I was18when I thought I didn't receive a present from my dad that day. He gave me two invaluable19: the space to develop my own desire for excellence, and the healthy mind to20it.

    It happened when our grandchild, Anne, was three years old. My husband, Paul, asked her if there was anything she wanted to plant in our garden. She had an answer—Fritos (油炸玉米饼).

    "Anne, Fritos might not 1 in this soil," he said. But Anne looked at her grandfather and said that if the other 2 could grow, so would Fritos. Paul 3 this in the simplest way possible. He sent Anne running to the house for Fritos.

    That evening, I asked Paul, "Are you 4?"

    "She will forget it," he 5. The next day, Anne asked again. To gain time, Paul said it would 6 two weeks for Fritos to come out. That should be plenty of time for her to forget, he thought.

    For the next two weeks, she arrived every evening to 7 her "Frito land". Anne grew more 8. But with each passing day, Paul became more and more 9. By the 13th day, he had 10 a plan, and the next morning we began to work.

    We planted two plants where the Fritos were 11. Then we began the difficult task of tying Fritos around the leaves of the plants. At last, that was quite a 12 off our mind. Anne ran straight to the garden as 13. We were shocked when she shouted, "Grandpa! They're up! The Fritos came up!"

    The story was repeated several times. When Anne was in second grade, it was finally 14 until the day her teacher talked about the topic of 15. As part of the lesson, the teacher asked each child to 16 something that grows in a garden. You can 17 what Anne said!

    Anne's parents 18 it was time to tell the truth. Their daughter sat very still while they talked, and when they finished, she remained 19. Suddenly, Anne burst out 20 and said, "That's the best joke Grandpa ever played on me."