My father sold everything we owned, took all the money and disappeared from our lives. My mother suddenly found herself 1 to care for five boys. I worried about the situation, but my mother stayed 2, and assured us that she would keep us tog ether as a  3 and safe from harm. Although small in size, she could 4 heavy horse-drawn plows（犁）. Besides, she 5 found time to help us with homework.

    As Christmas approached, my mother didn't seem to smile as much. I 6 She had no money to buy us presents. Considering myself practically grown, I hid my 7.

    One day, my mother took a saw(锯) into the forest and 8 with some tree branches. She left them in the barn(畜棚) and didn't tell her 9 children what they were for. She worked on her project 10 I was in school, but I looked 11 into the barn when I had a chance. Several days later, I still couldn't 12 her purpose. When later I saw she used nail and paint, I 13 that she must be making presents.

    By Christmas week, my mother was her 14 happy self again. Her project was apparently 15, and she obviously kept it secret because I'd looked everywhere without 16.

    On Christmas Eve, I lay awake for a long time, 17 Christmas morning.

    The next morning, my mother handed out the handmade presents happily in front of her delighted kids. Many difficult years would follow that particular Christmas, but I never again doubted my mother's 18 to care for us. We were never hungry, and she make sure we got a(n) 19 in school. She taught us to have faith in our own abilities. That faith 20 me still.

    William Franklin came to my class half a year ago.But from his first day here,he 1 himself in his own world and he never spoke to others.As his teacher,I tried to start a talk with him but 2.It seemed as if he just didn't want to break his 3.

    After the Thanksgiving holiday,we received the news of the4Christmas collection of money for the 5 in our school."Christmas is a season of 6,"I told my students."Some poor students in our school might not have a 7 holiday.By giving a little money,you will help 8 some toys,food and clothing for these needy students.We will 9 the collection tomorrow." 

    The next morning, 10 ,I found out almost everyone had 11 this matter except Willard Franklin.He came up to my desk with his head down. 12 ,he dropped two coins into the small box."I don't need milk for lunch,"he said in a 13 voice.

    After school I couldn't help sharing what had 14 in the morning with our headmaster."I may be wrong,but I 15 Willard might be ready to become part of our class. "I am 16 to hear that," he nodded."And I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need 17 .Here,take a look at it."

    As I sat down to 18 ,I found Willard Franklin was at the top of the list.At that moment,I felt I really 19 Willard for the first time:a cold face with a warm heart.From this 20 ,I also learnt that whether rich or poor,every child has a kind heart.

    I work as a volunteer for an organization that helps the poor in Haiti. Recently I took my son Barrett there for a week, hoping to 1him.

    Before setting out, I told Barrett this trip would be tiring and2.For the first two days, he said almost nothing. I worried the trip was too 3for a 17-year-old. Then, on Day three, as we were 4over high rocky mountains, he turned to me and grinned(咧嘴笑), “Pretty hard.”

    After that there was no turning back. A five-year-old girl, wearing a dress several sizes 5large and broken shoes, followed Barrett around, mesmerized(着迷). He couldn't stop6 Later he said7“I wish I could speak French.” I was8-this from a boy who hated and 9French classes throughout school.

    Usually silent, he 10Gaby, our host, and kept asking questions about the country and its people. He blossomed(活泼起来).

11the moment that really took12breath away occurred in a village deep in the mountains. I was13a woman villager for an article. 135 centimeters tall, she was small in figure but strong in14.Through determination, she had learned to read and write, and 15to become part of the leadership of the16.

    Learning her story, Barrett was as 17as I by this tiny woman's achievements. His eyes were wet and there was a18of love and respect on his face. He had finally understood the importance of my work.

    When leaving for home, Barrett even offered to stay19as a volunteer. My insides suddenly felt struck. This20achieved all I'd expected. Soon he will celebrate his 18th birthday. He'll be a man.

A Commitment to Life

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my 1 wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my 2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local 3 center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't 4. Four more “hero-types” were already lying back in donor chairs with lines 5 to their veins(静脉), and machines quietly pumping away to 6 their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a 7 to the life of someone I would never 8.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just did it. 9 a few months ago, during one of my 10 donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center 11 ever since.

    My wife Karen is a 12, too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髓) list for fifteen years, ever since she 13 to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia(白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her, but Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential 14 for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. “Yes,” she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race 15 time.

    I wish I could say that this 16 was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd 17on the donor list. “Of course,” Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll clear an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may 18. Most likely it will be a 19, but on any day the person needing blood could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to 20our time to donate.

    I really do feel proud every time I donate. And I like the feeling.

    Bullied(霸凌), bothered and mad, I became a troublemaker in school. In the tenth grade year, it came to a head. I 1 friends with a rough kid who well could have 2 the end of my future. A big fight was planned for that Friday night. My friend said, "Rudy, we're tough. Let's go." I 3agreed. I had a big head. It was a 4 to show off. I would 5those who had made me so mad.

    I waited until the family was 6asleep. Quietly, I 7 out of bed, pulled on my clothes, and tiptoed(踮着脚走) to the back door. I was careful not to make a sound. However, Dad knew something was up. He 8 me off at the door.

    With his hand on my shoulder, he 9 that we talk. I admitted where I was 10. The kids we would fight against had 11 us.

    It was our 12 to teach them a lesson. That's when Dad13 my future, and maybe my life. He replied, "You are no man when a 14fight is your way. You become a man by knowing when to walk away. Learn it now and remember."

    I'm 15 that Dad stayed up to catch me that night. Bad 16 came the next day. Several were badly hurt in the fight. With a 17to the head, my friend was now dead.

    It could have been me, or I might have been 18 and taken away. Either 19, that would have caused my end: Dad, you were the best: You taught me to stop the foolish 20and to know when to walk away:

    I had stopped to get gas at a place where I almost never go. I had 1 about cleaning my windshield (挡风玻璃). But then when the gas 2 was almost finished, I decided for some reason to 3 and clean it. That's what I was doing when a woman approached me and asked for 4.

    There were two women, one middle aged, the other twenty-something, 5 a young child in the back seat. On a day when the temperature was well past 100, they were 6 in an old car with no air conditioning, driving from a town about an hour away.

    "Can you tell us how to get to Mopac, sir?" She had a folded-up printout of directions from Google maps. "Sure. Where on Mopac are you 7?" I asked. She unfolded the printout and showed me the 8. I knew it well, and started to get the 9 that this moment was meant to happen. "I know 10 where that is." I told her. "I used to have a(n) 11 in that building to work in."

    I 12 giving directions to the older lady, and then again to her 13, who was the driver. It took a while, because I 14 each instruction to make sure they understood. In a sincere moment of 15, the older lady thanked me.

    The whole 16 helped me much more than it helped her. I had been having a very 17 day. In fact, the only reason I had gone to that particular gas station was that I wanted to take a little drive and 18 my head.

    As I replaced the gas cap, having sent them on their way, I suddenly 19 that I felt better. My head was clear. And I am 20 for the real goodness it brought into my life.