One day I was riding on a crowded bus downtown to go to work when it rained suddenly. The windows of the bus were soon 1 and we couldn't see the outside. Everyone was in low spirits. I was sitting next to a man in a business suit and I paid little attention 2 we both got off at the same stop and walked to the same news-stand(报刊亭) to get a morning 3.

    The man 4 the stand was obviously having a bad day. He was 5 and unsmil­ing as we bought our papers, which only  6 more gloom (郁闷) to my day. The business­man 7 my eyes and smiled brightly, 8 the news-stand owner for the paper and for being open on such a morning to 9 we were able to get our papers.

    As we went away, I asked this man why he was so 10 to the newsman when he didn't respond to his 11 of thanks and friendliness. The businessman smiled at me and said, “Why would I let someone else 12 what I say and what I feel?”

    We then 13 to go to our own work places. To this day, I still don't know who that businessman was, or where he worked. 14, I know nothing about him. He appeared briefly in my life and disappeared just as 15. But I've never forgotten the words he said and his 16 which seemed like a ray of light on a gloomy day.

    That was a good 25 years 17, but the effect this had on my life has lasted. I have learnt that we cannot control people and  18 we are in, but we can always control our 19 to them. That is, it is within our control and our  20 to make such positive decisions and thus to make a positive difference.

    John Clark was a postman. He was fond of dogs. However, when he was delivering（投递）letters, he found that 1dogs were his friends. One particular dog called2, who lived at No.108 Turner Road, was one of John's 3. Whenever John came near his 4house, Spot would lie in and 5out on John, barking（吠叫）and trying to 6his ankles.

    After a heavy snow,7was freezing that morning. The road was covered with8. John was afraid of 9 down, so he10his bike and walked with11steps. Unfortunately, John slipped on a patch of ice, which was opposite to No.108 Turner Road. Spot12this as John together with his bike made such a big noise.Spot jumped onto John's 13and tried to bite his neck.Quick as a flash, John,14hands were full of letters, bit15on the leg.

    John Clark said later, it was the 16thing I could do.I don't approve of（赞成）17to animals, but that dog18 had it coming. Since that day I've had no 19at No.108.Spot always hides round the 20of the house when he hears me coming.

    A Welcome Gift

    Dario and his mother loved their new apartment. The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them 1 side by side at the piano. They played jazz music to celebrate their new home. The loud 2 filled the room and made them feel very happy.

    The next morning,3, their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a 4 under their door during the night. One of their neighbors had written to complain about the sound of the piano. Dario's mother asked the building superintendent (管理员) if he knew anything about it. But he said that they were all 5 people and he couldn't imagine any of them had done that. Later that morning, Dario suggested that they write a letter to their 6 and apologize for their playing.

     “Maybe we could go and 7 everyone in person.” his mother said.

“What if we invited them to come here for a 8 instead?” Dario asked.

They both loved the 9. Over the next few days, they sent out invitations and prepared desserts 10 their guests. They decorated the apartment with streamers (彩带) and party lights.

    Finally, the day of the party 11. Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to 12. One woman, Mrs. Gilbert,13 Dario's mother with a book of piano music by Chopin.

     “I heard you playing the other night,” she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed. I 14 that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note. I hope you don't think I disliked the playing.”

    Dario's mother smiled at Mrs. Gilbert. “I think maybe we 15 you an apology.” she said. “I didn't 16 how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.

     “You play, you play!” Mrs. Gilbert said. “I like what you play! Just not so loud at night.” She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such 17 music.”

     “These songs are beautiful music.” Dario's mother said. “We will be 18to play them in the evening.”

     “And we won't play so loud or late!” Dario said. He was already looking forward to 19 the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big smile on his mother's face. It gave him a feeling of 20 and made him feel that they were home at last.

    The Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville, Tennessee, has always been American's most important concert hall for country music. Every Saturday night the place is filled with country music1

    One 2 in January 1967, it was a very 3night at the Opry and for the first time a4 man was an attraction (吸引力).5 music has always been thought of as “white music”. For many, it was a strange 6 to see Charley Pride step 7 the Opry stage. Some people felt 8 about whether a black man could sing country songs.9 Charley's smooth voice quickly 10 over the Opry 11 Charley was so good that before long, he was country music's biggest12.

    Like many country singers, Charley was13on a farm. He spent his youth milking cows and picking cotton. But he knew he wasn't going to make 14his career (事业). Later, he became a baseball player.

    Charley made it to a major league team. But he didn't stay on for more than one season.

    In the winter, after the baseball season, Charley 15 at a local nightclub. One evening, Red Sovine, a great country music star,16 Charley sing and told Charley to forget about 17 and go for a singing career.

    Charley took the 18and became a true hit-maker. His 19 were always near the top on the list. Some were number one all over the country.

    Today Charley Pride is 20one of the biggest stars in country music. But he says his real wish is to own a baseball team.

    A few years ago, I was working in a small office. I noticed that even though the organization was not 1, we often worked in separate teams, and while everyone was friendly, we were not very close to each other and not very 2.

    One particular week, I decided to make people 3, but I wanted to do it secretly, perhaps with the slight 4 that it'd invite a sense of trust or playfulness in the work culture. So one evening, I wrote a few 5 with quotes which I felt have 6 me over the years. The next morning, I went to work a bit early and 7 posted them up by the sinks and mirrors in the office restrooms. Maybe people would 8 the quotes and perhaps it might just help 9 someone's day.

    For the next few months, some of the quotes got taken down, but a couple 10. So perhaps others liked them, too.

    Finally, I 11that organization and went to work for another company. A couple of years passed during which time I'd still get emails 12 from my old boss and teammates every so often.

    A few months ago, I was 13 to a reunion with them to hear how the project I had 14 was going. I had really enjoyed working with my team, and was 15 to see them all again. Towards the end of the event, I went to the 16 and noticed the quote I had written three years ago was still up in the 17 spot by the mirror! It read:

    The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but seeing with new eyes.

    -Marcel Proust

    Maybe the quote simply blended into (融合) the background for the employees, or perhaps it still 18 as a shining reminder of something important.

    It was such a 19 reminder. We never know how long a seed(种子) will take to come out and give fruit, but we should simply keep 20 seeds of kindness in our hearts.

    I grew up as the "baby" of my family. I was the 1 of three sons. My brothers were five and seven years older than me. They 2 with most of the chores (杂务) around the house, while I spent most of my time riding my bike, 3 basketball in the yard, and etc. To say I was a bit 4 wouldn't be unreasonable. I spent my childhood with all the fun and none of the 5.

    By the time I entered my early teens, however, my 6 had moved out of our home. My dad was badly 7 and became disabled. We had 8 a mountain top house heated by a wood stove (火炉) with only well water to drink. I soon 9 myself then doing more 10 than I had ever done before. I 11 our garden and mowed our lawn (割草) in the summer. In the fall I carried wood to keep us 12 in the winter months to come. And all year round I carried 13 containers of water from a mountain spring back to our house.

    At first I grumbled and 14 to myself. After a while, though, I began to find 15 in helping my parents that I 16 so much. I sang to myself when I cut wood and 17 while I carried water. I 18 found myself helping my mom with the dinner dishes and cleaning. I started to 19 something that I would carry with me the rest of my life too: When your work is done in 20, it isn't work.