Virak Mao moved from Cambodia six and a half years ago. He was an exciting and 1 12-year-old boy，looking forward to his new life in Canada but fearful he wouldn't make friends, 2 since he didn't speak English. What great progress he has 3 since then.

    First of all, he got over those early difficulties and 4 friends. Mao not only mastered 5 but won the Grade 9 French award. At school, he 6 to organize school events. Mao also 7 at school, such as cleaning the library and helping others . Mao had wanted to be an engineer 8 after struggling with chemistry, he discovered a new passion for 9. At his Buddhist temple, Mao is a leader and 10 those who came to Canada for the first time to work hard. He also 11 in cultural dancing with other temple members, donating any 12 they raise back to the temple to buy supplies for the poor. Since the summer of 2011, he has held a job at a clothing store to help 13 his family. In June, Mao 14 from C.W. Jefferys and is now in the business management program at Ryerson University.

    He is also the first winner of a new scholarship 15 by the Graduate Business Council with the purpose of helping a student, 16 wants to improve his community and in 17 of money. Awarded the scholarship in June, Mao spoke about the 18 of the award. “I was so excited. It was a huge relief for me,” he said, adding he would buy textbooks and school supplies with the award. “I am really 19 they raised this money to award me the scholarship. I just have no words. Anyone who works hard gets well 20.”

    One summer, Aunt Betta and Uncle Bill invited me to travel with them back home to Pennsylvania. I had never been1Los Angeles and was eager to meet our relatives.

    Our first night, we drove through the desert, and then through roads cut through hills. The next day we went through the Rocky Mountains. It was2driving up long inclines（斜坡） with abrupt U-shape turns on the steep hillsides, then driving3slowly with great caution. Beyond Colorado, we drove through miles of 4, where I saw actual food being grown. I5some of the crops.

    In one small town we passed through, Aunt Betta decided I needed new6and took me to a country 7. I was used to8dresses and skirts. Now I had my first pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, shorts and a T-shirt. I loved them all.

    9 we reached our destination. Uncle Bill's aunt had a perfect little two-story house. The first thing I 10was a bed in a cute little room — for me! I looked forward to that. It would be like sleeping in a dollhouse. In the backyard, I saw red things11the back fence. Uncle Bill's uncle said, "I think you never ate a 12tomato in L.A." I hadn't. He 13picked one for me.

    I met all my new aunts, uncles and cousins. My cousins taught me how to do cartwheels (恻手翻) in the big front yard. Country people have more14, I thought.

    All the adults cried when we 15, but I took home all the 16of everything I'd seen. Back in L.A., my lungs hurt when I took a deep breath. I 17 the fresh air. I dreamed of homegrown tomatoes. My country clothes seemed out of 18, but I wore them anyway.

    I was two weeks late starting19, but I told my teachers only that I'd been in Pennsylvania and decided to 20all the rest to myself. If only they could have experienced everything that I did!

    One day after school I was just finishing up some math homework. My dad came back from work and sat right beside me1over my homework with me. We made corrections 2 After that we3and my dad said,＂ I will always4every moment spending time talking with you.＂

    I remember my Dad telling me his stories of when he was 5My dad didn't have a father6He was always moving from place to place with my 7My dad wasn't the easiest kid to 8He would 9with kids at school, which made my grandma worried. He'd act out to release the anger he had from not having his father present in his10and teenage years.

    At high school, things got a little 11 He made a football team, he did well and didn't get into as much 12as before. He also made many friends13those friends was my uncle. My Dad and Uncle were friends all throughout high school. It was through my uncle14my Mom and Dad met15Later, they got married. After I was born, my dad felt that becoming a 16was an honor and that he would not be17in my life.

    I suddenly looked up to see my Dad18at me. I could see in my Dad's eyes how he longed for a19 like this. I continued to do my math homework and20my Dad say,＂ I love you, always.＂

    After the quake hit northeast Japan on March 11, many moving stories that I saw with my own eyes happened around me.

    I had to walk home since all the 1 had stopped after the earthquake. On my way home I 2 an old lady at a bakery shop who was giving out free bread, which made my heart 3. A man was holding a sign that said, “Please use our 4.” He was 5 his house for people to go to the restroom.

    My friend wanted to 6 others. He stood in the cold with a sign “If you're okay with a motorcycle, I will 7 you to your house.” And then I saw him take one gentleman home, all the way to a faraway place! 

    Then next day I drove to 8 my car with gas. There is a lack (缺乏) of 9  now and many gasoline stations are either closed or have very 10 lines. I got 11, since I was behind 15 cars. Finally, when it was my 12, the man smiled and said, “13 this situation, we are only giving $30 worth gas per person. Is that alright?” “14. I'm just glad that we are all able to 15,” I said. His smile gave me so much comfort.

    I saw a man at the evacuation (疏散) center 16when people brought food to him. It was the first time in three days that food was brought to their center. However, after he wiped the tears, his next 17 surprised me. “I am very 18 that we are provided with food. But people in the city next to us haven't 19 any food at all. Please go to that center as well.” And when hearing that, I realized there is a bright future in the 20.

    For one hour twice a week, I sat patiently and watched my son have his martial-arts (武术)lessons. I started to see martial-arts1effects on him. What I didn't know was that it would2me, too.

    One evening, I sat3my sons martial-arts lesson. At the moment, martial-arts seemed like such a beautiful art. I thought I might4to do this. Two weeks later, I stepped5into the martial-arts world at the age of thirty-six. I6completely nothing about martial arts. The first class was the hardest, I7that first class feeling silly. I left feeling8and helpless, as if keeping any balance was far out of my9. I was fairly10that I would never go back again,  11having already paid the first months fee.

    However, I 12to the very next class, not because I wanted to, 13 because I wanted to set a good14for my child. I am so glad I did. In the years since those first silly ad nervous  15onto the training ground, I've learned a lot of important 16.I learned that I don't have to be 17in everything, that even though something doesn't come easily. It doesn't mean it isn't worth learning, and that having  18with myself is far more important, and far more difficult, than having patience with19.

    Two months before my fortieth birthday, I20a physical and mental test and came out with a black belt.

It was a typical weekend for Mitch White and his friends. They were out celebrating a bachelor party, sailing the peaceful waters of the Minnesota River. They never expected that this single party would transform from a relaxed canoe trip into a painful rescue mission. With the sun setting, an unexpected bark changed everything.

Led by Mitch White, the soon-to-be-married man, they searched for the source of the sound along the banks of the river. Suddenly, a weak cry for help came from the mud. They were surprised to find that the head of a 13-year-old St. Bernard named Ed was barely visible in the thick mud. Mitch said, "The dog wasn't moving on its own, so we should feed it and give it water. " The dog looked like i had used all its strength.

The men took up their oars（桨） and began digging, their festive mood giving way to a focused rescue mission. It took them more than half an hour to free the trapped dog as it was already breathing very feebly after possibly being trapped for 24 hours. When they got the poor fellow out of the mud, he couldn't walk, so they carried him back to the house. Back home with his owner, George Niskanen, Ed began his slow restoration-a happy ending to a dangerous adventure. George was thankful to the bachelor party heroes.

Now, the people of Carver, Minnesota, have new heroes to cheer for. Indeed, this incredible act of bravery and compassion redefined the meaning of a bachelor party. It became a heroic tale of humanity, friendship, and the instinct（本能）to do what's right.