“So, how's your brother doing?” Such a common question nowadays. I 1 give long answers on what he was doing each day of the week, but now I just respond, “He's fine.” I've gotten 2of the question. While everyone wants to know how my brother is doing, no one 3 asks me how I'm doing.

    I lived with him for over seventeen years of my life, and for some reason, no one thinks it would be4 for me to let him go. But it is. He was the 5of my world. My entire life went around him. I wore what he wore. If it was fifty degree outside, and he wore shorts, I6wear shorts, too.

    I lived in my brother's 7_for over seventeen years. He was popular with everyone. Before, I thought that people liked me. But no. People liked my brother. They were8_to him, and I just happened to be there.9 now, away from him, I'm facing a world so much bigger than before. He used to 10_me from the brunt(冲击) of the adult stuff, and I walked11_him, only seeing the nice stuff.

    But now I can see 12_the world is really like. And I'm ready to13 it on my own. I may never be popular, but I can be friendly and make new friends. I'm ready to step out from his shadow and let my own shadow fall on the ground. Maybe they won't like me.14_, it's better than just being a copy of him. It's time to 15_ from behind his shadow. It's time to let the sun warm me up, instead of standing in my brother's cold shadow.

    I was going through my son Matthew's backpack when I saw an envelope in the bottom of it. Immediately, I knew it was a “thank you” card from one of his1. Totally not necessary since my Christmas gifts to them are my way of saying “Thank you”. I2I read it quickly. And then I stopped.

    I3 the card and read it again. One word caught my attention. “I love working with our Matthew.” One word “Our”. That one word4the meaning of the sentence for me. If she had written “I love working with Matthew”, I would know that she loves working with my son.5by adding that one word, “our”, it meant “I love working with this boy who6here, is accepted here and we all take responsibility for caring for.”

    I7 knew this, of course, seeing a blog I wrote previously, but it's always good to be

    8. In that blog post I mentioned ten reasons why his 9is the right place for him. Since that blog we have had his IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting, where I was10of that feeling again. In that meeting, someone 11“Everyone loves Matthew. We all love Matthew”. And it was genuine and 12. As we went around the room and the staff

    13us on information about Matthew, it was apparent that it went way beyond sharing what he is doing14and behaviorally. Each person had a unique little15to tell about Matthew. Stories that show that they really know who Matthew is and that they16 him.

    In fact just today I had written a note in his communication book that it was 17

    Matthew to see new snow and not be able to play in it. Later in the day I got an email and a picture of Matthew18 with snow in a big container inside the school.

    As I was reflecting on this, I realized that as a family we are really lucky 19school isn't the only place where they think of him as “our Matthew”. It 20 to other parts of our lives as well — our friends, our family, our neighborhood, and our church.

    Living in a foreign culture can be exciting, but it can also be 1. A group of Americans who taught English in other countries 2 discussed their 3.They decided that miscommunications were always 4, even over something as 5 as "yes" and "no."

    On her first day in Micronesia, Lisa thought people were 6 her requests. The day was hot, and she needed a cold drink. She went into a store and asked, "Do you have cold drinks?" The woman there didn't say anything. Lisa 7 the question. Still the woman said nothing. Lisa gave up and left the store. She later learned that the woman had 8 her: She had raised her eyebrows, 9 in Micronesia means "yes."

    This 10 Jan of an experience she had in Bulgaria. She had gone to a restaurant that was well-known for a 11 named stuffed cabbage( 塞馅卷心菜). She asked the waiter, "Do you have stuffed cabbage today?" He 12 his head. Jan eagerly waited, 13 the cabbage 14 came. In that country, a nod means "no."

    Tom had a 15 problem when he arrived in India. After 16 something in class, he asked his students if they understood. They responded 17 many different nods and shakes of the head. He guessed some people had not understood, so he explained again. When he asked again if they understood, they did the same thing. He soon 18 that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways 19 where they come from. You have to know where a person  is from to 20 whether they are indicating(表示) "yes" or "no."

    All of us can give others a hand as long as we are willing to do so. Actually, there are some people doing kind things all the time. Spreading kindness, one good deed at a time, is Karla Gibson's mission. "I wish everyone could join me. There are so many 1things going on in the world; I mean every day," said Karla.

    Karla had the commitment and sense of2in December of 2013. The single mother of three said she tended to feel depressed around the holidays, so she 3to do something to cheer others up. She started a Facebook page and4her good deeds each day, from feeding the homeless to giving Easter gifts to the incarcerated( 囚犯) .She hoped to 5others.

    "We have to do something. Our6can make a difference in someone's day. You7know when someone might be having their worst day, and then something like buying them a coffee can change their whole attitude," Karla8

    Karla's greatest9so far had to do with coffee. On September 27th, Karla's birthday, she went to her local Starbucks and gave the10$ 127 to pay for othe: people's drinks. She sat at the end of the drive-through holding a11that read. "Have a great day." She ended up12about 23 customers. "It was really fun. I was13one of the best birthdays ever," she said. Her kindness that day didn't go 14One couple were so grateful that they surprised her with flowers and balloons to show their15.

    Karla's acts of kindness have become a16affair. Her two sons are always17others. "Sometimes I'll ask Kyle, 'So, did you do anything extra nice today? and his answers are like 'Somebody18something in the hallway and I picked it up or 'I held the door for someone', that kind of thing," said Karla.

It's because of Mom that the boys think it's19to give a hand to others." think it's a great idea of hers. It's always nice to help someone out20they real need it," said Karla's 15-year-old son Chad.

    By the end of last year, my husband and I had settled in a house with an ocean view in New Zealand. We love it here and feel like we have 1 our life goals-well, one of them.

    The ocher goal is to 2 what we have now.

    Life isn't always like this. I 3 when I was growing up I always felt as though I was going through life for the only purpose of 4 my parents. The only 5 with this was that I was the only person who knew about that 6.

    Things did it really 7 when I went to boarding school. I was 8 sorry I would let my parents down. I was 12 years old then and 9 80 kg—not good for a 12-year-old girl. I hated myself. I did not 10 sports activities because I didn't know what to do. My self-esteem (自尊) was below the horizon and I felt a total 11, as if I was not good enough for 12.

    In my second year I thought I had turned things 13 when I came top of the class. It was only later that I learned 14 is not about people-pleasing and seeking 15 from others is not the way to long-term happiness—this is something that needs to come from within, from feeling complete, feeling 16, loved, successful and worthy. This is how I am today.

    I had been a victim (受害者) in life, feeling like everyone was 17 me, like I was never going to be 18 enough and so on. Then one day I discovered life coaching. Coaching was the life blood of my very being. I discovered I had a 19 in life. I will always have a choice, 20 that every decision I make is my decision. How powerful it is!

Here are two athletes who are masters in their sports and also set{#blank#}1{#/blank#} good example for others.

Lang Ping, as a player, brought honour and glory to her country. As a coach, she led the China women's volleyball team to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (medal) at world championships and the Olympics. When the Chinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (determine) was tested. The team she had built was falling apart. Two of her players had to leave.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (face) the challenge, Lang Ping didn't lose heart. She knew that her young players could win{#blank#}5{#/blank#} they worked together as a team. Two weeks later, they were world champions.

Michael Jordan, who became known as "Air Jordan", changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps. His skills were{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (impress), but the mental strength he showed made him unique. In the final seconds of a game, Jordan always seemed to find a way {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (win). Jordan says that the secret {#blank#}8{#/blank#} his success is learning from his failures. Losing games taught him to practise {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (hard) than before and never give up. In life, Jordan has learnt to share his success with others. The Boys and Girls Club he started in Chicago {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (help) young people since 1996.