Some time ago, a light passenger plane flew {#blank#}1{#/blank#} course(航线) and thus crashed in the mountains and the pilot {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(kill). The only passengers, a young woman and her two baby daughters, were unhurt. It was the middle of winter. Snow {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(lie) thick on the ground. The woman knew that the nearest village was kilometers away and she was not strong enough {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(carry) her baby daughters there. When it grew dark, she turned the suit-case into a bed, where the children,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (cover) with all the clothes she could find, could be protected from the wind. During the night, it got {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(terrible) cold. The woman kept as near as she could to the children and even tried to get into the case herself, but it was too small. Early next morning, she heard planes {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(fly) overhead and wondered how she could send a signal. Then she had an idea. She wrote the letters SOS in the snow. Luckily, a pilot saw {#blank#}8{#/blank#}signal and sent a message by radio to the nearest town. It was not long {#blank#}9{#/blank#}a helicopter arrived on the scene to save the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (survive) of the plane crash.

    While I was in Ojai this past weekend, I came across a man {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (sit) at a bench by himself. I smiled and said hello to him. As I passed, he yelled to me {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (come) back. The man said that I was the only one of the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (passer-by) who had treated him in such a kind way. He said he was a reverend (牧市) and asked {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I was from; I said England. At that point, most people would say something like, near London. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, his response was Birmingham. As {#blank#}6{#/blank#} matter of fact, Birmingham is the largest city near my rural hometown. We carried on a {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (friend) conversation and in the conversation, I {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (inform) that he needed some money to go back home. Not knowing how much money I had, I told him I'd give him whatever was in my purse. He said he prayed that I'd have $47. Then I opened the wallet in my purse and counted out the money. That was {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (exact) $47. I offered the man all of my money. I felt really good for giving help to someone, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} was in trouble.

    Today I share this story with you, because I want to spread as much kindness in the world as I can.

    The expression, “everybody's doing it,” is very much at the center of the concept of peer pressure. It is a strong influence of a group, especially of children, on members of that group to behave as everybody else does. It can be positive or negative. Most people experience it in some way during their lives.

People are social creatures by nature, and so it is hardly surprising that part of their self-respect comes from the approval of others. This instinct (天性) is why the approval of peers, or the fear of disapproval, is such a powerful force in many people's lives. It is the same instinct that drives people to dress one way at home and another way at work, or to answer “fine” when a stranger asks “how are you?” even if it is not necessarily true. There is a practical aspect to this: it helps society to function efficiently, and encourages a general level of self-discipline that simplifies day-to-day interaction.

    For certain individuals, seeking social acceptance is so important that it becomes like an addiction; in order to satisfy the desire, they may go so far as to abandon their sense of right and wrong. Teens and young adults may feel forced to use drugs, or join gangs that encourage criminal behavior. Mature adults may sometimes feel pressured to cover up illegal activity at the company where they work, or end up in debt because they are unable to hold back the desire to buy a house or car that they can't afford in an effort to “keep up with the Joneses.”

    However, peer pressure is not always negative. A student whose friends are good at academics may be urged to study harder and get good grades. Players on a sports team may feel driven to play harder in order to help the team win. This type of influence can also get a friend off drugs, or to help an adult take up a good habit or drop a bad one. Study groups and class projects are examples of positive peer groups that encourage people to better themselves.

    Schools try to teach kids about the dangers of negative peer pressure. They teach kids to stand up and be themselves, and encourage them to politely decline to do things that they believe are wrong. Similarly, it can be helpful to encourage children to greet the beneficial influence of positive peer groups.

①{#blank#}1{#/blank#} ②{#blank#}2{#/blank#} ③{#blank#}3{#/blank#} ④{#blank#}4{#/blank#} ⑤{#blank#}5{#/blank#} ⑥{#blank#}6{#/blank#} ⑦{#blank#}7{#/blank#} ⑧{#blank#}8{#/blank#} ⑨{#blank#}9{#/blank#} ⑩{#blank#}10{#/blank#} 

    Aristotle once wrote that “happiness is a state of activity”. In other words, whether you're seeking life-long satisfaction or a few moments of good cheer, you've got to move forward. We've interviewed the experts and found five steps to take toward a sunny mood（心情）：

    Over a 30-year period, University of Illinois researchers asked nearly 120, 000 people how income, education, political participation volunteer activities and close relationships affected their happiness. Reported Newsweek, s Sharon Begley on the findings, “The highest levels of happiness are found with the most stable and satisfying relationships. ”

    Singing aloud, talking to a stranger, raising your hand: all may increase a feeling of happiness, according to a study from Wake Forest University. Participants（参与者）followed the development of their moods for two weeks and reported feeling happier when they were more outgoing and less happy when reserved or withdrawn.

    The editors of forbes. Com gave $5 or $20 to 46 strangers by chance. Half the group was told to spend the money on themselves, while the other half was told to spend it on others. Those who'd shared the wealth felt much happier at the end of the day than those who'd spent it on themselves. There was no difference in happiness between those who spent $5 or $20, suggesting that it's not how much money you spend, but how you spend it, that inspires the spirit.

    Studies from the Positive Psychology Center showed that discouraged people who wrote down three good things that happened to them each day for six months reported an improved attitude.

    Drinking water really can help keep you cheerful. A small 2012 study from the University of Connecticut suggested that even slight dehydration（脱水） affected the moods of its female participants.

    While many students raise their hands in class to ask or answer questions, some people outside school raise their hands to get others' attention. Recently, the project "Raise Your Hands for Luca" has made people realize they can also do something amazing by raising their hands to help a brave boy named Luca Williams.

    Luca comes from England. When he was three, he lost his legs because of a terrible illness. Luca's parents started the Raise Your Hands for Luca Project. They hoped to raise 1.5 million pounds to buy Luca prosthetic legs (假肢) and to pay for the care he needs.

    Since then, many people have joined up by writing "For Luca" on their hands and putting the picture of it onto the website. The project has also caught many big stars' eyes such as the world famous football star Maradona. Mickey Mouse also joined the project to help Luca. By now, the project has raised about 225, 000 pounds for the little boy.

    I returned to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after college graduation. I had been there before my mother became a minister.

    Two weeks later, I told my mother I was bored. She said, "Here're the car keys. Go and buy some fruit." Delighted, I jumped into the car and speeded off.

 Seeing me or rather my car, a boy quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bananas and nuts. "Banana 300 naira. Nuts 200 naira!" I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira note. He didn't have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.

   When, two weeks later, I ran into this same boy, I was more aware of my position in Nigerian society where it wasn't that uncommon to see a little boy who should have been in school selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us.

    "What's up?" I asked him. "I…I don't have money to buy books." I took out two 500 naira notes. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira means a lot to a family that makes only 50,000 each year.

    The next morning, an officer told me, "In this place, when you give a little, people think you're a fountain of chance." Possibly it's right, but this happens everywhere in the world. I wondered if my little friend had actually used the money for books.

    After six months' work in northern Nigeria, I returned and saw him again standing on the road.

    "Are you in school now?" I asked.

    He nodded.

    A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. I held out a 500 naira note. "Take this." He shook his head fiercely and stepped back as if hurt. "What's wrong? I asked. "It's a gift."

    Shaking his head again, he handed me a basket of bananas and nuts before he said, "I've been waiting to give these to you."