My father enjoys bike riding. Ever since I was little, I have always loved going biking with my dad.1, as I became a teenager, other things began to draw my 2 . It became important to do things with friends3 I saw my dad every evening at home. Why did I have to 4 my Sundays to all-day bike trips with him, too? If my indifference(冷漠的) hurt him, my father kept5, but he would always let me know when he was planning a bike trip6I wanted to come with him.

    It was a Sunday morning, and I was in low 7. Two of my friends had gone to the movies without inviting me. Just then my father8my room.“It is a beautiful day. Want to go for a 9, today, Beck?” “Leave me alone!” I impatiently10. Those were the last words I said to him before he left the house that 11.

    Several hours later, the police called us, informing(告知) us that Dad had a traffic 12. My father's injuries were serious. It 13 several days before he could eventually(最后) speak. Beside his bed，I held his hand gently，14 of hurting him. “Daddy… I am sorry…” “ It's okay, my dear, I'll be okay.”

     “No,” I said, “I 15 what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”

     “My dear, I don't 16anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you good night the night before, though.” He 17 a weak smile.

    I felt regretful for my thoughtless remark(话语)，for I 18wanted him to leave me alone in my heart. My teacher once told me that 19 have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the 20 to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

    For me personally, I could write for days about many different situations where adversity (逆境)1my life. Now let me tell you one experience where I almost let adversity2.

    We had a glass studio, which was located 50 feet from our home. A couple of years ago we experienced an 3winter; we had a lot of snow and ice. The4of the ice and snow5the roof on our studio, taking with it one of our sources of income.6it did fall down, we got on the roof and tried to 7the snow and ice, but when you have 5 feet of ice and temperatures of minus 20 Celsius, it was pretty8to do.

    We had a partner come in to help us try to9the roof by supporting. In the end, there was 10that could be done. The roof came down. We had moved a lot of our goods and tools from the studio11 we lost a lot also: glass, kilns, work benches, to name only a few of the items. It was a 12experience.

    Here we were in the middle of winter with our studio collapsed. We couldn't work as we had almost 13all the material in a building we were not using. We could have done one of two things: we could simply say that we can no longer 14 our glass business. Let me tell you that this was certainly a thought that15our mind. Or we could find a way to get our studio back up and running.

    We picked the16option. We had a large barn that we were not using. So we renovated (翻新) the barn17our working area and today we have a nicer studio than we 18 had. If the adversity we were19had not happened, we probably would20be working in the old studio—a studio that was less efficient.

    We know children should grow up, knowing the right sense of values. Here is a good example to teach them a good lesson.

    One day, a young man who was dressed poorly begged1door to door along the street.2an old wallet in hand, he was asking for a few coins to buy something to eat. He kept complaining about his bad3and kept wondering why those who had so much money were never 4 and were always desiring more.

    "As5as I'm concerned, if I had only enough to fill my stomach and to wear, I would not want anything more."

    Just at that moment Goddess Fortune noticed the beggar among the crowd and got close to him, greeting, "Hi, young man, I have wished to 6you for a long time. If you open your wallet, I will pour my gold into it. But keep in mind that I will do that only on this 7: All that falls into the wallet will be pure gold belonging to you; but every piece falling upon the ground8become dirt, worth nothing. Are you clear?"

    "I see. Now I'm ready." said the beggar with confidence.

    "Then you should 9! It's obvious that your wallet is a 10one, so don't load it too heavily," said the Goddess Fortune.

    The excited beggar could hardly 11to have gold. He quickly opened his wallet, and a 12 of yellow coins was poured into it. The wallet became heavier and heavier.

    "Is that enough? Isn't it cracking? Will your wallet strong enough for more?" warned the Goddess.

    "Never13.It's still strong enough now" replied the beggar confidently.

    The wallet was filled with14many coins that the beggar's hands began to shake. "Ah, if only the golden stream would 15 forever! Just a little more," said the beggar, "16 just a handful or two."

    "There! It's full. The wallet will 17." reminded the Goddess again, but the beggar insisted 18, "I know it will hold a little more, just a little more!" One more piece was added and the wallet split. The 19 fell upon the ground and became dust. The greedy beggar had now 20 but his broken wallet.

    Everybody seems to pay more attention to my little sister Lisa. I've 1 enough of this big-sister thing!

    So I decide to 2, with my favorite toys and other 3 like clothes. Mother 4 my running away. However, she's not as upset as she 5 be, "Are you going to Grandma's?" I can't believe she can even 6 this out. She's like a witch!

    I don't 7 her and go out. So 8 on my leaving, I'm unaware Mother is 9 me. Finally I get to Grandma's. 10 I even knock, the door opens. I realize Mother has 11 ahead.

    Mother comes in and sits down, patting her thigh (大腿), "Come here." I don't want to, but I'm hot and tired, so I 12 her thigh. She pushes my hair behind my ear and asks 13, "Dear, why have you left?" And it all comes out: "It's 14 and all the time with Lisa, I get into trouble..."

    Taking my face in her hands, Mum says, "I don't want you to be so 15. If it's hard for you, I'll call the orphanage and send her away tomorrow." I start to 16 and I beg her, "No. Don't send her away!" Seeming 17, Mother agrees.

    18, whenever we have a(n) 19, if I say, "Mum, Lisa's being mean to me!" Mum smiles, "You had your 20."

    "Paul must have been trying to carry his waste paper to garbage can and dropped a few pieces." I1, picking them up.2later I found more pieces. No quiet sighing this time. I3, "Who is throwing garbage?" No answer. Instead, I saw more bits of paper4floating down from upstairs. Looking up. I saw my seven-year-old son, Paul.

    "Stop making a mess." "It's not a mess. They're5." "Sorry, what did you say?" I hadn't heard him clearly.

    He didn't answer me. Paul has autism (自闭症) and6answers a question, especially when he's7attentively on something else. He ran down the stairs. "Where are my other butterflies he asked,8around. Every time Paul9five or more words together, my heart says a10of thanks. But lately he seems to11that the benefits of forming complete sentences when communicating are12of the effort.

    Butterflies. Of course. I rushed to13them from the garbage,14them off and handed them to my young artist "Want to see them15again?" he asked with a shy smile. "Oh yes! They're beautiful." I whispered. He ran back upstairs to float his16down again. They really did look like beautiful butterflies.

    That day Paul17me to look up at18instead of down at garbage. How many other masterpieces (杰作) do I miss because I'm too caught up in my19to take time to appreciate what's right in front of me? Life is not what happens to us. It's20we look at it Now, I look up.

Melbourne Girls' College is getting rid of all dustbins and asking students to take their rubbish home to encourage them to move towards zero waste.

Starting next Monday, the college will gradually1all the rubbish bins in five weeks in classrooms and the yard, 21400 students and 140 staff to find their own home for chip packets and juice boxes. Volunteer students will 3 daily non- compulsory food inspections in which children bringing "zero waste" lunch boxes will be 4. Students using only 5 packaging will receive a token (礼券) to win prizes such as keepcups.

The rubbish that students take home may still go to landfill(废物填埋场) via their home bins, 6the new policy will help persuade7to buy fewer packaged items and reuse containers. Most issues around carrying rubbish home, such as smell and mess, can be solved.8tuna (金枪鱼) in a tin, for example, can9 the school's compost（堆肥）bin and the tin can be 10 before it's taken home.

The college principal Karen Money acknowledges that some parents may not have the time or means to avoid  11 in single-use packaging," but it's12to get as many people as we can to avoid it. We talk a lot, 13 educators, about the bad problems the world 14, and if we don't start putting some actions 15 that beautiful idea, then it's just empty."