Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.

    Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they 1 for along time. They discussed the 2 they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, "I had a 3 house built for Mama." The second said, "I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer (经销商) send a 4 to her.” The third said, "I built a beautiful 5 for Mama." The fourth said, "You know 6 Mama loved reading poems and you know she can't read anymore because she can't 7 very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot (鹦鹉) that can recite many 8. It took him 20 years to 9 it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years, 10 it is worth it." On hearing that, the other brothers were 11 by his good thought.

    After the holidays their mother 12 her thank-you notes. She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to 13 the whole house. It's a tiring job. Thanks anyway."

    "Marvin, I am too old to 14. I stay home and have my foods delivered, so I'll 15 use the car.  The 16 was good, although not practical. Thanks."

    "Michael, you gave me an expensive building for 50 people to 17 plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I've almost 18 my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I won't use it. Thank you all the same."

    "Dearest Melvin, you are the 19 son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so 20. I liked it very much. Thank you.”

    I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was 1 and when I was 14 he said, “You're never going to be 2 but a failure.”

    After five years of 3  jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle-class girl. It was the best 4  that could have happened to me. I 5  to do something positive (积极地) with my life because I wanted to prove to 6  that what people said about me was 7 . Especially her mother, who had said to me, “Let's 8  it, you've failed at everything you've ever done.” So I tried hard with my 9  and went to college. My first novel (小说) 10  while I was at college.

    After college I taught during the 11  in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a 12  in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of 13  that job to write full time 14  I was offered a part-time job at Leeds University. I began to feel proud of myself — 15  was a working-class boy who'd 16  school early, now teaching at the university.

    My writing career (职业) took off when I discovered my own style. Now I'm rich and 17 , have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. 18  what does it mean? I 19  wish all the people that have put me down had 20 : “I believe in you. You'll succeed.”

    From a young age, my parents have taught me the importance of giving generously to the less fortunate. Out of1 whenever there is something I can2I give it to someone on the street.

    Last week,3 I left the house to run a few errands (差事)，I carried with me some old clothes, some food and a handbag to hand over to someone 4.

    As the car5 at the traffic signal, I saw a girl of five or six asking for money. I 6 her to come to me and quickly7 all the things I had. As I started handing them over, she seemed8She looked up at me with a sweet smile on her face and asked what was in the 9I told her there were some clothes and food for her.

    10she looked up at me and asked, “Can you give me some water?” It was then that I noticed her11 lips. It seemed as if she had not had a drop of water all day.

    I 12my bottle of water that I always carried with me and helped her to drink from it. She finished it quickly and gave me a heartwarming smile of 13.

    I was thankful that I could 14 her simple wish! I realized once again that day that you don't necessarily have to make big15to help someone. This experience 16once again my belief in the17acts of kindness and how they can make someone's18.

    The next time you want to do something nice for someone, don't 19waiting for the right chance.20 and do it.

    Jumping into the cold sea from 25 meters above the sea level. This was my short journey in year seven, well known as 1 education in Australia.

    I have weak memory of the place,2 when it was just last year. From the following day of our arrival, we were told that we were3 to jump off the platform next to where we lived. Yet I didn't have the4 to do it.5 we came, we had swimming lessons to learn how to dive from a platform. Now, I wanted to be 6. So I got up there and looked down ... I did not want to go down there. Then I 7 back down. Everyone 8 me.

    The next day, I went up again. This time, I jumped. I 9my eyes. I had my hands on the 10side's shoulders in a cross formation, standing straight and waiting for the 11, just like we were taught in school. There was a 12 second or two before I 13 the water. My thighs (大腿) were burning. My heart was 14 fast.

    I kept 15 under my breath. It was hard not to. Soon enough, I climbed up onto the platform to find everyone 16 me. My teacher came up to me and 17my hands. “You did it, mate! You jumped off. It's the18 of the year!”

    The next day, we were leaving. One of my roommates came over to me. “Remember yesterday? You landed with a 'POW' into the water!” he had a little 19 “You were saying the bad words over and over again and the teacher didn't even mind!” I laughed with him. But the 20 was indeed, an interesting one.

    When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my 1. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn't a 2student; I talked too much; I was too3 , always feeling superior to（胜过）others, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. 4, I became very angry. I ran to my father with 5in my eyes.

    He6 to me quietly, and then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever 7what you're really like? Well, you now have that girl's8. Go and9a list of everything she said and mark the points that are10. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”

    I did11 he told me. To my great12, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't 13 (like being very thin), but a good number I could – and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I went to a fairly 14picture of myself.

    I brought the list back to Daddy. He15to take it. “That's just for you,” he said. “You know16than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to17, not just close your ears in 18, feeling hurt when something said about you is true, you'll find it of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your affairs. Don't 19your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”

    Daddy's advice has always 20 me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice.

    The family had had a cat for years. Then one day, the children finally1 to persuade their parents to get them a dog as well. So a little Labrador(拉布拉多犬)2.

    The dog was so3that everyone wanted to hold him and he charmed everyone by just loving them. The cat made it very clear that she did not welcome another4 in the house, but the dog just5the cat anyway. The little dog6her everywhere, trying to make friends with the angry cat. No amount of7 behavior from the cat could persuade the dog not to love the cat.

    The family thought the cat would8 like the dog.

    Then one day the family heard horrible9 from their back yard. They ran to the10 to see what was happening. They lived in the suburbs and so they saw a real lynx( 猞猁) was just planning on11 their cat for lunch. The poor cat had nowhere to run or hide. It would only be a matter of seconds and their cat would be12 .

    And then suddenly a black lightning ran to the cat. The little dog13 the big lynx with all its strength. It did not be14or stop to think. It saw its15in trouble and did what had to be done. The family opened the window and started yelling and the father ran to the yard. The lynx soon disappeared into the16 .

    And ever since that day the cat's behavior toward the dog17 totally. Now it was the cat that followed the hero dog everywhere. They18in the same basket. The cat even let the dog eat from her bowl.

    So we can 19: if ever anyone is20 towards you, don't turn your back on them. They may not rescue your life—but their kindness can certainly rescue your day!