Once, a professor held a test on his students. The professor started with the following question, “Now,1 you are going to cut trees on a hill. One of the trees has a big 2 while the other's small. Which will you cut?” The question got a quick 3, “Of course the big one! No need to4 .”

    The professor5, “The big tree is a poplar（白杨）6seen everywhere, while the small one is a Korean pine. Consider again?” A second7brought students more sense: a Korean pine is much more8than the poplar, so they changed their decision. “9 we'll cut the pine. The poplar isn't worth our10.”  Smile still11on the professor's face. “But the pine's trunk is less12than the poplar.” Rather puzzled, they became13, then said, “While, we'll cut the poplar.” The professor gave more detail. “14the poplar is straight, the trunk became empty within. Then what's your choice?”

    Finally one of the students lost his15and said, “Professor, you have asked a series of questions leading us to change our answers16. What do you want to 17 after all?”

    The professor's smile18. He said, “Why none of you ask me for what purpose to cut the tree? Though my questions 19all the way, they are decided by one thing: your20to take the action. If it aims at making handicraft articles you may cut the pine; if you just want to have some firewood, you'd better cut the poplar.”

    A businessman, with a lot of money, was walking through a remote(偏远的) area. Upon1 this, a thief followed him, planning to2 his money at a certain time. The businessman(商人) noticed something was 3 and he started to pay much more 4to the thief.

    The businessman asked the thief if he5help find some water nearby, and when the thief went to6 the water, the businessman put all of his7into the thief's bag. Then the thief returned and told the businessman8the water was.9the businessman left to get some water, the thief quickly 10 the businessman's bag. Certainly, there was nothing that the thief 11

    The thief was12 but he still did not give up hope. After some time, the businessman returned and they both 13for a long time. Then the businessman got tired and 14 under a big tree. The thief again checked the businessman's bag and still did not find any money. So the thief 15 that the businessman did not actually have any money with him.

    Finally, they arrived at a city. When the thief went after a job and left his own bag behind, the businessman 16 in and took back all of his own money he had put there17When the thief came back, he was surprised to see that the businessman was 18some jewels with the money in his bag. The thief couldn't 19asking the question, “I didn't know you had money on the 20.” The businessman smiled to him, “Of course you didn't, because it is not yours.”

    Despite the great progress in medical science, human beings are constantly attacked by cancer, which means death. A woman named Bonnie suffered a 1of discomforts caused by the treatment of cancer. She didn't regard cancer as a 2 disease, but a laughing matter. She treated it in a humorous way. To put it in3way, she is teaching people that even though cancer isn't4 we can treat it in a humorous way.

    Her second child was going to be born three months away5she was diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly, a6 mother turned into a helpless woman afraid for her own7 It was after she had had her baby8that she had an operation9 came chemo (化疗) and her life seemed to be made up of fears and10 But the11moment in her life came after she lost all her hair and a free wig(假发) arrived. She12 it on as her older son Kyler watched.

    “That was when I decided how to 13 it: crying over this bad wig or laughing about it14way would make15remember it.” Bonnie said. She spent a lot of time looking for anything funny from cancer patients. She got a lot out of collecting16 stories. She started laughing a lot, finding it the perfect medicine. Using herself as a bald (光头) model, Bonnie 17 to design her own greeting cards and calendars, making fun of the sufferings of chemo.

    “To have joy, we badly18 to laugh,” she said.

    Clearly, you can increase your confidence to 19 over any disease and trouble20 laughing.

    It was on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the spring of 1949 that I learned an important life lesson about judging others by their physical appearance.

    As a senior at school, I worked part time as a salesman in1center. The job provided a pleasant working environment and a modest2.My weekly paycheck3a base salary and commissions (佣金) earned on the 4of radios and music related accessories(配件).

For maximum5at acquiring commissions, especially on sales of higher-priced items, two other teenage salesmen and I used the "up" system, taking turns greeting6entering the shop.

    On that7afternoon, a tall, unshaven man walked in wearing clothing more 48 for yard work than for shopping.

This slim8fellow was my "up", but after glancing at his9 quickly concluded my10would be more profitably spent with another apparently11customer, so I looked at my co-worker Norman and signaled that I was giving up my12to him.

    Norman13 as this unseemly looking fellow walked to the radio display, pointed at the Trans-Oceanic and asked whether he had six in14 Norman looked15 then turned and went into the storeroom. He immediately16 and said that there were six. Then the buyer opened his checkbook and waited for Norman to write the17.And I was asked to help carry the six Trans-Oceanic boxes to the back seat of the buyer's car18nearby.

    Ever since that notable afternoon, some19years ago, I have carefully20judging others only on their appearance.

    With his leg lame and his teeth uneven, the boy thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He 1played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always 2his head without a word.

    One spring, his father brought home some saplings (树苗).3of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, "Whoever 4 his sapling best shall get a gift." The boy certainly wanted to get the gift.5seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, he6 an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never7 it.

    Several days later, he was 8 to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh 9. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his 10, bought the boy a gift and said he would become an outstanding11 after growing up.

    From then on, the boy slowly became12 and confident. One evening, he suddenly13 his biology teacher once said that plants 14 grow at night. Why not go to see the tree?

    When he came to the courtyard, he found his father working near the tree! Immediately he15: Father had been secretly 16 his tree! He returned to his room, tears in his eyes.

    Decades passed. The boy didn't become a botanist. 17, he became the U.S.18. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

    19 is the best nourishment (滋养品) of life. 20 it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

    I watch her and her mother decorate her college dormitory room. Everything is in place, 1 and arranged. I closely watch that which I would have in the past 2. I know that this time is 3. As half of her room has been nicely decorated, I begin to 4 that her room at home is no longer hers. It is now ours, our room for her when she 5.

    I 6 myself thinking of when I held her in my arm for the first time in hospital. One day old, so 7, so beautiful, so totally dependent on her new 8. All thoughts went through my mind as I 9 her eyes, her nose and her mouth. Time passes 10.

    She looks up now, catching me 11 at her, causing her to say to her mother. "Mom, Dad's looking at me funny."

    The last few days, I touch her arm, her face—12 that when my wife and I return home, she will not be 13 us. I have so much to say, but no 14 with which to say it.

    She says, "It'll be all right, Dad. I'll be home from 15 soon." I tell her she will have a great year but I say little else. I only hold on to our good-bye hug a little longer, a little 16.

    My wife' eyes follow her 17 she leaves us. Mine do not. I know that what she is welcoming is exciting and 18. I remember what the world looked like to me when everything was 19.

    When I walk to the car with my wife at my side, my eyes are wet, my heart is painful, and I realize that my life is 20 forever.