Long ago I came to the city near my hometown to find a job. I met all kinds of 1 and so I used up all my money soon.

One day, I 2 a bus quietly at dusk when most people got off work. Suddenly, a 3 cried loudly, "Someone has 4my money!" I felt 5, because his money was in my 6 Some people suggested the bus be 7 to the police station, but some were against it 8 they were in a hurry to go back home. The whole bus was very 9. The driver then 10the bus by the road and turned on the lights to 11 the money. At that time, one passenger said, "Turn off the lights and give the thief a chance to take out the money." Then the bus got 12When I was still struggling (斗争) in mind whether to take out the money or not, the lights were on again. There was no 13 on the floor. Someone said again, "Give him one more 14" Then the lights were off again. My heart kept beating fast. The lights were on again but they got the 15result. The passengers were in heated discussion again. At that time, someone said again, "Give him the 16 chance!" Suddenly I felt 17and took out all the money when the lights were off again.

    For many years I have felt 18 to the one who gave me three chances to  19 my mistake. When the first and second chances come, you may not be prepared well or don't have enough 20 to act. When the third chance comes you should know clearly what you should do.

    At the age of sixteen, I went on my first volunteer project with Dad in West Virginia. The family 1 was living in a trailer (拖车) that was in 2 condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but one problem after another3.

    We decided the only4 was to build a new 5. The family was6 Tuesday that week, we began to7the bedrooms for the family's three boys. Josh, Eric and Ryan8 toys and other gadgets (小玩意) that children usually9 we were astonished when Josh responded, “ I just warn a 10”.

    The boys had 11slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we decided that beds would be the perfect12. As we 13 the frames of the beds together, Erie ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed 14 from the doorway.

    As my Dad 15 one of the pillows into a pillowcase (枕套), Erie asked, “What is that?” Dad told him it was a pillow. “What do you do with it?” Eric continued to ask. “16 you sleep, you put your head on it” I answered softly. Tears came to my eyes as I 17 Eric the pillow. “Oh…that's18” he said, hugging it tightly .

    Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems very19 Dad gently asks,” Do you have a 20?” We know exactly what he means.

    I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was rather organized. Each of her objects had its 1, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签 ) everything. I always looked for everything. 2time, Kate got neater and I got 3. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got 4 of each other.

    One evening war 5. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her shouting, "Take your 6 away! Why under my bed!" Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I7 to my feet and started shouting. She shouted back louder.

    The room was filled with 8. We could not have stayed together for a single9 but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could 10right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she 11, she quickly hid under her covers, sobbing(呜咽). 12, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden ,a 13 feeling of sympathy(同情) rose up in my heart,

    Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, 14 my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, 15 on her side. I was so buried in my work 16 I even didn't notice Kate had sat up.

    She was watching, her tears dried and her 17one of disbelief. Then, to my surprise, she 18 out her hands to catch mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. "Thanks."

    Kate and I stayed 19for the rest of the year. We didn't always agree, but we learned the key to 20together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

A Doll from Santa

    Alice's mother died when she was five years old. That year was 1925, and life was hard. Alice, who grew up to be my mother, told me that her family was too 1to even afford to give her a doll.

    One afternoon in December 1982, I was decorating the tree to prepare for the Christmas season. A young lady 2me with a sample of her handiwork: beautiful handmade 3. She was taking orders for Christmas. I decided to get one for my daughter, Katie, who was almost five years old. Then I had an idea. I asked the lady if she could make me a 4doll for my mother — one with gray hair and a pair of glasses: a grandmother doll.

    The doll maker felt that this idea was certainly 5and took it on as a creative challenge. So I placed my Christmas 6: two dolls, one blonde and one gray-haired for Christmas morning! Things really started to fall into place 7a friend had told me that his dad, who played Santa Claus in my area, would be willing to make a visit on Christmas morning to our home to 8my Katie her presents!

    Christmas Day arrived and at the planned time, 9did Santa Claus. Katie was delighted that Santa had come to see her at her 10house, the happiest I had ever seen her in her young life. My mother was enjoying watching her granddaughter's 11to the visit from this special guest. As Santa turned to leave, he looked once more into his bag and took out one more 12. As he asked who Alice was, my mother, surprised by her name being called, 13that she in fact was Alice. Santa handed her the gift, which was accompanied by a message card that read: For Alice,

    I was cleaning out my sleigh before my 14this year and came across this package that was supposed to be delivered on December 25, 1925. The present inside has 15, but I felt that you might 16wish to have it. Many apologies for the17of the gift.

    Love, Santa Claus

    My mother's reaction was one of the greatest deeply 18scenes I have ever witnessed. She couldn't speak but only gazed at the doll she had 19fifty-seven years as tears of joy running down her cheeks. That doll, given by “Santa”, made my mother the happiest “20” alive.

    This is the softest and merriest laughter of the year. Maria and Pit Sanders didn't1 their son's teachers. Instead, they decided to present them with 2 for Christmas.

    Maria and Pit Sanders say,“Their son,14-year-old Jake, is that3 kid who always has something to say in class.” So, when the parents wanted to say thanks to Jake's teachers for 4 him, Maria Sanders said they had to do something 5.

    “How many coffee cups does a teacher6,” she said.“But who doesn't need a glass of wine after 7 a kid like mine?” With help from a friend's printing company, the Sanders turned some bottles of wine into a truly 8 holiday gift for their son's teachers.

    The label features a picture of a9 Jake and reads,“Our Child Might Be The Reason Why You 10 So Enjoy This Bottle On Us.” The teachers 11the wine,“that's all I'm going to say,” Maria Sanders said.“None of the 12 were shocked by it.”

    Word about the gift spread13 after Jake's older brother, DJ, posted a photo on Twitter and received more than 10,000 likes: My parents always get our elementary school teachers a 14 around Christmas. It is very 15 of them to present something small like a candle or flower to say thank you. This year they got them bottles of wine and 16 the labels with their own with my smiling brother on them… Happy 17!

    Jake insisted he's not18 by the gift. In fact, he helped 19 the wine personally.“I thought it was 20,” he added.

    A few days ago, I observed a teenager doing yard work that his dad had told him to do. Instead of doing the task1, he wandered around there for hours,2to himself and doing a bad job.

    The person he hurt the most was himself. His dad was trying to teach him 3and how to do a good job. As a result of his4attitude, he spent the whole afternoon finishing a task that should have taken one or two hours. And the yard 5wasn't clean enough when he got through.

    He6his day because of his attitude. And his dad was 7with him, and the boy's bad mood ended up8the whole family that day.

    A sweet lady was working in a fast-food9. The minute I walked in, she welcomed me10. She smiled as she took my order, and then as we11for the food, she talked with me. As I walked off with my tray, she said with a big 12, "I hope you have a blessed day!" I think the food tasted better because of her13. There was a delay, during which I sat there hearing her singing as she14her tasks behind the counter.

    She wasn't making a large salary, and she didn't have a powerful15, either. In addition, she stood on her feet for a long shift each day, often dealing with 16customers. But she chose to be joyful.

    I want to17from her. I want to do my best, even when there's no 18or glory. Other people are watching me19I might not realize it at the time. I want to bring joy to all those around me. A(n)20can make a great difference.