In our country we think being modest(谦虚的) is a virtue(美德) and being proud is a bad thing. One day, I heard an American boy say to a Chinese student, “You speak very good English.” But the girl answered, “No, no. My English is very poor.” The foreigner was quite 1 at the answer. Thinking he had not made himself understood or the girl had not heard him 2. He said, “Yes, indeed, you speak very well.” 3 the girl still kept saying, “No.” In the end the American boy could not understand and didn't know 4 to say.

    What's wrong with the girl's answer? She didn't 5 a compliment(恭维) in the same way as the American people do. She should answer “Thank you” instead of “No”. She 6 understood what the American boy had said, but she thought she should be modest. In the 7, people will feel 8 and confident when they are praised. So if someone says the 9 you have cooked are very delicious, you should say, “Thank you”.

    If you are modest and say, “No, I'm 10 I can't do it well”, while working in a western country, people may think that you really can not do it. If you often say, “No”, you'll certainly be looked down upon by 11. When asking 12 a job, if one says something like, “Yes, I can certainly do it” instead of “Let me have a try”, he or she will 13 get it. So in the west, you should be brave to show your self-confidence. In my opinion, being confident does not 14 being proud, so sometimes you should be confident 15 being modest.

Run for Class President

    Two months ago, when our class election (选举) started, I decided to run for class president. I enjoyed speaking in public and got along well with people, so I felt it easy to win. But I was 1 that people would feel bad for me if I lost.

    I was busy preparing in the following week. My plan wasn't to make promises to do things I couldn't 2 but to show my class why I wanted to be president. I put up my posters in hallways and in the classroom. I also spent three hours writing my speech, saying that I was the one they could turn to whenever they had a problem. Since I was 3 prepared, I felt that my chances of winning were strong.

    However, when I gave my speech on Election Day, the response (反应) wasn't what I had 4. Few people actually listened. When it was my opponent's (对手的) turn, everyone was screaming his name. His speech was short, but all to the point. By then, I realized I should have made mine shorter and clearer.

    It was obvious who would 5. For the rest of the day, I felt like it was over. I wanted to just go home and cry, but I made it through.

    My 6 was right: I didn't win.

    The next day, people were still talking about the election. I just pretended (假装) not to hear. But later, things got better. People 7 about the election and talked to me just as they did before.

    I don't regret putting time and energy into the election because I've learned that things aren't always going the way I expect. And moments of failure like this build 8—since then I've learned to face disappointment and grown stronger.

    Years ago, I celebrated my 40^th birthday with friends in a 1 restaurant. Many arrived earlier and waited outside the restaurant, as I was on the roadside, a homeless man came near to me and 2money. I let him know I didn't have any cash (现金)with me. With a quiet smile on his face, he moved on.

    Just then a friend arrived and called out, "Happy Birthday!" Hearing this, the man turned and asked, "Hey, man, it's your birthday？""Yes, "I said. He walked 3, smiled and said, "Happy Birthday!" I was not 4 ready for what happened next. He took out a dollar from his dirty bag, and gave it to me, saying, "Here man, take this. Happy Birthday! "That's 5. I expected he was making a joke!

    Although I 6 deeply by his generosity (慷慨), accepting money from a homeless man was embarrassing for me. I felt very uncomfortable. 7I replied, "Thanks, but…"Looking directly into my eyes, he said, "God, so good to me Every night, I always end up with a place to sleep and enough food to eat. Please take this. "I held out my hand-8 thinking twice, saying," thank you"

    This was one of my9 life lessons— however poor we may feel, we always have something valuable to share with others. From then on I often helped people in need and treated everyone with kindness and 10, spreading love and joy everywhere I went.