People say one man's trash(垃圾) is another man's treasure. That1 comes to me as I2 the house purchased in 1962 by my parents. My mother passed away in 1996. My father left the house3 my sister and me when he died a few months ago.

    After Dad was4 , we looked around the5 house where we grew up and that Dad loved so much. At first we felt so6 all the stuff left. Like so many of their generation, my parents7 everything. And like many in my generation, we faced anxious 8 about what to abandon and what to keep.

    As we started throwing out old phone books and every medical bill from every9 my parents ever saw, I also10 many hidden treasures. Mom's pocketbook was in their bedroom closet, which had everything in it, 11 her hairbrush with hair, as if she were still here. And Dad, who was a World War II veteran(退伍兵) and a world traveler,12 everything—from little spoons from all over the world to every letter he wrote to his parents while in the13. The letters he wrote during the war14 his thoughts as a young man. Later, in the basement, I15 our old kitchen table, which brought back 16 of my parents and sister and me having breakfast together .

    I'm realizing all these things17 my parents' life journey. Each time I go to18, I find something that reminded me of my childhood or teaches me something about my parents I19 knew. 20, from the shabby furniture to all the hidden treasures, means more to me than all the money in the world.

    I drove to a local supermarket the other day. My shopping list was 1and my wallet was light. Still, I needed to get a week's worth of groceries for my family. I parked my car, looked down at my list, and hoped I could 2 it all. As I 3 the door, I saw a man with kind eyes and a gentle 4. He said he was collecting for a local food bank that helped to 5 the hungry in my area. He handed me a second shopping list of things they could use and asked me to 6 if I could. I smiled back, took the 7 and walked into the store. I really wanted to help, but wasn't sure if I could this time.

    I walked through the store, picking up vegetables, soup, spaghetti, bread, milk, cereal, macaroni, bananas, and a dozen other things. I slowly 8 each item off my list until I was done. When I looked down at my full cart I 9 again if I even had enough to pay for it all. Then, as I put my own list back into my pocket, I saw the food 10 list under it. I smiled and decided to trust my heart.

    With the food bank in mind, I went over and 11 two of the biggest boxes of rice the store had and put them in my cart. It took 12 six dollars out of my wallet to pay for them, 13 my heart felt six times larger when I did. And when everything was 14, I had just enough to pay for it all.

    It 15 so little to make our world a better place. A few dollars can help to fill a child's 16belly(肚子). A smile and hug can help to heal(愈合)a hurting heart. An17word can inspire someone else to live and to love. A random 18 of kindness can change another's day and life. It is up to us, 19. If we can20a few dollars on rice , then we can share a love that will last forever.

    I was assigned to take care of this patient a couple of weeks ago and began to grow closer to her. Communicating with her was 1 because everything she wanted to say to me had to be written on a notepad. As a nursing graduate, I was able to2her mind by observing even a slight 3 in a patient's facial expression.

    One day, when I was checking the patient, she 4 me on the shoulder to show me a note, “Do you think I could be let go5 the hospital in a month to see my niece get married? Taking her hand in mine, I told her that I could not 6 her, because I did not want to leave her a 7 sense of hope.8, I made her believe that I would be there with her every step of the way toward9. Hearing that, the patient gave me a 10 and a hug.

    Day by day, I built her 11 by walking around the floor with her. As I did this, I could see before my own eyes that her health was 12 improving and able to walk more steadily. On her last day in hospital, just before her niece's 13, she wrote me one last note, “I couldn't have done this 14 you; I love you.” After kissing goodbye, I had a strong sense of achievement. I realized that moments like this were 15 I woke up early for 16 in the hospital and spent long hours with her. I truly felt, and her 17.confirmed, that I was an 18 part of this woman's recovery. My experience with this patient shows me that this career allows me to touch the 19 of people in ways that people in other20 will never get to experience.

    It was my first day to Miss Hargrove's seventh grade. Past “newcomer experiences” had been difficult, so I was very1to fit in. After being introduced to the class, I bravely put on a smile and2my seat.

    Lunchtime was a(n)3surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. They were friendly, so I began to4. My new classmates told me about the school, the teachers and the other kids. They5out the class nerd（书呆子）to me: Mary Lou. She was a pretty girl with dark eyes and olive-skin,6she wore a long woolen skirt and an old-fashioned blouse. She looked stupid. The girls whispered and laughed7Mary Lou walked by. She ate alone.

    After school, the girls invited me to8them in front of the school. I was9to be a member of the club. We waited. For what, I didn't know. Then Mary Lou came down the school steps. The girls started10her, shouting rudely, biting comments. I11, and then joined right in. Mean remarks12from my lips. No one could tell I'd never done this before. The other girls stepped back and started cheering for me. Feeling13, I pulled on her backpack and then pushed her. Her backpack broke. Mary Lou fell and I backed off. Everyone was laughing. I14in. I was a leader.

    I was not proud. Something inside me hurt. If you've ever picked a wing off a butterfly, you know how I felt. Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and left without a tear or saying anything. She held her head15as blood ran down from her knee. I16her struggle away down the street.

    I turned to leave with my17friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. He must have been Mary Lou's father—he had the same olive skin, dark hair and handsome look. He remained still and watched the18girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both sadness and pride—followed. As I passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that reminded me of my19.

    Mary Lou's father's eyes taught me a good lesson that day. I never again hurt someone for my own20.

A Wonderful Christmas Gift

    Ann and her mother had lived in a small cottage. Christmas was so close，and so was her birthday.

    Ann wished she could get a new1with lace as a wonderful Christmas gift. All her friends would be getting new dresses.2Ann did not want to ask her Mom for that.  She knew how hard her mom worked to make both ends meet. Maybe she could make a3maybe Santa Claus would come，even though she knew that Santa Claus is just an imaginary character.

    It was not just gift that4Ann. It was her mother. Nowadays she was working overtime and looked pale and worn out.

    The days passed and soon it was Christmas Eve. In everyone's house, except Ann's ,a Christmas tree adorned(装饰)the living room. In the5there hung the baked cakes and turkey. But6lovely was being cooked in Ann's house. Every child went to bed eagerly waiting for the lovely gifts that he or she would7the next day. Ann went to bed with a8heart. She knew that there would be no gifts for her.

    Ann wished with her whole heart that at least this time she would get a gift from Santa Claus. Ann slowly drifted off to sleep. She dreamt of Santa riding in the snow on his reindeers.

    Ring.…Ring.…Ann jumped, hearing alarm.

    She suddenly remembered that it was Christmas morning. Without much hope she looked9there were any gifts for her. Wonder of wonders! There lay a beautiful packet tied with a red ribbon.

    Ann excitedly opened the package. It was a pretty white dress with attractive lace. She10the gift carefully to find out who gave it to her. Suddenly a small piece of paper fell out from it. Ann11started to read the note.

    "Dear Ann ，

    This dress is given to you as a12for being a good girl. Hope you continue to do good things and help your mother.

    Your Loving friend ，

    Santa Claus"

    Ann felt that there was something familiar about this note. She looked into the note carefully. Then it13her. It was her mother who had worked overtime to save money to buy this expensive gift. Ann was happy14words. She knew that she was the15girl to have such a wonderful mother as a wonderful Christmas gift.

    As s businesswoman, I care deeply about my customers. But like anyone for whom you feel affection, 1 can also drive you mad. They'll come rushing in, 2their handbag's been stolen. They'll 3 that they left it in the changing room, create havoe (混乱) and then 4 it had been in their car all the time. They'll have out half the 5 in the shop, and want the only style you don't have left in a 6 colour. I do know how upset the shop staff can get, but I try to persuade them to keep 7.

    I remember the first really 8 customer we had at Covent Garden. She was. 9 absolutely everything, nothing was right and I was rather 10 that she became a "regular". After a while, she 11 for the way she behaved at the beginning. She had split up with her husband the week before, was living in a flat 12, and since she'd found it too much to cope with (应对), she'd taken it out on 13 people.

    That taught me a valuable 14 and I pass it on to the people who 15 in the market. Don't take it 16. If a customer is rude or difficult, just think "Maybe she's had a row with her husband. Maybe her child's not 17." Always water it down and don't let your ego (自我) get 18. If you do, you won' be able to 19 it and the whole thing develops into an unpleasant scene and that 20 everyone's day.