I was a single parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a 1 over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, and if not a lot, always2. Not knowing we were poor, my kids(孩子们) just thought I was 3. I've always been glad about that.

    It was Christmas time, and although there wasn't 4 for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big 5 for the kids was the fun of Christmas 6.

    They planned weeks ahead of time, asking 7 what they wanted for Christmas. Fortunately, I had saved $120 for 8 to share by all five of us.

    The big 9 arrived. I gave each kid a twenty-dollar bill and 10 them to look for gifts of about four dollars each. Then everyone scattered(散开). We had two hours to shop; then we would 11at the “Santa's Workshop”.

    Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, 12 my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually 13. She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies— fifty-cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn't say anything 14 we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door,15 to be angry again. This is what she told me：

    “I was looking 16 thinking of what to buy, and I 17to read the little cards on the 'Giving Trees'.One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll(玩具娃娃). So I took the card off the tree and 19 the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn't have anything.”

    I never felt so 20 as I did that day.

    I was having a period of bad health. I had one operation after another. I was falling 1 faster than the doctors could put me back together. But I just couldn't bear the operation, the hospital stay, the long recovery and the physical therapy（康复治疗）. I told my doctor I was going to try 2 else.

    I'd discovered that walking gave me a little 3. So I started walking. The first day, my wife 4 off our steep Silver Lake hill to a flat street. She got me out of the car, and I walked about two blocks 5 asking to be taken home. The next day, I walked about four 6.

    Slowly, feeling a little 7 every day, I began to walk a mile or more. I even 8some hills to my route. I became interested in the network of public stairways around Silver Lake I made a 9 of it and walked every public staircase in Silver Lake. That went pretty well, so I 10 onto Echo Park. I was feeling better, so I kept going. The search finally 11 “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles' a book 12 in the spring of 2010. By then, I had 13. I'd been walking at least an hour a day for three years. My life 14 returned to normal.

    In three years of walks, I've met dozens of people who'd had 15 experiences of rebirth or recovery. One man told me he'd lost 80 pounds walking the secret stairs and was dating for the first time in a decade. One woman told me she'd 16 knee operation. Another told me she'd been 17 to start ballroom dancing again.

    All I'd 18 from the walks was relief from pain. What I got was 19, community and a whole new experience of my city. Out of the car, on my feet and moving at walking pace, I 20 Los Angeles for the first time.

A Commitment to Life

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my 1 wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my 2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local 3 center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't 4. Four more “hero-types” were already lying back in donor chairs with lines 5 to their veins(静脉), and machines quietly pumping away to 6 their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a 7 to the life of someone I would never 8.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just did it. 9 a few months ago, during one of my 10 donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center 11 ever since.

    My wife Karen is a 12, too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髓) list for fifteen years, ever since she 13 to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia(白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her, but Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential 14 for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. “Yes,” she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race 15 time.

    I wish I could say that this 16 was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd 17on the donor list. “Of course,” Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll clear an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may 18. Most likely it will be a 19, but on any day the person needing blood could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to 20our time to donate.

    I really do feel proud every time I donate. And I like the feeling.

    Zigfried, a little mouse, blew his breath on the frosty window of the farmhouse and rubbed it to see the outside. Still nobody came. Maybe today, he thought 1 It was only a few days before Christmas and he was watching for a miracle (奇迹).

    This farmhouse had been 2 too long. It needed a family. Zigfried's 3 made a noise. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. He jumped from the windowsill (窗沿), grabbed a 4 from his home, and went next door to Farmer Mike's.

    Farmer Mike's house had been a great place for the little mouse 5the farmer married a wife who had a cat. Zigfried 6when he thought of it. He looked around cautiously as he 7 into the room where grain was stored and was quite 8as he filled his bag with wheat. He was turning to leave when suddenly he 9a hot breath about his ear. His heart beat 10, and without thinking he started to run and luckily 11 the cat's paws (爪子).

    The next afternoon Zigfried heard some good news: a 12family would be moving into the farmhouse soon. Zigfried's granny would arrive on Christmas Eve to 13 with him. He hoped that the family would come before his granny came. Before long, a car came 14 the road leading to the house, with butter sandwiches, cheese and chocolate.

    Zigfried's Christmas miracle did arrive!

    The house came 15 the next few days. Zigfried 16 every single hour of them. 17, the day before Christmas when he was drinking hot chocolate with a 18 smile at the door of his home, he heard the 19 of the children of the family about what they might get for Christmas. What? A cat? The 20froze on his face; his mouth fell wide open. After a long while, he at last found his voice: "Hey! Whose Christmas miracle is this?"

    Lord Nithsdale was put into prison in 1716 because he was against King George I. As a (n) 1 , he was sentenced to death. His wife Winifred couldn't imagine life 2 her husband, so she was 3 to do anything to save him .

    She was determined to 4 the King and beg him for her husband's life, but the King didn't agree. Winifred refused to 5. In desperation, she came up with a more 6 plan. She visited her husband alongside her maid, her friends Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Morgan. Only two visitors at a time were allowed to enter the room. They took advantage of this 7, going into and out of the room many times to 8 the guards. She also gave the guards money and drink.

    9 inside the prison Winifred pulled out some 10 clothes and dressed her husband up as one of the 11 Mrs. Mills. Mrs. Mills was then brought in, emotional and with her 12 buried in her handkerchief. Lord Nithsdale then was led out by his wife, also holding the handkerchief to his eyes. This was very 13 , or the guards would notice that one of the women had a long 14 ! Fortunately everyone managed to get outside at last.

    Winifred then returned to the room and 15 to be in an emotional conversation with her husband. After a suitable period of time had passed for her husband to leave ,she left the room and got some 16 for herself by telling the guards that her husband was praying (祈祷) and should not be 17. This was a clever action as it allowed the 18 to go unnoticed for longer.

    To complete the clever escape and appear 19, they gave a tearful goodbye. Lord Nithsdale and his wife 20 and managed to leave the country together.

    What is intelligence anyway? When I was in the army I1 an intelligence test that all soldiers took, and, against2 of 100, scored 160.

    I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not3 have scored more than 80. 4, when anything went wrong with my car I hurried to him and he always 5it.

    Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man6 questions for some intelligence tests. By every one of them I'd prove myself a7. In a world where I have to work with my8. I'd do poorly.

    Consider my auto-repair man9. He had a habit of telling10. One time he said, "Doc, a deaf-and-dumb man11some nails. Having entered a store, he put two fingers together on the counter and made 12 movements with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He13 his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk14 him some nails. He picked out the right size and left. Well, Doc, the15 man who came in was blind. He wanted scissors (剪刀). 16 do you suppose he asked for them?" I lifted my right hand and made scissoring movements with my first two fingers. He burst out laughing and said, "Why, you fool, he used his 17 and asked for them. I've been18 that on all my customers today, but I knew 19 I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you are so goddamned educated, Doc. I knew you couldn't be very 20."

    And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.