Accept life as it is. I learned how to do it from my father. 1 , he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was 2 and ill.

    My father was 3 a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness 4 all that away. Now he can no longer walk, and he must sit quietly in a chair all day.

Even talking is 5 . One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started 6 about life, and I told them about one of my 7 . I said that we must very often give things up 8 we grow — our youth, our beauty, our friends — but it always 9 that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father 10 up. He said, “But, Peter, I gave up 11 ! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I couldn't think of anything to say. 12 , he answered his own question: “I 13 the love of my family,” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness.

    I was also 14 by his words. After that, when I began to feel angry at someone, I 15 remember his words and become 16 . If he could 17 his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 18 to give up my small anger. In this 19 , I learned the power of acceptance from my father.

    Sometimes I 20 what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am ashamed(惭愧的) for this one word.

    My mum works on Saturdays, so every Saturday my aunt, Jenny, takes me somewhere interesting. For example, once she took me to the sea museum, and then she made me do a project (专题研究) about my favourite 1.

    Last Saturday, Jenny took me to an old people's home. She was a volunteer there, so she 2 went there in her free time. There were a lot of old people there. Jenny introduced 3 to some of them. Then she asked me if I would like to read the newspaper to them. I was glad to do that. I read 4 so they could hear me. They said my reading was excellent. I felt really 5.

    Later, Jenny and I had 6 with them. I sat at a table with one man and two women. During lunch, they told me stones about their lives. The man had been a guide. The two women were from other 7. Mrs Wang came from China, and Mrs Guleed was from South Africa. They 8 their lives in their hometowns. It sounded different.

    After lunch, Jenny 9 the piano. Some of the people sang along to the music. The people there were very kind to me. I liked them so much that I began to 10 them as soon as I got home.

    We were going to play against a team from a country school. They didn't come until the game time arrived. They looked1than we had thought. They were wearing dirty blue jeans(牛仔裤)and looked like farm boys. We even thought that they had never seen a basketball before.

    We all sat down. We felt we didn't 2any practice against a team like that.

    It was already so late that no3could be given to them for a warm-up(热身，准备活动). The game began.

    One of our boys 4the ball and he shot a long pass to our forward. From out of nowhere a boy in a dirty T-shirt5the pass and with a beautiful form(姿势)he shot and got two points.

    They6us. Then they got another7of points in a minute.

    Soon it was all over. The country team8us. We certainly learned that even though a team is good, there is usually another9a little better. But the important lesson learned was: One can't tell a man, or a team, by the10.

    Mike always loves ships(轮船). When he was a child, he said, "I'm going to1a naval soldier (海军士兵) when I grow up." But his eyes were not very2, so he could not join the navy(军队).

    Then he said, "I'm going to3a ship and travel around the world." But ships were very expensive, and Mike did not have enough 4.

    Last summer Mike found a swimming5. He didn't have to6much for the lessons, so he began going to the school on weekends. Now he is a good swimmer.

    Last week a little boy said to him, "You're a very good swimmer. 7do you learn to swim so well?"

    "I'm not good at all," Mike said." 8I'm in the water, I say to myself, "There are9fishes behind me!" Then I'm very afraid (害怕的), and I 10quickly."