The Water City of Venice

    In 1980s, I went to Italy for business. One day, I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice(威尼斯), Italy, the city of lights and 1.

    As we enjoyed our coffee, a young man2 glasses entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there 3 the wall.”

    We heard this order with interest and found that he 4 with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.

    When he left, the waiter 5 a piece of paper on the wall saying “A Cup of Coffee”.

    While we were still there, 6 middle-aged men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but 7 three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same. He put a piece of paper on the wall saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.

    It was 8 and perplexing(困惑)for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

    After a few days, we had a chance  9 this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man 10 dressed entered. As he seated himself, he 11 the wall and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”

    The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary(惯常的)respect. The man had his coffee and left  12 paying.

    We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter 13 a piece of paper from the wall and threw it into the rubbish bin.

    Now it was no 14 for us-the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants(居民)of this town 15 our eyes well up in tears.

    Many years later, when I went to Venice for business again, I did the same thing as my appreciation to this beautiful world.

    Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was born on November 30, 1835, in a small town in Florida, the USA. He 1up with a few naughty boys who later 2 in his stories. At the age of 12, his father died, and he began to work, first as a printer, then on a river boat. Those years on the boat went into his 3"Life on the Mississippi （密西西比）".

    During the Civil War（内战） he 4 as a reporter and used Mark Twain as his pen name. The stories he wrote in this period 5 him famous and popular. He made a lot of 6 by writing, lecturing and running his own publishing house. But he spent all of it on high living and 7 business.

    Mark Twain was 8 as "a funny man". But in fact he took a serious view of life. Many sad things happened to him in his life. All his 9 helped to shape his stories which showed the dark side of society. He 10 as an old man of 75 in 1910.

    The Americans were getting ready to send their first man to the moon, an old Irishman (爱尔兰人) was 1 them on TV in a hotel room. There was an Englishman in the room, 2. And he said to the Irishman, "The Americans are very 3, aren't they? They are going to 4 some men to the moon. It's a very long way from our world." "Oh, that's 5,"the Irishman answered quickly." "The Irishman are going to send some men to the sun in months' 6. That's much 7 away than the moon, you know. "The Englishman was very 8 when he heard this. "Oh, yes it is," he said, "But the sun is too 9 for people to visit."

    The Irishman laughed and answered, "Well, the Irish are clever, too, you know. We 10 go to the sun during the day, of course. We'll go there during the night."

    I know a Catherine who is smart, educated and interesting. But I avoid her because she never 1 complaining(抱怨)! For years, I fought against my feelings, because I really like and admire(赞赏) her, but I've found I just can't be her friend. Her world is 2“but.”. The trip would have been nice, but the drive was too long.  The food was good, but the light of the restaurant was too  3.  The hotel was too hot, the bed hurt her back and the room service was too slow. Her complaints were 4 changing me.  Months ago, my best friend Daisy was listening to me complaining about Catherine 5 she just became really angry. “Either break up with her, or leave me alone.” She shouted at me, “I'm tired of listening to your complaining. ” Her honesty surprised me, and I began to keep myself away from Catherine. Later, I did 6 her.

    Now I try to remain happy and positive (积极的) about life, and find friends of the same. There's been scientific research lately. It shows that people who find 7 to be thankful for their lives are actually happier, and I believe that is true. Endless complaining seems to control your life if you let it come into your brain. And too much complaining will actually make your life 8.

    Some people take “gratitude ( 感激之情) walks” every day, where they 9their lives in a positive way. By developing a grateful attitude, you can be turned away from what's troubling you, and 10 what makes you happy. Then you will have a beautiful life. 

A lesson from Dad

    When he was 11 years old, he loved fishing by the lake near his family's house in New Hampshire.

    On the day before the bass(鲈鱼)season began, he and his father1in the evening. When his fishing pole bent over(弯曲), he knew something2was on the other end. The boy skillfully lifted it from the water. It was the largest fish he had ever3, but it was a bass.

    The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. The father looked at his watch. It was 10 p.m.-two hours4the bass season began. The father looked at the fish, then at the boy.

    "You'll have to5, Son," he said.

    "Dad!" cried the boy.

    "There will be other fish," said his father.

    "Not as big as this one," cried the boy.

    He looked around the lake.6other fishermen or boats were anywhere around. He looked again at his father's stern(坚决的)face. He knew that it was7to change his decision. He slowly lowered the fish back into the water.

    That was thirty-four8ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect(建筑师)in New York City. He has never caught such a large fish again, 9he does see that same fish again and again-every time he faces a question of right or wrong. His father taught him the practice of doing right is10.

    Do we do right when no one is watching？