I felt like a good mother on that summer morning. I'd 1 up early, made a picnic lunch2 my three- and five-year-old daughters into the car, driven to my friend's house, packed her and her3 into the car, and driven the hour and a half to the shore where we4 our towels on the sands by 10 a.m.

    Soon the girls began running. About 50 yards from us, a man, maybe 5 his late 50s, was fishing. The girls stood next to him and watched with their mouths open 6 he cast the lines. He smiled at them. They all ran back to us except my three-year-old Drew, who7 just seated herself next to the white bucket where the man was 8 planning to put the fish he caught.

    However, suddenly a 9 came to my mind. Is it dangerous for Drew to stay there with the stranger? Good moms should also teach daughters that the world is dangerous. Then, I watched them like there was a hidden 10 in the lifeguard chair filming the man as America's Most Wanted. Every few minutes, I looked to my five-year-old to make sure she hadn't been 11 out to sea, then back to Drew to make sure there was no 12 between her and the stranger.

    When I looked at Drew again, she had started 13 with the man. She was probably telling him where we lived and how her father was away on 14. He nodded. She kept talking. He nodded again, then they laughed.

    A few seconds later, she ran back to us, with a toy fish in her hand. It must have been something 15 he used for bait(饵). The three other girls were 16 so they didn't try to 17 how eager they were to have one.

    Just when I was at a loss, there he was: the man, standing right next to us. He was holding three more toy fish. He handed them to each of the girls. By their 18 I realized that he was 19 a warm-hearted man, meaning no harm at all.

    “Thank you”, I said, realizing that yes, there is evil in this world…but there is also good, and 20 in strangers, and lessons for mothers to learn that only three-year-olds could teach them.

    I sat down at my desk and started writing an emotional letter of gratitude(感激). But1it came to actually placing the letter into the mailbox, I froze. I couldn't do it.

    The2was to an old teacher with whom I kept in3through Facebook comments(评论). For the past couple of weeks, her Facebook page had4me to live my life differently—for example, volunteering more.

    Her5efforts weren't huge—she wasn't building wells in Uganda or6 lepers(麻风病人)in India, but instead she was doing7, local good deeds, such as serving as an elementary school crossing guard. These were things that I could do, too. She made me8I could do the same at home. I felt I should let her9 how her example positively influenced my life. That was10I ended up handwriting the letter. But now here I was, standing before the mailbox,11to place the envelope inside. Why was this so hard to do? I thought I felt strange because it wasn't like she was my best friend. I just knew her.12, after thinking it over, I put the envelope in the mailbox at last.

    Weeks later I received a Facebook message from her. She was13a difficult time and my note meant14to her. She said she had no idea that she was making such a15to others. Not only did this letter make her happier,16her response to it increased my level of happiness as well. I decided to write a gratitude letter of17to someone each month. I've been doing this for two years now and it has changed my life greatly. I'm more likely to18out the goodness in others and I am continuously more thankful for this19life I'm living. Expressing gratitude is a great skill to20. Life is too short not to do it.

    It was a cool October evening. Excitement and family members1the hall. I was only a 7-year-old girl, but I was the center of2. Finally, after weeks of preparation, I would3all my hard work in a dance of performance. Everything would be4—so I thought. I waited backstage all5 in my black tights with a golden belt. In a loud and clear voice, the master of ceremonies6that my class was next.

    My dance class was doing a routine on wooden boxes two feet by two feet, facing the7. All I had to do in the next move was to put one foot on the box next to mine and keep my other foot on my box. It really was an 8move. I was concentrating so much 9the huge smile on my face and holding my head up that I did not look 10I was going. I missed my partner's box altogether and 11.There I was standing on the stage floor when my classmates were on top of their boxes. I could hear giggles(咯咯笑) coming from the audience, and I felt the12rush to my face. I remembered my dance teacher had told us, “If you make a mistake, keep smiling so the audience will not13.I did my best to follow her14as I continued with the routine.

    When the curtain dropped, so did my15for the evening. I16bitterly, tasting the salt from the tears that streamed down my face. I ran backstage, but no one could17me down.

    Recently I realized I had been a18that night. I was 19but I fought the urge to run off the stage.20I finished the routine with a smile on my face. Now when friends and family laugh about the time I slipped during a dance performance, I can laugh too.

    At my heaviest , I weighed 370 pounds. I had a very poor relationship with food: I used it to  1 bad feelings, to make myself feel better, and to celebrate. Worried about my health, I tried many different kinds of 2 but nothing worked. I came to believe that I could do nothing about my 3.

    When I was 50, my weight problem began to affect me 4 . I didn't want to live the rest of my life with this 5 weight any more.

    That year, I 6a seminar (研讨会)where we were asked to create a project that would touch the world. A seminar leader shared her7 story—she had not only lost 125 pounds, but also raised $25,000 for homeless children.

    8 by her story, I created the As We Heal(痊愈), the World Heals 9.My goal was to lose 150 pounds in one year and raise $50,00010a movement founded 30 years ago to end hunger. This combination of healing myself and healing the world 11 a perfect solution.

    12 I began my own personal weight program at the beginning, I was filled with the fear that I would 13 the same difficulties that beat me before. Although the14 hung over my head, there were also clear signs that I was walking toward the right 15 . I sent letters to everyone I knew, telling them about my project. It worked perfectly. Donations (捐赠)began16 in from hundreds of people. Of course, I also took some practical steps to lose weight. I got suggestions from a physician, I hired a health coach, and I began to eat small and 17meals. My project also gave me new motivation to exercise18 .

    A year later, I 19 my goal: I lost 150 pounds and raised $50,000! I feel that I've been given a second life to devote to something that is 20and enormous.

    Sometimes people around you can change your life. The change may not be sudden or1, but little habits can produce big 2that make you think about what is important in your life. The person who changed my life is Julia Masi. She has3me so many things that I will carry with me4my life.

    One thing I've learned from Julia is how to balance5. Julia has shown me how to 6ahead so that I can finish all my school work, enjoy sports and 7have time for my friends. She has taught me that you can do anything if you are8—— never give up. I've also learned that you can find anything 9if you connect it with something that you enjoy.

    Last year I hated studying vocabulary, but I loved playing on my computer. Julia 10the two and showed me a website called “freerice.com” where you can 11a word game that gives you 5 grains of rice to donate to the poor with every correct word. She 12me to learn a hundred new13by filling up the rice bowl. I liked playing the game so much that I14about 1,000 words in just one month.

    Julia has always15me to try new hobbies. She showed me that going to the theater could help me become a better writer.16, she taught me that discussing a play can excite an interest in reading.

    17 it weren't for Julia I probably wouldn't have18how easy it is to help the poor. There are so many ways that one person can19. I've learned to be more appreciative of what I own. I am20for the opportunities that I have been given. I will continue to think of ways to help those less fortunate for the rest of my life.

    For those who love travel, particularly rail travel, China in 1987 was a can't-miss kind of place. In 1987, China was still operating steam trains on some rail routes, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} made people from many countries amazed. Bruce Connolly, a photographer from Scotland, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (be) one of them.

    Connolly first came to China in 1987, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (start) his continuous travelling throughout China. Since then, he {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (travel) to most parts of China except Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi. Wherever he went, his camera remained by his side. During his journeys in China, Connolly found China very different from {#blank#}5{#/blank#}he saw in photographs, which showed Chinese people very religious {#blank#}6{#/blank#}the way they dressed and behaved. Instead, what he saw was that people were {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(friend), welcoming and wore bright clothes. In the early years of his journey, most Chinese people were fascinated with foreigners visiting China, but now that has changed in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, foreigners are no {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (long) curiosities.

    Another dramatic change that Connolly has felt in China is {#blank#}9{#/blank#}widespread use of new technology. China has become one of the most tech-savvy（懂技术的）societies. People now do everything with {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (they) smartphones, and use of cash is almost disappearing.