I was feeling a little blue because my mother had lost her job.

    One day, while I was 1 on the street, I heard the piano music and singing rising above the noise of the people. I walked more slowly to 2 where it was coming from. Then I saw a young lady sitting at a piano.

    She was singing songs about love, 3 yourself and keeping on trying. The way she was singing made me a little comfortable. I stood there 4, watching her playing on such a crowded New York square. I thought that she must be 5 enough to perform in front of so many people.  

    She noticed me: I walked over and told her how good her 6 sounded. "Thank you," she said.

    "I have been going through a hard time recently, 7 you've made me hopeful again." I said to her.

    "I'm glad that I could help," she replied. "Why are you so 8?"

    "Well, my mum has lost her job, and I'm not sure what to do.”

    "Did you notice the 9 you were walking? Your head was down." she said. "Don't be upset, because 10 comes in different ways and if your head is down, you might not see it. You should 11 more and lift your head up. "

    I looked 12 her, amazed at how she was encouraging me. " 13 are you playing the piano here?" I asked her with a smile.

    She 14  that she saw a lot of unhappy people in the world and she tried to cheer 15 up by playing music.  

    I smiled a little wilder, realizing that no difficulties could stop me from going on.

    One day, a teacher was speaking to a group of students about how to 1 their time.He gave an example that those students would never forget.

    He pulled out a wide jar (罐子) and put it on the table. He also took out several rocks and carefully put them into the jar one at a time.When no more rocks would 2 inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

    Everyone in the class shouted, "Yes."The teacher replied, "Really?" He pulled out a box of small stones.He dumped some in and 3 the jar.The stones went down into the spaces 4 the big rocks.He then asked the group once more, "Is this jar full?"

    "Probably not," one of them answered."Good!" he replied.He brought out a glass of sand and dumped the sand into the jar and it went into all of the spaces 5.Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

    "No!" the class shouted.Once again he said, "Good!" Then he poured a cup of water in 6 the jar was full.Then he asked, "What is the key point here?" One student put up his hand and said, "The key point here is that even if you are busy, you can 7 plan everything well if you try really hard!"

    "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.The point is if you don't put the big rocks in 8 , you'll never get them in.What are the 'big rocks' in your 9 ? Time with your loved ones, your education, or your dreams? Remember to put these big rocks in first, or you'll never get them in 10."

    There once was a farmer who lost his watch in his barn (谷仓). The watch was only cheap but was very 1to him because it was a gift from his father.

    After 2the barn for a long time, he gave up and asked for 3 from a group of children playing nearby.

    He 4 them that the person who found the watch would be rewarded.

    Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn 5. They searched everywhere but still could not find the 6. Just when the farmer was going to give up, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another 7.

    The farmer looked at him and thought," Why not? After all, this kid looks honest."

    So the farmer 8 the little boy back into the barn. After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The surprised farmer asked the boy how he 9 where the rest had failed.

    The boy replied," I did nothing but sit quietly and listen for the sound of the watch."

    This shows us that sometimes a 10 mind can think better than an excited one."

    Velma, a US high school student, is busy with her studies every day. But after school, she puts down her books and goes off to 1. She takes care of cats, helps teachers at school and cleans up the beach. Why? Because students in US public schools are 2 to do at least 20 hours of community service in order to graduate.

    "This project is to give students a 3 of the real world, create a habit of volunteering and perhaps 4a career." said Bob Parks, an official at school.

    5 volunteering takes time, Velma enjoys it. "I learn so much from it." she said She plans to keep volunteering even after she has finished her required hours of work. Velma is now on her way towards 250 hours to get a silver medal at graduation. She hopes the medal will help her6 her dream university.

    But some have 7 about the project. Phil, a single parent of four, has to drive his children from one activity to another every weekend. "I have no time to work and rest," he said, "But I know some kids finish their 20—hour volunteering by just sleeping in their father's office !"

    Mike Roland, a volunteering manager, has heard those complaints. He said," We keep telling people,' Volunteer hours are 8than for graduation; they are life lessons."

    Unlike Phil, some parents agree with the project and want their children to 9 more time volunteering. Michael, a junior, spends Saturdays at JFK Medical Centre guiding patients and bringing them newspapers and meals. He's at 258 hours. Michael's father said, "Twenty hours isn't 10. Children should have more contact with the world."

Elephants are big, but Teensy was the smallest of them. Teensy tried everything she could think of to help herself grow. She ate a lot. However, nothing seemed to 1 .

One day Teensy went with the elephants to have lunch. They stopped in front of some trees and found their favourite green leaves. Teensy raised her nose and tried again and again, but she couldn't reach the branches. Not even the 2 ones!

At the end of the day, Teensy was with the rest of the elephants watching the 3 . But Teensy couldn't see very much. "Excuse me," said Teensy politely, "I'd like to see more than your knees, if you please." But the elephants didn't hear little Teensy. They were too 4 enjoying the sunset. She knew she was too little to walk away by herself, so she sat and imagined what the sunset must look like. "Oh, I guess it is too pretty for words!" she sighed. Teensy was very sad. "Oh, woe is me，" she said. Suddenly, Teensy heard a tiny voice. "What is woe?" the voice said. Teensy looked down and saw a mouse. "Woe means sad," said Teensy. She told the mouse about seeing only elephant5 instead of the sunset. 

"I'm too little," she said. 

"Why? You're not little at all," said the mouse. 

"Do you think so?" replied Teensy, "I'm sorry you're so small. I know how it feels." "Don't be sorry," said the mouse. "I like being small! I can always fit into corners."

"Wow," said Teensy, "so being 6 CAN be good." 

Mr Kent's students cared about a hurricane(飓风)in Mexico. The wind blew trees over and damaged houses. In the heavy1 , houses and streets were flooded. The class discussed what they could2 to help people there.

Ava said, "People will need clothes." "They'll need blankets(毯子)to keep3 ," Melanie added. "I have a new blanket and a ton of clothes. We should4 those to people in Mexico," said Brett. "Brett, that's brilliant!" said Ava. "You, Melanie and I, and anyone else in the school,5 bring in our extra clothes and blankets to help people in Mexico."

The students talked to Mr Kent about6 they could collect clothes and blankets. Some kids were going to7 some signs saying "Blanket Drive". Other kids were writing a newsletter. Everyone was going to ask8 friends and relatives for clothes and blankets. Brett was put in charge of(负责)stacking all the clothes and blankets in the gym.

News of the Blanket Drive spread,9 people living all over the city brought in more clothes and blankets.10 in town was talking about the Blanket Drive. The local television station sent a camera crew(摄制组)to the11 . The reporter wanted to know whose idea this was.

Finally, they found Brett in the gym,12 thousands of blankets and pieces of clothing. The reporter said to Brett, "This was a great idea. You must be very13 of yourself for thinking of it."

Brett looked at the mountain of clothes behind him and then looked back at the camera. "No," Brett said 14 . "We had a lot of clothes and blankets, and those people in Mexico really need them. We're just trying to15 . It's simple."