Monty was the son of a horse trainer. When he was in his ninth grade, he was asked to write a  1  about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

That night he wrote a seven-page paper saying that someday he'd 2 a horse ranch (牧场). He wrote about his dream and he 3 drew a picture of a 200-acre(英里) ranch with all the buildings.

    He put his  4  into the project and the next day he handed it in 5  his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a  6  that read, “See me after class. ”

    The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, “ 7  did I receive an F? ”

    The teacher said, “That is an  8  dream for a young boy like you. You come from a poor family. Owning a horse ranch needs a lot of  9  . You have to buy the land. You have to pay for other things. There is no  10  you could ever do it. ” Then the teacher added, “  11  you rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal(更现实的目标), I will make your grade better. ”

    The boy went home and thought about  12  long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, “Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important  13  for you. ”

Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the 14paper, making no changes at all. He said to the teacher, “You can keep the F and I'll keep my 15 . ”

    When I was a child, my father had to do three jobs for a family of seven. Every time I saw him come back late, looking 1 I promised myself that someday I would show my 2 to my father for what he had done.

    Over the next twenty years, my father worked hard to 3our big family and suffered a lot from a heart problem. One morning, my father's old car broke down and he asked me to 4him up after his medical examination. He had 5 refused when I offered to replace (取代) his old car. He said that he did not want something that he couldn't pay6.

    7he stepped out of the doctor's office, he looked serious. We drove in silence and he made me promise to keep the medical report as a8. I did this with a heavy heart.

    At that time, I was 9a new car. I asked my father to go with me to pick10out. When I started talking with the salesman, I noticed my father11a brown car. I12chose a white car. My father took one final look at the brown car and seemed kind of 13before leaving. I heard him muttering (嘀咕) to himself, “14like that car. Wish I could 15it.”

    Several days later, I asked my father if he could go with me to pick up16new car. As we arrived, the salesman17him a key to a new car - the brown one - and18that it was for him, from me. My father looked at me in great19 I told him it was my childhood20and smiled at this man, who had given up everything for his family.

    Ray had a wonderful family and lived very happily. He had four grandchildren, and they all came to see him1their holidays. One day, Ray was preparing to welcome them as usual: cleaning the house and cooking delicious food. 2he was working, he lost his favorite watch which was a3from his deceased(已故的)wife. Ray loved the watch very much, and he was very sad.

    When his grandchildren arrived, they 4him they would find the watch. One granddaughter asked, "Grandpa, where did you see the watch last5it went missing?”

    Ray replied, "Maybe in the barn(谷仓)!"The children searched there for more than two hour 6could not find it.

    One of his grandsons wanted to search the barn 7, and Ray asked why he was going there. The little boy didn't explain but asked 8not to follow him. A moment later, he rushed back to his grandfather, "I found it!" he shouted. Ray was 9and asked how he made it. The little boy replied, 'I stood in the barn10making any noise, and tried my best to keep silent. After a few 11, I heard the sound of tick tick. At last, I 12the watch from the hay(干草). "After hearing his words, Ray hugged. The little boy and13him very much.

    The story tells us if we 14calm(冷静的), we can fired a solution. This shows the power of 15.

    I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was1and when I was 14, he said, "You are2going to be anything but a failure."

    After five years of3jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle— class girl. It was the best4that could have happened to me. I decided to do something positive with my life because I wanted to prove to her what people said about me was5, especially her mother, who had said to me, "You have failed at everything you have ever done.” So I tried hard with my6and went to college. My first novel7while I was at college.

    After college I taught during the8in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a9in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of giving up that job to write full time when I was offered a part— time job at Leeds University. I began to feel proud of myself—it was a working— class boy who had left school early, now teaching at the university.

    My writing career(生涯)10when I realized my own style. Now I am rich and famous, have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. But what does it mean? I just wish all the people that have put me down had said, "I believe in you. You will succeed.