My friend John is a student. Last year, he went to Japan and stayed there  1two months. I was2 that John was able to 3such a long holiday in Japan because he was 4  . "How did you get so  5  money, John?" I asked. "I thought you could stay in Japan for 6  two weeks." "It was easy," he answered. "I got a job in Japan." "A job? What did you do?" "I gave English lessons  7  a shop owner, and we became good friends." "But you are8  teacher!" "Mr Tanaka, the shop owner, knew l was not a teacher, but he said he had a lot of American customers, so he wanted to learn English. I spent three hours a day 9  to him. In return, he gave me a room, three meals a day and some money."

    "Did he learn 10 English?'' "I don't know," John said, "but I learnt a lot of Japanese."

    One thorn(刺) of experience is worth many times of warning.

    Ralph Wick was seven years old. In most things he was a fine boy, but he would cry from time to time. When he could not have what he wanted, he would 1for it. If he was told that it would hurt him, and he could not 2 it, he would also cry.

    One day, he went with his mother into the 3. The sun shone. The grass was cut. The flowers were starting to come out.

    Ralph thought he was, for once, a good boy. A 4 was on his face. He wished to do as he was told. Ralph helped his mother with the farm work and he was very happy.

    “Now you must be tired and 5,” said his mother. “Have a good rest here and eat some cookies. I will get a beautiful red rose for you.” So his mother brought the red flower to him. When he saw his mother still had a white rose in her hand, Ralph 6 it.

    “No, my dear.” said his mother. “See how many thorns it has. You must not touch it, or you would be sure to hurt your 7.” When Ralph found that he could not have the white rose, he began to cry, and 8 took it away. But he was soon very sorry. The thorns hurt his hand. It was so 9 that he could not use it for some time.

    Ralph would never 10 this. From then on, when he wanted what he should not have, his mother would point to his hand which had been hurt before. He at last learned to do as he was told.

    One Friday morning, I booked an Uber car to the train station When the car arrived, I just saw the car number and got in. "Please be 1 I need to get to the train station in half an hour," I said.

    The driver said, "Yes, ma' am."

    I was surprised (惊讶的) when I heard a female(女性的) voice! The 2 was a young woman! I travelled in Uber cars for hundreds of times, 3 I never saw a female driver here in India. In India, many people may think that it's dangerous for women to drive Uber cars. So I 4 to know more about my driver.

    "If you don't 5 can I ask you some questions?" I asked

    "Yes, ma'am."

    "Are you well-educated (受过良好教育的)?"

    "Yes, ma' am. I have just got my MBA."

    "Wow! So why did you choose this 6 ?"

    She smiled and said, " 7 is may interest, ma'am. No job is too small. I  8 want a job from which I can get real happiness. I tried other jobs, but I like this one most ……"

    About 20 minutes later, I arrived. I said thank you to 9 I really enjoyed the ride and learned something 10 the young woman.

    Several months ago, a couple with a little girl moved in next door to me. The girl seemed too quiet to make any noise, while the parents were always 1her loudly. Whenever we met my new neighbors, I always spoke, but the only 2 I ever got was a hello from the 4-year-old girl.

    I usually go out for breakfast and one day when I returned, they were just coming from their home and the little girl was holding the door open for others. I stayed in the car doing unnecessary things as I wasn't in a 3. The parents were telling her to get into the car immediately. I looked up and saw the little girl was still holding the door open, waiting for me.

As a disabled man, I can't hurry at 4, but I hurried as much as I could and thanked her. She was smiling like a lovely angel. I was so 5 by her small act of kindness. That afternoon I was shopping and I saw a white bear. I thought of the girl and said to myself. "I believe she would like that" so I bought it.

    The next day there was a knock on the door and it was the little girl and her parents. She was so 6of her bear and thanked me as if I had never been thanked before. The mother and father both thanked me. 

    Now when we meet, we all speak, and in a friendly manner I might add. As time passes, I don't hear that shouting as often.7, hardly at all.

    Last night we had about four inches of snow. I looked out at my car and wondered 8 I was going to keep my doctor's appointment(约会). When I opened the outside door, there was my car with all the snow cleaned. I can't express how I felt at that moment. The man next door was the only person I knew in the whole building,9when I saw him the next day, I asked him if he was the good man that cleaned my snow. He said No. He wanted to but his wife said she wanted to do it.

    Isn't it amazing that a 4-year-old girl can change so many things for the better? It is said that good things usually come from 10.

    I wrote my first note to my mother and it said, "Hi, Mom! Have a nice day! 1, Marie!" I was twelve when I wrote it, and I 2 the note into her change purse (零钱包). My mother worked 3 a cleaner in a clothing factory. I knew that when she bought meals in the dining hall, she had to 4 changes in her purse. I didn't know that she always kept that note, and carried 5 with her.

    After that, I 6 folded the small piece of paper into my mother's change purse, she and I left each other secret notes. My mother usually hid her notes in the fridge, under a lamp 7 beside the TV set. I even found one hidden in my shoe. Gradually, I understood 8 notes became the records of our days, ideas and wishes. But to my mother and me, they were a life-long communication with each other that 9 else shared.

    On October 20, 2018, my mother 10 after an illness. I stood near her bed, holding her hand. I didn't cry on that day when my mom passed away (去世). A week 11, I even didn't cry. I was so thankful 12 she no longer had aches and pains.

    Recently, I13a note that my mom left me. It was hidden in the pages of my favorite childhood book for years. It14"Dear Marie, I love you always. Miss you a lot. Don't forget me. Be15! Love, Mom" That day, I cried.