My mother is a teacher, and I grew up with the challenges (挑战) a teacher faces. I often asked her, “Why do you teach?  What keeps you teaching? ”The answer was always the same. “There is always that one child, that one moment that is worth it. ”

    Now, I am a teacher, too. But different from my mother, I teach students challenging activities outdoors. And when my mother asked me the similar questions, my answer was, “It's that one child, that one special moment.”

    One of those moments happened recently. I was working with a group of girls in a four-week programme. Everything went on well through the “Team” events and we were moving on to a “High” one called the Wire(钢索) Walk.

    In the Wire Walk, each girl had to climb up the pegs(木桩) in a tree to a wire, 8 meters high, and then walk across it. Of course, everything was safe for sure. When I asked who would try, a few girls raised their hands, and they finished the Wire Walk with little difficulty.

    But when it was Susie's turn, it seemed that she didn't really want to. I asked Susie if she was ready. She answered softy, “I suppose.”

    Now, Susie was at the foot of the tree. She started to make the long reach for the first peg. The other girls cheered for her. Then I found Susie was becoming nervous with every step. I realised she would not go much further.

    Susie was halfway up. Then she stopped and held the tree tight(紧紧地),  looking very afraid. Her eyes were closed. With her face against the tree, she cried, “I can't.”

    The other girls sat in silence. I talked quietly to Susie, trying to relax her. I talked for a long time till I ran out of words.

    “I will still be your friend no matter what, Susie!” Mary broke the silence.

    To my surprise, Susie lifted her head and looked up to the wire. Then she turned to look down at Mary and smiled. Mary smiled back.

    Finally, Susie made it all the way across that wire. When she returned to the ground, the first hug she looked for was from Mary.

    We all cheered.

    Moments like this keep me doing what I do. The young hearts continue to fill me with courage.

    It was in August 1999 that I decided to come to China to work as a language teacher.

    I taught in Zhongshan City. Guangdong, for six months before moving to Ningbo. I came to Wanli University in 2000, and I taught there for five years. My time in Ningbo is great. I've met many wonderful Chinese teachers.

    I came to China with the idea of helping Chinese friends learn English better, and I have achieved this many times. I've traveled to many places in China, and I find that Ningbo is my favorite place.

    When I first came to Ningbo in 2000, it wasn't as clean as it is now. However, I found that this is a great city to live in. When I arrived, there was one McDonalds, and three KFC's. But we didn't get a Starbucks until 2002.

    I've really enjoyed spending my time here, especially now that I have found my beautiful wife, and we will be having our first child in Ningbo. Maybe she or he will learn Ningbo dialect（方言）, to talk with the grandparents.

    While staying in Ningbo, I have found that many people can understand English, but are very shy to speak out. I'm telling you now, it is only a language, and don't be afraid to talk, just remember, "Nobody is perfect. "

    According to a new American study, having dinner with children may help to reduce (减少) the number of problems that develop in parent—child communication. The1was done among about 5, 000 middle school students in Chicago public schools.

    The students were studied at the beginning and the end of the sixth grade and again at the end of the seventh and the eighth grade. They were asked2they ate dinner with their parents. They were 3 asked how often their parents had a conversation(谈话)with them that lasted more than 104, praised(表扬) them when they did well, asked them where they were going and asked how they were doing in school. The study5the more parent—child communication, the6problems between them.

    Family meals are a good opportunity to7in touch with children, said Jayne Fulkerson, a member of the study team. "You can get to know8going on in their life better."

    However, Fulkerson also suggested that parents9suitable(合适的) topics(话题). Topics10grades and homework are not good choice.

Before I was in Grade Six, I was always the worst student in my class. But things became 1 . That's all because a new teacher, Miss Sadia, came to my school.

One day after 2 , she found that I didn't have lunch with my classmates, but eating alone(独自). 3 she came to me and began to talk to me. After that day, she gave me particular(特别的) 4 . I started to work hard because she gave me the feeling that someone believed in me. Her encouragement(鼓励) 5 me a lot. At the 6 of my first term in Grade Six, I came second in my class.

But later we seemed to get less 7 . Every time I came to talk with her, she just put on a cold, stony face. I didn't know 8 . When I was in Grade Seven, we hardly ever talked with each other. When I 9 middle school, I was out of touch with her. She 10 answered the phone when I called her.

Several years later, I went to a good university. One day, I 11 her at a party. I couldn't help asking her, "Why did you stop talking to me?"

"You are a 12 boy. I want you to be able to stand on your own two feet and try to 13 the best in you. Now here you are and I feel proud(骄傲的) of 14 ," She said. I could not say 15 , but I smiled. I'll always thank her.