One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried 1 for hours as the farmer tried to figure out 2 to do. Finally he decided the animal was 3and the well needed to be 4 up anyway, so it just wasn't 5 it to rescue the donkey.

He invited all his 6to come over and help him. They all grabbed (握起) a shovel (铁铲) and began to shovel 7into the well. At first, the donkey 8what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's9, he was quiet.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked 10 the well and was 11 at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that12his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would 13 it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors 14 to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take another 15 up. Pretty soon, everyone was surprised as the donkey stepped up over the 16 of the well and ran off.

    Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The best way of 17 out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our18is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest 19 just by not stopping, never20! Shake it off and take a step upward!

    The whole school was talking about the coming trip at a winter camp. And everyone was 1, except me.

    "I'll hate it," I told my parents. "I'll get homesick (想家的). I'll look stupid at winter sports, and everyone will 2 me. "

    "You might be surprised, Bree," said Mom. "The only way to find out is to 3."

    "It's what growing up is all about," Dad added.

    When 4 the camp, we were asked to share one 5.

    "I'm afraid I'll be homesick," someone said.

    I wasn't the only one?! I began to 6. After lunch, we were asked to ski (滑雪) down to the field. I skied 7, but I still hit a piece of ice and 8.

    "Ha! Ha!" Behind me, somebody started laughing. I 9 to see who was making fun of me. To my 10, I saw a girl in the same awkward (尴尬的) position I was in. "I thought I'd be bad at this, 11 I'm worse than I expected!" she said.

    12, I started laughing too. After being so 13 of falling, it was a comfort not to fear it anymore.

    At dinnertime, I was so happy to be talking about interesting things that I 14 to feel homesick.

    The next day, I was 15 to try ski jumping first, even though I didn't want to. But when my feet left the ground, I felt I was 16 and it was wonderful.

    Maybe Dad was right when he said "You might 17 it if you give it a chance!"

    Maybe the kind of 18 Mom and Dad were talking about had more to do with my outlook (态度）than my looks. We all 19 fitting in and failing when we try 20 things. Sometimes you've got to fall on your face to discover how much you've got in common.

    One evening I was going back from a supermarket. As I 1 my car, I noticed that some person stood beside me. He was the one that could be 2 as a bum (流浪汉). It seemed that he was homeless. I 3 that he would ask me for money, but he did not do that. He only said, "Your car is very nice."

    After several moments of 4, I replied, "Thanks." And then the inner voice 5 to me, "Ask him if he needs help." After a short 6 I asked him that. His response was 7. I will never forget those simple three words "Don't we all?".

    It was a true 8 to me. I needed help, just as those in trouble. Although 9 I had money and a place to sleep, I 10 that I needed help too. Then I opened my wallet and 11 him enough money to get some shelter for a day.

    12 I understood that no matter how much money, 13, luxury things we have, we all need help. And on the other hand, no matter how 14 you are, how many material problems you have, you still might be giving. 15it's just a nice word, it can be 16 to other people.

    Maybe that man was just a homeless stranger, but to me he was 17 that. Maybe he was a man sent by God to 18 me that there is one thing, among all other 19, which is very important and irreplaceable for every person. Actually, it is a true 20 and it is called Giving.

    In the summer before I entered middle school, I read the book They Cage the Animals at Night. It's a story about Jennings, a boy living in various orphanages (孤儿院) with only his stuffed animal (毛绒玩具), Doggie, for companionship. It's a fascinating book, but little did I know how it would 1 my life and the lives of others.

    One day, as I looked across my room at the pile of stuffed animals, a(n) 2 came to me. I would 3 stuffed animals for children like Jennings. 4, I contacted agencies that support those children and they said the stuffed animals would certainly 5 children's spirits.

    I named my project "Cuddle Buddies". I wrote articles for the local and school newspapers, 6 donations of the "buddies"—stuffed animals. My phone 7 ringing; schools, families, and toy factories all wanted to help. Much to my 8, by the second week my living room looked like a zoo. Whenever Mom and I 9 the "buddies" to the agencies, the kids would be waiting there with their eyes down, too 10 to look but shaking with excitement.

    Six years after its launch, Cuddle Buddies continues to 11. Now over 25, 000 stuffed animals have been 12 to agencies worldwide. Simon, a seven-year-old boy in an African Children's Home, couldn't sleep at night after he lost his parents. When asked to choose his "buddies", Simon 13 a panda and soon after was sleeping through the night. I never dreamed Cuddle Buddies would 14 this way.

    Upon graduation from high school, I designed a website, www. cuddlebuddies. net, to 15 the project. The response was 16. More and more people joined me and two dozen Cuddle Buddies 17 were established across the nation.

    This has been a great experience. I've learned how to follow through on an idea and how to18 impact a life. I will go to college with these 19 in mind and continue my work with Cuddle Buddies, even when I 20 a whole new set of exciting academic and nonacademic pursuits.

    Clara Daly was seated on an Alaska Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles when a flight attendant(服务员)asked an urgent question over the loudspeaker: "Does anyone on board know American Sign Language?" Clara, 15, 1 the call button. The flight attendant2and explained the situation. We have a passenger on the plane who's 3and deaf", she said. The passenger seemed to want something, but he was traveling alone and the flight attendants couldn't4what he needed.

    Clara had been studying ASL for the past year and was able to finger spell on the man's5. So she6her seat belt, walked toward the front of the plane, and7by the seat of the passenger, Tim Cook Gently taking his hand, she8: How are you? Are you OK?" Tim asked for some water. When it9, Clara returned to her seat. She came again a bit later because Tim wanted to know the10. Clara got him to know that it was nearly 10 a. m. On her third 11, she stopped and stayed for a while.

    "Wow, this is cool," Clara said to the flight attendant. In fact, he didn't need anything. He was just12and wanted to talk. "

    So for the next hour, they were both13, chatting with each other. She talked about her family and her14 for the future(she wants to be a politician). Tim told Clara how he had15become blind over time and16stories of his days as a traveling salesman.

    "Clara was17, " the flight attendant told New York Times during an online18. "You could see Tim was very excited to have someone he could19with, and Clara was like a(an)20, appearing in need, unexpectedly. "

    Cook's reaction: "Best trip I've ever had."

When going through a serious illness, you learn to know what love and beauty really are. I know this 1 too well, because I've experienced a terrible illness myself.

I was diagnosed with both breast and colon (结肠) cancer at the same time, and my entire 2 on life completely changed. I thought I had it rough after having to 3 my daughter alone, but going 4 cancer made my previous years seem like times of delight. When you 5 from a serious illness like cancer, it makes you wonder what you did to 6 such a thing.

The love of my family helped me to forget my 7, however. Their love was the greatest reason why I had to fight the cancer and live. At times, I didn't think I would 8 it, but because of the unconditional love of my family, I found out who's there at this most critical time of my life. Through it all, not only did I find what love truly means, but I found what true 9 really is. Through all the 10 I endured, I still felt beautiful.

Whether we're dealing with an illness or any other 11 feeling about ourselves, we still need to feel beautiful-on both the outside and the inside.

Each passing day I'm allowed to open my eyes, the days are 12, because I'm able to see and appreciate it much more. True beauty is 13 and when you feel beautiful on the inside, it shows so clearly on the outside.

14, I could not have done or felt the way I did and still do without my family. I feel within my heart that I 15 cancer just so I could continue to share my life with them, while sharing my story with others.

I share my story with others as I hope to make a positive impact on those who are ill or just feeling 16. We as people should never allow anything to 17 our joy or self-esteem. We can turn something terrible like cancer into something positive 18 we focus on the great things that come out of it.

19 all, it's at the worst times of our lives that the best things can 20, and when we survive a tragedy, it is for a reason.