Have you ever been to America? I was only an 11-year-old girl when my parents 1 me that we would soon move to America. We were on the bus then. I cried. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never 2 the radio programme for school children again which I listened to every morning.

    In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying 3 to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving, I even felt a little 4 because I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures.

    The first four years in America taught me the 5 of optimism (乐观), but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost. I had to study in three schools and spent most of my time learning the English language. I hardly had any time for 6. Sometimes I did not quite know what l was or what I should be. My mother 7 and things became even harder for me. It took me some time to get used to staying with my stepfather (继父). I was often 8, and saw no end to "the hard times". I had to do many things for the family since I knew English better than everyone else at home.

    9, things got better and better later and almost all common troubles 10 at last. From those experiences I have learnt one important rule: Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little.

The list for the sixth-grade basketball team was announced online. I was a little worried because I knew how much my 12-year-old son wanted to make the team

I read the list of 13 names for a few minutes. Finally, I had to tell myself that my son wasn't among the players who were allowed to continue playing I felt sad. I wished it would be about victory. Like every parent, I love to say, "You did it! "

Instead, I had to give my son a speech to comfort my son, which was a lot less exciting, but probably more important. It was not really a speech, but a further discussion about spirit, courage and not giving up. Although it was painful for me to see myself so disappointed(失望), I needed to keep my own feelings in check Sure, I wanted to call he coach to say he made a big mistake, but I would not. Nor would I let my son know that I thought it unfair(不公平的). Instead, I put my own feelings aside and let my son have a safe place to calm down his own moods. And when he was done, I needed to encourage him to continue to improve skills. That day was a loss, but the only way to get another was to put on his trainers and get on the basketball court again.

My son is 15 years old now. And, after being cut from the team for three years in a row(连续地), he got to see his name on the list for the high school team. Last week, my husband and I watched him play in his first game. The smile on his face when he made his first shot in is something I will never forget After so many failures, it was a win that didn't come easy for him. And it wouldn't have happened if he had given up trying 

 It was about 1:00 in the morning. It was bright light in my neighbor's kitchen. I thought he might be having midnight food so I went back to my bed. Soon, there was a burning smell and I realized there must be something wrong. I jumped out of bed at once and went to have a look. I saw fire coming out of his kitchen. I shouted, "Fire! Fire!" But nobody heard me. I ran quickly to my house and called the Fire Department(消防队) and went back to my neighbor's house.

I knocked at the door and called my neighbor's name, but there was no answer. I tried to break into the house and saved a cat and a chicken. Then I poured water through the kitchen window but it was no use, because the fire was too big. Luckily, the firemen arrived and put out the fire in time.

 When my neighbor came back, he was sad because his kitchen was burnt down, but he thanked me for calling the Fire Department and saving his pets.

A week later, my neighbor invited me to his home for dinner. In his new kitchen, he took a photo of me. Later on, he gave me the photo as a gift. It made me happy.