In the middle of a beautiful day, I was feeling lost, as if the world was crashing on me. didn't know which way to go, except to head out to the countryside. I went to the spot where I used to take my kids-when I still had kids. Now they had  1and were leaving.

I was sitting alone in my car when I saw a man in his seventies, whose problem appeared bigger than mine. He stood near the edge of the road,2a kite spindle(风筝线锭) in his hands. Apparently, lost in thought, he stared skyward. I 3my neck to see how successful he had been in 4 the clouds. Following his string with my eyes, I almost lost5 of the other end. Finally, the kite rested on what seemed to be the highest branch of the 6tree in the park.  Obviously,  that was his grandson's kite!  The kite was a replica (复制品) of a beautiful bald eagle, and its wings spread 70pen. Grandpa had only one 8to his problem: cut the string.

"You wanted it to fly as high as it could. Bill. didn't you?" "Yes, Grandpa,9 wanted to keep it forever. " "There just comes a time when the only thing you can do is to cut the string and let it go. Perhaps by doing that, when it flies very high like real eagles do, it will come back to us. " Grandpa said.

    I 10 how the old man cut the string to let fly the kite. As the two walked away, looked to the 11. There I saw my answer, too. Today I have to cut the final strings that kept my two boys 12my reach. Though I want to keep them forever, I have taught them to fly like an eagle. Maybe by doing this, when it's time to soar like real eagles do. one day they would come back to me.

    You may not realize it, but you are doing much more than just studying when you are at school. School is also the place 1you socialize and learn to get along with people. But this is  2easy. What can you do 3you just don't like one of your classmates?

    If you discover that you have problems 4your classmates or friends, the most important thing to learn is tolerance. Tolerance is the 5to recognize and respect the 6in others. We cannot change the way that other people act , 7it is important to learn to live happily with them.

    Practicing tolerance will allow everyone to form better 8with each other. Getting to know someone may help you 9 why they do things 10from you. It is important to remember that just because something is different does not mean that it is bad. 11 teaches us to keep an even temper and open mind.

    One thing to  12is the old saying, "Treat others how you want  13". You would like to be treated kindly by your classmates, so it is  14to treat them with equal kindness. If you tolerate 15 it does not mean that you have to like it. No one is asking you to 16who you are or what you believe in. Tolerance just means that you will be 17of the differences in others and not try to make them change.

    It is important to 18tolerance because it will make everyone's lives easier. Learn to 19people for their different abilities and interests. The world is a very  20place, and practicing tolerance in your own school and city can help make a difference.

    When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Reader's Digest wrote about impressive rescues. The spirit of serving can be incredibly 1 Here is a story from Annalysa Longworth, a survivor of Hurricane Maria, in her own 2.

    “The total 36 hours of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was 3 the scariest event we've ever gone through. Our house sits on the north-west coast of Rincón. In the 4, over 100 mph winds changed direction causing a great amount of water flooding our 5. The only place left dry and safe was our kitchen floor, where we were 6 to ride out the rest of the storm. It has been 50 days since the 7, and we are still without power and water. During our regular afternoon showers, we are glad to 8 rainwater but are quickly reminded of the people living without roofs, and how 9 it must be for them. Our emotions are consistently in a state of 10.

    Recently, our good friends told us about a video interview they were doing with Watts of Love, a solar light company. The company generously gave us a headlamp for our personal 11 and a box with 50 headlamps to distribute throughout our town. Rincón was completely blacked out so making a simple walk through a parking lot to our car is 12. We used to rush to get things done before 13, but now I continue daily chores in the dark. What 14 our lives most was being able to share this gift with others. We 15 the lamps house by house to the people in the mountains who needed them most, as even batteries and candles are 16 there. Even though 17 have come slowly, people have been out of work and can't afford to 18 their electric bill. I'll always be 19 to Watts of Love for allowing us to pay it forward and be witnesses to the smiles that 20 can bring.”

    A storm was coming, but Alex was too busy fixing her leg bandage to notice it. She said to herself, "Great. I 1 myself the week before Cross Country Running tryouts (锦标赛). I am so 2. Why did I think running through the forest would be a good idea in the first place?"

    After 3, Alex went to the kitchen and poured herself some lemonade. She opened the door to her 4 and sat down outside. "Every year, I work so hard and yet, I always 5," Alex said. This year, I was one spot away from Varsity(校队). The previous 6, I handed in my medical forms late …"

    Suddenly there was a flash of 7 sounds like it's going to be a thunderstorm, Alex thought and 8 to head inside. She tried to 9 the door, only to find that she had locked herself out. 10, Alex shook the door handle 11 back and forth. As she took a quick step backwards, she lost her 12 and fell down. "Why me?" she yelled. "Why did this all happen to me?" Once Alex 13 to pull herself up, she sat silently on the staircase. As rapidly as the rain poured from the sky, so did the 14 stream down Alex's face. Alone and wet, Alex cried until all the 15and wetness of the day washed away. Finally, when she16crying, she looked up at a suddenly 17 image of her backyard. The air felt light and the sun shone through the clouds. 18 her leg still felt stiff, Alex tore off the 19 and stood up. "I will take part in the Cross Country this year and I will make Varsity," Alex 20 with a breath of inspiration, "Nothing will stop me."

A Game of Light and Shade

    It was a sunny day. I had gone up and down the tower when, outside the door at the foot, a blind man came toward me. In a moment, he disappeared up the stairs. I looked at the sign that said "To the Tower", and decided to1him.

    I caught up with him in the ticket office. There I was2to see the attendant (工作人员) selling him a ticket as if he were any other visitor. Then, with the ticket in one hand and3the wall with the fingers of the other, the blind man reached the stairs4to the hallway.

    "That man is blind. What would a blind man climb up the tower for?" I said to the attendant, expecting him to show some5, but he didn't answer.

"Not the6certainly," I said. "Perhaps he wants to7."

    I bought a ticket and8up the stairs. The man hadn't gone as far as I9. A third of the way up the tower, I heard his10. I slowed down and followed him at a little11. He stopped from time to time. When he got to the balcony (阳台), I was a dozen steps12. As I reached it, I saw him at the corner of the tower.

    At last, after ten minutes, I13him. "Excuse me," I said as politely as I could, "but I am curious to know14you came up."

    He smiled. "Coming up the stairs, you will notice how not just light but sun 15into the tower through the narrow windows here and there, so that you can feel the16—the cool stairs suddenly become quite warm—and how up here behind the wall there is17, but as soon as going opposite a window you can find the sun. There is no18so good as this for feeling the difference between light and shade. It is not the first time I've come up."

    The blind man seemed quite19, just like a child who was enjoying his favorite games. He told me the truth that blind men can also find the beauty in life20 they cannot enjoy the sights of the world.

    The sun is shining brightly out of my window. But there is no 1 in my heart. I still feel really cold.

    After the first remedy(治疗), I never feel any better. Everyone 2 me not to move anywhere. Even a little cut may 3 my life.

    “Honey,” Mommy said to me with manful 4 in her eyes. “Please go on. You're 5 enough to live on!”

    “Don't worry,” I smiled, “I'm OK, Mommy. I'll never give up.” Mommy smiled as 6 after hearing my words.

    But how can I go on? It's I who have spent each penny in my family which was 7 by my parents for their whole lives. It's my blood cancer that made 8 become old overnight, but they still have to smile and 9 me though they're being killed by the much more sorrow than I am.

    In fact, we have had no money to pay for the 10 remedy. I don't know 11 I have to be paid for so much to keep the little time in my life. It's really12.

    I don't want to be the criminal. I don't want to leave the world with an empty family and my 13 parents. I don't want to be the heavy 14 of my family in my last days.

    Suddenly all is black. I passed out 15. I don't know how many times I passed out and 16. I wish this is the last time.

A familiar song comes to my mind:

    “Mama, you gave life to me, 17 a baby into a lady; Mama, all I have to offer was a guarantee of you loving me…”

    I don't know if I'm still 18. But I'm sure I can see the drops of tears 19 from Mommy's eyes and she is smiling. She said to me, “Baby, I know you're leaving. I know I can't 20 you from leaving me. Take care of yourself whether you're in the human world or not. I will always love you!”