A Different View

    At age 14, 15 and 16, the way we looked was the most important thing in the world to us. My friends and I wanted nothing less than perfection.

    In high school, we joined the gymnastics team, and our 1became even more important to us. We had no fat, only muscle. On the weekends, we would go to the beach, 2 of our flat stomachs.

    One summer day, all my friends were at my house 3. At one point, I was running back to the pool. I 4 on a bee, and while it was dying under my foot, it stung (蛰) me. I instantly started to feel 5. That night, I began to run a high fever and my leg and foot were red, hot and swollen. I couldn't walk. I could barely6.

    When my foot started to go numb, everyone became more 7. My foot was not getting enough blood. I had to go to the 8, and my leg hurt as if it were badly broken. I couldn't move. All I could do was think about how soft my middle was becoming. That 9 me more than any concern over my leg.

    That would all 10 when I heard the doctors mention possibly cutting off my foot. It was still not getting the 11 supply it needed. The doctors would have to speed up their treatment.

    Never before did I have such great 12 for my foot. And walking seemed like a 13 from the gods. Less and less would I want to hear my friends talk about 14 and who was wearing what. More and more I expected visits from other kids in the hospital, who were quickly becoming my friends.

    One girl came to visit me 15. Every time she came, she brought flowers. She was recovering from cancer and felt she should come back and 16 the other patients.

    She still had no hair, and she was swollen from medications she had been taking. I would not have given this girl a second 17 before. I now loved every inch of her and looked forward to her 18.

    Finally, I was improving and soon I went home. My leg was still swollen, 19 I was walking, and I had my foot! When I would go back to the hospital, I often saw my friend. She was still visiting people and 20 good cheer. I thought if even there was an angel on this earth, it had to be her.

    One morning, the door to the classroom opened and a new teacher, Mrs Cosby, walked in. She looked too 1 to handle us. And we sure gave her a 2 time，but she never lost her temper. And then came the last day of the first month. She 3 a bunch of papers”. We4the worst—a test. But oh no, it was something that totally 5 us.

    Mrs Cosby asked us to come to the front of the class, and gave each of us a piece of 6, on which she had written what the student had been 7 at during the last month. You see, no one had ever 8 us. No one had ever liked us. We were constantly told what good - for - nothing Students we were. And here,9 ， was someone who had been 10 us closely for a month. We made things as difficult for her as we could. And yet she could find something 11 to say about each of us.

    Mrs Cosby did this every12 from then on. Each month we got a piece of paper that emphasized our 13 She commented on my courage, how punctual I was, how good to 14 arguements if I wanted. Her positive attitude transformed our class. We did not want to 15 her feelings anymore. We actually started to 16.

    And then came the day of our graduation. Mrs Cosby hugged us and told us with tears in her eyes how 17 she was of us. Then she 18each one of us a book. All the encouraging words through the years were there, in hard covers.

    She said, “I want you each to keep this book and if ever during your life you feel unworthy, 19this and read how good you are. You can be anything you want to be 20 you believe in yourself. Promise me you'll remember that!”

    I was a single(单身的) parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but I 1 to make ends meet(收支平衡), and if not a lot, 2 we had enough. Not knowing we were poor, my kids just thought I was 3. I've always been glad about that.

    It was Christmas time, and although there wasn't 4 for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big 5for the kids was the fun of Christmas 6. They planned weeks ahead of time, asking 7 what they wanted for Christmas. 8, I had saved $120 for gifts to be shared by all five of us.

    The big day 9. I gave each kid a twenty-dollar bill and 10 them to look for 11 of about four dollars each. Then everyone went away excitedly. We had two hours to shop and 12 back at the “Santa's Workshop”.

    Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, 13 my youngest daughter, Ginger, who was unusually 14. She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies —fifty-cent candies! I was very doubtful but I didn't say anything 15 we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door. This is what she told me:

    “I was looking 16 thinking of what to buy when I 17 to read the little cards on the “Giving Trees”. One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll. So I took the card off the tree and 19 the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn't have anything.”

    I never felt so 20 as I did that day.

    The big day had finally arrived. I had won the local speech contest(比赛),representing Madison Middle School. Here it 1the state competition. I waited backstage for the host to announce2name.

    3I had practiced much, I was extremely nervous.  My heart was thumping my palms4, and my mouth was dry. “Calm down,” I told myself. Still, picturing an audience of teachers, parents and classmates made me want5totally.

    Mr. Patrick6taught me to give speeches, reminded me, “You'll do great. You're prepared. You've come this far.”

    Mr. Patrick was right. I was ready7this, and besides, I won first place in the8contests. Yet, when I pictured9eyes on me waiting for me to mess up, my heart was gradually sinking into my stomach.

    “You10back out now,” I told myself as Mr. Nichols, the host, announced my name and the title of my speech, “My Hero.”

    When the one-year anniversary(周年) of my mother's passing came around, I found myself in the kitchen preparing some of her favorite dishes. I hadn't planned this, 1 there I was, making her famous soup from the turkey I had roasted the day before.

    As I was cooking, some of the deep sadness I was experiencing at this one-year mark moved through me. I loved working with mom in the kitchen but now thinking about her, I began to feel more 2.

    While the 3 boiled in my kitchen, I realized that I was reconnecting with my mother through 4. I laughed a bit at myself when I thought about all the dishes I had cooked that week. 5 knowing it, I had created a beautiful ritual (仪式) to honor my mother and to 6 myself at this time. I suddenly felt my mother at hand and this place was filled with her presence. I was so 7 that I began talking to her, acting 8 she were here with me.

    "What else should we make?" I asked us both, wanting to keep the ritual from 9.

    "Irish Potato Pancakes" was the reply.

    10 I made potato pancakes was two and a half years ago. I had 11 my engagement (订婚) ring to make the dough (面团), and never found it again. Since then, I 12 to use that recipe (菜谱) even though I really liked those pancakes. It's sort of 13 but I never considered making them again, treating them as if they were to blame for the loss of my ring.

    My mom knew how 14 I was about losing my ring. I had always called her whenever I lost something. She had a talent for helping me find my way to lost things, 15 this time.

    I reached for the 16 without another thought of the ring. My mom did love Irish things and these were delicious. I opened the large cookbook and 17 the pancake recipe. At once, 18 at the bottom of the page 19. There, pressed into the pages of the cookbook, was my diamond ring! I slipped my ring onto my trembling hand and a smile filled my soul as I whispered, "Thanks, mom."

    That day, I made potato pancakes 20the shape of hearts.

    One sunny afternoon, a seven-year-old girl went for a walk. She crossed a large area of grassland into the woods 1 she realized that she was lost.

    Sitting on a rock and 2 what to do, she began crying. After a while, She 3 to walk along a wide path lined with tall trees and thick bushes. 4 it was getting dark, she saw a small, dark wooden house. She opened the door and 5 stepped in. Suddenly, she heard a strange noise, and she ran out of the door and back to the 6 . Cold and tired, she fell asleep near a 7.

    The girl's parents were out and her dog, Laddy, was at home. Laddy 8 that his mistress was in danger. He jumped 9 a window, breaking the glass. He looked in the fields. But he couldn't find his mistress anywhere. However, from the ground came a10 scent (气味) as he lowered his head. He 11 the scent and walked across the grassland. Barking 12 into the air, the dog 13 through the woods until he found the 14. But the girl was not there, so he headed back to the woods. Much to his 15, he saw his mistress' blue shirt in the distance. He 16 over some bushes and saw the little stream, where the girl was 17.

    When she opened her eyes and18her dog standing beside her, the girl said, "you19me, Laddy," and she kissed him several times. Seeing their daughter and dog coming back, the parents burst into tears of 20. That night Laddy had a hero's supper: a huge meal of steak.