Having brothers or sisters means owning the most expensive gift in the world. With them, we do not have to live a 1 life and we can also learn a lot from them.

I 2 in a blue-collar (蓝领的) large family a few miles into the countryside outside Chicago. There were four 3 in my family and my parents lived a hard life to bring us up. Among all my sisters, Cynthia, who is four years older than I, has 4 me the most. Cynthia has never 5 to be different. She has always dared to point the unfair things out and 6 the way things were around us, trying to change the negative (消极的) situations through her own efforts. She has always had the 7 to look at life from a different and unusual perspective (角度). That made me 8 her very much. Her example gave me the courage to question things like her and taught me to explore my own world 9.

    Now we're both old 10 we're still exploring. We 11 a lot together each year and this year we're going to visit a few African countries. After experiencing more and more, I realize that it's great to grow old because without work to 12, you have more time to take trips and have adventures, like we are now. Cynthia and I have always been 13, and now in our 60s, we still keep a good relationship as ever. I'm so grateful to have such a sister.

    Do you have any brothers or sisters? If you do, you're in 14. They will be your lifelong wealth. Please 15 your time together and be a positive role model for the younger ones.

My first day of school

    Fear started taking over. I was walking into my first school in America. I had a long journey from India to join my parents, who had been here for three years, hoping America would help my future.

    On the first day, I was already confused because back in India the teachers switch(转换) according to periods while most of the students have the same periods, but here it was totally1.

    With anxiety(焦虑) on one hand and fear on the other, I opened the door 2. Since I was a bit late, everyone's eyes were on me as I entered the room. Without paying attention to them, I went straight to the teacher and asked if this was the right class. With a soft voice he answered, "Yes." His voice 3 me a little. Then he asked me to choose a seat. I didn't actually want to 4a seat. In India we had assigned (分配的) seats, so I never needed to worry about that.

    I was confused about which buildings to go to, but I 5to get to my classes without asking anyone. I was very confused about when I would have lunch. It was already noon. The bell rang and I entered my next class. Again, I asked the teacher if I was in the right class. Then I chose a seat, sat down and waited for the6 to begin. The teacher looked at me with a puzzled face, "Why don't you go for lunch?" "But the bell just rang," I said. "That is the lunch bell," she said. Without another word I 7for the cafeteria( 餐厅) . I felt lucky because we didn't have this in India.

    Every confusion seemed like a difficulty I had to get through to reach my 8. At the end of the day, at the school gate I found my bus and sat down inside happily. I was thinking, today wasn't so bad. I couldn't wait for the next day to come.

One day, our teacher, Mr. Sims, announced that the seventh grade field trip would be to a theme park. The classroom was filled with excitement as the girls discussed what they would wear and what they should bring with them. I sat back and listened, knowing that my parents did not have the money to send me. It made me 1 to feel so left out. But not Danny. He simply told everyone that he wouldn't be going. When Mr. Sims asked him 2 , Danny stood up and said, "It's too much money for me. My dad hurt his back and has been out of 3 for a while. I'm not asking my parents for money."

Sitting back down in his seat, Danny held his head up 4 , even though whispering had already begun. I could only sit quietly in my seat, knowing those 5 could be about me when they found out I would not be going either. 

"Dan, I'm very proud of you for 6 the situation that your parents are in," Mr. Sims replied. 

Seeing the students whispering in the back, Mr. Sims spoke again, only 7 . 

"This year, we're going to do things differently. The trip is not until the end of the month, so there's plenty of time for money 8 . Each student must bring in at least one idea for that. If a student doesn't want to help, then he or she will be staying here that day. Any 9 ?"

Of course, Shelly, the most popular girl in the class, spoke up. 

"Well, Mr. Sims, my parents can 10 it. Do I still have to help?"

"Shelly, this is not a matter of being rich or poor. Money is not just something that is handed to you when you get older. This will be a great learning experience for everyone, whether you have the money or not."

Almost every Saturday morning, Molly pulls a table into her front yard. On the table she lays out some 1 in season, such as carrots and tomatoes. They are all from her garden and free for her neighbors to 2 . "It's just lovely, like you walk by and get a beautiful gift around the corner," said a neighbor.

Molly started doing this in the summer of 2020. Earlier that year, a fire broke out in her house. Molly's 3 had a hard time. "People in the community came to 4 . They brought us food and often called to make sure we were doing fine. I was deeply 5 ," Molly said.

Then the pandemic(疫情) came. Molly and her family had much time to 6 in their garden. They decided to 7 what they grew in their garden.

 No one knew about it at first. But 8 , people got into the habit of coming around. They would stop by and leave with some vegetables. Molly's yard became a 9 place.

One thing Molly has learned from this experience is that people have to work together when days are 10 . She is glad that love has spread in this community.

There was a little kid studying in the 5th grade. Everyone in his class thought that he was one of the1 kids. His grades were so terrible that he himself thought the same. 

However, his poor progress didn't2 him as he cared nothing about studying but reading novels. He used to say to his mom, "Nothing matters except for reading." His mother was aware that her boy was not reaching his full potential (潜能) and decided to give him a way to do it. So, she set two rules for him. First, he was3 to watch TV shows or play outside only after finishing his homework. Second, while reading two books each week, he had to write a book report on each of them. 

The kid felt4 about these new rules and tried hard to talk his mother out of them. But his mother stood firm and the kid couldn't5 her. Before long, he saw the6 of his hard work, when he was the only one who knew the answer to a question the teacher asked the class. All his classmates and teachers, even the kid himself, felt surprised. The kid noticed that his7 came from books he was reading. He began to realize that he could8 his love for reading into learning. If he could learn just a few facts from books, he could learn anything. 

This was the way pointed out by the mother who knew what her boy was9 to do. The kid10 on his path of growth. Who was considered as the most stupid kid of class is now a world famous doctor, writer and politician. 

My father died when I was five. It was hard on us all. My brother, who is eight years older than me, began to take care of my mother and me. 

He took on more responsibilities. I remember he made sure the rubbish was taken out, and the yard was cleaned. He did all on his own, without being told to do so. 

Because of my father's death, Mom had to get a full-time job. Brother would get me up for school and make me breakfast. While I was eating, he would lay out my clothes, make my bed, and gather my school books up. 

Hand in hand we would walk to the bus stop. As we waited, he would play games my father used to play with me. When we returned from school, we were alone for about half an hour, until Mom got home from work. Before I did my homework, he would sit me down with three cookies and a glass of milk. Then he would prepare something for Mom to cook dinner. 

Mom would greet us with a hug and kiss. This was our time to have some fun outside. This was my brother's time to be a kid. 

One Saturday in June several years later, my mother and I were at a store where the Father's Day cards were sold. I stared at the cards. Mom said, "Cindy, I know this is hard time for you. "

"No, Mom. That's not it. Why don't they have Brother's Day cards?"

She smiled, "You're right. Your brother has exactly been a father to you. Go ahead to choose a card. "

I did so, and on that Father's Day, my mother and I sat my brother down and gave him the card. 

As he read it, I saw the tears in his eyes. Mom said, "Son, your father is proud of you, seeing that he raised a good man, and that you do   your best to fill his shoes. We love you and thank you. "