My car needed some mechanical work that I could not do myself. Since the garage I had been taking my car to had 1, my friend Dave gave me a recommendation: D's Auto Repair.

    I was pleasantly 2 to discover that the owner of D's was a mechanic who had worked on my car several years earlier. 3 he was an employee at a gas station near my house. I knew that his work was good.

    I 4 the paperwork for the repair and 5 while D took a phone call from another customer. As I sat there, I looked around the small office to keep myself 6 A framed newspaper article caught my attention. The headline 7: "Local Dairy Farmer Kills Whole Herd.” The article was about the 8 of a fifth-generation dairy farmer during the polluted milk scare in Michigan several years earlier. Dairy cows were becoming 9 a disease that was affecting the milk supply. The fifth-generation dairy farmer paid to have all of his cows 10. It was found that out of the entire herd, only a few were were infected. Because no one could 11 that the other cows were totally 12, he had the herd killed and buried to make consumers feel rest assured(放心). The farmer's insurance did not cover his 13 because the state had not issued a(n) 14 for him to get rid of the herd. Asked why he did it, the farmer replied "Because it was the right thing to do.

    I asked D why he 15 the article on the wall. I thought that he might be related to or 16 knew the farmer. He said he had never met the man, but that the farmer was a(n) 17 to him and set a standard for integrity(正直), trust and honesty. He said that is how he 18 his auto Repair business.

    I was now doubly 19 by both the farmer and D. The next year, 20 my recommendation, my son started a nine-month mechanics apprenticeship(学徒) at D's Auto repair.

    Anna Douglas was 72 years old when she started writing her newspaper column. She had been a school teacher before she retired (退休), but she needed to keep 1. She was even willing to work without pay. She then offered her 2 with a business that helped other businesses find jobs for old people. Every day she 3 other old folks like her. By talking with them, she 4 two things. Old people had abilities that were not 5. But old people also had some 6. She found a new purpose for herself then.

    Through the years, she 7 to write stories about people for national magazines. There was now a new 8: Old people like herself. She began to write a newspaper column called "Sixty Plus", which was about 9 old. She wrote about the problems of old people, especially their problems with being 10.

    Anna Douglas used her 11 ability to see the truth behind a problem. She understood 12 problems began. For example, one of her 13 said that his grandchildren 14 the houses as soon as he came to visit. Mrs Douglas 15 some ways for him to understand his grandchildren.

    "It's important to know 16 about your grandchildren's world," said Mrs Douglas. "That means questioning and listening, and 17 is not what old people do best. Say good things to them and about them," she continued. "Never try to 18 your grandchildren or other young people. Never 19 your opinion. Don't tell them what they should do. 20, they have been taught they should have respect for old people. The old should respect them as well."

My childhood memories involve sitting with my dad in his study every night. When he came home from work, he would put his 1items away: his watch, wallet, comb and car keys which would always 2the same spot on the table.

Dad's 3was jade green. He bought it when he married Mum, which made it two years older than I was. Every night, he would smile, and hand me the comb: "Be a good girl and help Daddy 4it, OK?"

I would excitedly turn the tap on, and brush it with a used toothbrush. When I 5returned it to Dad, he would smile at me, and place it on top of his wallet.

Two years later, I started primary school. That was6Dad's business wasn't doing so well, He didn't come home as 7as he used to, and when he did, it was always late and I'd already be in bed. So the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me 8.

Now 28, I've 9from college and got a job. One day last year, Dad came home early. I helped him carry his bags into his10. When I turned to leave, he said: "Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb? It's been a while since I 11cleaned it." I looked at him a while, then took the comb, and headed to the sink. It hit me then: why, as a child, helping my dad clean his comb was such a joy. That routine meant that my dad was home early to spend the evening with Mum and me. It meant a happy and loving family. With 12in my eyes, I brushed it with an old toothbrush.

When I 13the clean comb back to him, Dad looked at it, smiling, and then carefully put it on his wallet. But this time, I had noticed something different: Dad has 14. He has wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiles, yet his smile is still as 15as before.

   A year back I received a full scholarship(全额奖学金) to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, got involved in(参与) various clubs, and graduated with honors. I was so excited to start a new chapter(篇章) of my life. I had totally packed two weeks before it was time to leave. 
    Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn't like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep. I was so homesick and I didn't know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a ton of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn't think how lonely I felt. 
    Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced(坚信) that controlling this number was the solution for my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind. 
    How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight(连续的) A's. That's why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.

My cousin and I took a trip by rail across Canada from west to east. Before starting out, we spent a couple of days in Vancouver, admiring the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (sight). Then we arose early to take the train to Lake Louise, passing through the Canadian Rockies. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (see) from the train window, the mountains and forests looked {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (mass). We spent the night near the lake, where the blue water literally took our breath away, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} headed to Jasper the next morning. The beautiful scenery convinced us it was the most awesome journey we {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (take). From Jasper, we boarded the train bound {#blank#}6{#/blank#} Toronto. One of our first stops was in Edmonton, which {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (be) home to many shopping malls. We never anticipated seeing such an open country until the train headed across the Great Prairie. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} amazed us most were a bunch of farms covering two wheat-growing provinces. The train thundered on, through the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (roll) hills in Ontario. It was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (true) enjoyable to watch the red maple leaves outside the window. After four days, we reached Toronto.

An Orego n teenager Marcos Ugartes is being praised as a hero after he saved a young boy from a house fire.

The fire broke out just after 10 p. m. Monday. Marcos Ugartes and his dad were sitting on the couch in their home when they heard 1 down the street. As soon as they realized the screaming was coming from the house down the street, they 2 some residents were just arguing. But Marcos Ugartes noticed the flames（火焰）. Then Marcos and his dad took off running for their neighbor's house.

After learning that an 8-year-old Cody Ma was still 3 inside the home, Marcos Ugartes didn't think 4 about running down the street with his father to 5 the boy from the flames that broke out on the second story of the home.

Marcos Ugartes grabbed a ladder（梯子）and 6 to the second floor to the boy's room. He 7 the window and finally rescued the 8 trapped inside.

The Ugartes had never met the Ma family before the 9 . All that has changed, and now they are forever 10 . Cody's father said of the Ugartes, "I may never forget their 11 because they're my heroes. They're my son's heroes forever."

The Ma family expressed their 12 to Marcos on Tuesday, thanking him for his 13 by giving him a card and flowers.

Marcos told ABC News he got a lot of 14 from fellow students. The Gresham Fire Department plans to 15 Marcos later this year.