When I saw Yosemite National Park for the first time at the age of 13, I was crazy about it. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to El Capitan, a 1 rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew 2 I wanted to climb it. That has been my life's passion (钟爱) ever since —— 3 the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I've long made Yosemite my 4.

    About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of 5, like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It's 6 me why visitors started respecting the place 7 and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.

    I tried 8 trash myself, but the job was too big. I would 9 an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so 10 it that I decided something had to change.

    As a rock-climbing guide, I knew 11 about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a 12. On that day, more than 300 people 13. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to 14. I couldn't believe the 15 we made —— the park looked clean!

    Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and 16 132 miles of roadway.

    I often hear people 17 about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by 18 rather than complaining. We need to teach by 19. You can't blame others 20 you start with yourself.

    After the quake hit northeast Japan on March 11, many moving stories that I saw with my own eyes happened around me.

    I had to walk home since all the 1 had stopped after the earthquake. On my way home I 2 an old lady at a bakery shop who was giving out free bread, which made my heart 3. A man was holding a sign that said, “Please use our 4.” He was 5 his house for people to go to the restroom.

    My friend wanted to 6 others. He stood in the cold with a sign “If you're okay with a motorcycle, I will 7 you to your house.” And then I saw him take one gentleman home, all the way to a faraway place! 

    Then next day I drove to 8 my car with gas. There is a lack (缺乏) of 9  now and many gasoline stations are either closed or have very 10 lines. I got 11, since I was behind 15 cars. Finally, when it was my 12, the man smiled and said, “13 this situation, we are only giving $30 worth gas per person. Is that alright?” “14. I'm just glad that we are all able to 15,” I said. His smile gave me so much comfort.

    I saw a man at the evacuation (疏散) center 16when people brought food to him. It was the first time in three days that food was brought to their center. However, after he wiped the tears, his next 17 surprised me. “I am very 18 that we are provided with food. But people in the city next to us haven't 19 any food at all. Please go to that center as well.” And when hearing that, I realized there is a bright future in the 20.

    On the night of the play, Jack was at the theatre early and he was already dressed in a suit of policeman's clothes long1the end of the first scene. He certainly looked the part all right, he thought as he2himself in the mirror.

    Then he suddenly felt nervous. After all, it was his first time to3a part in a play. 4could he face all those people watching the play? He put his head in his hands and tried to5his lines（台词）, but nothing6to his mind.

    A knock on the door made him look7. He was to go on stage（舞台） in the second scene. "Have I 8my part and ruined（破坏）the play for everybody？" he thought to himself. But9was only the manager.  She10how nervous he was and11he should stand near the stage12he could watch and follow the play. It was a good13of getting rid of his nervousness, she said. She was right; it seemed to 14. In fact the more he watched the play, the15he felt himself part of it.

    At last the16came for him to appear on the stage.  But suddenly the manager came to him again, 17worried as she placed a hand on his arm to18him back. "Has anything gone19？" Jack asked. "I'm afraid you're going to be20, " she said. "They've jumped three pages of the play and have missed your part out completely. "

    There are many kinds of friends. Some are always 1 you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only 2 friends leave footprints.

    I shall always recall the autumn and the girl with the 3. She will always bring back the friendship between us, I know she will always be my best friend.

    It was the golden season. I could see the yellow leaves 4on the cool 5. In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, 6to the sound of them.

    Autumn is a 7season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me8. But one day, the sound of a violin 9 into my ears like a stream （小溪） flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was 10 in playing her violin.

    I had 11seen her before. The music was so nice that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn't know that I had been 12there for so long but my existence did not seem to disturb her.

    Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building 13 I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became 14. 15we didn't know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believe she also loved me.

    Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly16. To my astonishment, the girl came over to me.

    “You must like violin. ” she said.

    “Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.

    Suddenly, a 17expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.

    “I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that 18me. ” she said.

    “In fact, it was your playing 19gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let's be friends.”

    The girl smiled, and so did I.

    I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure of the girl. She is like a 20 — so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.

    When most of us get a text message on our cell phone from an unknown person, we usually say "sorry, 1 number!" and move on. But when Dennis Williams 2 a text that clearly wasn't intended for him, he did something 3.

    On March 19, Dennis got a group text 4 him that a couple he didn't know were at the hospital, waiting for the 5 of a baby.

    "Congratulations! But I think someone was mistaken," Dennis 6. The baby was born and update texts were 7 quickly from the overjoyed grandmother, Teresa. In her 8, she didn't seem to realize that she was 9 the baby's photos with a complete stranger. "Well, I don't 10 you all but I will get there to take pictures with the baby," replied Dennis before asking which room the new 11 were in.

    Much to the family's surprise, Dennis stuck to his 12! He turned up at the hospital 13 gifts for the new mother Lindsey and her baby boy. Lindsey's husband was totally 14 by the unexpected visit. "I don't think we would have randomly invited him over but we 15 it and the gifts."

    Teresa 16 a photo of the chance meeting on a social networking website 17 by the touching words: "What a 18 this young man was to our family! He was so 19 and kind to do this." The post has since gained the 20 of social media users all over the world, receiving more than 184,000 shares and 61,500 likes in just three days.

    When my sister Diane began playing the violin, she was seven. How did she sound? Terrible. But she didn't 1. At twelve, she asked our parents if she could 2 a full-time music school. They said no. Actually, everyone agreed that my sister 3 talent.

    I was better at my 4. My teacher had told my parents that I had great 5. So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to 6  me. But the only time he was 7 was Saturday afternoons at 3 pm. Back then, I was 8 by the British TV show "The Avengers", which was 9 every Saturday at 3 pm. I let nothing take up my "The Avengers" hour. So I 10 this amazing opportunity. Today, I don't even have a 11 in my house.

    My sister became an engineer, but she 12 stopped making music. When she was in her 40s, she changed her 13. She went back to college, got a(n) 14 in music education, and became a music teacher. She starts kids out on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never 15.

    Recently, she and a pianist pal put on a recital. A big crowd of friends and family 16 for her. As she played, I looked around at the 17. Everyone was 18 enjoying the music. It occurred to me that I was the only person who remembered that 7-year-old kid making those perfectly 19 sounds and knew how far she had come, despite 20.

    Talent is important. But enthusiasm is even more important.