In a small room, Jenny was lying in bed waiting for an operation (手术), nervous and worried. To her surprise, a new patient was sent into the room. After a kind greeting (打招呼), they began to talk. The 80-year-old newcomer was named Susan. She had two children. Her son was boss of a big company and her daughter worked in a TV station. As her children were too busy to take care of Susan, she lived in an old people's home. Susan was proud of her children who had wonderful jobs and made a lot of money. Jenny really envied (羡慕)Susan. Compared with Susan, Jenny was nothing but an ordinary (普通的) woman from the countryside. Her children were just ordinary workers.

Soon, it was supper time, Jenny's daughter cooked several dishes which were her favorite. Jenny invited Susan to share her supper, but she did not accept the invitation. Susan was expecting her daughter when she received a call. Unfortunately (不幸), her children couldn't come to visit her. Worse still, Susan had missed the mealtime in the hospital. She lay in bed, disappointed and silent. Jenny's daughter offered to buy her some food but she had no appetite (食欲) at all.

The next day, Jenny and Susan would go through a series of regular medical checks (一连串的常规检查) before the operation. Jenny's daughter took care of her carefully while Susan was still alone. Out of sympathy (出于同情), Jenny's daughter helped to queue up (排队), fill in different forms and register (挂号) for Susan. For several days in hospital, even during her operation, Susan's children didn't come. Susan really envied Jenny as her daughter looked after her all the time until she recovered and moved out of hospital.

Care from the loved ones can really make one happy and encouraged, especially for old parents. So don't forget to look after your parents even while you are busy working.

    Jack is 10 years old, and I am his pencil. I'm Jack's helper（助手）.

    Jack's pencil box is my home. I have some friends here. They are seven crayons, a ruler, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. Because Jack loves me, I'm the king（国王）in the pencil box. My friends and I are happy every day.

    Today, I am not happy because a pen comes in. It's new and beautiful. It's a music pen. It can not only write（写） but also sing（唱歌）. But I'm old and I can only help Jack to write. Jack likes it so much! The new pen is his helper now. It's the new king. What can I do now? Shall I go to a new home?

A long time ago, there lived a wise man named Zun-Nun in Egypt. A young man came to visit him and asked, "Teacher, why do you dress in1 a way? Nowadays it's necessary to dress neatly(整洁地), isn't it? Or how will people know you're really a 2 and wise man?"

Zun-Nun smiled, took a ring from his finger and said, "Young friend, I'll answer your question.3 first do one thing for me. Take this ring to the market. Can you sell it for one chip of gold?"

When the young man looked at Zun-Nun's dirty ring, he thought to 4 , "How will I sell it at that price?"

He 5 the ring to the vegetable, meat and fish traders and others in the market. But 6 was willing to pay a chip of gold.

He returned and told this to Zun- Nun. Zun-Nun said, "Now go to the gold shop and show the ring to the owner. Don't give a(n)7 , just see how much he will pay."

One hour8 , the young man was back. "Teacher, people in the market really didn't know the value of this ring. The gold shop owner 9 me 1,000 chips of gold."

Zun- Nun smiled. "That's the answer to your question, my friend, Someone can't be valued only from his 10 . The ring was a gift from the emperor," he said.

On a cold winter night, while I was waiting 1 the green light, I saw an old man walking toward me. He stopped me, and I felt a little nervous. The old man said 2 ," Excuse me. Could you please help me?"

Then the old man took out a 10- yuan bill(账单) and asked me 3 the money and buy one sweet potato from 4 old lady. She was selling something about fifty meters away in the corner.

" But why don't you go and buy it 5 ?"I was puzzled(迷惑的). The old man said," That old lady is my wife. And she 6 for six hours. Just now I called her. She told me that there was only one sweet potato left and she wouldn't go home until all the sweet potatoes were sold out(卖光). But I know she can't stand(忍受) the cold 7 her legs hurt. I'm very worried about her."

At that time, I could understand why the old man 8 me to buy his wife's sweet potato. I felt really warm. Without taking the money, I rode to the old lady 9 and bought the last one. As I waved goodbye to the old 10 , I could see him standing there with a big smile.

Long long ago a man went to India and he had never been there before. When he got there, he saw a lot of 1 , but much of it was expensive because they couldn't grow much for there was little water.2 he saw a big basket of some very red and long fruit. And it was the 3 in the shop.

He 4 and asked, "How much is each kilo?" and the shop keeper said, "Two rupees (卢比)." Two rupees in India was 5 . So he bought a whole kilogram of the fruit and started eating it. But after he ate some of it, oh, my god, his 6 watered, his mouth watered and burnt, and his face became red. He jumped up and 7 , saying, "Ah! Ah! Ah!"

But he still continued to eat the fruit! Some people who were looking at 8 shook their heads and said, "You're 9 , man. Those are chilies (辣椒)! You can't eat so many! People use them as a condiment (调料), but only a little bit to put into food for 10 . You can't just eat them like that."11 the silly man said, "No, I can't stop! I paid money for them, and now I'll eat them up. It's my money!"

And you think that man was silly, right? We sometimes do a lot of things like that. We 12 money, time or effort doing something. And even though it's been a long time. Hard experience tells us it won't 13 . And we know there's no more hope, we 14 continue just because we've put money, time, effort and love into it, just like the man who ate the chilies and felt so bad but couldn't 15 because he didn't want to waste the money he'd paid.