"Somebody just died," my daughter Kathy begins. "Somebody was just born," I answer, smiling. "Somebody is 1," she replies.

    "Somebody is laughing,"

    This is our game. It's our secret way of being 2at the complexity (复杂性) of the world.

    I was 3our game yesterday as Molly, my 15-year-old pet dog, lay beside me. Molly was 4a companion. She was part of me. But she was 5.

    Molly was given to me as a puppy and has been my side ever since. But she started to walk slowly and then6when I took her out the other day.

    "She is ready to go," I told my husband.

    One day, I wandered down the stream to think. 7I looked around, I thought that the 8of a forest is not all about the green leaves or colorful plants. It is the decay(腐烂) that makes the color 9.

    The10between me and Kathy rang in my mind. "Something is decaying," I thought, "Something is 11."

    We chose to keep Molly at home, to spare her the anxiety of one 12trip to the vet. Our task was to keep her company and make sure she was 13.

    I want to be 14her side. I took hold of Molly and placed my fingers over her beating heart. I kept them there, 15her pulse, until it stopped. I didn't beg her to 16. But that doesn't mean I didn't cry. The girls hugged me, more frightened by my 17than by the loss of the dog.

    "Mommy! Say you'll be happy again," Kathy cried.

"Remember the game?" I whispered 18, "Where sometimes somebody is happy and 19is sad?" She nodded.

    For now, I'm just somebody sad. Somebody who cries. Maybe tomorrow, or the day after, I'll be somebody who20.

    Jim and his sister May walked in the street, and then they noticed a pet store. It was a very small pet store that didn't have many 1. The owner of the shop, Mr Smith, greeted Jim and May when they 2. May said, "We would like to buy a dog." "Ah, well, our shop is not very 3," Mr Smith told her. "So we only have two dogs to choose 4."

    They asked Mr Smith to 5 them the dogs. Mr Smith took them to see the two dogs. One was a big Bulldog named Buster. The other was a tiny Chihuahua named Teacup. May wanted Teacup, 6 Jim wanted Buster. They walked outside to 7. They couldn't agree 8 a dog. May 9 they race home for it. The one who won the race could choose the dog.

    Jim agreed, and then told May her shoelace was loose. When May 10. he ran off to get a head start. Jim ran as 11 as he could because he really wanted that Bulldog. When he looked back, he found May was so 12 behind that he couldn't even see her. Jim finally got home. He was 13 but happy. He knew he was the 14. May arrived a few minutes later. She congratulated him and they 15 the pet store together. However, when they arrived they 16 saw Teacup. They asked Mr Smith where Buster was.

    Mr Smith gave them a(n) 17 that a few minutes after May and Jim left, two boys walked in and bought the Bulldog.

    Jim looked at May, and she held 18 a smile. Jim 19 and turned back to Mr Smith. "Sometimes you win the 20, but not the prize!" Jim smiled sadly. "We'll take the Chihuahua, please."

    Sometimes people around you can change your life. The change may not be sudden or 1, but little habits can produce big 2 that make you think about what is important in your life. The person who changed my life is Julia Masi. She has 3 me so many things that I will carry with me 4 my life.

    One thing I've learned from Julia is how to balance 5. Julia has shown me how to 6 ahead so that I can finish all my school work, enjoy sports and 7 have time for my friends. She has taught me that you can do anything if you are 8 and if you never give up. I've also learned that you can find anything fun or 9 if you connect it with something that you enjoy.

    Last year I hated studying vocabulary, but I loved playing on my computer. Julia 10 the two and showed me a website called "freerice.com" where you can 11 a word game that gives you 5 grains of rice to donate to the poor with every correct word. She 12 me to learn a hundred new 13 by filling up the rice bowl. I liked playing the game so much that I 14 about 1, 000 words in just one month.

    Julia has always 15 me to try new hobbies. She showed me that going to the theater could help me become a better writer. 16, she taught me that discussing a play can excite an interest in reading.

    17 it wasn't for Julia I probably wouldn't have 18 how easy it is to help the poor. There are so many ways that one person can 19. I've learned to be more appreciative of what I own. I am 20 for the opportunities that I have been given. I will continue to think of ways to help those less fortunate for the rest of my life.

As a child, I hated going to the store with my mom. Whenever my mom asked if I wanted to go1, I would say, "No, mom! Who wants to get car sick and walk near the frozen section(冷冻区)? That's the2 part — the freezers and smell of seafood. Why would any mom3their only child this way? I hated it. 4, I did get cookies, French fries, and chocolate. This5 treatment went on until I left for Culver Academies.

    Here at Culver, I had no chance to walk around with my mom and get snacks I wanted. I found myself stuck(被困住) at the 6 whose store had high prices for a slice of cheese. I 7walking near the frozen sections with my mom.

    My first vacation home, my mom asked what I wanted from the 8, knowing I wouldn't go.

    "Can I 9?" I asked with a look of 10 because I wanted to spend time with her. I also felt sad while asking 11 I took all those 12for granted in my childhood.

    I 13 come home now. But when I do, I 14 to go with her every time. If not, I always say, "Love you mom. Drive safe!" I run to the gate and watch her15. I wave, smile, and 16 that I stay home.

As a child, I hated going shopping with my mom, but now I 17 it. I like walking near the frozen sections of stores now— it gives me a(an)18to stay with her. When I go with her, I really19 every detail in our trips. Now I'm eighteen and will be in college soon. I hope she knows how much those eight minutes'20 to the store meant to me .Thanks mom.

As I prepared for my Level 8 Royal Conservatory of Music piano exam, memories of previous disappointing marks filled me with dread and anxiety. The mere thought of booking the exam made me feel completely strained. However, fate had other plans in store for me.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, my trusty 10﹣year﹣old electric piano malfunctioned. The middle C note played as an F﹣sharp, and multiple other keys were out of tune.

Despite my distress, my father refused to buy a new piano and instead urged me to be more resourceful. Initially, I was at a loss without my beloved electric piano. But after struggling for a few days, I was determined to find every available piano room on campus. After discovering hidden pianos in corners, I spent countless hours practicing. As my exam drew near

One day, while practicing in a piano room, one of my teachers walked in and offered me a mini exam. To my surprise, I found a place where I could be anyone.

Playing the piano became my escape from the anxieties of adolescence and allowed me to express myself freely. When it was time to play in front of the examiner, I no longer feared judgment. Instead, I only feared not being able to represent all my hard work. As the lights came on

Eventually, I received my mark. Not only did I achieve a rarely given "well done", but I also discovered a newfound appreciation for music. Whenever I feel discouraged, some lessons are best learned the hard way.

The idea of climbing Mt.Qomolangma disgusted me. The mountain came to represent the opposite of everything that I loved and respected about climbing. What had once been the final mountain climbing goal became the focus of a commercial guiding industry. Over the years, the crowds at Base Camp grew, leaving behind tons of trash. Whenever I was asked whether I'd climb Mt. Qomolangma, my answer was always the same： not interested. 

That was probably where my personal Mt. Qomolangma story would have ended, were it not for an old friend Thom Pollard and his obsession （迷恋） with one of the greatest mysteries. In 1999, he began to explore and found the remains of George Mallory, the celebrated British climber who disappeared while he was attempting to be the first to climb Mt. Qomolangma. But Mallory's partner, Sandy Irvine, and the camera he had likely carried, were not found. The mountain climbing world has been wondering whether they might have reached the top in 1924. 

Pollard's story moved me. I began to pack for the climb and expected that our advanced equipment would make it manageable, perhaps easy. I was wrong. On the highest point on the planet, I was more tired than I'd ever been in any climbing. Along the way, I continuously tipped my hat, not just to Mallory and Irvine but to anyone who has the drive to push himself or herself up this route. My search was in vain, but I began to reconsider Mt. Qomolangma.

I witnessed many climbers, who were much more than just self-centered tourists. We shared route information, weather forecasts, and family photos — all united around a common goal. 

I went to Mt. Qomolangma to seek Irvine. But in the end, I found something more difficult to get： the spirit that Irvine and Mallory shared. It was hiding in plain sight, right where it has always been： inside the brave souls who risk so much to follow in storied adventurers' footsteps up Mt. Qomolangma.