Who is a great person? To answer this question, we often think of someone 1, such as the South Africa hero Nelson Mandela or the NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant. But often a great person is2next to us—but we never see the greatness unless a difficult 3 comes up.

    In May, 2008, a high school girl in Beichuan, Sichuan, 4 a hero just next to her. When the earthquake hit, her school 5on top of the students. Just next to her was her classmate Li Anqiang. Li worked to move rocks to make 6for her. Before rescuers reached them,7, aftershocks brought down 8rubble(碎石) around them. Li's earlier efforts kept his classmate9 from danger, but the new rubble that fell on his legs crushed (压碎) them beyond 10.

    Today, Li is in a wheelchair; he is missing both of his legs, but he is not missing the good 11 that made him a hero during the earthquake. He still12 the sports he played before the earthquake, table tennis and basketball—and still13his hero, Kobe Bryant.

    Kobe Bryant, however, considers Li a hero. In reply to Li's 14  letter, Kobe praised Li as “a strong boy whose attitude toward15was amazing”. He encouraged Li in his love of basketball, telling Li that he looked cool in a photo of his 16a basketball from his wheelchair.

    So 17that we have great people next to us every day—in school, at work, on the bus. There may not be a 18 to show us who they are, but we can be sure they are19 . Who knows?  20 you are one yourself.

    Growing roots

    When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd 1 known. When Dr. Gibbs wasn't 2 lives, he was planting trees.

The good doctor had some3 theories on planting trees. He believed in "No pains, no gains". He never 4 his new trees, which was5 many people. Once I asked why. He 6 that watering plants spoiled them, and that if you water them, each following tree generation will 7 weaker and weaker. So you have to make things8 for them. He talked about how watering trees

    9 shallow roots, and how trees that weren't watered had to grow deep roots in

    10 of water. I came to understand that he meant deep roots were to be 11 I planted a couple of trees a few years back and I took good care of them. Two years of12 has resulted in trees that expect to be waited on hand and foot. Whenever a cold wind blows, they 13and tremble their branches. Funny things about those trees of Dr. Gibbs'. The lack of water seemed to 14them in ways comfort and ease never could.

    I used to15for my sons that their lives will be easy. But16 I've been thinking that it's time to17 my prayer. I know my children are going to meet

    18 and I'm praying they will be strong. The prayer for comfort is seldom met. What we need to do is to pray for deep roots,19when the winds blow, we won't be20away.

    During my childhood, my father's favorite sayings was “Try it!” I couldn't say I didn't like 1, whatever it might be2I tried it. Over the years I've come to realize how much of my success I3to my acceptance of those words as one of my4. My first job was just one I decided to try for a couple of years until I5what I want to do as a career.6I believed I would work for a few years, get married, stay home and 7a family, so I didn't think the job I took8that much. I couldn't have been more9  I mastered the skills of that beginning level position and I was given the opportunity to10through the company into different11. I accepted each new opportunity with the12, “Well, I'll try it; if I don't like it I can always go back to my 13position.” But I was with the same company for the past 28 years, and I've14every career change I've made. I've discovered I15a large number of different talents and skills that I never would have thought were within me had it not been for my being 16trying new opportunities. I've also discovered that if I 17what I'm doing and work hard at achieving my 18, I will succeed. That's why I'm so 19 to be a part of CareerFables.com. I think20 has come and I am determined to make it a success.

    Before I came to China, I had been somewhat unlucky in love. Days before my 1for Shanghai in 2016, my cousin made a 2without the slightest bit of irony（讽刺）,“You'll fall in love in China.”

    I met my husband at a Chinese 3. It was an embarrassing place to meet him approaching me 4I attempted to lift free weights. He spoke English poorly, trying to correct my form. I more or less 5him, figuring such a relationship was 6as we had little means to communicate. But I was very much 7. He ran after me for the next couple weeks and his persistence（坚持不懈）8won me over, and I was head over heels in love with him.

    The challenges we faced were 9—deciding where to live, 10over visas, dealing with my parents' doubts. In time, these problems got settled without too much work on our part. When others would 11on how tough it must be to marry someone from a foreign country, I quickly made my 12, trying to convince my questioner that marrying cross-culturally is really no different from 13within one's own circle.

    Our son was born in the spring of 2018. He was a very easy baby to care for—he cried little and slept well at night. My struggles in caring for a newborn were unimportant 14the other pressures I faced. By Chinese tradition, I was 15from taking the baby outside until he was 100 days old, for reasons I still don't fully understand.

    Since giving birth, I've learned that compromise（妥协）is more 16than it seems. If you give up too much of yourself, you may 17resentful（怨恨的）. If you compromise too little, you may be 18in a frequent battle. In a relationship, our values or beliefs often 19with our partner's, but with patience, most difficulties can be overcome. For that reason, I keep on working to better understand his background and beliefs while 20forgetting my own.

    When I arrived in Sydney two years ago from Brazil to study, I struggled to find work to support myself. My savings soon became dangerously 1 and I was upset that I might have to 2 my overseas dream.

    One day, I was at the park, worrying about the future and 3 with my own thoughts. A lady sitting next to me noticed the 4 expression on my face and gave me a sincere smile. She asked if something 5 had happened and if I needed any 6. I didn't want to bother someone I had just 7 with my problems, so I 8 that everything was fine. But we 9 chatting nearly two hours later about life in Brazil and what I thought about Australia. This lady gave me lots of tips about places to visit in that country.

    10 we knew it, it was almost five o'clock. She said she had to go to work and 11 invited me to accompany her. Why not? I 12 although I felt a little surprised.

    We arrived at a restaurant and the most 13 thing happened. She said that she 14 the place and needed some help in the 15 as one of her chefs was leaving soon. She asked if I wanted to take a part-time job there. I 16, of course, and started the next day.

    I spent almost one year 17 in her restaurant, improving my English, and 18 my skills. And most importantly, I built a good 19 with my boss. Even now living in different cities, we are 20 close friends and enjoy sharing long chats about life.

    Here's one touching story about two heroic teachers. When a1filled with schoolchildren went madly out of control, their teachers stayed cool to deal with the emergency. It was the quick reaction of the teachers that saved scores of lives.

    It was 6 a.m. They were 2the May day field trip. As the kids waved goodbye to their parents and boarded the bus, their teachers Tina and Kelly settled into front seats. The teachers were whispering quietly3they felt the bus switched its direction suddenly across the highway and4into the guardrail(护拦). The driver was stuck in by his seat belt and his head was just kind of hanging there.

    The children seemed frightened and screamed in5.

Both the teachers comforted their students and kept telling them to6down.

    Meanwhile, the bus ran 7down the highway at 70 miles an hour.

    In a second, Tina made her decision.8over the driver, she put her hands on the wheel and tried9to pull it back to the right.

    However, the bus didn't react as10. Instead, it was beyond Tina's11and turned over into a deep grassy valley, sending Tina through the front window of the bus. She was severely12. The bus slipped through the grass on its roof for several yards13 it finally stopped and the 14began struggling their way out through the broken window.

    Luckily,15of the children were killed. Not only had Tina droved the bus toward a safer place,16her gentle right turn also slowed down the bus speed, when it17into the valley. Obviously, she reacted properly and did an impressive job.

    Tina was rushed to the hospital for a(an)18by air. After she recovered from the operation, she returned to school, receiving cheers and praise,19she seemed embarrassed by all the attention. "I'm not a hero, I just did the best I could." she said, adding, "All those kids will be20to me, for we escaped from the jaw of death together."