A poor and old farmer lived in a village, who had a beautiful and young wife. The wife 1 wanted to enjoy life by spending lots of money on good clothes. Because of his old age and poor2, the farmer hardly left his house and did not earn more than what was3 So the wife often felt4 and the couple often 5each other.

    One day, a thief heard their quarrel and saw the wife 6 out of the house in tears. He followed her and then came up to her to 7“Dear, I've heard about your quarrel. You are very beautiful and young and old man can't satisfy your demands. I have a lot of8but no one to spend it. So, why not9the old man and follow me to the city? We will start a(n)10life together.” the thief said. The wife agreed to his11 That night, she gathered all her fine clothes and money and left with the thief for the 12

    Early the next morning, they reached a 13 The thief said to the woman, “Dear, please stay here on the bank 14 I swim to other side and15 a boat to get you across. Hand over your money to me, for seeing you16somebody may try to take 17away from you.”

    The woman handed over the money to the thief and18on the bank. The thief had19what he wanted so he didn't come back. Now, the woman had20her husband and everything.

Moral: Desire for more may let you lose what you have.

    Singing or listening to music during math class is usually not accepted. However, in Kurt's classroom, it's not the1 . Kurt is a math teacher in a high school. This former hip-hop artist is using his 2 background to make math a lot easier and less 3 for his students.

    As a child, he had difficulty 4 math. However, as he grew older, he realized that it wasn't completely his 5 and that the traditional education system just doesn't work for all the students. So he decided to come up with a new 6 which would make kids more interested in school. Finally a good idea 7 him.

    With the help of some friends, Kurt 8 60-second math tracks（跑道）. They are given a(an) 9 name, like “Van Guard” and she 10 multiplication tables（乘法表）to hip-hop beats. He also encourages dancing during class, 11 it helps the children get into the mood（情绪）and 12 them in their learning. So far, Kurt has only invented musical materials for the multiplications, but the13 have been so positive that he is now working on new learning materials.

    Even since Kurt 14 hip-hop into the classroom, he has had 15 trouble during class. And attendance（出勤率）is always at 100% and the students' grades have gone up greatly. What's more, the kids 16 love learning math now.

    Kurt wants to 17 the traditional way of teaching, but he's not saying that it doesn't work. It just doesn't work for 18, because not all students learn in the same way. He only 19 to show that we need to keep a(an) open mind when it 20 children's education.

    Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to 1 how much I wanted to see France; obviously, my excitement really came through in my words. Once I 2 that I was going, all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel and making all sorts of new and 3 friends. While traveling was inspiring and meeting people was4 ， nothing about my term in France was what I 5.

    The moment I arrived in Paris, I was 6 by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. My entire experience was joyous and exciting 7 I received some shocking news from my program coordinator (协调人)：there had been a death in my host parents' extended family. They had to travel outside France for several weeks. That afternoon, I had to 8 out of one family's house and into another. The exchange coordinator told me I'd have a 9 this time and asked whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation (诱惑) to 10 my native language, I asked not to be 11 with an English­speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I 12 myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian(巴西人) the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of the 13.

    I left France with many 14, so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they are always 15 to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the scores of weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends 16 France we enjoyed together. I love how people 17 seem so different, but end up being so 18. The most valuable lesson I gained from studying in France wasn't just to respect the French people 19 to respect all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful 20.

    Years ago, we celebrated our oldest son's first birthday by holding a super party. I spent months 1, cutting out handmade banners（横幅）and making all kinds of decorations. I kept2 my husband's work as he built a cardboard city background. And I would lose 3 of my emotions when it didn't progress exactly as I 4.

    I didn't know exactly why I stuck to 5 a party like that, but I felt this unspoken 6. It was a feeling that my 7 as a mom and my love for my son were tied to how 8 this party was. Actually my son was turning one year old, and he had no idea what was going on. 9, this clearly meant nothing to him.

    I tried to 10 other people and maybe even prove something to myself, only to find it made me 11. On his birthday, I put on a ton of makeup（化妆品） to 12 my stress and smiled to our 13 even though I nearly broke down. It was the 14 party because of the memories attached to it! I ruined a 15 memory for me as a mother and decided to make a 16.

    Last weekend, we celebrated my other son Hudson's sixth birthday. He asked a Ninjago theme, so a week before the party, I searched Amazon (a shopping website) and 17 a banner and some basic party materials as he 18. On that day, we ordered a big meal and used disposable（一次性的）plates to avoid hours of cleaning up. The party was 19 but perfect. As Hudson went to bed that night, he told me it was his best birthday ever.

    Parents'20 for kids does not lie in the complexity of celebrating kids' birthday.

    I was appointed to tend to this patient several weeks ago and began to grow closer to her. Communicating with her was1because everything she wanted to say to me had to be written on a notepad. As a nursing graduate, I was able to2her mind by observing even a slight 3 in a patient's facial expression.

    One day, when I was checking the patient, she4me on the shoulder to show me a note," Do you think I could be let go5 the hospital in a month to see my niece get married?" Taking her hand in mine, I told her that I could not 6her, because I did not want to leave her a 7sense of hope. 8, I made her believe that I would be there with her every step of the way on her journey toward9. Hearing that, the patient gave me a10 and a hug.

    Day by day, I built her 11by walking around the floor with her. As I did this, I could see before my own eyes that her health was 12improving and able to walk more steadily. On her last today in hospital, just before her niece's 13, she wrote me last note," I couldn't have done this 14 you; I love you." After kissing goodbye, I had a strong sense of achievement. I realized that moments like this were 15I woke up early for16in the hospital and spent long hours with her. I truly felt, and her 17confirmed, that I was an18part of this woman's recovery. My experience with this patient shows me that this career allows to touch the 19of people in ways that people in other20will never get to experience.

    Brian Peters had one thing to do before leaving his job as a police officer in Brooklyn. He decided to spend $500 he 1 for his service to buy 10 gift cards and handed them out to strangers in Brooklyn Center on his 2 day.

    It took him about two hours to 3 the cards and that he could put smiles on a lot of people's 4, including one woman he stopped 5 noticing the condition of her car. "Her car was really old and really 6. I saw her screen wipers were 7 in the up position," Peters said. "I 8 what I was doing and gave her a gift card, and 9 she lit up with a smile."

    Once people 10 the initial shock of what he was doing, Peters said he 11 a lot more hugs that day. Monique Drier, who 12 with Peters, said Peters has 13 wanted to give back and didn't really want the attention. "He didn't even have a going away 14," Drier said. "He has always tried to 15 the human side of law practice. He was a great 16 and will be dearly missed."

    Peters, who started his 17 job three days ago, said he still wants to continue giving back to the 18. "Community service is extremely 19, and when you're fortunate in life, you should give back to others who aren't as fortunate as you, Peters said. That's what 20 the world go round."