I was recently invited to dinner by a friend. During the meal, the manager came over and said that our meal was free. He stood there 1 at me, he seemed to know me. 2 I asked if he knew me. He laughed and said I had probably 3 him, but I had changed his life. He said that twelve years ago he was in 4 stress management class. I asked the group what their number one stress was and 5 of them, including him, said it was their 6.

    He said I listened carefully and then took a chair and placed it in the center of the room. I 7 on the chair for a few minutes and then I invited everyone to do the same. I wanted them to look at the room from 8 there. After everyone had done it, I asked the group to think about how 9 the room looked when they changed their perspective(角度).

    Then I asked them to 10 their bosses. Was this the same person who had seen their good 11 and hired（雇佣） them? Do they remember how happy they were to be 12 for the job? How did these wonderful people become terrible bosses?

    He said I looked at him and asked if he had 13 said thank you to his boss for the opportunity to make a living. He answered no.

    He told me his 14 changed that night. He went back to work with a 15 card to his boss. He had been the manager for 8 years. He said he owed（把……归功于） it all to me: I had taught him to look at life from different perspectives and I had taught him to express gratitude（感激之情）.

    There was a big tree in the forest. It was tall and  1. Next to it was a small herb(小草). One day, the big tree said, “I grow well. No one can 2 me.” While the herb replied, “Dear friend, you shouldn't be so3yourself. Even the strongest tree will 4 one day.” But the tree didn't listen to the herb and he continued to praise5 .

    One night, a strong wind began to blow. It was so strong that almost 6was blown in the air. 7 the tree stood firmly(稳固地). Then the 8 came. It rained heavily, however, the tree 9 stood strong. At the same time, the herb bowed low against the ground. 10 this, the tree began to make fun of the herb.

    On another day, there was a storm in the 11. The storm kept growing stronger and the tree finally fell down. When the storm 12 and everything was in silence, the herb stood straight. He 13 and found the fallen tree. Then he said, “Now you know 14I told you is the truth.”

    We should realize that sometimes15 down doesn't mean you are not strong enough. It's a way of protecting yourself.

    Maria Mitchell was born in 1818 during a time when many people thought that woman did not need to learn . But , Mitchell's father thought that both boys and girls should go to school .1 he tutored her at home as well as sent to her to school .

    Mitchell's father , recognizing her interest in astronomy (天文学) at early age , encouraged her interest and taught her how to use a telescope . As an 2 she worked as the first librarian at the Nantucket Atheneum library from 1836to 1856 , all the while still looking at the sky at night , studying the stars and the planets.

    In October 1847, Mitchel saw a bright star through the telescope . She was sure that she had 3seen that star before. Excited , she ran to tell her father . She carefully wrote notes about the star. The next night , it looked as if the” star” had 4It also seemed to have a tail (尾巴)！Now , Mitchell was sure that she had found a comet , not a star.

    At eh time , the king of Denmark was offering a prize to the first person to find a comet that could only be seen through a telescope . Mitchell won the prize! It was a gold medal . But , she won something else too . She won people's respect when they saw that she was 5her work . Later , the American Academy of Arts and Sciences voted her in as its first female member .

    In 1856, a new college just for women opened . It was called Vassar College , and Mitchell became a professor there . She was the first female professor to teach astronomy , or the science of stars and planets . Because of her , female students learned that they could be scientists too . Women could make valuable 6to help understand our world .

    It was a sunny day yesterday. After a whole day's work in my office, I walked home. On the busy street, I saw a young man 1 some small toys around the corner. Usually, I would hurry 2 such sellers and never buy anything. But when I noticed he was 3, I decided to stand there for some time. I wanted to see 4 he sold his toys.

    Soon, a little girl came with her mother and wanted a toy that could 5 a noise. Kids like such toys because the noise sounds really funny. The toy was 18 yuan. The mother 6 a 20-yuan note(钞票). She told the young man how much she was giving him and wanted the change(找零) 7. I was wondering what he was going to do next. He told the mother to put the money in his bag and get the change 8. Then she did so.

    What the young man did shocked me. He chose to 9 people even if he couldn't see. He let me know believing in people is a 10 thing. It brings us warmth and love. I was so touched that I made a 11 to buy a toy although I didn't need it at all. He said it cost 18 yuan and I told him that I had only one 20-yuan note. Again he told me to do the same thing as the mother. I put my 20 yuan in his bag, 12 I didn't take any change.

    As I walked down the street, I saw another little girl with her father and gave her the, 13 I bought. She looked at me in surprise and then thanked me 14. I was happy to see the smile on her face.

    The young man was a good 15 to us all. On my way home, I kept thinking the world would be a better place if we all could learn to trust people more, just like the blind street seller.

    When I had something difficult to do, I used to ask my mother for help. But she always said, "Do it yourself, dear." I was not 1 at all. I thought she was the 2 mother in the world!  For example, one day, I decided to 3 some friends to come to my home. My bedroom was not in order. Books were everywhere. And I didn't make the bed. I told my 4 to help me clean it, 5 she said, "Do it yourself, dear." Because of my "lazy mother", I have to 6 my clothes and clean my bedroom. I have to help my parents 7. I even have to go to the dentist by myself. It is really hard for me to do everything well, but I have learned 8. As time goes by, I understand my mother. She makes me clever and diligent. 9 a great mother! A 10 mother is worth one hundred teachers! Don't you think so?