Out in the garden Mary sat sewing a handkerchief, and there came a little insect running in such a hurry across the small stone table by her side. The 1 was not done, for Mary liked doing nothing best, and she thought it would be fun 2her thimble（顶针）over the little ant. Then Mary ran away, for her mother called her, and she 3 all about the ant under the thimble.

    There he was, running round and round and round the dark prison, with little horns on his head 4, little perfect legs bending as beautifully as those of a race-horse, and he was in quite as big a fright as if he were an elephant.

    Mary went to bed, and in the night the rain 5. The handkerchief was wet through as if somebody had been 6 very much, when she went out to fetch it as soon as the sun 7. She remembered who was under the thimble. But when she lifted up the thimble the little tiny thing lay stiff and 8.

    “Why did you do that, Mary?” said her father, who was close by, and who had guessed the truth. “See! He moves one of his legs. Run to the house and 9 a small taste of honey from the breakfast-table for the little thing you 10.”

    “I didn't mean to,” said Mary.

    She touched the honey in the spoon with a piece of leaf and 11 put a drop of it 12 the little ant. He put out a fairy 13 to lick up the sweet stuff. He grew well and stood up, trying to run.

    “He wants to run 14,” said father. “I know where he lives. In a little round world of ants, under the apple tree.”

    “And has he got a wife and children—a lot of little ants at home?”

    “The baby ants are little helpless things, and must be 15 by their big relations. There are father ants and mother ants, and lots of other ants who are 16 to the little ones. 17 knows his own children, but all the grown-up ones are kind to all the babies. This is a little nurse ant. See how he hurries off! His babies at home must have their faces washed.”

    While they were talking, the little ant was soon lost among the grass. In a little while back came the ant with a troop of friends.

    “He has been home and told them the good news about the 18,” said father. “Do you think that all children are as kind as that?”

    Mary said, “No, they're not. I don't run to call all the others when I find a good place for blackberries.” “Then,” said father, “don't be 19 to the ant, who is kinder than you, 20 he is only a little tiny thing.”

    When I first entered university, my aunt, who is an English professor, gave me a new English dictionary. I was 1 to see that it was an English-English dictionary, also known as a monolingual (只用一种语言的) dictionary. 2 it was a dictionary intended for non-native learners, none of my classmates had one 3, to be honest, I found it extremely 4 to use at first. I would look up words in the dictionary and5 not fully understand the meanings. I was used to the 6 bilingual dictionaries, in which the words are 7 both in English and Chinese. I really wondered why my aunt gave me such 8 to make things so difficult for me. Now, after studying English at university for three years, I 9 that monolingual dictionaries are 10in learning a foreign language.

    As I found out, there is, 11, often no perfect equivalence (对应) between two 12 in two languages. My aunt even goes so far as to 13 that a Chinese “equivalent” can never give you the 14 meaning of a word in English! 15 she insisted that I read the definition (释义) of a word in a monolingual dictionary when I wanted to get a better 16 of its meaning. 17, I have come to see what she meant.

    Using a monolingual dictionary for learners has helped me in another important way. This dictionary uses a(n) 18 number of words, around 2,000, in its definitions. When I read these definitions, I am19 exposed to the basic words and learn how they are used to explain objects and ideas. 20 this, I can express myself more easily in English.

    I was running a few errands in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was1along. The song was a joyful one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it happened,2. The 3 sound of the music ended and was replaced with the dreaded news break.

    I drove on while the announcer droned on. Gas prices were going higher again4 the competitive speculation(投机)on Wall Street. The 5 for the Presidency was getting nastier and nastier, rioting(暴乱)had 6 when fans of a sports team had gone wild, celebrating their team's championship.

    Finally, I could take no7 and turned off the radio. Silence seemed preferable 8 listening to anything else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a local town and 9 the people as I drove by.

    A tall muscular(壮硕的)man was helping an elderly lady out of a car and helping her position her walker so she 10 go into a local store.

    A smiling woman was tossing birdseed into her backyard while a dozen robins flew down to enjoy the11 being laid out before them.

    A young man was walking along, carrying his two-year-old daughter12 in his arms. He tickled her gently when she pulled the hat off his head and they13 laughed. I laughed too as I looked at all of this 14. It felt like a glimpse of Heaven. The radio may have been 15in my car, but in my heart I was still singing.

    In truth, this world could use a little more kindness and a lot16 competition .Kindness makes us all winners in this life. Kindness 17 us that we are all God's Children. Kindness shows us that we don't have to 18 others in this world.

    We just have to love them. May all of your moments here then19kindness, love, and joy. And may your only competition be with yourself: to be the best 20 you that you can be.

    When my oldest son was in high school, he planned to 1 a Christian contemporary concert with the youth group from our church. To my 2, Aaron invited me to go along. I 3 accepted; however, by the time the date of the concert arrived, my youngest son had been ill, and I was 4 about him. I hesitated (犹豫). Then my husband 5 me to attend the concert, promising he would take care of our youngest.

    Finally, the 6 was made. Aaron was sixteen years old. How many 7 would I have to do something fun with him 8 he went away to college? And how many youths actually would 9 their mothers to attend a concert with them that was clearly for teens? I would not miss this opportunity.

    At the concert, I 10 with Aaron in the third row, putting cotton in my ears to block out the 11, ear­splitting music of the first performer. I stood when the kids stood, clapped when they 12, and never let anyone know how 13 I was to feel the floor shaking beneath my feet. Aaron and his friends were 14 at my enthusiasm (激情).

    By the time we left the concert, my ears were ringing, but it quickly passed. 15 did my son's teenage years. 16 he was in college and away from home. I missed him more than I could say. Whenever I felt 17, I would think back to the concert we attended and be thankful once again that I didn't 18 an opportunity to spend time with my son.

    Aaron is now grown and has a family of his own, but he often calls just to 19 and tell me about his day. I drop everything and 20 the moment.

    We love letters. Just as John Donne, a poet, 1 it, "Letters, to me and my friends mean 2 greetings; they get souls together. Thanks to letters, friends who are 3 speak." He wrote these words nearly 400 years ago. Today, in the age of instant text message, social media, and email, they 4 ring truer than ever, because writing or receiving a letter has become such a 5 event.

    A UK-wide survey undertaken by Sunday Times suggests that one in four of us has not 6 a letter for at least 10 years. That's ten years without the bitter-sweet 7 of pacing the floor waiting for the 8; ten years without recognizing the handwriting on the envelope and eagerly 9 the letter to read its content.

    We 10 not get them any more, but we still love handwritten letters. In the same survey, one third of 11people interviewed say that they 12 the content of sentimental (充满情感的) letters. Shouldn't we make 13 to give our friends and families what they will treasure forever? Ann Bickley went online in 2013 and offered to handwrite a letter to anyone who 14 her. Her website received 50,000 15 in its first three months. Five years later, she is still the main 16 behind one-million-lovely-letter.com and has personally written 4,000 letters offering hope and 17 to strangers.

    The thought behind a letter 18 as much as its contents. "I never tell anyone that 19 is going to be OK," Ann Bickley says, "I am letting someone know that there is someone in the world who20them."

    Who wouldn't love to receive a letter like that? Let's get writing!

    I was touched so much. A while back, my three-year-old son and I settled back for his goodnight1. We lay down in his little bed and he said, "Daddy, when I get big can I live with you?" I assured him he could live with me2he wanted to.

    A moment later he said, "When you die you're going to feel3on your face and it will be me touching you." Then he4,"I will kiss you." He moved over, kissed me. I was aware of tears suddenly welling up in my eyes. I didn't want to explain5I was crying; as I opened my eyes to look at him, he was already6.

    I spent some time looking at him,7the minute and wondering about the depth of the8I'd had. It occurred to me that I didn't remember having much of this kind of9time with my father, and that this was a time that would be10short-lived. This time of11that forms a three-year-old's life, would soon be12. What will remain, however, will be the13of this short while reoccurring in my mind non-stop. It made all of the difficult14of being a father worthwhile.

    Sometimes, being a committed (承担义务的) father can feel like you're15the doorkeeper, driver, and16in the house. Then you will have "a17", one like this in which your child expresses18, pure, and unconditional love for you.

    When your kids have19home and you look back at these years, all of these will be strung (绑) together to20the memories of their lives with you.