Donna Ashlock, a 14-year-old girl from California, was very sick. She had a bad heart. “Donna needs a new heart,” her doctor said, “she must have a new heart, or she will die soon.”

Felipe Carza, 15, was worried about Donna. Felipe was Donna's friend. He liked Donna very much. He liked her freckles, and he liked her smile. Felipe didn't want Donna to die.

 Felipe talked to his mother about Donna. “I am going to die,” Felipe told his mother, “and I am going to give my heat to Donna.”

 Felipe's mother didn't pay much attention to Felipe. “Felipe is just kidding,”she thought, “Felipe is not going to die. He's strong and healthy.”

 But Felipe was not healthy. He had terrible headaches sometimes. “my head hurts,”he often told his friends. Felipe never told his parents about his headaches.

One morning Felipe woke up with a sharp pain in his head. He was dizzy (眩晕的), and he couldn't breathe. His parents rushed Felipe to the hospital. Doctors at the hospital had terrible news for them. “Felipe's brain is dead,”the doctors said, “we can't save him.”

 The parents were very sad. But they remembered Felipe's words. “Felipe wanted to give his heart to Donna,”they told the doctors.

 The doctors did several tests. Then they told the parents, “we can give Felipe's heart to Donna.”

The doctors took out Felipe's heart and rushed the heart to Donna. Other doctors took out Donna's heart and put Felipe's heart in her chest. In a short time the heart began to beat.

The operation was a success. Felipe's heart was beating in Donna's chest, but Donna didn't know it. Her parents and doctors didn't tell her. They waited until she was stronger; then they told her about Felipe. “I feel very sad,”Donna said, “but I am thankful to Felipe.”

 Three months later the operation Donna went back to school. She has to have regular checkups, and she has to take medicine every day. But she is living a normal life.

 Felipe's brother John says, “Every time we see Donna, we think of Felipe. She has Felipe's heart in her. That gives us great peace.”

    There is a new park near Andy's home. It's fine today. Andy and his family are in the park now. On their left, there is a café. On their right, there is a big lake. There are many flowers and trees around the lake. There's a small hill behind the lake. Near the lake, there are two signs. One says, “Don't swim in the lake!” The other says, “No fishing!” But you can go boating on the lake. There is a beautiful garden in the middle of the park. There are green grass and beautiful flowers in it. There are some small shops between the lake and the garden. The park is so beautiful. Andy and his family like it very much.

    My husband had just bought a new washing machine for me. I decided to use it and I washed a lot of things.

    Everything worked well, I got ready for school as usual.

    When the bell rang and the students came in, I greeted them and told them what we were going to do that day.

    When I turned around to write on the blackboard, the class broke out into a roar(大笑声).

    They laughed and laughed. They laughed so much, in fact, that I was afraid the headmaster would be in to see all this.

    I asked the class to stop, but the more I talked, the more they laughed. I decided to pay no attention to them, and continued to write on the blackboard. When I did this, they roared even more.

    Finally, the teacher who had the room next to mine came in to see what all the laughter was about. When he came in, he started laughing, too! "Good heavens," I said," Will someone please tell me what is so funny?" "Oh, God," said the teacher." You have a brown sock stuck to the back of your shirt!"

    So that's how I found my husband's missing sock.

   "Oh, well," I said to the class." Let's just say you have had an unforgettable lesson on static electric(静电)."

    Ten years ago, I lost my job in Hangzhou. I had to move to Shanghai to find another job. I left my wife and children behind. I missed them very much, so I went home on weekends to see them.

    A few days after New Year's Day, I drove my old car back to Hangzhou. On the way, my car broke down (发生故障). It was so cold and I didn't know what to do. Suddenly, a young man drove up. He tried his best to help me repair the car. He soon got it started.

    I was so thankful that I gave him all the money in my purse, but he refused. Then I got to know that he helped the drivers in trouble on the road every weekend. What a kind man! How lucky I was to meet him in my life!

    Many years later. I still often remember that great man.

    I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.

    Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. "But the desk," she said again, "it's for Elizabeth."

    I never saw her anger, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me. She showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.

    They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was "too emotional". But she lived "on the surface".

    As years passed I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.

    I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.

    My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace-it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.

    Now the present of her desk told, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside-a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠)and refolded many times.

    Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always choose the act that speaks louder than words.

    Robert Fredy was general manager of a large hotel in Ashbury Park, New Jersey. One cold day two years ago when he stopped his car at a traffic light, Stephen Pearman; an out-of-work taxi and truck driver, walked up to Fredy's car hoping to earn some change by washing his windshield(档风玻璃) , Like many motorists who try to keep the beggars off. Fredy turned on the wipers to show he wasn't interested.

    Pearman put his head close to the window. "Come on, mister. Give me a chance. I need a job, "he said. Something in Stephen Pearman's voice moved Robert Fredy. In the seconds before traffic started moving again, Fredy handed Pearman a business card and told him to call if he was serious.

    "My friends told me he was just pulling my leg," said Pearman. But I said. No, he's a businessman. I need to give it a shot."

    Two days later, 29-year-old Pearman appeared in the manager's office of the big hotel. Fredy gave him a job and lent him packet money while training him.

    Today, Pearman works full-time setting up the hotel's dining halls for business meetings. In the past two years, he has found a flat, married and repaid Fredy's loans (货款).

    "Mr Fredy gave me a second chance." says Pearman. "And I took advantage of it. I could have just come here a while and left. But there is no future washing wind-shields."

    Fredy always keeps away from the street people, "But Pearman seemed so honest and open, asking for a chance rather than just money," Fredy says. "I don't hand my business card to just anybody. But I'm glad I did in this case."