Judging people by what he or she looks like has become a common practice in our daily life. Is it wise to do so? The 1 is "no".

    One day, a(n) 2lady and her husband, both 3in old but tidy clothes, walked into the 40ffice of Harvard University without being 5 The president could6in a moment that they had no business at Harvard, and probably didn't deserve(值得)to stay here. For hours, the president 7 them, hoping that they would 8become discouraged and go away. 9, they didn't. Then the lady said with great care, "We had a son that 10Harvard University, he loved Harvard. Unfortunately, he was killed 11. We would like to donate(捐钱)a building to Harvard University in memory of our son." The president was 12at what he heard. He stared at the ordinary woman, "Donate a building? Do you have an 13 how much a building costs? We 14more than seven million dollars setting up a chemistry lab, can you 15 to set up a building?"

    The lady was 16 for a moment. The president was pleased: He could 17them now. The lady turned to her 18and said quietly, "Is that all costs to start a 19?" her husband nodded. The couple walked away, travelling back to Palo Alto, California 20 they built a university named after their son-Stanford University, which turned out to be a famous university in America.

    It was Sunday and I was returning from my sister's place. I left1thinking that I might get a seat in the metro (地铁) and it would be a rather easy2. But since my bad luck was3me everywhere, I couldn't get a seat. I4and made my way straight to the end of the compartment. I5there leaning on the side rails. I was feeling very6about myself.

    After few7I got a seat. Just then, entered a8lady supported by the metro staff and she sat next to me. I helped her out of the wheelchair and made her sit. I9my MP4 player and pushed the earpieces just to keep all the10thoughts from my head. Just then I heard the lady calling me. She introduced herself to me and asked about me. I11my best possible smile and answered that much only and pushed 12my earpieces.

    She went on13and I had to take out my earpieces and keep them back in my bag. She told me she was a student at Ramakrishna Mission Ashram and goes there14. It gives her peace and strength. The strength to keep going15her to enjoy the human life as much as possible. She then gave me one of Swami's16and also recited some of verses. She kept on talking for the most of the time and I was very17listening to her.

    We were so busy in talking that we didn't even18our names and I didn't notice it until we came to our train station and we went our ways.19she left, I opened the booklet she gave and read inspirational20. There and then, I understood that whatever may come, it should not hamper our hopes and our expectations.

My Hero

    What does it mean to be a hero? I think a hero is someone who goes out of his way to make others happy. My hero is Mr. Wright, my chorus(合唱队) teacher.

    When I was 12 years old, my grandparents passed away. I was really close to them, and losing them was the hardest thing I've ever had to 1through. I couldn't eat, sleep, or think; I felt like I couldn't even breathe. It was as if my whole world had fallen down from under me, and I2into this huge hole of depression(抑郁).

    3I was battling depression, I was determined to make my high school years the best of my life. It was difficult to be 4, but I had to try. I joined Women's Choir. Mr. Wright was the choral director and he was so funny that the first day, I just knew I had made the best 5of my life.

    As the year progressed, I loved the chorus more and more. I began to smile again and really enjoy 6.

    Then one day that all changed. My friends—or those that I thought were my friends—started talking about me behind my back. I was 7, and I sat by myself. Mr. Wright came over and asked what was wrong. The look in his eyes told me that I could 8him. Trying hard to 9back tears, I told him the whole story.

    When I finished, he nodded and told me,“If you never learn anything from me, learn this: No one is worth 10your joy.”What Mr. Wright said really 11a chord(心弦) in my heart. He12cared about me and what was going on. I'll never be able to thank him enough, because he not only saved me but has13every day of my life since. Any time I feel like giving 14, I remember Mr. Wright's words and push forward.

    I'm proud to say that I 15my depression, and I'm now a senior. I'm still a 16of chorus, and now I'm also in the best choir at my school.

    Mr. Wright is a hero 17everyone he meets. He cares about every single person who walks through his door, and he loves what he does more than any other teacher I've known. That's 18he deserves to be Educator of the Year. He deserves the 19not just this year but every year.

    I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet you, Mr. Wright. You are an 20teacher, and I hope you realize that. You're my hero.

    We have all heard how time is more valuable than money, but is it 1 to have too much?

    I 2 back in high school I spent most of my day at school since I also 3 a team sport. By the time I got home, I only had a few hours to do my homework, so I had to do it 4.

    When I got into college, things 5. I suddenly found myself out of class before noon time. Because of all this 6 time, there was no sense of 7 to do my school work immediately. I was performing this action of waiting until it later became 8. Once that happened, I just kept 9 my studying further and further back in my day. Then I got to the point where I was 10 really late at night to get my work done.

    One day I 11 a former classmate of mine who was 12 a lot of money running a sideline (副业). Since his regular job was 13. I asked him why he just didn't do his sideline full-time. He said without the job, he would 14 have too much time and would just do what I did back in 15. He said that if he 16 the job, he would lose his 17 to work and succeed.

    So, try 18 up your time with other work. This is why there is a 19 that if you want something done, ask a 20 person to do it.

    I was a young newspaper reporter, and I wanted to succeed. My first 1 was in Latin America. It was almost my last job.

    I had not 2 to stay in the village of Zacate, 3 it had been raining hard for a whole day. So I had to stay there.

    I found people there full of 4 . This village was at the foot of a volcano (火山). It was becoming more 5. Men, women and children came to the square. A few helped each other and went out of town to get as far away from the volcano as possible, with large and full 6 in their hands. Suddenly, I felt a strong 7. The villagers in the square 8 as soon as they felt the earthquake.

    Suddenly, I saw black smoke 9 down the side of the mountain towards the village. Trees and grass 10 up in a second. The volcano was coming so 11 that in less than a minute the roads to the villages were 12 . All I could do was watch and 13. Suddenly, my landlord (房东) cried out, "Look!" He 14 to a small hill. The lava (岩浆) was not coming over it but 15 on each side of the 16, leaving the village center 17. For a time, at least, we were 18, unless the lava grew much and bigger.

    My landlord gave me a wet blanket to cover myself to avoid the 19 and we poured water over our heads to cool ourselves. We could hardly breathe (呼吸) because of the heat and the 20 of the burning houses. Thanks to my landlord, I survived the volcano.

As a child I once read a story of two men who walked 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada with huge packs,  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}caught my eye, as L, too, dreamed of adventures in the wilderness. I've always remembered that story,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}never believed I would actually make it. It was too far out of my comfort zone.

But then, at the age of 42, I{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(hike) the 88 Temples Trail through Japan There, I experienced how attractive it could be to hike alone.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}impressed me most were the fantastic mountains, grand temples and generous local people.

When I shared my plan {#blank#}5{#/blank#}friends and colleagues, the news was welcomed with mixed{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(react). From some I got enthusiastic approval. But from others there were frowns and question marks. Half a year away from my family was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}challenge for me. Yet it wouldn't defeat me. After all, six months is{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(simple) a short period in a lifetime.{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(work) hard for 20 years in shiny office buildings, I felt the need for more adventure in my life. I hoped to slow down and look within, as well as explore the unfamiliar things. I understood that I needed them both.{#blank#}10{#/blank#}John Muir once said, "Keep close to nature… and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."