I guess the day I went to college was one of the happiest of my mother's life. Istill remember the day we 1 there.

    Because, to my mother who dropped out of school during the war, this was a big 2, on which she insisted that I 3 a white shirt and a necktie. But when we finally reached the campus and got off the car, we were 4 by young men in tank tops (背心)and shorts. I felt that my mother made me 5.

    She wanted to know where the 6 was, and found someone to give us 7, “Charley, look at all the books!” she felt 8. “You could stay in here all four years.''

    Everywhere we went she kept 9. “Look! That small area—you could study there.” And, “Look, that cafeteria table, you could eat there.” I 10 it because I knew she would be leaving soon.

    An hour later, I carried my trunk to the stairwell of my dormitory. My mother was holding my two baseball bats.

    “Here,” I said, 11 my hand,” I'll take the 12.”

    “ I'll go up with you. ”

    “No, it's all right.”

    “ 13 I want to see your room.”

    I couldn't think of anything else that wouldn't 14 her feelings, so I just pushed my hand out farther. Her face 15 and handed me the bats.

    “Charley,” she said. Her voice was 16 now, and it sounded different. “Give your mother a kiss.” I leaned forward. She threw her arms 17 my neck and drew me close. I could smell her perfume and her hair spray that she used for this 18 day.

    I pulled away, lifted the trunk, and began my climb, 19 my mother in the stairwell of a dormitory, as close as she would 20 get to a college education.

    One day, a well-known speaker was invited to give a lecture to an audience of 200. He started his lecture by 1 a $ 20 bill. He looked around the room, and asked, "Who would like this $20 bill? "

    2 started going up.

    He said, "I am going to 3 this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this." He crumpled up (揉皱) the 20-dollar bill. He then asked, "Who 4 wants it?" Still the hands were 5 in the air.

    "Well", he replied,"6 I do this?" And he dropped it on the 7and started to step on it with his shoes. He picked it up. Now it was crumpled and 8.

    "Now, who wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

    "My friends, we have all learned a very 9 lesson. No matter what I did to the 10, you still want it because it doesn't decrease in 11. It is still worth $20, with 12 we can buy what we need.

    Many times in our lives, we are 13 and trampled underfoot by the decision we 14 and the circumstances that come our way. We feel 15 we were worthless. But no matter what has happened or what may happen to us, you will never 16 your value. Dirty or clean, you are still priceless to those who do love you. The worth of our lives is determined not by 17 we do or who we know, but by who we are. You are 18. Don't ever forget it."

    If you 19 this lesson in mind, it will help you to 20 again when you fall. Each time it makes you grow much stronger.

    Steve was a seventh grader, a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a 12-year-old. Yet, he went unnoticed-- he had been 1every examination since first grade—until Miss Wilma.

    In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was2for basic skills.

    “You all did pretty well," Miss Wilma told the class after going over the3 "except for one boy. And it4my heart to tell you this, but…" she5 ， “the smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class." Steve6his eyes an carefully examined his fingertips.

    After that, Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even if Miss Wilma7punished him, he remained8.

    “Steve, please! I care about you!” 9, Steve got it! “Someone CARES ABOUT ME?!”

    One Monday a couple of weeks later, Miss Wilma gave a10on the weekend homework. Steve11through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of12 ， Miss Wilma 1ook his paper and began to look it over.

    Miss Wilma's face was in13shock! She glanced up at Steve, then14, then up. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

    From that moment, nothing was the same for Steve. He discovered that not only could he remember and understand15, but he could translate what he learned into his life. He became16.

    After high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a(n)17military career. During his naval years, he inspired many young people who might not have 18 themselves without him. A19took place within the heart of a boy all because of one teacher, who 20 .

    I had never known a Christmas when we could ask for a special gift and actually expect to get it. The Great Depression (大萧条) of the 1930s really1 our farming community of Belleville, Michigan. Then came 1940; I was 7 years old and my brother, David, was 8. That year my father got a(n)2 job, and David and I were asked to choose the one 3we most wanted to get that year. I 4 a teddy bear. David asked for a bicycle.

    5, Christmas morning arrived. There under the tree, with a big red bow around his neck, was my teddy bear. David's6 , however, was not there. I7 how my parents could make my wish come true but not my brother's.

    “I8something,” my father said, as he went into the other room. When he came back he was9a bicycle.

    On David's face was a look of both delight and10. The bike was secondhand, which David didn't11, but it was a girls' bike. Boys did not ride girls' bikes. Personally, I wouldn't have 12if it had come with pink bows on it – it was still a bicycle.

    David and I had been learning to ride on bicycles13from friends in the neighborhood. I was not as14a rider as he was, but I could15to get from point A to point B.

    David was very16, letting me ride his new wheels often. He even17out a way to tie our Radio Flyer wagon to the bike so he could pull me and other kids up and down our road.

    Now we could18 places that were once beyond convenient walking distance. That winter we took many long rides down the snowy back roads, with me on the handlebars or19behind in the wagon. That bicycle was the Christmas present and truly gave us an exciting new 20.

    My cousin is nine years old, a little bit fat and doesn't do really well at school. She is heavily 1, and thus has developed some resistance and 2 towards adults, who usually don't put high hopes in her.

    Yesterday we went to an art 3 together. There were paintings from kids with disabilities. My little girl has a 4 eye, for the paintings she liked most were also the best of the show. She voluntarily helped to 5 the chairs and table for a sharing session, painted by herself alongside new friends while I attended the sharing, and also 6 helped me to get my bag from another room, 7 that doesn't happen often at home as she's usually 8 to her iPad.

    In the afternoon, we went to buy books together. I bought a book written by a mom 9 her journey with her autistic (自闭的) son. On the bus back home, I briefly 10 the book to my cousin, and to my surprise she was 11 interested. She kept asking me to tell more stories about the boy in the book who 12 with small things in life. Even when the subject strayed (偏离) elsewhere, she 13 hearing more about this boy. This is the first time I've seen her so interested in a 14. Usually when she talks to me she describes events at school and at home without a 15 focus. I'm very 16 that the life of a 17 has found its way into this little girl's heart.

    I'm very thankful for the 18 of books, for the beauty that my cousin revealed to me, and for the time we had together. I 19 that I can keep seeing clearly the wonderful things in her, so that whenever the not-so-kind world puts her 20, I can remind her how truly wonderful she has always been.

    My dad also taught me, by example, that a healthy lifestyle is important. He was 1 ever sick. I don't think my dad ever even had a cup of coffee. He seldom 2 alcohol.

    He would say, "Bonnie, your 3 is a reflection of your overall physical well-being. So 4 you want to sing well, take better care of yourself." If I became hoarse (嘶哑) or caught a cold, he didn't 5 me directly, "Well, Bonnie, you know, if you get to sleep a little earlier, that would probably be a good 6." When I decided to get silent about 18 years ago, he told me, "See, Bonnie, it's so great to see you in such strong voice 7."

    He just did not complain (抱怨), even when he was uncomfortable towards the end, 8 the cancer that eventually 9 his life. He simply made a 10 to be positive.

    I am so glad that we had the 11 to perform together. I was touched that he tried singing my music, 12 the bluesy style didn't come 13 to him. Then, when I had so much Grammy (格莱美奖) 14 with my album Nick of Time in 1990, I 15, hey, I had one of the greatest 16  of all time in my family. I was very 17 about doing The Boston Pops Show on TV with my dad. To 18  me, he said, "Bonnie, a beautiful song is a beautiful song. Just 19 it." I looked in my dad's 20, and there we were singing the Irving Berlin Song. Of all the duets (二重唱) I've done, that one will always be a highlight.