Dante Gabriel Rossetti was a famous 19th-century poet and artist.One day,he was1by an elderly man.The old fellow had some sketches and drawings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good,2if they at least showed3talent.

    Rossetti examined them carefully.After the first few, he knew that they were4,showing not the least5of artistic talent.But Rossetti was a kind man,and he told the elderly man as6as possible that the pictures were without much7and showed little talent.He was sorry,but he could not 8 to the man.The visitor was9 ,but seemed to10 Rossetti's judgment.

    He then11for taking up Rossetti's time,but12to ask whether he would just look at a few more drawings—these done by a young art student.Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became 13 over the talent they14 .“These,”he said,“oh,these are good.This young student has great talent.He should be given every help and encouragement in his15 as an artist.He has a great future if he will work hard and16it.”

    Rossetti could see that the old fellow was deeply17 .“Who is this fine young artist?”he asked.“Your son?” “No,”said the old man18 “It is me—40 years ago.If only I had heard your19then!For you see,I got discouraged and gave up—too20”

My fiance (未婚夫）and I were excited about shopping for our first home. But our funds (资金) were1, and none of the houses in our price range seemed satisfactory.

One agent (代理人)2a house in particular. Although her description sounded wonderful, the price was3our range, so we declined (拒绝). But she kept urging (催促) us to have a look4.

We finally did and it was5at first sight. It was Our Home, small and charming, overlooking a quiet lake. Walking through the rooms and talking with the owners, a nice elderly couple, we felt the warmth and6of the marriage within that home. As perfect as it was, the price remained too high for us. But every day, we would sit by the lake, looking at the house and dreaming of7 it would be like to live there.

Days later, we made a(n)8—far below the asking price. Surprisingly, they didn't9us. They renewed their offer 10 It was also much more than we could afford but far 11than the original asking price.

The next day, we got a 12message that another buyer had offered a much higher price. Even so, we decided to talk with the 13directly. We made our final offer, which 14was thousands of dollars less than the other buyer's bid. We knew it, 15 we had to try.

“Sold!” said the owner. Then he16: He'd seen us sitting by the lake all those times; he knew how much we loved the place and that we'd17the years of work they had put into their home; he realized he would take a18by selling it to us, but it was worthwhile; we were the people they wanted to live there. He told us to consider the 19in the price as “an early wedding present.”

    That's how we found our home and how I learned that when people are  20 they are not strangers, only friends we haven't yet met.

    A lovely little girl was holding two apples with both hands. Her mum came in and 1 asked her little daughter with a smile, “My sweetie, could you give your mum one of your two apples?” The girl looked 2 at her mum for some seconds, then she suddenly took a quick 3 on one apple, and then quickly on the other.

    The mum felt the smile on her face 4. She tried hard not to show her 5. Then the little girl handed one of her 6 apples to her mum, and said, “Mummy, here you are. This is the 7 one.”

    No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always 8 judgment. Give others the privilege to 9 themselves. What you see may not be the 10. Never conclude for others, which is why we should never only 11 the surface and judge others without understanding them 12.

    Those who like to pay the bill, do so not because they are loaded, but because they value 13 above money.

    Those who 14 first after a fight, do so not because they are wrong but because they value the people around them.

    Those who often text you, do so not because they have 15 better to do but because you are in their heart.

    One day, all of us will get 16 from each other；we will miss our conversations of everything & nothing； we will miss the 17 that we had. Days will pass by, months, years,18 this contact becomes rare — One day our children will see our 19 and ask “Who are these people?”And we will smile with invisible tears because a heart is touched with a strong word and you will say, “20 WAS THEM THAT I HAD THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE WITH.”

    In most people's eyes, I was a golden girl when I was eighteen years old： I was president of the college drama society, a member of the student senate and so on. I was the1of all my friends and I was in a state of 2 .

    The old Greek tragedies3us that when pride rises, punishment falls. My universe4 with great suddenness when the scenery(舞台布景道具）fell on my head and I was left almost5for the next four months.

    My memory was in a mess and within a few months all my 6 were taken away. I was even told that I would have to leave the college at the end of the spring term7clearly, I couldn't do academic work.”

    Sad, I took one last 8by Dr. Jacob Taubes. He was the most brilliant teacher I had ever 9and in his class, I began to raise a tentative 10 and ask an occasional question. He would answer with great intensity, and soon I found myself asking 11 I questions constantly.

    One day I was walking to the bus when I heard Dr. Taubes12me,” Miss Houston, let me walk with you. You know, you have a most 13mind.”

“Me? 1 have a mind?”

    “Yes, of course.” Then he asked my understanding of some problems discussed in the classes. From that day on, Dr. Taubes continued to 14 me to the bus, always15 me with intellectually vigorous questions. Within several weeks my eyesight came back and my spirit 16 .

    Though what I acquired from the accident was a 17 sense of life, I remain deeply 18 for the attention Dr. Taubes had shown. He 19 me when I most needed it. I swore then that I would try to 20 and acknowledge the unlucky person as I had been acknowledged.

    I went with some colleagues from my office for a dinner in a very popular local restaurant. It was1 business time and the restaurant was packed. We 2 found a table in a corner for three of us.

    As soon as we sat down, we heard a crash when a cleaning boy 3 the floor with all the plates he was carrying. There was 4 and no one was saying or doing anything.

    In a flash I remembered my 5 many years ago. Once, I passed out in the airport because I had rushed there on my own on a(n) 6 stomach. I was 7 and taken care of by two strangers. Now this was my chance to 8 it forward.

    I ran to the young man's side immediately, turned him on his back and screamed for someone to 9 a hot drink. Soon people started asking if I was a doctor. I said I was not, 10 I was skillful at blacking out (晕厥).

    The kid soon opened his eyes, 11 what had happened. I 12 him by saying it was OK and I had had a 13 experience. He had not eaten anything. I held the 14 drink to his mouth till he finished it and sat with him till he felt OK. By then the 15 had arrived. I asked her to give the kid something to eat. I offered to pay.

The manager was kind enough to refuse the 16 and agreed to make sure the kid ate before he went home. By the time all this was 17, it was getting late for my colleagues. Since we hadn't 18anything yet, we decided to go home.

    I slowly walked home, not hungry any more, feeling 19 for the opportunity I pay forward the20I had received many years ago.

    I stood in the front of the classroom like a specimen(标本) under examinations  of 23 pairs of eyes. I began stuttering(结巴)and gave wrong answers to some questions.

    In the summer of 2016, I worked as an assistant teacher at a children's day camp. Lacking in experience, I 1 to create weekly lesson plans. Kids shouted at each other in class. Sometimes, I had to pull apart kids who were 2 each other. The rare moments of3 came only after my booming calls for attention. Every day was a 4 between me and these wild little creatures.

    One day I suddenly 5 that I was supposed to teach them instead of being led by the nose. It was time to do something to change the 6. I was older, more knowledgeable, and most 7, I had more authority. The next day, I firmly8into the classroom and stood in the front9.The students studied me curiously. But I did not stutter this time. It10 me that the class went smoothly without being 11 for the first time. From that day on, they gradually started to pay attention. Some 12started calling me "Ms. Amy". Seeing a sign of respect in their wild eyes was like getting 13 for my achievements. I was finally acting as an authority figure. The 14 I received also increased my self-confidence. It made me believe that I had the15 to overcome difficulties.

    One month after my summer job 16, I went back to visit the students. I saw the 17 kids running around in the classroom. 18, their playful shouts were a different kind of music to my 19now. Instead of the unpleasant sound I heard the first day, this was a20 song that played during my march to self—confidence.