As the fifth of seven children, I went to the same public school as my three elder sisters and a brother. Every year, each child from the third grade took part in an old school tradition - the plant sale in early1, just before Mother's Day.
That year I was2enough to take part in it. I wanted to surprise my3but I didn't have any money. I told my elder sister about it and she gave me some4. When I arrived at the plant sale, I5chose my favorite. I watched each plant seriously to6that I could find the best geranium (天竺葵). After school, with the help of my sister, I hid it in the neighbor's garden. On7, I remember how bright my mother's eyes were and how8she felt because of my gift.
The year I was fifteen, my younger sister reached the9grade. She told me that she wanted to10our mother. Like my elder sister did11me, I gave her some money. And she12the same gift and we hid it in the same place.13she gave the gift to our mother, I watched them, feeling so proud and happy. My mother noticed me watching and gave me a soft and secret14with a sudden and sweet feeling, I smiled back.
I wanted to know how my mother could pretend (假装) to be surprised at the15gift from her sixth child, but as I watched her eyes, I knew she was not pretending.
"Where is the bus? Why is it always late?" I asked myself. I was going to be late and the manager wasn't going to be pleased. "Thank God, here it is!" The bus came round the corner and I got on. Ten minutes later I was walking into the1 where I work. "Twenty-five past nine. I 2the manager doesn't notice." But I was not3.
"Smith!" shouted the manager. "Late again. What's your 4this time?" "I am afraid the bus was late, Mr. Brown." "5up earlier tomorrow! Anyway, go to your place at the counter (柜台). We'll be opening in a few minutes."
My first customer was a pretty girl wearing a red dress.6her was a young man of about 25. He seemed very7, and every few seconds he looked towards the main entrance(入口). The girl drew some money and8 about opening an account(账户). I gave her necessary information and she went out. Then, I noticed a tall man by the door, carrying something covered with brown paper. Turning to my next customer, I was afraid to see a gun(枪) sticking out of his coat. The next moment a loud noise9my ears. Everything went black. I was falling… It seemed to be a long time 10 I opened my eyes and I found myself in bed!11shaking from the memory of this terrible dream, I got dressed and ran out of the house.
12, the bus wasn't on time, and I got to the bank at 9:25.
"Smith!" the manager cried out in a voice like thunder (雷声)." None of your excuses! Start work at once!" To my13, the first customer was a girl14a red dress and behind her stood a man carrying something covered in brown paper. The 15! Sometimes life is full of coincidences (巧合)!
An old woman had two large pots(罐) — one on each end of a pole(扁担). She carried the pole with the pots on her shoulder. One of the pots had a crack(裂缝) in it, while the other pot was 1 and was always full of water. At the 2 of the long walk from the local well(井) to the woman's house, the cracked pot arrived only half-full.
This 3 daily for two years, with the woman bringing home only 4 pot(s) of water. Of course, the perfect pot was 5. But the poor cracked pot was 6 of its own imperfection.
One day, the cracked pot spoke to the 7 while they were on the way back. "I am ashamed of myself 8 this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house," it said. The old woman smiled and said, "Did you 9 that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I 10 know you were cracked. I planted flower seeds on 11 side of the path. And every day while we walk back, you 12them."
"For two years, I have been able to 13 these beautiful flowers to decorate(装饰) my dining table. 14 you being just the way you are, I would not have this beauty." Hearing these words, the cracked pot 15.
Each of us has our own cracks. But it's these cracks that make our lives so interesting and meaningful.
Two boys were walking down a road. They noticed a man 1 in the field. The younger boy looked at his elder friend and said, "Let's hide his shoes 2 he won't be able to find them. It must be funny!"
The elder boy thought for a moment and said, "The man looks3 . Have you seen his clothes? Let's do this instead: Let's hide a silver coin in each shoe and 4 how he deals with them."
The younger boy 5. They put a silver coin in each shoe and hid nearby. Then the farmer finished his work and came out. He put on a shoe and immediately felt the money 6his foot. He held the coin in his hand, looked at it in 7 and wanted to know who had put it in his shoe. Then he 8 to see who had done it, but no one was there. He then put on the other 9and felt the second coin. The man was so 10 when he found another one in his shoe.
He then dropped to his knees and said 11 . The boys could hear it as they were very 12 . He said that his sick wife and his boys were in need of food. He was thankful for the 13from an unknown person.
After the farmer 14, the boys came out from their hiding place and slowly walked home. They felt happy and learned how wonderful it was to15 others.
In 2014, when I was well again after a serious illness, a friend invited me to a writer's meeting in Orlando, Florida. My family thought that a1 might be just what the doctor suggested, so I went off.
I was tired when I arrived in the Sunshine State. I caught a taxi to my hotel. The next morning, I took2 taxi to the shopping centre to buy something, later after shopping I went to a lovely restaurant 3 lunch,4there were no more tables. Then I heard a friendly voice, "You can 5 my table." I thankfully sat down with the6lady. We had a happy lunch together. At the end of the 7she asked me how I would plan the holiday in Orlando. I8her that I didn't have a car. I would take taxis to go out though it was a bit 9 . Hearing that she said, "My dear, don't use any more taxis. I'm retired (退休) and free. I am glad to10 you to any place you wish." I told her that I couldn't put her into that11, but she didn't agree. She asked me where I was12 and the next morning, she came to my hotel and took me to Disney World. She stayed with me for some time and then 13me alone. At the end of the day, she returned to take me back to my hotel. I gave her money but she didn't take any.14 the help of her, I enjoyed my trip there. I'll never forget 15 she did for me. She made my short holiday in Florida such a wonderful memory.
My mother told me that when I was born, I was the most beautiful baby in the world. Time passed, and I started to be a 1 and happy girl.
Then, one day when I was five years old, my life 2 a lot. I had a high fever. The doctor gave me the wrong medicine 3 it brought me a lot of problems with my speech. So I couldn't speak. And the doctor told us I would 4 be able to speak well again or learn another language.
However, my mom couldn't believe I lost my speech. She sent me to a lot of teachers. 5, she found the right teacher, Nina, to help me make my dream come true. She was a very 6 person. She encouraged me and told me that I would speak again. The most amazing thing was that she taught me to read my 7. I remember that I spent hours in front of the mirror and tried to repeat every word that I said. Imagine losing your speech and having to learn 8 again. For me, it was like being hurt again. Yes, I was! I learned to talk and speak my mother language—Spanish.
Now, I am studying English. I can't believe that I am learning another 9. But, I am! I am crying because 10 here makes me feel happy, and it makes me 11 when I remember what the doctor said to my mom,"12 will never be able to speak or learn another language."
I'll always remember the beautiful words my mom said to me 13 I was a child and began to learn to speak again." You are fighting in a war. Trust yourself and try your 14, and then you will get a beautiful medal for your success. You will achieve an impossible dream that people say you will never do. I believe 15 you, and you are my hero."
Now when I am going to take every step in my studies and in my life, I try to think about my experience and be a thankful person.
Lucy was a single mother. She lived with her little son. She lost her 1 two years ago and they had a very hard life. Being 2 was terrible. Her heart, was broken every time her son asked, "Can I have some more 3 please, Mom?"
One day, when her son asked the same question again, she decided to prepare a big meal for him4 the only 6 dollars in her hand. She went to the supermarket,5 some food and cooked at home. Lucy was ashy mother,6she was strong-minded. "It's time to make a change," she thought. She once loved writing. To make some money, she 7 to write for magazines day and night.
Things went 8. The local food bank started to provide Lucy with some free vegetables every month. Her son 9 had enough food to eat. Once he told Lucy that the dishes she made were 10. Then, an idea came to Lucy's mind: Why not 11 my recipes on the Internet?" She did. Many people liked her recipes and she became 12.
Soon after that, some reporters interviewed her and asked her to write a book on 13. When Lucy got the money for the14 she wrote, she was very happy. Now Lucy has a well-paid job and a beautiful home, but shell15 the days when she worked hard for a good life forever.
Time is very important in our lives, but it never had any importance in my life until1a watch from my father that made me responsible（负责任的）. It2me the importance of time in my life.
I got this gift on a gray-sky day. I had to go to the3at 9：00 a. m. to pick up my uncle Ali and take him to my home. However, I forgot it4I was playing with my friends. Later on that day, around11：00am, I5my uncle, but I was late for him. He had gotten out of the plane and6a taxi to my home.
I got home at 2：00 p. m. 7. My father looked at me angrily. I said "hi" to my father and my8uncle. My father asked me to sit9him and handed me this watch which was a gift from10. It was made of gold. Then he said, "Essa, did you have fun11your friends today? What you did was not very nice and you should be sorry for your12. "I felt sorry and told my father that I wouldn't do it again. Then he said, “This watch will be a reminder（提醒物）for you. I hope you have learnt something13. "
I learnt a lesson from my father：to respect（尊重）time and14be late. The watch is important to me, not because of its15, but because of the lesson that I learnt from it.
George Mallory was an English school teacher who loved climbing. In 1924, Mallory and a team of British1tried to get to the top of Mount Qomolangma, 2mountain in the world. No one had ever done it before.
Mallory had already tried to3the top of Mount Qomolangma in 1921 and 1922, but he had4both times. In 1924, he tried again. On June 8, 1924, he and 5climber, Andrew Irvine, were only a few6meters from the top of the mountain. The other members of their7team watched as Mallory and Irvine climbed slowly up towards the top. However, the weather was very misty, and soon the two men8into the mist. They could never9.
In 1953, Edmund Hillary10New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal, finally reached the top of Mount Qomolangma. Most people thought that they were11to do this, but some people12whether Mallory and Irvine had got there first.
Many years later, in 1999, Mallory's body13on Mount Qomolangma, about six hundred meters from the top of it. However, it is still not known14he and Irvine ever reached the top of the mountain or not.
Someone had once asked Malory why he wanted to climb15mountain in the world. "Because it's there," he answered.
