It was raining cats and dogs.1, we were in a car and my uncle, who was2, had the situation under control. We passed slowly by an oil-palm(油棕榈) farm land. The heavy rain made3poor. So my uncle drove very carefully. He had all the lights on. So did the other drivers. I could4little spots of light on the other cars through the white sheet of rain.
Black clouds floated overhead. It felt as though they were about to5on us at any moment. Lightning6across the sky and onto the distant hills. The following7made deep sounds unceasingly. Some flashes of lightning came uncomfortably close and the8thunderclap was deafening, even with all our windows9. Suddenly a loud crack made us10. Then my uncle pointed a11finger at something outside the car. I looked in the12and saw an oil-palm tree some ten meters away actually13in half through the middle. It was burnt black and14. I then realized that it had just been struck by lightning.
We were so lucky that the lightning had struck the tree instead of us. Still trembling, my uncle quickly drove away from the15zone. We had just had a close brush with death. It was close, too close for comfort.
When most of us get a text message on our cell phone from an unknown person, we usually say "sorry, 1 number!" and move on. But when Dennis Williams 2 a text that clearly wasn't intended for him, he did something 3.
On March 19, Dennis got a group text 4 him that a couple he didn't know were at the hospital, waiting for the 5 of a baby.
"Congratulations! But I think someone was mistaken," Dennis 6. The baby was born and update texts were 7 quickly from the overjoyed grandmother, Teresa. In her 8, she didn't seem to realize that she was 9 the baby's photos with a complete stranger. "Well, I don't 10 you all but I will get there to take pictures with the baby," replied Dennis before asking which room the new 11 were in.
Much to the family's surprise, Dennis stuck to his 12! He turned up at the hospital 13 gifts for the new mother Lindsey and her baby boy. Lindsey's husband was totally 14 by the unexpected visit. "I don't think we would have randomly invited him over but we 15 it and the gifts."
Teresa 16 a photo of the chance meeting on a social networking website 17 by the touching words: "What a 18 this young man was to our family! He was so 19 and kind to do this." The post has since gained the 20 of social media users all over the world, receiving more than 184,000 shares and 61,500 likes in just three days.
Carol-Anne O'Callaghan, a 60-year-old retired teacher, has spent more than half of her life time teaching. This time, she wanted to do something much more1.
One day in 2021, O'Callaghan was walking her dogs when she2 yellow dots on all the oak trees along Leather Lane. The dots, she learned, indicated the trees' 3 drew near. The marked trees would make way for a new rail line, which was really a piece of 4 news for her. Planted in the 19th century, they were 5 parts of her childhood. "My family and I used to picnic under them," she said, "and they meant much."
Unfortunately, they were to be cut down as part of the HS2 high-speed railway projects. O'Callaghan6HS2, only to be told the7couldn't be changed.
As a teacher, O'Callaghan often told students, "If something is wrong, you can't 8and let it happen." So she started a(n) 9to save the trees. O'Callaghan gave out leaflets (传单) from door to door in the neighborhood, 10 local people to fight for the trees.
The locals11O'Callaghan. "It's amazing to see someone who shows great12for giving a voice to those trees," says her neighbor Victoria.13, O'Callaghan's efforts paid off. HS2 14an alternative overhead design. And O'Callaghan was nominated (提名) for this week's "Guardian Angel" 15 her attempts to preserve nature in the county.
Ice and snow fell heavily down the window of the office where I was working. As the wind1, I wondered how I would get 2. The 12mile route took me up and down steep hills and around dangerous turns. I whispered a prayer for safety.
My old green car was doing well over the icy roadway, 3 the snowdrifts (雪堆). But as I went up one of the steepest and scariest hills, I 4the tires were slipping, and my car was having difficulty 5the slope.
I decided it was time to switch to fourwheel drive. I pulled the lever (操纵杆) back, just like my husband had taught me. Slowly the 6held the road without slipping, and the top of the hill came 7. But on the top, the car just stopped. I pushed and pulled the lever—nothing happened. I was 8.
Now what? Even though I had met no one on this lonely stretch of road, I 9 expected that someone might come to help. After a few minutes, I 10 an old truck. A smiling young man I'd never seen before 11 his window and asked if I needed 12. I told him that I did. He showed me 13 to control the fourwheeldrive shifting equipment, locking it into place.
In no time, I had my car moving toward home. When I thanked the 14 and asked if he lived around the area, he just said, "Oh, over there." Do I believe in angels? 15.
We had just completed a unit on heroes, and I had given my kindergarten class a task to 1 their favorite hero. Each child was 2 with the task, creating colorful masterpieces.
However, one little boy was having 3 with the task. Cameron was with autism (自闭症), but that didn't matter to me or his classmates. We all 4 him just the way he was. I sat and watched as Austin, a friendly little boy, 5 with Cameron. Within a few minutes, Cameron quickly began drawing and then coloring his paper.
Finally, it was time for everybody to share their pictures. I listened as each student 6 stood in front of the class, picture held high, and 7 his or her hero. It was finally Cameron's 8. He stood up and anxiously placed his drawing in front of his 9 to avoid eye contact. We all fixed our eyes on the picture, 10 to know who it was. He then said it was a picture of me. He added that I helped him learn things and then 11 sat down. Tears began to form in my eyes, but nothing could have 12me for what happened next.
When Austin stood up, he proudly held up a picture of Cameron. Austin shared that Cameron was his hero because Cameron had this 13 that made it really hard to learn, but he was like Superman and was really smart.
Cameron immediately stood up, and put his arms up in the air as if he were going to 14, yelling out, "I'm Superman!" The entire class began striking Superman poses, too. Within minutes, we were all laughing as though we had truly discovered the secret of becoming 15.
Mrs. Barrow, room 501, room 501, I repeated to myself as I scanned the hallways looking for the room number. It was my first day of fifth grade and I was really1.
I came to the end of the hall and found an open door. Stepping into the room, I suddenly felt out of 2. I tried to act normal, but Mrs. Barrow saw right through me. "Good morning, Courtni. You may 3 your seat. "I looked about the room and took an empty seat near a girl named Wendy Barber. As the year slowly 4, Wendy and I became good friends. I felt no closeness to Mrs. Barrow, 5. I saw her as "just another teacher."
Then my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. About a month later, Grandma slipped into a coma (昏迷) and died. 6 her was unbearable for me. I missed some school because I was so sad.
At the funeral, I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself when I 7 and saw Mrs. Barrow standing there. She sat down next to me and held my hand. She comforted me by 8 me that now Grandma had no more pain or suffering. It had never occurred to me that it was 9 for my grandma this way. All I thought about was how bad it was for me.
After the funeral, we went to my aunt's house to see the flowers that had been sent. My mom10 me a pretty ivy plant in a pin pot. The 11 card read:
Courtni,
I'm sorry about your grandmother. Never forget, I love you. You are like one of my children.
With love,
Mrs. Barrow
I took the plant home and put it in my grandma's old room. I am in eighth grade now and I still have that plant. I 12 thought a teacher could care that much about her students; now I know. I say this with all my heart: 13 who is lucky enough to have a teacher like Mrs. Barrow in their life is privileged 14words. She may not know it, but she means more to me than she'll ever know. I can only hope this gives her inspiration and 15 to her a tiny portion of what she has done for me.
Rene Compean was no stranger to Angeles National Forest. But when1a new path last April, the hiker was lost.
As the day2into dusk, following hours of aimless wandering, his concern turned to3. With no flashlight, only a liter of water, and less than ten percent4remaining on his cellphone, Compean was5for anything more than the two-hour walk he'd planned.
Compean climbed to a spot, where he found one bar of6. "SOS. My phone is going to7. I'm lost," he tweeted(推特), 8a photo showing where he was. All Compean could do then was9and hope. The10was dropping fast, and the winds were increasingly violent. Dressed thinly and numb with cold, he11himself into a tight ball, using his backpack to12his bare legs. And two mountain lions kept him on13the entire night.
Sixty miles away, Ben Kuo was working in the company when he read a tweet from the Los Angeles Police Department, whose search-and-rescue teams had spent the previous night14looking for Compean, so they15the photo to the public, hoping someone might know the location.
Kuo has an unusual hobby. He frequently tries to16where movie scenes or television shows were filmed. When he saw the photo, he naturally pulled up a satellite map on his laptop. From the tweet he learned Compean's car was parked near Buckhorn Campsite, so he17his searching range. After comparing the photo with the satellite map in detail, Kuo realized he was on the south side. The final step was cross-referencing the photo with 3-D images of the area from Google Earth. The locations18! Soon, a rescue team was in action. After 27 hours alone in the wilderness, Compean remained safe!
Compean's story probably would have ended differently had a total stranger with strong satellite skills and a sharp eye for19not taken action. In fact, when Compean was finally pulled safely into the helicopter, one of his rescuers, commented, "You are so20."
Nine-year-old Olivia of Oklahoma has wanted to take the stage to perform in the ballet, "The Nutcracker《胡桃夹子》"since she could remember. However, her Friedreich ataxia (脊柱畸形) seems to move that dream out of1 . The disease that mainly affects the nervous, system and causes 2 problems makes it hard to live a normal life and she is dependent on a wheelchair.
Hoping to3 her daughter's spirits and 4 her that in life, anything is possible, Olivia's mother encouraged her to5 for the Nutcracker this year in the Oklahoma City Ballet. Not knowing if there was any way they'd consider6 her, Olivia didn't7 much. However, having learned about Olivia's8 , the Ballet School director Rachael didn't9 at all. He created a role10 for Olivia, who could appear on stage in a wheelchair. When she 11 a part in the Nutcracker, Olivia 12 tears of joy. She found a family in the players, who were13 of her and glad to help fulfill her dream.
When it's Olivia's14 to dance, everyone had their eyes on her on stage. It was15 and eye-opening for all the audience. When Olivia came off stage, the audience were all on their 16 in wild applause.
Having Olivia in this ballet has been a17 for everyone involved!18 is at the heart of every crew. We19 this company having Olivia in their show, and hope they keep the role 20for other children who dream of fairies and mice kings!
Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus during rush hour. The bus was filled with cold, tired people1with one another. Two men2at each other for an unintentional push. An elderly woman got on, and nobody offered her a3. Anger was in the air; no4could be found here.
As the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver's words came from the speaker. "Folks," he said. "I know you've had a(n)5day and that you are depressed, but I will6. When each of you walks by before getting off, drop your7into my palm (手掌). My route goes right by the Hudson River, into which I'll8them. "
It seemed as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing, their faces shining with9. The passengers who had been10each other's existence were suddenly grinning(咧嘴笑) at each other—is this guy serious?
At the next stop, just as11, the driver held out his hand, palm up, and waited. All the12passengers performed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. The driver13the same action at every stop that followed.
Occasionally we may sink into a grey world, but someone can14it like a ray of light, showing us hope. What if we are the light? 15, anyone possesses the power to shine on others' dark days.
Have you experienced a condition when listening to a very loud music makes your heartbeat so fast that you can actually feel the heavy beating? From this experience, we can conclude that loud and fast music 1 the heart rate. Therefore, we have a feeling of high 2 and stress when we listen to loud and fast music. On the contrary, soft music is 3 to a slower heart rate. People who listen to relaxing music have a slower heart rate, 4 to those listening to loud and fast music, or those not listening to music at all.
But why does this happen? Experiments found that the 5 of music on the heart is based on the functioning of the brain. When we hear music, the sound waves are translated into electrical impulses(神经冲动) by the 6. As it is related to the increasing and decreasing of the heart rate, the related effect is produced. Now, is it that only 7 music brings out this effect? Well, listening to soft or relaxing music is surely more 8. However, listening to any type of music you like can be 9, rather than not listening to any music at all.
It is believed that people who have a slower heart rate have a longer life. 10, people having a faster heart rate are at a greater 11 of suffering from cardiovascular(心血管的) diseases. Therefore, having a slower heart rate makes you live a longer and healthier life. When 12 slows down the heart rate, it brings about a feeling of 13. Therefore, it is used as a 13 technique. We can conclude by saying that the phrase "Music heals(治疗) the heart" is not just a saying, but a(n) 15!
（）33. A. selflessness B. helplessness C. calmness D. sadness
