Grandma Kong is from the western countryside of China. She has spent nearly 1years adopting(收养）and raising abandoned（被遗弃的）children. She gives them food to eat and sends them to school to get an2.
Kong first adopted an abandoned child in the 1970s. She found she couldn't stop there. Though in poor health, the kind woman 3 adopting abandoned children and raising them as her own. Over the last 48 years, she has adopted over 40 children. 4of them have grown up and become doctors or lawyers.
It costs Kong a lot to raise so many children. There were times she couldn't put enough 5on the table. She chose to leave home to look for leftovers（残羹剩饭）in the rubbish. To her great 6, things got much better with time. Now her grown-up children help her to bring up their 7brothers and sisters.
Kong always believes that education is the best way to get out of poverty（贫穷）, 8she makes sure that all her children go to school. She said, "I told my children that it was quite 9 for them to study hard and that it was their only chance to change their lives."
Kong's story has 10 thousands of people's hearts. Many of them say she is a great mother and a good example to follow.
Sam and his friend Bob, both 5, entered a painting competition. Bob won! Sam felt blue and left 1_.
As soon as Sam 2 home, he told Papa, "I worked hard on my picture. I made it the best I could. I wanted to win. "
"You did work hard, "said Papa. "3 is a fine picture. Ill hang it in my office. "Mama gave Sam a hug and said, "I hope you congratulated Bob."
Sam shook his head, "Bob was too busy getting his photo taken. "Then he went to his room. He sulked (生闷气). He didn't feel like doing anything. Some time later, he got very 4. He wondered what Bob was doing. He remembered the fun they had, painting their pictures together
He decided to do something, 5 he took out some paper and his painting set. He painted another picture, one 6 a ship in it. He knew Bob loved ships.
Under the ship, he printed in big red 7: C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S!
That was the biggest word he knew.
That afternoon, Sam walked to Bob's house and gave Bob the 8.
"Thanks," said Bob. "I love ships. What's the 9 word?"
"Congratulations," said Sam.
"Wow! Thanks again," said Bob. "This is much better than getting my photo taken.
And happily they went to ride bikes together.
Friendship is much better than 10, isn't it?
A man had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. He 1warm milk. It would not come down.
The tree was not 2enough to climb, so the man decided that if he tied a rope to his 3and pulled it until the tree bent down, he could then 4and get the kitten.
That's what he did, all the while checking his progress in the car. He then thought if he went just a little bit 5, the tree would be bent low enough for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little further forward, the rope broke.
The tree went “boing!” and the kitten was nowhere to be found.
The man felt 6. He asked people he met if they'd 7a little kitten. No. Nobody had.
A few 8later he met a neighbor at the store. He happened to look into shopping basket and was 9to see cat food.
This woman was a cat 10and everybody knew it, so he asked her,"11are you buying cat food?" She replied, "You won't believe this," and then told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, 12she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally 13her little girl, "Well, I'll let you keep a cat if it falls from the 14."
She told the man, "I watched my child go out in the yard, and look straight into the sky. And really, 15won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying through the air, and landed right in front of her."
It was Thanksgiving. Snow was falling when Bob1towards the city park. Bob was deserted (遗弃) by his parents and was raised (抚养) by a kind man. Two years ago, to be 2, Bob built a tradition. That was to take his Thanksgiving dinner to the park to share with a homeless person.
The park was3. Everyone was home enjoying their dinner. After arriving at the park, Bob saw an old woman sitting on a bench (长椅). Bob stopped his car in a parking place and got out. He took the 4from the front seat and began walking towards her. When he stood beside her, she jumped as if (好像) she had5been woken up from sleeping. She looked up 6Bob, and then her eyes brightened.
"Good evening, madam," Bob said, smiling. "I've brought you some Thanksgiving dinner. Would you like to share it with me?" The woman nodded and Bob served her the food and then watched her7 she ate happily. When the woman finished, he8the table. Then he took twenty dollars out of his wallet.
He put the9into her hand. Then he kissed her lightly on the forehead and said, "Thank you for10my Thanksgiving dinner." With that, he took his dishes from the table and returned to the car.
Cowboys have lived and worked in the west and south—west of the United States for over three centuries and they are a famous symbol of the USA. When you watch those old Hollywood cowboy films from the fifties and sixties, you see a job. You see a 1 of freedom and adventure (冒险). However, the real job of an American cowboy has always been 2 and sometimes dangerous. It is physical with long hours and low pay.
Life hasn't 3 much for cowboys since the early days. Cows walk across huge plains (草原) to 4 the grass and the cowboy rides on his horse to bring 5 home. Like the cowboys of the past, a 21st century cowboy 6 gets up early on freezing cold mornings and makes breakfast over a fire.
So why does a man—because it is usually a man—become a cowboy? For some, it isn't a 7, because they are born into the life. They have worked with 8 since they were children. They 9 the traditional cowboy culture: "It's a real life about you, your horse and the open 10."
Some people choose the job 11 in life. Pat had an office job with the US government with high pay, 12 he didn't like city life and spending all day inside. So one day, he 13 his job and moved to a ranch (牧场) in Texas, making much less money 14 a cowboy. He wanted job satisfaction. And for a cowboy, job satisfaction doesn't come from the money or a comfortable office. It comes from being 15 to wake up under the sky and being your own boss.
Mary's birthday is coming. Her uncle told her that he would send some1to her as a present. Mary likes chickens very much, 2she was very happy. "I'll keep the chickens for eggs," she thought.
Then the chickens arrived on3birthday. They were put in a4. Mary carried the box to the garden, but it was so5. She dropped the box onto the ground and it was broken. All the chickens went out and6here and there. Mary spent hours trying to7them that morning.
A few days later, her8came. He asked Mary, "Where are the chickens? Do you like them?"
"Of course, though I dropped them and had some9finding them. Anyway, I caught ten of them," Mary said.
"That's very10. But I only sent you six," Her uncle said with a laugh.
My friend Richard went far to work, so he asked me to take care of his yard in the mountains. He worked hard and often kept the yard1without any grass. But I was too lazy to sweep the fallen leaves, and I2pluck (拔) grass, allowing it to grow rapidly. In the early3, in March, the leaves were green and soft. A month later, when the leaves spread quickly, I discovered they were like wild orchids (兰花) in the forest.
As the summer came, the "grass" really flowered. The flowers looked like those forest orchids, 4 they were yellow, unlike those purple or brown red forest orchids. I picked one flower, then went to find a friend who studied 5.As soon as my friend saw it he asked me6 I picked it. "It's amazing!" He 7 explained, "This kind of orchid is hard to find. Now it is worth at least 10,000 dollars each."
I told the good news to Richard. He was8. After a while he said gently, he saw the orchid in the yard every year, but he thought it was common grass, so he always plucked it. He said, "If I could9, it would flower a few years before." Yes, all of us might miss some rare (稀有的) orchids in our own lives. We don't give them the time to flower to prove their value.
Give the "grass" time to flower and give everybody a 10 to prove his value. Don't pluck a leave of any "grass" or negate (否定) a person rudely and how many "rare orchids " we will get in our lives!
Mr. Black was a wealthy businessman, but he was not 1 with his life. He always tried his best to make more money for his company. He did not sleep well and his food did not agree with him. The situation lasted for some time. Finally, after a number of sleepless nights, he 2to see his doctor.
The doctor advised a change of surrounding (环境). "Go abroad," he said.
"But I'm not good at foreign languages," said Mr. Black.
"It doesn't matter," said the doctor. "It won't hurt you if you talk 3. Go on a trip. Take plenty of exercise. Try to 4your weight. Avoid eating rich food. "
Mr. Black went to Switzerland. He did not know French or German, and had to 5 himself through gestures(手势). He took part in a physical training course. The instructor (指导者) 6 him shake his head, swing his arms, stretch his neck and bend his knees. He had to lie on the ground and raise his right and left legs in turn. 7 some time his muscles (肌肉) grew hard and firm. He almost put aside his financial (金融) worries and 8 forgot the importance of making more money. He even began to 9 trees and birds. He ate and slept well. Finally he returned home. But unfortunately (不幸地) his 10 did not last long. Soon he was a normal businessman again, worried about his wealth, his savings, his success in a competitive society, and things in general.
A kindergarten teacher decided to have her class play a game. The teacher told each student to bring a plastic bag with a few potatoes in it to school. Each student would "name" their potatoes after people they did not like.1 the number of potatoes would be2depending on how many people each student hated.
The next day, with their potatoes, all the students went to school 3 the game. Some kids had just one or two potatoes, while others had as many as five or six. The teacher then told the children that they would have to carry their potatoes with 4wherever they went for one week.
Several days 5. Some of the students started to complain(抱怨), as their potatoes began to rot(腐烂)and6bad. The students who carried 7potatoes began to get unsatisfied with the heavy bags.
One week later, the game 8. The teacher asked, "How did you9carrying around your potatoes for a week?"
The students complained once again. The teacher simply smiled and said, "This is what it's like to carry hatred(仇恨 )in your heart. You have to carry it with you wherever you go. If you can′t tolerate (容忍) carrying rotten potatoes for one week, how can you imagine having 10in your heart for a whole lifetime? Forgive others and move on with your life."
One day, when the Lion was asleep at noon, the little Mouse came running by. He was in a 1to get home. Because the Mouse didn't see the Lion, he ran 2 the Lion's nose. The Lion opened his eyes, shouting "I'm going to eat you! You 3 me up!" "Dear Lion, please do not eat me! I shall4 do it again and I shall never forget your kindness. Maybe someday I will5 you back!" The Lion was6 the idea of the Mouse. Then he said, "I think I will let you go. I am not7 anyway." The little Mouse was so happy! He ran8 to his home. A few days later, the Lion9 into a net (网)by accident. The Lion shouted, trying to get free. Just then, the little Mouse happened to pass by. "I will help you, dear Lion." The little Mouse cut the net with his little teeth. It10 him a long time. At last, the Lion was free! The Lion and the Mouse became best friends. The Lion said, "A little friend can be the best friend of all!"
I have invented robots which improve the work of cars. My love of making things began1I was a kid. I really became excited about inventing after I learned about Thomas Edison.
One day in fourth grade, our2gave us a project in class. We had to write to a company and learn about the products. I thought and thought. 3I chose the Thomas A. Edison Company. Soon after, the company sent me a book about the life of Thomas Edison. How I enjoyed reading and re-reading about his 4! I like the recorded sound and the electric light most. The inventions were clearly printed on my brain.
My dad noticed my interest in inventing and5me. He showed me how to turn my ideas into plans and then into new things. Once, I surprised my dad6a model plane I made. Later, we found a7model plane in a store. I learned that different inventors often invent similar things. It is not unusual for this to happen. I also learned that not all great ideas8. Failure is a common part of the inventing.
As my father and I worked together, I began to realize that my dad was quite an inventor himself. He was always9a better way to do a simple job. His guiding hands, together with my10 in inventing, led me to become an engineer and an inventor. Of course, I also thank Thomas Edison. He is my hero.
A zero-waste life is a lifestyle that hardly creates any rubbish. So, a zero-waste theme store is about 1 people with a number of everyday, practical and pleasant zero-waste products to help them start on a one-stop, zero-waste life journey.
"Zero waste" or "danshari" was first 2 by a French woman Bea Johnson. "Live a life and try not to create any rubbish; use different methods to protect the earth." she said.
Yu Yuan, 27, is 3 attracted by this idea.
She and her boyfriend have lived in Beijing for many years. And earlier she used to be a customer without thinking a lot. 4 she saw a video about "zero waste"
The 5 is about a family of four, and the rubbish they produce every year is placed in a jar.
After watching the video, Yu wanted to 6 this zero-waste lifestyle with her boyfriend.
Yu says that a zero-waste life 7 the 6R principle --Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Rot (腐烂）.
Over August-October when Yu followed the principle of zero waste 6R, she and her boyfriend Joe Harvey both 8 only two cans of rubbish.
Now, the couple have opened a small 9 called The Bulk House in Nanluoguxiang, Beijing, to support a zero-waste life.
At the store they use environmentally friendly products. For example, they use wood products to replace 10 ones and prepare cloth bags printed with zero-waste logos for customers. Most of the products sold in the store can be reused, and a small number of 11which are not recyclable can degrade (分解). The store 12 has secondhand books and audio-visual CD/DVDs.
For used toiletries things like soap and toothpaste that are used for cleaning yourself) there is a company which accepts them, and the couple regularly mails their waste to it.
Yu says that those who were once not 13 in the zero-waste lifestyle have gradually changed because of curiosity. The zero-waste lifestyle, she adds, is for everyone.
"It's 14 us at our fingertips." Yu expects some of her friends to 15 her on the road to zero waste. As the saying goes, many hands make light work.
One day in class, the teacher held up an apple. She stood on the platform (讲台) and said, "Please 1 it in the air, and…"
One student 2 his hand and said, "I can smell it. It is the smell of an apple."
The teacher stepped 3 the platform, passed by each of the students and said, "Smell 4 to see if the smell of the apple is still in the air."
Half of the students put up their hands to show that they could smell it. The teacher returned to the 5 of the classroom and asked again who else could smell the apple. The rest raised their hands except one boy. The teacher came to the boy and asked, "You really can't smell the apple?"
The boy answered, "No, I can't smell it. I don't think it's a 6 apple."
The teacher 7 at the boy and said to the class, "He's right! It's not 8 to get the apple smell from this apple."
All of the other students had been tricked. Some may have thought that perhaps the apple didn't have the apple smell, 9 they didn't dare to speak up. They just 10 the first student blindly and went along with him.
One day a man saw an old lady standing by her car on the side of the road. He could see that she need help.1 he stopped his car in front of her and got out.
Even though the man had a smile on his face, the old lady was worried. "2 had stopped to help for the last hour. Was he going to hurt3? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry." the old lady thought.
He could see that she was worried. So he said," I am here 4you, madam. It seems that you have a flat tire(车胎漏气).5don't you wait in the car where it's warm while I change the tire for you? By the way, my name is Bryant Anderson." Though feeling doubtful, the old lady6her car.
About 20 minutes later, he was done, the old lady asked Bryant 7 she should pay. Bryant 8thought about being paid. He told her that if she 9wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person her help.
The man waited until the lady started her car and drove off. It was a cold day, but he felt 10as he went on his way home
When I was a twelve-year-old newspaper boy, an old lady who was my customer lived near my house. I 1 her name. On a winter afternoon, I was playing with my friend near the old lady's backyard. I found a2 smooth rock and threw it out, but the stone 3 a small window of her house. Unluckily, I saw the old lady standing behind the window. We knew we were 4, and ran away quickly. We were scared about that we would 5 and didn't worry about the old lady with the broken window in winter. The next morning, she was 6 greeting me with a smile when I gave her the newspaper. I made up my mind 7 my money to correct my mistake. After three weeks, I had seven dollars. I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining everything and/ hoped that the seven dollars would cover the 8 for repairing the window. I waited until it was dark, and put the letter in her door. The next day, I 9 the old lady her newspaper and she thanked me for it as usual and gave me a bag of cookies. After eating several cookies, I found an envelope and pulled it out. When I opened it, I was surprised. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said, "I'm proud of you." I smiled in relief. However, I 10 the lesson about forgiveness she taught me.
