Something that I learnt from both my parents was the importance of having respect（尊重）for other people. I remember one day when we were travelling on a bus and 1 sat down while other people were standing. My mother shouted at me" 2immediately! You have young legs and you don't need to sit down. "At the time I felt embarrassed about being told of 3, but now I understand. I think children nowadays have 4 that respect and it really makes me angry if I see children sitting down while 5 people are standing.
One area in which we had a lot of rules was table 6 . For example, we weren't allowed to start our meal 7 the oldest person had started. We had to say "thank you" when our food was 8 , and eat everything on our plates before we could 9 the table. We couldn't make any noise when eating. Worse than that, we were only 10 to have sweets at the weekend, as a special 11 if we had been good.
Although my upbringing（养育）was perhaps a bit 12 compared with modern children, I'm very thankful to my parents for giving me a clear 13 in life. Even though I was sometimes 14 I think it has made me a better person. In my view, children need clear rules, but more than that they need to learn how to get on with 15 people and realize they are not the center of the world.
The summer I turned 12, I wished to grow up more quickly.
Summer camp was coming and I was so worried about my1that I'd gotten into a big argument with my mom.
But I'll 2it!" I cried. I was certain that everyone would see me as nothing more than "the short girl".
You won't know anything 3 you get there, "calmed my mom. And I had to 4.
On Monday, my teacher Maggie told us about the climbing course, and my heart sank when I saw the wall I was the 5 one to try to climb that huge wall. It might have been ten floors high, and knew that I had no 6 to succeed. But I had to, after the other campers finished.
I asked for a "short person's pass, "smiling 7 and walking around the wall.
"You know. Amy, what the mind can believe, the heart can achieve. "8 Maggie. "I'd really like you to do your best to 9 the wall. "
I pretended (假装) to hurt my knee_10I could avoid it.
"How's the knee? Does it hurt a lot?" Maggie asked. She was so kind, which made me feel11because I didn't like to lie.
Maggie was really patient, showing me12 she climbed the wall. And some campers were there cheering for me.
I didn't want to13anymore, and I didn't want to give up again. I could see how much everyone believed in me, and I wanted to show them how much I valued their14, so I kept trying.
And then something15happened—I made it! "What the mind can believe, the heart can achieve," Maggie reminded me. And this time I knew it was true.
Carlos wanted a bulldog puppy (小狗) very much.
"That kind of dog is too1, " said Mama." Try to make some money. Ask our neighbors if they have 2 you can do. "
After two weeks, Carlos had saved twenty-six dollars. But it was not enough to 3 a puppy. Then, Papa pointed out a poster at the store: City Animal Shelter (收容所) Needs Your Help!
"The shelter4 homeless pets, "Papa said. "Carlos, you need to know5to care for a puppy before you get one. I'm sure you can6a lot by working there. "
At the shelter, Miss Jones, the manager said, "We only take volunteers who work for7. All our money is to help animals. "
"You'll know a lot about dogs, "Papa8 Carlos.
Carlos's shoulders dropped. How was he ever going to get enough money for a puppy?9, he agreed to give it a try.
Carlos started working at the shelter on Saturday. His task was sweeping. One10named Pepper jumped and ran around him all the time. She was fully grown, but she was as11as a puppy.
After several weeks, Carlos began to 12 his time with the dogs, especially Pepper. One day Carlos asked Miss Jones why Pepper was sill at the shelter.
Miss Jones sighed, "We've had 13 finding a home for Pepper. Most people don't want such an energetic (精力旺盛的) dog." "I 14 I could buy her, " Carlos replied.
Miss Jones smiled, "You can't buy her, 15 you can adopt (领养) her." With his parents' permission, Carlos made it at last. "I thought I wanted a bulldog puppy, but I got Pepper instead." Carlos said.
Pepper barked with joy.
Larry seemed always silent and didn't have any friend. His teacher Mr. Brown 1 this. One day, he asked Larry to meet him after class. Mr. Brown said, "I see that you don't talk to anyone or show any 2 in anything. What's wrong?" Larry replied, "Sir, I have a very 3 life. I have to face some very sad incidents and I keep 4 them. Because of this, I can't focus my attention on anything and don't even feel like talking to 5. "
Mr. Brown listened carefully, thought for a while and said, "Would you like some lemonade（柠檬汽水）?"Larry felt a little 6and nervously replied, "Yes, thank you!"
While 7lemonade, Mr. Brown added more salt on purpose and kept the quantity of sugar low. Larry made a8 face as soon as he drank a sip of that lemonade. Seeing this, Mr. Brown asked "You don't like it?""
"Um… it's just there is a bit too much 9 in it, "Larry answered.
Mr. Brown stopped him, "Oh, it doesn't matter. I will throw it away. "As the teacher was lifting the glass to 10, Larry stopped him and said, "Sir, please don't throw it away.11 we put a little more sugar in the lemonade, it will be fine to drink. "
Hearing this, Mr. Brown said12, "This is what I want to hear from you. To improve the13 of lemonade, we don't need to remove the salt from it, we can just add some sugar to it. Similarly, we cannot remove sad things that have 14 happened to us, but we can add sweetness of good experiences in our life. If you keep on crying about your15 neither your present will be right nor the future will be bright. "
Larry realized his problem and promised to live a positive life.
A 70-year-old Chinese woman has been called "Super Grannie" after it was reported that she is 1 about running and has completed over 100 marathons (马拉松) so far.
Most people 2 to take it easy after they retire (退休) , but Wang Guilan, from Liaoning, is 3 not one of them. She only started running at the age of 50, as a 4 to keep in shape, but soon realized it was her passion (酷爱) . She ran her first marathon in 2004 and hasn't 5 since. From 2005 to 2017, she completed the Beijing Marathon thirteen times, and this year she set a new record, becoming the 6 person to ever complete the 168-kilometer Liaoning marathon.
"This lady is as old as my grandmother, how can she run so fast? That's 7 , "a runner in his twenties said after seeing Wang compete8the Liaoning marathon in April. Last year, she ran for the 110 km version of the marathon with her 9. It was reported that she waited for her friend to catch up for about 5-6 hours 10 they could cross the finishing line together, but this year she took part in the marathon by 11, and chose the longest distance.
So 12can a 70-year-old stay in good condition to complete a marathon, while most people half her 13 couldn't finish? One reason, according to Sina, is that Wang Guilan runs at least 20 kilometers every day. And she14 running on mountain roads in her native Liaoning, but in winter she runs on asphalt (沥青) roads.
Wang Guilan 15 believes that age is just a number, and plans to continue running and enjoying the sunset of her life for as long as her health allows it.
Last August we were on vacation at Diana's Baths, a place famous for waterfalls.
Sitting on the rocks with my husband, I watched some parents 1 guarding their kids away from the rocks'edges. I felt glad that our 8-year-old son Wyatt could2himself. Don't get me wrong: I still felt 3as I saw my boy jump between the rocks. "No running, "I said from time to time. "Stay away from the edges. "But I soon 4 , and we were all having fun in the water.
5, I saw Wyatt sit down between two rocks in the running water, I shouted at him to get out, He shouted back something and then he 6 over the edge.
"Somebody help my son!" I7, over and over. But I only heard a woman scream, "That 8 just went over the waterfall!" she shouted at her husband: "We are leaving!" They walked away, not even looking back to see whether our child was OK.
By the time 9climbed down to the rocks below. my husband had pulled Wyatt out of the water with the help of a young woman. She was 10first said. "I'm Lisa, a nurse. I'm not leaving you. "She looked at me 11, as if she were trying to take every bit of energy, 12and strength(力量）in her body and pass it on to me. I held on to that energy like a rope that could
pull us to 13Wyatt was taken to the hospital immediately. 14we spent a sleepless night there, we were told Wyatt was going to be OK.
Meeting Lisa has reminded(提醒）me how we need15from people we don't know. I know we are two strangers who are less strange.
"Where could Michael be?" I wondered aloud.
Michael was my classmate. He liked playing pranks on others.
He once put a sign that said "Sing to Me!" on 1 back. It was terrible. Everywhere I went, people I didn't even know started singing to me. When I realized what was happening, I got really 2.
Another time, he embarrassed Nicole during sharing time. Nicole was shy. She3shared; she always said, "Pass." But what did Michael do when it was his turn to share? He asked, "Did everybody 4 how Nicole's new blue dress matches her eyes?" Nicole's face turned bright red. Poor Nicole!
It was Valentine's Day that day. I was sure Michael was up to something somewhere, 5 he always was. No way was I going to let him pull a prank — ruining someone's Valentine's Day.
I 6 him everywhere. Lunch break was almost over. I must find him and stop him. When I got to the classroom, there was Michael Peterson, at Michael Rogers's desk, digging in his 7 of valentines!
"Hurry and help me," said Michael as soon as he 8 me.
At first I thought he was stealing valentines from Michael Rogers's box. However, the more I watched, the more puzzled I became. He was putting valentines 9.
Seeing my expressions, he told me that he found Michael Rogers's box was 10 when he was passing out his valentines. Michael Rogers was new and Mrs. Karcher must have forgotten to put his name on the list, so11 made him a card.
I suddenly realized I had also 12 to prepare a valentine for Michael Rogers.
"But everyone made one for me," Michael continued* "So I'm giving him my13. since we've got the same name — Michael."
I stood there, not quite believing 14 I was hearing. "Is Michael Peterson the one who always pulled pranks on us?" I asked myself. Maybe he was kind of 15… in a hidden sort of way.
As the students entered the classroom, they could all tell something was wrong. Their 1 teacher was crying. Tom was the first to ask if there was anything they could do.
"Everything is fine, Tom," Mrs. Williams tried to2 as she spoke. "I've just lost something important, and I don't think I can find it."
"What did you 3?" Mike asked. "Maybe we can help you look for it."
Mrs. Williams looked at their faces for some time. 4,she answered, "Well, I left an old 5 on my desk. This newspaper belonged to（属于）my 6. I had hoped to share something in the paper with you in today's history class. The paper is old, but it is also 7 because she gave it to me before she died. It is something my grandmother left to 8 . The newspaper was gone when I came back from lunch. "
The other students looked at each other. They 9 who had taken the paper and hoped nobody would do something like that. Everyone liked Mrs. Williams. No one wanted to make the teacher10.
Trevor went over and spoke up for the whole class. "11,Mrs. Williams. We will all help you. We're sure to find it 12 we work together. "
Mrs. Williams smiled again at her students. She knew they might not find the missing paper, but even if they didn't, she would 13 feel very lucky. She had a group of students who 14 her and each other, and that was probably the best thing she could ever hope to 15 in her life!
Love, joy and the warm feeling of getting together don't cost a thing. But gifts do cost money. So what's a poor family to do?
Before New Year, I told my mother that the only thing I 1 was a pogo stick (弹簧单高跷). However, my mother said they were so expensive that we couldn't 2 one.
On a Saturday before New Year, my family3 together. While my mother and I were picking out the gifts, my dad said, "I'll be back soon— I need to see something in the tool area." A little later, he came back with a long box. I remember wondering if there was a 4 in it.
When we arrived home, my dad put the box in the garage. While my parents were busy with their chores, I 5 walked out to the garage and found the box. I was so 6 and I knew as soon as I opened that magical box, my bright, shiny pogo stick would appear. No such 7! Inside the box was a 8 old broom（扫帚）.
That New Year morning, I got some nice gifts 9 I didn't get the present that I really wanted.
After cleaning up the room, my dad went to the garage. When he came back in, he was 10 a beautiful pogo stick. I couldn't 11 it! My parents probably got quite a laugh from the trick they played on 12.
Although we didn't have much 13, my parents gave me the most important gift of all: lots of 14. That was over 60 years ago and I still think about those15 memories. I will never forget all the joy my parents brought into my life.
My favorite place in the world was Mrs. Wade's bookstore. Mrs. Wade Knew everything about words and I loved 1, too.
Mrs. Wade usual gave me new books to red. She even told me stories about the 2. For this reason, I decided to be a writer when I grew up, I'd always 3 I was a famous writer and read to Mrs Wade. She listened with her 4 closed. Sometimes she would open her eyes and say, "Words are a very powerful (有力的) gift, Destiny. "
I wasn't sure what she meant, 5I felt it very important! Then one day Mrs. Wade told me that she might have to close the store. "Close? But 6?" I cried.
"There just aren't enough customers, "she said,
No! I couldn't believe it! I felt terribly 7. I told Mama about the store.
"I know what the store means to you, "Mama said. "Maybe we can do 8 to help. "
Days later, we held a huge block party. At the party, I helped Mrs. Wade 9boxes of books, almost forgetting to feel sad. Almost!
10an idea came to me! I ran home, took out a notebook and started to write. The moment I wrote down everything I loved 11 Mrs. Wade's store, I ran back.
"I have a present for you, Mrs, Wade. "I 12 the notebook to her.
She opened it and saw “Mrs. Wade's Bookstore, by Destiny Crawford”. He eyes lit up!
"Why don't you 13 it to me?" Mrs. Wade asked.
I was reading every word. Mrs. Wade was listening with her eyes closed. She was so 14. When I finished, she gave me a big, long hug (拥抱).
"Words are a powerful gift, " she said again.
That time 15came to understand exactly what she meant.
Mrs. Wade and I don't know if the store will close, but we will keep reading and writing all words we can!
