A poor and old farmer lived in a village, who had a beautiful and young wife. The wife 1 wanted to enjoy life by spending lots of money on good clothes. Because of his old age and poor2, the farmer hardly left his house and did not earn more than what was3 So the wife often felt4 and the couple often 5each other.
One day, a thief heard their quarrel and saw the wife 6 out of the house in tears. He followed her and then came up to her to 7“Dear, I've heard about your quarrel. You are very beautiful and young and old man can't satisfy your demands. I have a lot of8but no one to spend it. So, why not9the old man and follow me to the city? We will start a(n)10life together.” the thief said. The wife agreed to his11 That night, she gathered all her fine clothes and money and left with the thief for the 12
Early the next morning, they reached a 13 The thief said to the woman, “Dear, please stay here on the bank 14 I swim to other side and15 a boat to get you across. Hand over your money to me, for seeing you16somebody may try to take 17away from you.”
The woman handed over the money to the thief and18on the bank. The thief had19what he wanted so he didn't come back. Now, the woman had20her husband and everything.
Moral: Desire for more may let you lose what you have.
It was Christmas evening. I just 1home from the nearby grocery store with all kinds of things. The kitchen was2with brown bags and boxes. On seeing me coming back, my youngest son, Isaiah, reached me and 3 if I would play a game with him.
I took Isaiah's 4 . He stood there and his green eyes were5. “Here is a Christmas6 for you. Please find it. You can see something silver.” he said. I began to look for it. I 7 the table in the corner and some other places.
After a few seconds, I saw there was a 8 snow globe on the top of the piano. It was silvery and beautiful. I held the cool 9 in my hands. Isaiah said to me that it was to 10 the one that he had broken the year before.. I was puzzled completely. So I bent my 11 beside him. He added12aved enough money and asked his elder brother, Logan to help him buy this one to13 the broken one. They just wanted to give me a (n)14 .
Logan nodded and smiled. When I15 the key on the bottom of the globe, the quiet room was full of elegant music. Isaiah said, “Mum, do you remember how I by accident 16 your snow globe? It broke on the ground17 the music was still going on. I was so, so sad.”His face turned a little18 . But the truth was that I did not quite 19the broken snow globe after a long time. But Isaiah had been sorry for his 20 all the time. I was sure I would keep this snow globe in my mind forever.
Sunday was always our book-buying day. Every Sunday, my father would take me over to the Carousel Mall and let me walk through all the 1 while he read his newspaper. Then we would sit side by side reading in 2. After a while, he would ask me which one out of my large pile of books I liked best. If I couldn't 3 between two, he would buy me both books. In this way, he 4me to read. He never discouraged me by 5 like my mom often did: “Why are you reading 6? Get outside! Stop living in fantasy.”
When I grew older and discovered the 7 where I could take out as many books as I wanted for free, my father encouraged me to go there 8.
For quite some time I never knew there was an actual person who 9all those wonderful books. When I finally realized this, it was like a(n) 10. I thought I could also write stories just like them. When I told my dad this, he seemed to already11 it. He read what I wrote and always joked that when I became a famous writer one day I should give the 12to him. Even if I don't become 13 for my books. I at least know what I am and what my dad helped me to become because of all those childhood 14 to book stores, and all his heartfelt comments that made me really 15myself. Before reading what I wrote, he said he knew it would be16, because I had written it.
I'm going to major in English literature at college 17I want to make a career writing. I know my dad will be 18 of me. He has19 me instead of hindering（阻碍）me. He encouraged me to be who I am. I'm going to give the first book to him not because he 20me to but because he is my inspiration.
Recently I understood the true meaning of love. The 1 was Kane, my neighbor Joline's two-year-old son.
Kane was born with a physical problem on his 2. And I witnessed（目睹）the3 that Kane's physical shortcomings had on his family. I also witnessed much more than that. I saw a 4 family that embraced（拥抱）this special child. A family that wouldn't allow Kane to know he was5. Joline had constructed a small cart手推车just a few inches off the floor for his son to 6 . Kane used his hands to move about, and the cart7 him to "go to" any place just as everyone else was able to do. Kane was not just a member of the family, but the8 of the family.
With a wide smile, it was easy to see that even at the age of two, Kane liked to 9 with people very much. With wisdom of an individual, this boy even 10 the most complex of human emotions. Later I came to 11 that this child was sent to help some of us who weren't just getting what love was all about.
Kane demanded attention, 12 not because of his mobility（移动能力）challenges or other apparent shortcomings. In his mind, he had no13 or shortcomings. The14 was that he received attention because he was alive and real and had so much to offer.
Kane 15 me in a deep way. His ability to refuse to be different has 16 me. Kane was and is 17 lots of warm and powerful energy to me. From him and his family I learnt the 18: love surpasses（超越）all things. I can only imagine that as the parent of a child like Kane one might be filled with19. But I believe that having a child like Kane is actually a(n) 20. The parents of such special babies are angels too, just as the babies are.
As she walked round the large shop, Edith realized how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas 1for her father.
She 2that he were as easy to please as her mother, who was 3satisfied with perfume(香水). 4, shopping at this time of the year was a most 5job. People 6on your feet, pushed you with their shoulders and almost 7 you over in their hurry in order to 8 something cheap ahead of you.
Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter, where some beautiful ties were on 9. "They are 10silk," the shop assistant told her with a smile trying to 11her to buy one. But Edith knew from past 12that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.
She moved on slowly and then, quite by chance, 13where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some fine pipes on sale and the 14were very beautiful. Edith did not hesitate for long, although her father 15 smoked a pipe once in a while, she believed this was 16 to please him.
When she got home, with her small but 17present hidden in her handbag, it was time for supper and her parents were already 18table. Her mother was in great 19. "Your father has at last decided to stop smoking," she told her daughter happily. Edith was so 20that she could not say a single word.
I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was 1and when I was 14, he said, "You're never going to be 2 but a failure."
After five years of 3 jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle-class girl. It was the best 4 that could have happened to me. I 5 I wanted to do something positive (积极地) with my life because I wanted to prove to 6 that what people said about me was 7. Especially her mother, who had said to me, "Let's 8 it; you've failed at everything you've ever done." So I tried hard with my 9 and went to college. My first novel 10 while I was at college.
After college I taught during the 11 in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a 12 in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of 13 that job to write full time 14 I was offered a part-time job at Leeds University. I began to feel proud of myself — 15 was a working-class boy who'd 16 school early, now teaching at the university.
My writing career (职业) took off when I discovered my own style. Now I'm rich and 17, have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. 18 what does it mean? I 19 wish all the people that have put me down had 20: "I believe in you. You'll succeed."
"I'm going shopping in the village," George's mother said to George on Saturday morning. "So be a good boy and don't get into trouble. And don't forget 1 good care of Grandma." Then out she went.
Grandma 2 in the chair by the window when she opened one little eye and said," Now you heard 3 your mother said, George."
"Yes, Grandma," George said.
George was bored to tears. He didn't have a brother or a sister. His father was a farmer, and 4 farm they lived on was miles away from anywhere 5 there were never any children to play with. He was tired of staring at 6 pigs, hens, cows and sheep. He was especially tired of having to live in the house with his grandma. Looking after her all by himself was hardly 7 way to spend a Saturday morning.
"Go and make me a cup of tea for a start, 8 sugar and milk." Grandma said. Most grandmothers are lovely, kind, helpful old ladies, but not this one. George's grandma was a woman 9 was always complaining about something or other. She spent all day 10 on her chair by the window. George 11 that Grandma used to be a gentle lady, but as she grew older, she was not able to look after herself and even worse, she was easy to get angry.
"We 12 be nice to the old, George," His mother always told him.
Thinking of this, George 13 into the kitchen and made Grandma a cup of tea with a teabag. He put one spoon of sugar and 14 milk in it. He stirred the tea well and carried it into the living room 15.
For years, one teacher from a(n)1 village in Kenya(肯尼亚) has completely devoted his life to his job as a teacher and has made huge sacrifices (牺牲) for his 2. For the past 12 years, Tabichi has worked as a teacher in the hope that his lessons will give students a(n) 3 to improve their situations. 4 , working at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School hasn't been 5 .
According to Tabichi, the school has no library or laboratory. What's worse, the teachers that work at the school have to 6 in crowded classrooms. Instead of 35-40 children per classroom, teachers are 7 to teach a group of 70-80 kids at one time. Therefore, the students aren't able to get the attention and guidance that they need. More 8, the school facilities (设施) are not the students' only 9. Most of the students in this school come from very poor families, so even 10 breakfast is hard for their parents. One of the other major 11 that Tabichi faces is keeping kids in school as long as possible. Many of the students in that area have difficulty completing their education because of poverty, 12 when Tabichi gets the feeling that a student is at risk of dropping out, he will work to 13 their families to put more value on education.
14 his tireless work, his students have made lots of 15 in their studies. In recent years, his students have 16 many national and international science competitions. Tabichi is 17 that his students can be so excellent. In March of 2019, Tabichi was 18 by the Varkey Foundation and won a $1 million prize. He was 19 as "the best teacher in the world". The founder of the prize, Sunny Varkey, says he hopes that Tabichi's story will 20 more people to enter the teaching profession.
"Meow, meow, meow," is what I heard as I walked through the alley(小巷；胡同). I approached the noise and noticed a tail sticking out from under a piece of wood. Under the wood was a 1 black and white cat. I picked him up and 2 he must be freezing to death. I 3 home with the cat held in my jacket.
My new best friend, who soon became known as Little Bit, received his name because he was almost 4 when I held him in my hands. He stood about five inches tall. Little Bit's small size had a great advantage - he 5 perfectly in the pocket of my jacket, which made 6 him everywhere very easy. Any time I was home, he wouldn't leave my 7. He was always eager to play with me. When I fell asleep at night, he would always 8 up around my head to ensure that I was warm.
Unfortunately, I grew up. My teenage life 9 my relationship with Little Bit. I lived at such a fast pace that I stopped 10 time for him. My free time was spent with my friends instead. I would come in the house on my phone and not 11 him at all. His meows became an annoyance to me, but it wasn't his 12 that he wanted his best friend back.
Time had caused a 13 to Little Bit. His body began 14 down and by the time I realized something was wrong with him, he had already lost his balance. He lay there and looked at me, and 15 this day I still remember the 16 look in his bright green eyes. I took him to the vet (兽医), but there was nothing he could do. The last time I 17 him he wasn't the same tiny cat I had found ten years before. Little Bit filled my arms and he was put to sleep that day.
Little Bit's 18 made me realize how much he meant to me. He was always there for me when I needed him. I 19 our last years together and I feel sorry for not always being there for him. I will always 20 the special memories we made.
Growing up in Kenya was amazing because I learned so much, though the poverty and lack of resources were sometimes frustrating. I knew I didn't have much, but I was 1.
There was only one thing I wasn't happy with: 2. I wanted to go to high school and university. I had the drive, the will and the grades, 3 I didn't have the resources. Even 4 things like food, water and shelter weren't readily available. Young people in poverty have little or no 5 to high schools and universities. Where I lived, it was challenging 6 someone helped. When I left primary school, I was in the same 7 as many other poor disadvantaged youth. 8, during that year, a charitable high school for girls, Starehe Girls Centre, was 9 and I received a scholarship. Today, I am 10 record as being the first student to be enrolled in this school.
In 2006, my school 11 The Global Give Back Circle, a not-for-profit organization for 12 disadvantaged girls to complete their education and gain 13 skills. After graduating from high school, I was given access to a nine-month IT course. 14, its give-back attitude had taught us to not only care about ourselves but other people. With this in mind, 10 of us created a website called "Hey Sister, Get Clued-Up". Through this educational website, aimed at networking 10,000 African 15 worldwide, all Sisters commit to sending information to their villages. This can be to 16 financial freedom, advance information 17 to health issues and provide knowledge about social networking behavior.
"Hey Sister, Get Clued-Up" is only 18 to those girls who can access the Internet, which highlights the huge challenge in 19 the divide between the haves and have-nots. But our plan is that these girls will 20 what they learn to other girls through the "power of their voice".
Growing up in a military family, I moved a lot. I mostly went to 1 with other kids whose parents were also in the military. But when my dad 2from the Marines after twenty years of service, I found myself 3a civilian school with twelve-year-old who shared no similar life experience with me.
I was a stranger in a strange land. Everyone in my class had grown up together, and they had no 4to spare for a newcomer. I wore different clothes, had different thoughts, and spoke with an accent. I 5for the first few weeks of school. I had no friends, no activities, and no 6of a bright future. To deal with it all, I began 7in my diary every day—stories of adventure, of old friends, of feelings that I could not speak. I wrote as if my life depended on it, as if the very next breath I took could not happen 8I wrote down words.
One day, my teacher, Mrs. Bush, came to me and asked why I always sat there writing instead of playing with others. I told her I enjoyed writing and 9writing to playing. She smiled at me and walked away. About three weeks later, Mrs. Bush gave us a writing assignment. I was 10that I could now participate in something I knew I excelled in.
That night I worked and worked on the essay. I wrote with great 11It was my one chance to feel important and 12by the class.
A few days after we handed in our assignments, Mrs. Bush called me up to the 13of the classroom. I stood before thirty pairs of eyes looking at me, and I got 14Was I in trouble? Did I do something wrong?
Then Mrs. Bush told the class how much she 15all the work that went into the essay and everyone had done a great job. But, she said, one student stood 16as an excellent writer, one with imagination, creativity, and word mastery. That student was me!
The class clapped politely and Mrs. Bush handed me my paper, with the following 17on it: "Malinda, you are an excellent writer. You fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. Please keep on writing and share your 18of writing with the world. I am proud of you and glad you are in my class."
Mrs. Bush helped me feel a sense of 19a place of purpose, and a way to survive a transition in life. She helped me gain 20in myself that stayed with me beyond sixth grade.
About five years ago，I found myself working in a terrible middle school. The hours were long and the work was boring. 1, the pay was low. Every day the job seemed a physical 2 for me. My neck would burn with pain from the 3 bending. My feet would ache from 4 the entire day. The skin around my fingernails would 5 because of the work my hands were doing. I tried to keep my 6 up while I worked there, but day by day I felt myself 7 down. Every morning I would press sticking-plaster on my neck, place Band-Aid around my fingers and 8 my worn-out shoes. And every night I would 9 myself home and fall onto the couch.
One evening I felt like I could10 it no more. As I drove home alone, I said to myself. “Why am I working myself here just to 11? Why couldn't I find a better job than this? Why do I have to 12 this right now?”
I wasn't really expecting a(n) 13, but life always loves to surprise us. As I 14up the steps to my front door, I found my wife and my son waiting for me 15 smiling faces. “Daddy, Daddy!” my son yelled. I smiled and picked him up with my 16 arms. Then after hugging and kissing him, I laughed for the first time in days and sat down 17. At that time, I found the answer which would give me the 18 I needed to go on.
Eventually I moved on to a better school, but I19 forgot that answer, which had gently reminded me of the simple truth. We may have to work to live, but we live to 20. May you always fill your days with love and joy.
An elderly couple, Roy and Brenda Pickard, in the UK 1that they were held hostage (人质) by a pair of seagulls2on the roof of their home. Every time they tried to leave the birds 3become4and attack them.
Roy and Brenda Pickard's story 5like a real-life version of Alfred Hitchcock's Birds. The elderly couple were held hostage in their own home by a pair of adult Herring Gulls 6the birds' chicks7on the roof of the house and landed onto the canopy (雨棚)8above the front door.
9Roy tried opening the front door, he was confronted by two10 squawking adult seagulls.
Luckily, the Pickard's garage is11to their house and he can12 through there when he needs to do some shopping, but he doesn't13to get out of the car to close the garage door, so he always14it open until he comes back.
15, animal16wouldn't help the Pickards either. For now,17they can do is to wait for the 18to fly away. ''The RSPCA and RSPB have been no19whatsoever; they seem to put the rights of these birds20 those of people, which is ridiculous, '' Roy said.
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry for an appointment(约会) at 9:30. The nurse had him take a 1 in the waiting area, 2 him it would be at least 40 minutes 3 someone would be able to see him. I saw him 4 his watch and decided, since I was 5 busy—my patient didn't 6 at the appointed hour, I would examine his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment. The gentleman said no and told me that he 7 to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his 8. He told me that she had been 9 for a while and that she had a special disease. I asked if she would be 10 if he was a bit late. He replied that she 11 knew who he was, that she had not been able to 12 him for five years now. I was 13, and asked him, “And you 14 go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled and said. "She doesn't know me but I know who she is" I had to hold back 15 as he left.
Now I 16 that in marriages, true love is 17 of all that is. The happiest people don't 18 have the best of everything; they just 19the best of everything they have. 20 isn't about how to live through the storm, but how to dance in the rain.
The earthquake was over and the city was in ruins.
I had no choice but to walk home as all the 1 had stopped as a result of the quake. On my way home I 2 an old lady at a bakery giving out free bread, which made my heart 3. A man was holding a sign saying, "Please use our 4." He was 5 his house for people to go to the restroom.
My friend, 6 wanted to be of help to others, stood in the cold with a sign "If you don't 7 a motorcycle, I'll be glad to drive you home." And then I saw him pick up an old man and drive him all the way to a faraway place!
Then the next day I drove to have my car 8. There was not enough 9 now and many gas stations were closed or had very 10 lines. I got worried, since I was 11 fifteen cars. Finally, when my 12 came, the man smiled and said," 13 this situation, we are only giving $ 30 worth of gas per person. Is that alright?" 14. It's nice that we are all able to 15," I said. His smile gave me so much comfort.
At the escape center I saw a man 16 when people brought food to him. It was the first time in three days that food had been brought to their center. However, after he cleaned up the tears, his next 17 surprised me. "I am very 18 that we are provided with food. But people in the city next to us haven't 19 any food at all. Please go to that center as well." Hearing that, I realized there was a bright future on the other side of this 20.
In South Sudan, girls face many barriers (障碍) to education. Some girls cannot 1 to attend school because their parents cannot meet the costs, and there is also 2 housework for girls, which takes up their time. Therefore, their parents don't 3 their daughters to go to school.
Another problem is that girls can be married off early, often 4 force. As girls in South Sudan, we don't have the 5 to choose the person we wish to marry. Our parents 6 us to the one who pays the highest price in cows. Now more people are going hungry and marrying off girls to get cows to 7. This happened to me. My parents married me off when I was studying, and I had to 8school.
Luckily, my brother helped me come to ASEW, which 9 to help girls finish school.
The fact that the headteacher was a woman 10 me. ASEW was a school without punishment and schoolfees (学费). It was a day school, not boarding school (寄宿学校), that gave me 11 to help at home. The curriculum(课程) was 12 so we could complete our education more quickly. Protected from outsiders, the school was also 13. It is extremely dangerous for women and girls 14 there is fighting all around ASEW.
At ASEW, I studied hard and passed with a high score of 77 per cent. I wish other girls could have15 like me to go back to school.
Recently, I have begun to ride with a group of guys who ride professionally. The first day, I finished the ride with great 1, though I tried hard to keep up with one guy for most of the way. To my 2, I did a little better the second time.
I decided to work harder to improve. Yesterday, I focused so much on my ride that I 3 the short route I usually take; 4 , I stayed on the long route. I had never used this route, so I wasn't really sure about which 5 I should take. Thankfully, a group of four riders6, and I just followed them.
A few minutes later, one of the guys got a flat 7, and, with the help of the others, he had it changed in about a minute. After we started riding again, I noticed something 8. The guy at the front would ride 9 for a couple of minutes, then he would move over to the side, 10 his way to the end of the line, and the guy behind him would move into the lead position. The process would 11 every few minutes. It was a lot easier than riding alone to catch up with the first rider. This time I had a great time and I think it is the fastest I've ever12 .
This made me realize how important teamwork was, and the 13 of having a great team. There's no need to worry about your falling behind others. The entire team 14, and so do you. You get your time to shine, and so does everyone else. You cannot get anywhere—or even make any worthwhile improvement—without a 15 . Who else will stop and help you to change your flat tire?
Confidence has nothing to do with your figure. I learned this recently.
Every day I'd look in the mirror, hate what I see, and repeat the words 1, "I am beautiful. " Sometimes I'd even grit my teeth (咬紧牙关) to cry the words out. But I 2saying it, no matter what.
It was at the 3of my friend that I began this habit. He said he wanted to be friends with me because of my 4and gentle character. Besides, he also regarded me as a beautiful girl and it 5him that I couldn't see it in myself.
For a long time, I had 6that my weight made me a second-rate person. Years of being fat and years of being 7had caused me to build a cocoon(茧) around myself. I 8thought that if I stayed quiet, maybe I would be safe. I put myself in layers of fear, my heart breaking a little more with each wedding invitation. I 9hoping for my true love, believing I wasn't good enough.
It wasn't until I met him that I was determined to be happy on my own and things began to 10. He pointed out my good personalities and excellent qualities and made me repeat them out loud. I laughed at first because it felt 11, but I kept at it every day.
Then one day, a(n) 12thing happened. Staring into the mirror, I realized with a shock that I believed it! He wasn't 13and it was true—I'm beautiful! The layers of my cocoon suddenly disappeared. And nowadays, I learn to love myself and keep 14no matter what my dress size is. Indeed, confidence comes from the 15.
Born in a comfortable family, Florence Nightingale was educated by family teachers and then by her own father. As a result, she was1five foreign languages, and had a good knowledge of history and philosophy.
On February 7, 1837, Florence Nightingale heard, by her 2 , the whisper of God telling her that she had a task in life. It took her some years of seeking to 3 that mission. In 1844, 4 her parents' rejection, rather than marry like the majority of the girls, Nightingale chose a(n) 5 path to work in nursing, which was then not quite a respectable job for women.
Nightingale went to Kaiserwerth in Prussia to experience a German 6 program for girls who would serve as nurses. She worked for a short time for a (n) 7 near Paris. Her idea began to be 8. In 1853, she became the unpaid director of London's Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewoman.
When the Crimean War broke out, 9 came back to England about terrible conditions for wounded and sick soldiers. Nightingale 10 to go to Turkey. She took a group of thirty-eight women as nurses to the war front. From 1854-1856, Nightingale headed nursing efforts in Turkey, creating more clean conditions and ordering supplies. She 11won over—at least enough to get cooperation—the military doctors.
Soon, Nightingale 12 more on direction than on actual nursing, but she 13 to visit the wards(病房). Her rule that she be the only woman in the wards at night 14 her the title "The lady with the lamp." The 15 rate at the army hospital fell from 60% at her arrival to 2% six month later.
Hearing my name called, I stepped up on stage to give my first public speech. Steadying my trembling hands, I1the sea of people and wanted to 2. Then a question flashed into my mind," Do you still remember3it took to get here?"
It all started with a(n)4I had written in reply to a radio host's slanderous(诋毁的)comments about5rights. I had stayed up for days 6 information to oppose his point. Content with my final essay, I submitted it to my7for publication. Later, I received a text stating that he8 not to publish it because the subject matter was "too controversial”. Hurt, I left my job with my two weeks' 9
I tried to submit my essay to others, believing someone would be 10to get it out while the subject was still topical(时下关注的). However, after days of "thanks, but no thanks" replies, I felt 11No one was interested in a no-name writer with a 12 opinion that was against that of a celebrity(名人). Had my boss been right?
13, I received a" YES" from a small, yet powerful online blog(博客)that14 women.
My essay had thousands of 15 and I rose to fame overnight. In less than a day, my world changed and people were 16. Then one day, I received a call asking me to give a(n) 17in Washing D. C. . My eyes teared up in 18Me? A middle-aged single mother with only high school education?
Taking a deep breath, I dived into the speech I had 19 many times, nervous but 20 to make my voice heard.
