School volunteers don’t get paid, but sometimes we get special gifts.

One morning, I was selling tickets to our school’s evening performance. “I think it’s ___ that I have to pay to see my own child perform,” a parent said unhappily.

“The school needs a voluntary donation (捐赠) to help ___ the scenery and costurnes (服装),” I explained. “But ___ has to pay for the tickets. Of course you can have them for free.”

“Oh, I ___ pay,” she grumbled (嘟囔), “Two adults and a child.” She handed me a ten-dollar bill, and then I gave her the change and her tickets. That’s the boy waiting behind ___ emptied a pocketful of coins onto the table. “ ___?” I asked.

“I don’t need tickets,” the boy said, “I’ve ___ seen the show. I arrived late last night and couldn’t find anyone to buy tickets from, ___ I just walked in. I’m paying now, for last night.”

I pushed the coins back and said, “If the ticket table was ___, you didn’t need to pay. Nobody knows the difference.” However, the boy ____ to take back the coins. “I know the ____,” he said before leaving.

“Excuse me...” I looked up, ____ to see the woman who had bought her tickets moments earlier. She was still there, with change and tickets in hand. “Why don’t you ____ the change?” she said. “The scenery must be beautiful, and those costurnes couldn’t have been ____.” She handed me a few dollars and left.

Little did the boy know that he had given us both a special ____ that has more meaning than money.

Tips for teenagers

Speaking up in class might be difficult, but it helps to make you feel more confident. It’s okay if you give the wrong answer. All smart students do and your classmates won’t really care.

Nobody can work well when they are tired. Make sure you get enough sleep and take study breaks.

Starting your young life with good habits sets you up for a healthy future. Get regular(定期的) exercise, eat a healthy diet, and maintain your hygiene(保持卫生).

You should spend time having fun and enjoying life. Join a sports team, read a book, make some art, or watch a good movie: whatever you need to do to help reduce stress, make time for it.

In 1988, a serious earthquake hit Armenia, killing about 25,000 people in less than four minutes. A father rushed to the school where his son was, only to discover that the building was flattened.

But he remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!” Tears began to fill his eyes. He rushed to the place where his son’s classroom had been and started digging.

Other parents tried to pull him off of what was left of the school. To each parent he asked, “Are you going to help me?” And then he went back to his digging, stone by stone.

A firefighter showed up and tried to pull him away. The police came as well. To each, he asked, “Are you going to help me?”

He dug for eight hours...18 hours...28 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a large stone and heard his son. He called his son’s name: “ARMAND!” He heard back: “Dad? It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that you would come to save us.”

“What’s going on there?” the father asked.

“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad.” his son answered.

“Come on out, son!”

“Let the other kids out first. I know you’ll get me! No matter what, I know you’ll always be there for me!”

Can we stop blindness?

In our everyday lives, we take many things for granted. Being able to see is one of them. However, not everyone in the world has vision.

On Oct 8, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave out its first World Report on Vision. It said that 65 million people could get their vision back with a cataract operation (白内障手术), but cannot get one because they have little or no healthcare. Over 800 million people have trouble to do everyday activities because they don’t have money to buy a pair of glasses.

For example, there are thousands of nearsighted African drivers who have difficulty seeing people walking across the road. And there are coffee farmers in Bolivia who find it hard to see their ripe (成熟的) beans because of cataracts.

This is mainly a problem in low-income countries, such as western and eastern sub-Saharan (撒哈拉沙漠以南的) Africa according to the report. A lack of eye care services is one of the main reasons for this.

In southern Asia and elsewhere, there are still some cultural barriers (障碍) when trying to get glasses. In some places, people believe wearing glasses will make one’s eyes worse. In other places, when kids start wearing glasses, their grandparents will say they're for rich people and not for village boys and girls, Public Radio International reported.

Sports can help you keep fit and close to nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should realize that the sport you choose might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource--hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also lots of water. Besides, huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental changes. For example, in the dry places of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for(为……承担责任) serious water shortage(短缺) in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes, and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also help you stay healthy. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and keep thin.

Whatever sport you take up, you make it greater by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements(替代) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership(会员身份). And best of all, it’s free.