I am the most beautiful cup in the world, but you don’t know what has happened to me.

Once I was red and looked ugly. I was rolled and struck (捶打) over and over ______ my master. I shouted out, “Let me alone.” But he only ______, “Not yet.” Then I was put on ______ wheel which was moving, and suddenly I was pushed to move around and around. “Stop!” I cried. But my master only shook his head. Then he put me in the oven(炉). I was fired at a very high heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, _____ I cried and knocked at the door. But he just shook his head.

Finally, the door opened. He put ______ on the table, and I began to become cool. Then I was polished (擦亮). After that, my master brushed and painted me all over. ______ terrible the smell was! I thought I would die. “Stop!” I cried. He only shook his head. Then suddenly I ______ into the second oven. This oven was twice as ______ as the first one and I couldn’t breathe at all. I begged (乞求). However, my master shook his head again. I nearly lost hope.

An hour later he handed me a mirror and said, “Look at yourself.” I was ______ and said, “That’s not me. Why am I so beautiful?” “I want you _____,” my master said, “without those pains, you would never be a perfect product.”

Several years ago, when I was teaching at a middle school, a girl sent me a message. She found someone write a very bad message on her locker(储物柜). She took a picture and then sent it to me _______ help.

A few hours later, I noticed that she had posted that picture on her Instagram(照片墙) and asked if anyone _______ who did that.

The following day, that girl came to me with a boy. She showed me a _______ she had received. It was a heartfelt apology. I asked her if she knew who had done it, and the boy replied embarrassedly(尴尬地), “It was me. I don’t know why I did it, but I know it was _______. So I wrote her this note. I _______ wanted to do something to try to make up for my action.”

My heart felt so full of pride for this boy. I told him how _______ he was to come forward and how amazing it was that he did something kind to correct his mistake. I _______ the girl and asked her if she could forgive (原谅) him. Without thinking, she said, “Yes.”

Middle school students are not little children any more, but not grown-ups yet. It is normal that they make mistakes because of their _______. However, when the girl was in _______, she bravely came forward, and the boy came forward to correct his mistake in time. They both _______ bravery and kindness. Although I was a teacher, my students really taught me a lot.

RED BANK, New Jersey (January 31, 2020). These days, women go to space. They sail around the world. They have all kinds of adventures. This wasn’t true hundreds of years ago. Back then, women were expected to stay home. But that didn’t stop these three women from taking off and doing big things.

Jeanne Baret (1740-1807): Baret was a French scientist. She studied plants. And she was the first woman to sail around the world. In 1766, Baret wanted to set sail with a group of scientists. But they were all men. Women weren’t allowed to travel on French navy ships. So Baret dressed up like a man. And she sailed away.

Lady Hester Stanhope (1776-1839): Stanhope was from England. She wanted to travel. She traveled throughout the Middle East by herself And she led an archaeological (考古学的) dig there. She was the first woman to do this.

Nellie Bly (1864--1922): Bly was a reporter. In 1887, she wrote a story about hidden problems at a hospital. She dressed up like a patient at the hospital. Then she wrote a six-part report. The story made Bly well-known. It also led the way for other women reporters. Two years later, Bly set a world record. She traveled around the world in 72 days!