Yours,

Li Hua

I had never been more anxious in my life. I had just spent the last three endless hours trying to get to the airport so that I could travel home. Now, as I watched the bus driver set my luggage on the airport sidewalk, I realized that my anxiety had only just begun.

This was my first visit alone to the international terminal (航站楼) of the airport, and nothing was familiar. I couldn’t make sense of any of the signs. Where was the check-in counter? Where should I take my luggage? I had no idea where to go, feeling as if I were deaf and blind and stupid. I began to panic. What time was it? Where was my plane? I had to find help because I couldn’t be late.

I tried to ask a passing businessman for help, but my words all came out wrong. He just frowned (皱眉) and walked away. What had happened? I had been in this country for a whole semester, and I couldn’t even remember how to ask for directions. This was awful! Another bus arrived at the terminal, and the passengers came out carrying all sorts of luggage. Here was my chance! I could follow them to the right place, and I would not have to say a word.

I carried my heavy suitcase behind me and followed the group. We finally reached the elevators. Oh, no! They all fit in it, but there was not enough room for me. I watched in despair as the elevator doors closed. I was abandoned again! I had no idea what to do next. I got on the elevator when it returned and stared at all the buttons. Which one could it be? I pressed button 3, because I thought I saw those passengers pressed 3, though it was no more than a quick glance. The elevator slowly climbed up to the third floor and came to a stop. There were no check-in counters! I looked around shyly, only to find an elderly man standing at the corner. He was an airport employee.

Tears formed in my eyes as I saw the empty hall and realized that I would miss my plane.

When I turned to thank him for all his help, he was gone.

Thank you!

Student Union

Laura Stevens was nine years old. But every single time her mother and her father went out，they insisted that Mrs. Thomas stay with her. Laura didn't like Mrs. Thomas. She wouldn't let her stay up late to watch television, she wouldn't let her eat more than three cookies, and she even made Laura play games with her! "I'm not a baby”. Laura pleaded with her parents. "I'm nine years old. I don't need a baby-sitter. And if you make me have one, I'm going to go to my room and stay there forever”.

“Laura, "scolded her mother, "you're acting just like a baby. That's why you need a baby-sitter.” Laura sighed. But if she didn't complain, she wondered, would she still have to have a sitter? But no matter what Laura did, every time her parents went out they insisted Mrs. Thomas stay with her. And every time Mrs. Thomas stayed with her, she was very nice to Laura, but made her obey stupid rules. But someday, Laura knew, someday she would be big enough to stay by herself, or at least have a baby-sitter who wasn't so bossy.

One night, Laura's parents had a big surprise for her. Mrs. Thomas had gone to visit her sister in another city. Her parents had hired a brand-new Robo-Sitter! When the Robo-Sitter was delivered，Laura was amazed to discover that she looked just like a real person and even sounded like a real person. Her father programmed the Robo-Sitter to make dinner for Laura, give her three cookies, help her with her homework, and so on. And then he programmed the Robo-Sitter to clean the whole house. When he pressed "Enter" the Robo-Sitter's eyes opened brightly and a big smile appeared on her face.

When Laura's parents left the house, Laura reprogrammed the Robo-Sitter! The Robo-Sitter whizzed around the whole house, cleaning it from top to bottom in less than a minute. Then she raced into the kitchen and returned carrying three whole boxes of cookies, which she handed to Laura. Then she did all of Laura’s homework in nine seconds. Then she put Laura's favorite movie in the VCR and got out of the way. Laura sat down in front of the TV set with her box of cookies and pressed the "Off" button. And just like that, the Robo-Sitter went to sleep. Laura ate her cookies and watched her movie. But after a little while, her stomach started hurting and she wanted someone to talk to. She turned on the Robo-Sitter, who immediately cleaned the whole house all over again, brought Laura three more boxes of cookies, and did Laura's homework for a second time. Laura tried to reprogram the robo-Sitter, but was only able to make her do the same things faster and faster. Laura had no choice and finally turned off the Robo-Sitter.

The house was very quiet.

Two hours passed, but they seemed like two weeks.

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list _______ in our past that we felt _______ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.

This seemed like a very _______ process, but there’s always some _______soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then _______ that we find ways to _______ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever _______ my communication.

Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my _______, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff _______ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies (伙伴) and I decided to play a ________ on him.

After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a SOB (畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious________. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ________ found out.

Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name ________ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still ________. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Sheriff Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few ________, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused (停顿). “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”

Jimmy inspired me to ________ all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to ________the past wrong doings.