1 . “You’re very talented, dear. I hope everything turns out great. I’ll tell my friends about the animal shelter (避难处),” a kind old lady told Conrad, who smiled _________ as she left $20 in his hat.

Conrad was proud of what he was doing and people in the _________ loved hearing him sing and play his _________. The 11-year-old didn’t know how much money the local animal shelter _________.

His mother, Sandy, worked at the shelter and had always been a (n) _________ animal lover. Therefore, he grew to be fond of animals as well. _________, he recently heard his mother telling a friend that the shelter was not doing well. It _________ on donations (捐赠), and not many donations were _________. This made the boy very _________. So he grabbed his guitar and __________the local town park to sing and play.

He placed a __________ to tell people he was doing it to raise (募捐) money for the animal shelter, which helped greatly. People __________ and gave him mostly $1 and change, and others, such as the kind old lady, were more __________. He was grateful to everyone and continued playing songs and __________ money.

Raise your kids to love animals, and they’ll be better people. Caring for innocent animals makes people more selfless, __________ and caring. That’s why Conrad used his skills to raise funds, knowing how vital the shelter was.

We have all heard the expression: “Remember to stop and smell the roses.” But, how often do we really take time out of our busy fast-paced life to notice the world around us? I have reflected back on one situation many times since it happened and have learned several powerful lessons from it.

I am as guilty as anyone of ignoring the world around in this manner, especially when I am driving on California’s overcrowded streets. A short time ago, however, I witnessed an event that showed me how being wrapped up in my own little world has kept me from being fully aware of the bigger world picture around me.

I was driving to a business appointment and, as usual, I was planning in my mind what I was going to say. I came to a very busy crossroads where the traffic light had just turned red. “All right,” I thought to myself. “I can beat the next light if I race ahead of the cars.” My mind and car were in auto pilot (自动驾驶), ready to go when suddenly my absent-minded state was broken by an unforgettable sight.

A young couple, both blind, was walking arm-in-arm across this busy crossroads with cars whizzing (嗖嗖掠过) by in every direction. The man was holding the hand of a little boy, while the woman, obviously was holding a child tightly in her arms.

Each of them had a white walking stick extended, searching for clues to guide them across the crossroads.

Initially I was moved. They were overcoming what I felt was one of the most feared disabilities — blindness. Suddenly, horror seized me. The couple were not walking in the crosswalk, but was turning directly towards the middle of the crossroads. Without realizing the danger they were in, they were walking right the path of oncoming cars. I was frightened for them because I didn’t know if the other drivers understood what was happening.

However, as I watched from the front line of traffic, I saw a miracle unfold before my eyes.

Every car in every direction did the same thing.

The couple adjusted their route as they followed the drivers’ guidance.