1 . Aunt Fannie was Blueberry Jam Woman. Of course she wasn’t really my aunt, and out of fear, I never called that to her face. The name always made my father chuckle (轻笑) and my mother look sternly (严厉地) at both of us—at me for being disrespectful, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions, so I looked for every opportunity to work for the name into conversation.

As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large Victorian farm house owned by Fannie Cratty. Fannie was the last of the Cratty line; she had never married, and had no living heirs(继承人). My father once told me that it was because she was too mean to share her family wealth or pass it on. Aunt Fannie was noted for her jam, and for never sharing the recipe with another living soul. Even though my mother knew it by heart, as long                    as Aunt Fannie was alive, she never made the jam without Miss Cratty in our kitchen to direct the process and preserve the secret.

One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam-making process. Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and some day you will be rich. I still have my first very quarter.” It had obviously worked for her, so I put that 1938 quarter in a small box,put it in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.

I now have the blueberry-jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has significantly contributed to my wealth, but I keep them to remind myself to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is your relationships, and your memories of time spent with friends and family, that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.

2 . When you choose a friend， you should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck， but when you are down， they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character， especially understanding， honesty and reliability（可靠）.

Above all else， I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead， he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place， and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.

At the same time， however， a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults（过错）in others. He notices their good points. In short， good friends will be honest to each other and accept each other.

Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time， I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor， he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble， he will not run away from me.

There is fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives， and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor， too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.

When I meet someone who is reliable， honest， and understanding， I know I’ve found a friend!

3 . Our lovely neighbors have a beautiful St Francis statue (雕像) by the gate on the side of their house. I’ve always loved to _______at it whenever I look out of the kitchen window. The other day I noticed it wasn’t there! I ________where it had gone! I hoped it was just moved and not stolen! I told Milan about its_________and he said he would ask the ________the next time he saw them.

Yesterday he_________Mrs “Neighbor” and mentioned the missing statue to her. He told her how much we loved it and hoped it hadn’t been________!She said that she had just moved it to the backyard________would bring it back right away! “Oh”, said Milan, “We’re just glad it’s________!” That evening we went out to sit in our garden and________that the statue was back in its old_________! Oh sweet neighbor! You are so kind and __________!

The next day we were out in the garden again planting ________, and realized that we had too many. We actually couldn’t_______where to put them all! I had to leave before we__________what to do with them. On my way out, I met Mrs “Neighbour” and________her for moving the statue back! But she said that the spot ________the statue lay was too bare(光秃秃的).

There were no flowers._________an idea went on in my head. I thought of the remaining flowers. She could have them, and she was sure to be________;

Now St. Francis______among beautiful flowers. I look out of my kitchen window again now and smile! The statue is__________more beautiful to me now.

5 . When you choose a friend, you should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair weather (晴天) friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability (可靠).

Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place, and he tries, to think of ways to be helpful. He is, also a good listener.

At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults in others. He notices their good points. In short, good friends will be honest to each other and accept each other.

Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time? I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favour, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble > he will not run away from me.

There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special, A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humour, too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.

When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I’ve found a friend!

6 . I had not seen my parents for a long time. Last Saturday I drove a long way to visit them,       _____neither of them was at home. So I waited patiently at their home________their return. Not seeing them made me really________

As I was walking around their bedroom,I______ little reminders of them. Some Christmas gifts were still_______in boxes. There were_______on the wall, which I guess must have a ________meaning to them. What took my breath away was seeing my dad's emblems (徽章) from his military service of our country______he was young. My father never_______to us about the Korean Wars. As I looked at those emblems hanging______with all the photos that he treasures, I______that this was an important part of his life, but I never spent the______in talking with him about them. The photos of my mom with her close_______made me realize her life before she was my mom. I had been so______running my business to raise my own family that I______the chance to know about their past and experience.

We sometimes don't realize something is______for us until we have lost it, so it's not too late for us to talk to our parents about their past. I am writing my story to______everyone who is fortunate to still have their parents_______to invest some time to learn about them. I am grateful to have_______of my parents. So I still have time to talk with them. I hope that readers will______from my story and find the time to talk about those things in their life that mean so much to their parents.

7 . When I married my wife Martha, it was the most beautiful day of my life. Halfway through the reception, my _______ tapped me gently on the shoulder I heard her whisper, “Will you _______with me, sweetheart ?”

“Sure,” I said, smiling, when some guests pulled me off in their direction. An hour later my mother _______ again. And again I readily _______, smiling and reaching for her with a (n)_________but letting some old college friends place a beer there instead.

Then my wife and I were off on our honeymoon. A nagging (烦人的) _______ grew in the back of my mind during the honeymoon. When we finally _______our new home, a phone message told us our pictures were _______ at the photographer's. We unpacked slowly and then drove to pick them up. Hours later, after we had examined every one with _______ memories, I held one out to reflect upon in private. It was a picture of two happy guests, sweaty in their dancing. But it wasn’t the couple I was ________ .There, in the background, I ________ a familiar figure -my dear mother who was ________ .

And I didn't think they were tears of ________ . I then drove to my mother's apartment a few miles away. “I’m sorry, I never danced with you, Mom.” I said. Mom looked at me and said something I'll never ________ , “Nonsense, dear. You've danced enough with me in my lifetime. And while you were being the perfect ________and making all of your guests feel so special, I watched you and felt nothing but ________ .That's what a ________     is, honey. Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue.”

“Well, this old woman, who was wearing blue, watched you dance with your beautiful new bride, and I ________ I had to give you up, ________ I had you so many years to myself, but I could only borrow you until you found the lady of your dreams.”

Both of our tears covered her sofa that day. And after the talk, I asked Mom for a dance. Unlike me, she didn't ________

“Go home and ask your mummy about your blind brother! I am surprised you didn’t know that he is as blind as a bat!” Hearing Nathan’s words, I wanted to land a blow on him for making fun of my two-year-old brother, David, but I was more desperate (渴望的) to find out the truth.

With a misty (模糊的) vision, I ran home as fast as I could. Still out of breath, I questioned, “Is David blind?” Mother turned to me with tears in her eyes. “Yes, he’s born blind.” It was a heartbreaking moment. I knew clearly the dream of showing David my cool soccer moves or playing video games with him ended cruelly. “Why did you keep the truth from me? I often wondered why he didn’t look at me or why he was always tripping over (被绊倒) things and I thought it was because he was still too young...” Before I could continue any further, mother hugged me and cried, “I’m sorry, Caleb. Dad and I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

Suddenly, it struck me that David was blind but he could still hear the whole conversation. Not wanting him to be affected by it, I stopped crying and went forward and embraced him. “I love you so much, David.” Worry crept upon (开始影响) me: How hard life would be for him!

Little did I know that David was to inspire (鼓舞) me so greatly.

As David grew up, he was fairly strong-willed. Despite the challenges that he faced, he continued to attend the school for visually impaired (视力受损) children. He insisted he would take the bus home on his own. Often, he would walk through the main door, looking sheepish (不好意思的) and saying the same phrase, “Sorry Mum, I am late. I boarded the wrong bus again.”

Tough as life was, there was always silver lining (一线希望) of misfortune. Despite not being able to see, he could play a piece of music after listening to it, being played once on the piano. He even dreamed of playing solo (独奏) one day on stage. Luckily for him, the school had discovered David’s extraordinary (非凡的) talent.

I still remember my first day of second grade. I was led to a classroom. No teacher yet. Girls talking and laughing. Boys playing games.

I took some paper and a pencil, picked a desk, and went to work. Minutes later, a girl came over and sat on top of my desk.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"I am doing Fun with Number" I replied. Then I rose from my seat to get my pencil sharpener. I had no idea that when I stood, the desk would fall over and hurt her leg.

Her name was Lucy. From that day on we got to know each other, and she became my best friend. Now we have been close friends for more than 60 years. We often get together and recall the past.

Some TV advertisements try to tell us what children need for school, new shoes, clothes, and schoolbags. But really, children's needs are simple. Besides the basics—to be fed, cared for, and loved- they need the gift of friendship.

For years, I feared how people saw me. But one day, I finally understood I didn't need to be smart or pretty or popular, but just needed to be kind.

My grandson William recently finished his preschool and received a prize for "friendship". Even an Olympic medal wouldn't make me prouder! I think children need to know that they are loved. They need to know they have all they need and that the best way to win friends is to be kind.

10 . How To Be a Good Friend

You like to think of yourself as a good friend, but are you really? If you're not sure, it's time to see what makes a true pal.

You Will Need Patience

Self-control

Selflessness

Be willing to listen

Always be willing to listen to what the other person is telling you.     1    , you are supposed to be there, giving your friend the support that he or she deserves.

Don't interrupt

Cutting someone off shows that you are more interested in what you want to say than what they are telling you.

    2    

If you're shopping and see a small item a buddy would like, buy it. Send cards just to let your friends know you value them.

Don't be judgmental

If you're going to disagree, do it respectfully.     3     or first ask if your friend would like your advice. Sometimes people just want to vent （发泄）.

Speak up

If your friend is doing something that is hurting her or someone else, you must speak up. Forcefully.

Be there when they need help

Don't take your friends for granted

If you hear yourself thinking, "She's my friend; she won't mind," stop and reconsider    5    .