That night, I quarreled with my mother, and then rushed out of the house. While on the road, I remembered that I did not have any money in my pocket. I did not even take my cell phone with me to make a call home.

At the same time, I went through a noodle shop, and I suddenly felt very hungry. I wished for a bowl of noodles, but I had no money!

The seller saw me standing before the counter and asked, “Hey, girl, you want to have the noodles?”

“Oh, yes... but I don’t have money on me...” she replied. “That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man, “Come in.”

A few minutes later the owner brought me a steaming bowl of noodles. I thanked the man and started to gobblle (狼吞虎咽) up the delicious food...then I cried silently.

“What is it?” asked the man kindly.

“Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness!” I said as I wiped my tears. “Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, while my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She showed no care for me. She is so mean and cruel!”

Hearing the words, the seller smiled “Girl, do you really think so? I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you thanked me a lot. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. why were you not grateful and why did you hurt your mom? You should say sorry to your mom.“

I was really surprised after hearing that.

Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful, and my mother has been taking care of me since I was little and I have never felt so, not even a little.

Just at that moment. many memories came back into my mind.

When arriving home, I saw my mother sitting at the dinner table, worried and tired.

An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old son. Suddenly a crow (乌鸦) landed on their window.

The father asked his son, “What is this?” The son replied, “This is a crow.”

After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time, “What is this?” The son said, “Father, I told you just now. It’s a crow.”

After a little while, the father asked his son the same question for third time, “What is this?” This time, the son was irritated (生气) and said to his father in a low and cold tone, “It’s a crow, a crow.”

After a moment, the father yet again asked his son for the fourth time, “What is this?” This time his son shouted in his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I have told you already, ‘It’s a crow’. Are you not able to understand this?”

A minute later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered(破旧的) diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the read it, the following words were written in the diary:

“Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow suddenly landed on the window edge. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied him 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I didn’t at all feel annoyed, but instead felt a deep affection for my innocent son.”

After reading the diary,the son was in tears and began to reflect on the days when he used to sit together with his father.

Feeling ashamed, the son got down on his knees before his father.

Honesty Carries Kindness

By morning, Fred knew what he had to do. He had not slept a wink but had sat in the corridor all night thinking. He stretched his body and went back to his room. His brother Gray was still asleep.

It was Saturday and there was no school. Fred’s mother asked him to do some shopping for her. On his way out, he glanced at his motorcycle which was parked at the side of the house. There was no hiding the broken front lamp and the dent (凹痕) and scratches (刮痕) on the side of the motorcycle. Fred took a deep breath and went to complete his shopping.

It was late morning before Fred was free to carry out his plan. He marched down the road to Mr. Green’s house. When he arrived and called out the usual greeting, Mrs. Green appeared at the doorway and greeted him warmly. She invited him in and served him tea and some cakes. Fred nervously asked to speak to Mr. Green. She told him that her husband was out but would be home very soon. Sure enough, the elderly man returned in ten minutes.

Fred cleared his throat a few times while his host waited patiently. Finally, he started to talk, admitting that he had come to take responsibility. “I’m so sorry. I was careless yesterday and knocked into your parked car in front of the post office,” said Fred.

Mr. Green looked at the 17-year-old youth, surprised. “So, you are saying that you dented my car and then ran away?”

Fred went red. He nodded. “I’m sorry for not telling you earlier. I was too frightened.”

The elderly man smiled and said, “but you’re not too frightened to acknowledge the mistake now?” Fred said with uncertainty, “I could not sleep last night thinking about it. I knew I had to do the right thing.”

Mr. Green was silent for a minute before saying in a kind voice, “you think that it is the right thing to cover up for your brother?”

Fred went pale, his eyes wandering.

Fred thanked Mr. Green for his kindness and what he had taught him.

A few years ago, my mom went to the doctor to ask him about her neck, which had been a little bigger than usual. It turned out there was something wrong with her lymph glands, and soon they scheduled Mom to have a biopsy on the seventh of September.

As soon as I found out, I was very angry, as September 7 is my birthday. They had promised to take me to see a spider-man movie and had a picnic in the yard. I shouted at her and everyone else, too. I even shouted at the dog. I started begging her to reschedule the biopsy. She gave me this look like she was about to cry and said, “I've done everything I can. I've got a disease. Could you forgive me?” Finally, I just shouted, “I hate you!” and ran into my room, crying. I sat on my bed thinking—Why do things always have to happen to me? Everyone gets diseases Why couldn't mum just go to hospital another day?

For the next couple of weeks I remained silently angry. Deep down I knew I shouldn't act that way, but I did anyway. Anyone could see how sad I was making my mom. I knew it wasn't her fault, but I had to have someone to blame.

Finally, my birthday came. My parents left early in the morning for the hospital, and I was sent to our neighbor's house. No spider-man movie, no birthday present, and no picnic. Though I was taken good care of, I was not having a good time. “This isn't fair,” I thought. “This was supposed to be my day.”

My parents came home late that night. Mom walked in with a bandage on her neck She sat down and rested her head on my dad's shoulder. It hurt so badly that it was difficult for her to talk.

Later that night, Mom asked me to get into her room and she pulled out a box.

Pumpkin(南瓜)carving at Halloween is a family tradition. We visit a local farm every October. In the pumpkin field, I compete with my three brothers and sister to seek out the biggest pumpkin. My dad has a rule that we have to carry our pumpkins back home, and as the eldest child I have an advantage — I carried an 85-pounder back last year.

This year, it was hard to tell whether my prize or the one chosen by my 14-year-old brother, Jason, was the winner. Unfortunately we forgot to weigh them before taking out their insides, but I was determined to prove my point. All of us were hard at work at the kitchen table, with my mom filming the annual event. I’m unsure now why I thought forcing my head inside the pumpkin would settle the matter, but it seemed to make perfect sense at the time.

With the pumpkin resting on the table, hole uppermost, I bent over and pressed my head against the opening. At first I got jammed just above my eyes and then, as I went on with my task, unwilling to quit, my nose briefly prevented entry. Finally I managed to put my whole head into it, like a cork(软木塞)forced into a bottle. I was able to straighten up with the huge pumpkin resting on my shoulders.

My excitement was short-lived. The pumpkin was heavy. “I’m going to set it down, now,” I said, and with Jason helping to support its weight, I bent back over the table to give it somewhere to rest. It was only when I tried to remove my head that I realized getting out was going to be less straightforward than getting in. When I pulled hard, my nose got in the way. I got into a panic as I pressed firmly against the table and moved my head around trying to find the right angle, but it was no use. “I can’t get it out!” I shouted, my voice sounding unnaturally loud in the enclosed space.

I was stuck for five to six minutes though it felt much longer.

That video was posted the day before Halloween.

At the end of the class, Mr. Smith announced our assignment for the next Monday was to talk about someone we were grateful to instead of a book report. Upon hearing it, I couldn’t help complaining to Mareya that I was so nervous about having to talk in front of the whole class.

“ Arizona ,you’ve been in at least three plays ,” Mareya pointed out.“ If you don’ t get stage fright in front of those big audiences, why are you bothered by a few kids in our class ?”

It was true, but in a play you were part of a group. I shook my head. Plus, there were so many people I was grateful to. There was no way I could possibly pick just one. Plus, even if I picked one I’ d have no idea what to say. Plus, even if I figured out what to say, I was a million- percent positive I’ d mess up if I tried to say it out loud! I’ d be standing there with everyone staring at me, waiting for words to come out of my mouth.“ Oh , my goodness !” I pulled my sweatshirt hood ( 兜 帽 ) over my face, put my hands over my ears and said,“ I don’t want to talk about it !”

But one thing about really good friends who knew you really well was that they didn’ t always do exactly what you asked them to. Mareya could be pretty pushy talking of being helpful. She scribbled(潦草地写) something on a piece of paper , lifted my hood, and smiled. She’ d drawn a funny elephant (named Franky) with the word BREATHE coming out of its trunk .

“ This is Franky, the ‘everything is going to be all right’ elephant ” Mareya giggled. She held the picture up to her ear and asked, “What’ s that you say, Franky? You think my friend Arizona should come over to my house this weekend so we can work on our talks together?”

Paragraph 1. And that was exactly what happened.

Paragraph 2 .On Monday morning, however, I decided to talk about Mareya.

Mo was waiting in the corridor outside her class. She was feeling sick. She had two exams that day and physics was first. She really hated physics. It was her worst subject. Terry looked back at her from the front of the line, and then looked away quickly. Mo thought she looked guilty. She didn’t have a problem with physics she didn’t have a problem with anything ... Miss Perfect!

“Hi, Mo, it’s your favorite exam today,” said Nima, laughing as she joined the line. Terry was looking at Mo again. “So, what’s wrong with her?” asked Nima. “I thought you were friends.” “Yes, so did I,” said Mo. “But she hasn’t spoken to me for two weeks now. She promised to help me review for the physics exam too, but then she’s ignored all my calls and texts. She’s forgotten who her friends are!” said Mo angrily. Mr. Reed was talking to the class and the other students were going into the exam room. Mo gave Nima a worried look and followed them.

Mo couldn’t answer question number five. She looked up and saw Terry sitting two rows in front of her. Mo couldn’t believe it! Terry was holding her phone on her knee under the table and reading from it. Is that how Terry always got such good grades? She felt really angry at Terry, but she didn’t know what to do. She thought about telling the teacher, but what would everyone else think of her? “Stop writing and put your pens down.” said Mr. Reed as he started to collect the exam papers. Oh no, Mo hadn’t answered two of the questions. She was going to fail again!

Mo wanted to talk to Terry at lunch time, but she couldn’t find her anywhere. The next exam was history. That was Mo’s favorite subject but she wasn’t feeling good. Mo went to the library to study, but she couldn’t concentrate. She didn’t know what to do about Terry. She thought about telling a teacher, but everyone would hate her if she did that. “It wasn’t fair!” she thought. “Terry was getting good grades by cheating all that time.” thought Mo. Just then, Mr. Reed walked past her table. “Mr. Reed.”

Mo was sitting behind Terry again in the history exam that afternoon. Mo was feeling terrible. Why had she told Mr. Reed? But it was too late now. And anyway, Terry didn’t want to be her friend! Mr. Reed wanted her to look at him and nod if she saw that Terry was cheating in the exam. She was working on the last question when she saw that Terry had her phone under the table.

Without thinking, Mo looked up and nodded to Mr. Reed.

Mo was walking towards the school gate, when she heard footsteps behind her.