Last winter, Linda went through a very messy divorce and was very depressed. So she quit her job and left Los Angeles, where she encountered her ex-husband in college. She flew to Boston on the east coast of the US. Later, she settled in a new neighborhood in East Boston. However, shortly afterwards, the company where she worked went bankrupt (破产). Suffering a series of bitter blows, she fell ill, a severe case of flu. She had to stay at home for the whole week, feeling extremely bad and hopeless.

Early one morning, Linda lay in bed, feeling painful all over. Then all of a sudden, there was an upsetting knock on her front door. Struggling out of the bed, she dragged herself to the window. There, outside, she saw a young lady carefully holding some leaflets(传单)and a TV set model. She knew of a large TV set establishment nearby and assumed a message was about to be gently delivered. “This is the last thing I need today.” She muttered to herself and hesitantly opened the door.

Coughing bitterly, Linda stuck her head out. “Excuse me, madam…” the young lady said with a smile. “I’m sorry but I am not the slightest bit interested in any TV whatever.” Linda interrupted her impatiently. “As a matter of fact, I am feeling terribly awful.” “Is there anything I can do for you, madam?” the young lady asked with concern. “No thanks, just leave me alone.” Linda then shut the door in her face. The young lady politely turned and left in silence.

A few hours later, another knock.

Linda was surprised by this loving action.

A Special Gift

I always believe that there are certain gifts sticking in our minds for a variety of reasons.

The gift given to me that I treasured most was a doll named Patsy. I met her in a gift shop when I was nine. On holding Patsy I immediately fell in love with her and couldn’t even bear to part from her. At that time, my mother noticed it and at Christmas, as I received the gift from her, I was surprised to find my dream doll in the box. From then on Patsy became my baby and I loved her dearly.

A month later, I was on my way to the cinema when I glimpsed some lovely gifts in pretty boxes through the window of the gift shop. Seeing them reminded me that my mother’s birthday was a few months away. Wouldn’t it be nice, I thought, if I could give her something really special, just like the gift she gave me? I stepped inside and caught sight of a beautiful dress hung on the coat stand, which I was sure my mother would like. So I asked the saleswoman its price.

The lady must have seen my disappointment when she told me how much it would cost. But she had a suggestion which immediately lifted my spirits. She took out a notebook from under the counter and wrote my name as well as the item I wanted to buy on it, and in return I paid her five cents from my six cents pocket money. It meant no candies that day but I didn’t care. At the age of nine, I made my very first installment (分期付款)and felt like a grown-up. From then on, every Saturday on my way to the cinema, I went to the shop and paid a few cents which the lady dutifully recorded on her notebook.

The day before my mother’s birthday, I paid the last two cents.

The special day finally came.

5 . When Emanuel received an email from Professor Richard English at Queen’s University, who encouraged him to apply for a PhD in Politics in Belfast, it was a pinch-me moment Emanuel never thought would be possible. After all, just a few short years ago, he was living on the streets, couch-surfing at friends’ houses and weeding gardens to make ends meet. Now, one of the world’s leading political academics was preparing to welcome him to Queen’s University over 4,000 miles away.

Emanuel never knew who his father was and his mom was mentally ill when she gave birth to him, so the hospital took him off her and he was unofficially adopted for the first few years of his life. What followed was a childhood with uncertainty as Emanuel was passed between the adoption system and family members.

Through his high school and community college years, he moved from house to house, living with friends at times and living on the streets at others.

Determined to change all that despite his rocky start in life, Emanuel involved himself in school — doing everything he could to earn extra tuition (学费) money in his spare time. But getting accepted into university was scarcely possible because a person like him couldn’t get a regular student loan.

Fortunately, the government backed him, having created a policy allowing disadvantaged persons to access funding for higher education. He graduated from the University of the West Indies with a 1st Class Honors degree and went on to do his Masters.

Emanuel knows that his story could have been very different.

“I discovered Professor Richard English online and sent him an email honestly, not thinking he would reply and to my surprise, he did. I applied for the highly competitive Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme in order to fund my research at Queen’s. When I was told I was successful, my whole world changed.”

6 . A few weeks ago, I surfed the Internet and came across a book called The Debt to pleasure. At first sight, I_________, immediately, to own it. Its structure was novel and it had won wide _________among readers.

But before I could_________ the Buy Now button, a tiny inner voice _________the library, the library, which was simply three blocks from my apartment. I searched the catalog （目录）of the library and sure enough, " _________" now. However, by the time the book was borrowed, I couldn't say with _________that I would love it. This worn, yellow-papered object was just so _________. However promising our first _________was, my initial desire _________sank. When the book was __________, I walked to the library and __________it into the Returns box. Once reshelved, it would __________for others. I sighed and walked off. It had never __________me from the very beginning.

One thing I should mention：I did end up loving The Debt to Pleasure, I loved it so much that I finally ordered a copy of my own. The library book does __________me the cost of a paperback, but it just delivers a __________satisfaction, one that can't promise permanent ownership. Live your life fully, for our lives are only lent to us and can't be owned forever.

8 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and immediately started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins, but then she saw the girl put the coins into a plastic bag and place it in her backpack.

“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.

“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk— her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”

Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.

Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the kindergartner had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.

After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a tearful video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine’s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.

Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the effect she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her mind to.”

9 . I’ve heard such a story. On a Friday night, a poor young artist stood at the gate of the subway station, playing his violin. The music was _________, and many people who hurried to go home _________ and put some money into the hat of the young man.

The next night, the young artist took out a large piece of _________ and laid it on the ground. Then he began playing. The music sounded more pleasant. Some people gathered and they found the _________ on that paper,” Last night, a gentleman put a (n) _________ thing into my hat. Please come to get it back. “When the people saw that, they felt very curious and guessed what it could be. After about half an hour, a man _________ there in a hurry and said, “It can’t be true! You... you...”

The young violinist asked, “Did you _________ something?” “A lottery ticket (彩票),” the man answered _________.

The violinist took out a lottery ticket. “Is it?” he asked.

The man was too _________ to say a word. He bought a lottery ticket a few days ago. The awards (奖) opened yesterday and he won $ 500, 000. So lucky and excited did he feel that he __________ 50 dollars and put it into the hat when hearing the music. However, the lottery ticket was also thrown into the hat without being __________. After the violinist finished his performance, he found the lottery ticket in his hat. __________ that the owner would probably __________ to look for it, he came back to where he was given the lottery ticket.

Someone asked the violinist why he returned the lottery ticket to the man. He said, “Although I don’t have much __________, I live happily; but if I lose __________, I won’t be happy forever.”

During breakfast, Alan suggested going to the Lego Land to have fun and his mom agreed.

“We’ll stop by the supermarket and buy some snacks and fruits. Now hurry and eat and then we’ll go. It’s going to be a lovely day. Grandma is coming with us. She’ll be here any minute.”

Alan ate his breakfast and then ran into his room to get his shoes. The problem was that he could only find one of them. He looked under his bed, but all he could see were dirty pants. He moved some of his toys out of the way, but still couldn’t find his shoe. After he had checked everywhere in his room, he ran into the kitchen. “Mom, I can’t find my shoe. Will you wait while I look for it?” he asked.

His mom thought about how many times she’d told Alan to clean his room up. She said something to Alan’s grandma in a low voice. Then, she said to Alan,“You will have to stay home. Your dad and I will take your brother Alex to the Lego Land. Grandma will stay at home with you.”

“No! Please wait for me. I want to go to the Lego Land,” Alan cried. “I’m sorry, Alan. I’ve told you a dozen times to clean your room and you did not do it. You can’t find your shoe now. It’s your own fault for not cleaning your room.You will stay home.”

Alan ran into his bedroom, crying. His mom came to the door and said, “Alan, clean that room of yours before I get home. I’ve told Grandma not to give you any sweets until you make your room clean and tidy.” She went out with Alex and the brothers’ dad. After a minute, they drove away.

Alan sat on his bed and cried for a long time.

Alan and his grandma were sitting at the table, eating when his mom, dad and Alex came home.