A little girl, whose parents had died, lived with her grandmother.

One night, there was a big fire in her house and the fire spread quickly. Her grandmother died while she was trying to save her granddaughter. The little girl appeared against a window, crying for help. Neighbors were not unable to enter the house because the fire blocked all the entrances. After calling the fire department, they could only stood helplessly, waiting for the firefighters. However, the firefighters would be arriving in a few minutes.

Just then, a tall man suddenly appeared with a ladder. He hurried to put it up against the window, climbed up the ladder and jumped into the house. When he reappeared, he had the little girl in his arms, He passed the little girl to the waiting arms below and quickly disappeared into the night.

Weeks later, a meeting was held in the town hall to determine who would take the child into their home and bring her up.

A teacher said she would like to raise the little girl up. She pointed out that she could give her a good education. A farmer offered her an upbringing on his farm. He said that living on a farm was healthy and satisfying. The town’s richest man said, “I can give this little girl all the advantages that you have mentioned.”

Throughout all this, the little girl kept silent, her eyes on the floor.

“Does anyone else want to speak?” asked the meeting chairman.

Suddenly, the tall man, who saved the little girl, walked slowly and painfully forward from the back of the hall.

When asked about her choice, the little girl gave people her reasons.

Several years ago, I traveled by train to Stockholm. I was visiting two friends who were to meet me at the train station. I stood there waiting for my first friend to arrive and in the midst of   all the hurrying passengers that Friday afternoon, I heard a weak voice; it sounded like   a   question. I turned and saw a young man standing with a white cane ( 拐 杖 ) , his suitcase by his feet.   I   approached   and   asked,“Do   you   need   help?”“Yes,”he   replied,   nodding   his   head, appearing relieved.

He had been trying for some time, unsuccessfully, to get someone’s attention. He had   missed his train home. His cell phone battery was dead, and he needed to call his mother to tell   her of the circumstances.

This young man named Mustafa, I found out, had just completed his first week at a school   for the blind. He went to school on Mondays and returned home on Fridays. Of course I helped him call his mother. I did not understand what he spoke with her on my cell phone, but I could tell the language was Swedish. Of course the next problem was finding the right train home and telling his mother the new arrival time. Yet in   this disordered   train   station, I did   not want to   miss connecting with my friend Bogdan who was on his way to the spot where we were standing.

Before I could dial the number to call Bogdan, he was suddenly already there. I described the problem and Bogdan took the young man’s arm and we were off on our adventure to help get Mustafa home. While sorting out where his home was, what train, and what time, my second friend Marcello called and wondered where we were. Soon he joined us. It happened that   Marcello speaks 12 languages.

Marcello’s gift in language was a great advantage.

Now we were leading Mustafa to his train.

10 . It impressed me a lot. I never thought that little help will _______ out to be the most satisfying thing I have ever done. He was tired, and _______ to climb further. With a broad _______, he asked if I could help him with some money. He was paralyzed(瘫痪) in both legs and was _______ money for some operation. He said that if operated successfully, he could _______ training offering him a job. I was full of _______ and even asked him to show his legs. I gave him the _______ money. After a few days, he again came at my doorstep asking for more money for accommodation. This time I was more or less _______ he is not cheating me. I gave him some and said this is all I have.

A year went by and I had moved to a(n) _______ place. One fine day I got a call from an unknown number. The caller called out his name but I didn’t ________ him. Then he said he is the very paralyzed person I helped a year ago.

I asked him how he was doing. He said，“What sir? you recognize me not by my name but by my ________ state.”

“With your kind help I am now able to ________ on my legs without support. I was operated ________. I am married to a beautiful lady and have a stable ________.”

I don’t ________ remember if I gave him my phone number. ________, what he said next was touching. He said he wanted to return the money so that I didn’t feel cheated and continued to help people ________ in the future. I don’t know whether he read my facial expression the day I helped him but tears were ________ down my face. That day I promised him I will continue to help people as I see a(n) ________ —small or big. ________ that changed my life.