POETRY CHALLENGE

Write a poem about how courage, determination, and strength have helped you face challenges in your life.

Prizes

3 Grand Prizes:Trip to Washington, D.C. for each of three winners, a parent and one other person of the winner’s choice. Trip includes round-trip air tickets, hotel stay for two nights, and tours of the National Air and Space Museum and the office of National Geographic World.

6 First Prizes:The book Sky Pioneer:A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart signed by author Corinne Szabo and pilot Linda Finch.

50 Honorable Mentions:Judges will choose up to 50 honorable mention winners, who will each receive a T-shirt in memory of Earhart’s final flight.

Rules

Follow all rules carefully to prevent disqualification.

■Write a poem using 100 words or fewer. Your poem can be any format, any number of lines.

■Write by hand or type on a single sheet of paper. You may use both the front and back of the paper.

■On the same sheet of paper, write or type your name, address, telephone number, and birth date.

■Mail your entry to us by October 31 this year.

“How do you account for your remarkable accomplishment in life?” Queen Victoria of the UK asked Helen Keller. “How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf you were able to accomplish so much?”

Ms.Keller’s answer is a tribute to her dedicated teacher. “If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.”

According to speaker Zig Ziglar, “Little Annie” Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship.“She was almost sightless herself (due to a childhood fever) and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly” insane by her caregivers. She was locked in a dark underground room of a mental institution because of mental problems. Little Anne Sullivan would attack anyone who came near sometimes. However, an elderly nurse believed there was hope and she offered to help the child. Every day she made all her efforts to give little Anne words of love and encouragement. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she were shown love.

Eventually, doctors noticed the change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hatred, they now noted a gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then the day finally came when this seemingly ”hopeless’’ child was released.

Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she herself was helped by the kind nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world. Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen’s life; but it was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a compassionate teacher.

“If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.” But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown.

The Forbidden City, widely regarded as one of the most popular destinations at home and abroad, houses amazing Chinese cultural and historical relics, for which the Forbidden City is always well-known. But Masters in the Forbidden City does not just focus on the stories of the past.

Instead, the documentary movie, which came out in Chinese cinemas on Dec. 16, focuses on ordinary people—the restorers of relics and antiquities.

The stories are told at a slow and relaxed pace, reflecting the restorers’ work. Restoration of cultural relics and antiques can be time-consuming, and sometimes boring. Yet these restorers’ patience and peace of mind are especially precious in a society where everything is changing so fast.

“If you choose this job, you have to put up with hours of work sitting on a chair. You need to be quiet and get used to being quiet,” says Wang Jin, an ancient clock repair expert.

A touching part of the documentary is the spirit of craftsmanship (工艺)in the restorers. “Years of humdrum work requires not only skill, but also faith and spirit,” China Daily commented, “Looking for preciseness and perfection, devoting yourself to work, patience, endurance, loneliness... All these qualities come from the craftsman spirit.”

But unlike the popular idea of serious experts who sit around being serious, the documentary shows off the enthusiasm of the restorers. They play their guitars and make jokes about each other after a long day of restoration work.

One scene that has been very popular with Internet users features a young female restorer riding a bicycle through the empty Forbidden City on a Monday. While she is doing this, a narrator says, “The last person to do this was Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty.”

Masters in the Forbidden City has proved wrong many people’s ideas about antique restorers, allowing them to realize that they are not old, dull professors, but people in their 40s, 30s and even 20s who can be quite pleasing to the eye.

In the business of day-to-day life, we often forget to stop and be grateful for the present moment.     16    . It has many mental and physical benefits. If you want to work on being more grateful, try shifting your focus throughout the day. Work on practicing mindfulness, which can help you appreciate the present moment. You should also find a balance, allowing yourself to feel grateful.

    17    . Mindfulness is also about paying attention to your breath. Breathing is a vital bodily function that we often do not notice throughout the day. Start making a conscious effort to focus on your own breathing.

Breathing is a natural process that follows a certain rhythm. Therefore, when our minds wander and stressful thoughts occur, focusing on the breath can help us stay calm.     18    .

Find a comfortable place to sit.     19    .Think of three or four phrases that sum up your core desires. For example, you might come up with something like, “May I be happy in my pursuits. May I have good health. May I be calm and patient throughout the day.”

Say this prayer for yourself.     20    . Direct it towards someone you are thankful for in your life. For example, “May my mother be happy in her pursuits. May my mother have good health, etc.”