I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage (按揭), credit cards, success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us 1 chasing the same thing.

    One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell 2. I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $ 56. I 3 the countryside for some place I could rent for the 4 possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road 5 the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was 6, full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner, rented it, and 7 a corner to camp in.

    The locals knew nothing about me, 8 slowly, they started teaching me the 9 of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began 10 around to chat. They started to teach me a belief in a 11 American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of 12.

What I had believed in, all those things I thought were 13 for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place. 14 on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my 15 with my neighbors.

    Four years later, I moved back into 16. I saw many people were having a really hard time, 17 their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to 18 a handful of people. There are four of us now in the house, but over time I've had nine people come in and move on to other places. We'd all be in 19 if we hadn't banded together.

    The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one. It's not so much about what I can get for myself; it's about 20 we can all get by together.

Love Is Like a Car Battery

    I always hold the view that every act of kindness can eventually change the world as well as generosity, gratitude and trust.

    I was parking at a hiking road when a man in the car next to mine looked out and started to ask me for help. “No1,” I told him, as I was willing to help anyone in2. It turned out that his battery was3and no one would help jump to start his car!

    I4him if he had cables, which he did, and in less than five5I gave him a jump start and his car6at the drop of a hat He thanked me and asked “how much do I7you” and I looked at him in8and said “not a thing!”

    He said “You won't believe it9I've been sitting here for so long and I asked at least three people to10me and no one would do it”. That made me really11. I was thinking that perhaps because of how he12, his background, or whatever,13might think he was going to ask them for14or something and just automatically said “no” without even15that they could help him so16. He also told me that one man17him “My battery is old so it can't help you”.

    I was18that the battery is like the love in our hearts. We get19more if we give it away to others! And it doesn't20our hearts to give. I'm happy that I charged his battery and he charged my “battery” with love. I got much more than he offered to me.

    I enjoy reading all of moving ideas from the wonderful site about people giving on their birthday. So, I1this would be my chance to experience the joy of giving on my special day.

    My husband took me to the Olive Garden, where we often had meals, and our 2was very nice. We had a great dinner experience there. Then Karina brought our 3I knew it was my time to give4she came back to the table to get our credit card, I placed the gift bag on the edge of the table and 5said, "I want to6you with a gift 7my birthday, "Oh, the8on her face! She said." No, not for9! It's your birthday!" Then she said, "Can I open it in front of you? "And I said that would be 10

    The first thing she 11 was the color of the gift bag which was purple. Purple is her favorite color, She actually12a purple tie! She opened the card and said, "It's Christmas in July. "As she was taking the gift out of the13 she said she was excited. It's wonderful to give to someone who is 14to receive! She opened the box and saw it was a purple mug(杯子). Inside the mug was a smile card and forty five dollars, a dollar15each year of my life. After seeing the16 she looked at my husband and said we did not have to 17a tip. He just 18her words and left her the tip anyway.

    Karina was so19 what she had received. I thanked her for receiving my gift. I am thankful to God for another year of life and the 20to see that every day is a great day to give.

    I met Mrs. Neidl in the ninth grade on a stage-design team for a play and she was one of the directors. Almost instantly I loved her. She had an unpleasant voice and a direct way of speaking,1 she was encouraging and inspiring. For some reason, she was impressed with my work and Mrs. Neidl would ask me for my 2 .She wanted to know how I thought we should 3 things. At first I had no idea how to answer because I knew 4about stage design! But I slowly began to respond to her 5. It was cause and effect. She believed I had opinions, so I began to 6 them. She trusted me to complete things, so I completed them perfectly. She loved how 7 I was, so I began to show up to paint more and more. She believed in me, so I began to believe in myself.

Mrs. Neidl's 8 that year was, “Try it. We can always paint over it 9!” I began to take 10. I had been so afraid of failing but suddenly there was no failing—only things to be 11 upon. I leaned to dip my brush into the paint and 12 create something.

    The shy, quiet freshman achieved success that year. I was 13 in the program as “Student Art Assistant” because of the time and effort I'd put in. It was that year that I 14 I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing stage design.

    Being on that stage-design team 15 Mrs. Neidl changed me completely. Not only was I stronger and more competent than I had thought, but I also 16 a strong interest and a word I hadn't known existed. She taught me not to 17what people think I should do. She taught me to take chances and not be 18 Mrs. Neidl was my comforter when I was upset. Her 19 in me has inspired me to do things that I never imagined 20.

    The management of a software company decided to teach its employees about finding real 1 to solve problems.

    When called to play a 2 in a hall, the team of 30 employees was quite 3 holding various thoughts. As they entered the hall, they found the hall 4 decorated, with coloured lights on the wall. Everyone looked at each other and then 5 a huge box of balloons at the centre. They were 6 to pick a balloon and blow it up. And the team leader asked them to 7 their names on their balloon. All tried to do that, but not everyone 8 it. A few balloons burst due to pressure and yet they were given 9 chance. Those who 10 even after the second chance were ruled out of the game. In all, 25 employees were left for the next 11. All the balloons were collected and the team leader asked the employees to 12 the balloon with their names marked. Also, he told them no balloon should be 13.

    The 25 employees began to 14 the balloons carrying their names in a rush. However, they had to be very 15. It was almost 15 minutes and no one was able to find his own balloon.

    Now it was the third and final level. The employees were asked to pick any balloon in the room and give it to the person 16 on the balloon. Within a couple of minutes all the balloons reached 17 employee.

    The team leader said that this was the real way to solve problems. Often everyone is crazily 18 ways to solve problems without recognising the 19 way. Most of the time, 20 and helping others can give you the tools you need to deal with all problems.

    I did very badly at school. My headmaster thought I was 1 and when I was 14 he said, "You're never going to be 2 but a failure."

    After five years of 3 jobs, I fell in love with a very nice middle-class girl. It was the best 4that could have happened to me. I 5 I wanted to do something positive (积极地) with my life because I wanted to prove to6 that what people said about me was 7. Especially her mother, who had said to me, "Let's 8 it, you've failed at everything you've ever done." So I tried hard with my9 and went to college. My first novel (小说)10 while I was at college.

    After college I taught during the 11 in high schools and attended evening classes at London University, where I got a 12 in history. I became a lecturer at a college and was thinking of 13 that job to write full time 14 I was offered a part-time job at Leeds University. I began to feel proud of myself — 15 was a working-class boy who'd 16school early, now teaching at the university.

    My writing career (职业) took off when I discovered my own style. Now I'm rich and 17, have been on TV, and met lots of film stars. 18 what does it mean? I 19 wish all the people that have put me down had 20: "I believe in you. You'll succeed."

    My mom is an awesome human being just like all other moms. She knowingly and unknowingly 1 me a whole lot of things about the world. The 2 which I'm going to share today determined the way I 3 everybody.

    I was four years old. One fine afternoon, my mom and I were 4 outdoors, she reading and I watching a line of 5. I was never a naughty kid; 6 I was known for keeping quiet even when things were not going my way. So I don't remember why I did this but I disrupted (使中断) the lines of ants and I liked it when they looked so 7. I even went ahead and stepped on a couple of them! My mom saw this and she wasn't 8 with me but she said something I still 9 today. She said, "You should never be 10 to anybody however little they are. Everybody is different and we shouldn't treat them 11.

    I got upset when I heard this because I thought I had 12 my mom. Also my little heart started 13 the family of ants I had killed. It has been more than 25 years now and I've 14 so many things that have happened in my life; 15. I still do my best to be kind to everybody.

    We should teach our young kids to never be mean to anybody. It makes a 16 when people praise other people for their efforts and when 17 being envious, we're proud of people achieving their goals however 18 they may be. When you're kind to other people, it's a 19 that goes on. It's the kind of 20 reaction that uplifts the whole world one heart at a time. I believe in the magic of kindness!

    For me personally, I could write for days about many different situations where adversity (逆境)1 my life. Now let me tell you one experience where I almost let adversity 2.

    We had a glass studio, which was located 50 feet from our home. A couple of years ago we experienced an 3 winter; we had a lot of snow and ice. The 4of the ice and snow5 the roof on our studio, taking with it one of our sources of income. 6 it did fall down, we got on the roof and tried to 7 the snow and ice, but when you have 5 feet of ice and temperatures of minus 20 Celsius, it was pretty 8 to do.

    We had a partner come in to help us try to 9 the roof by supporting. In the end, there was 10 that could be done. The roof came down. We had moved a lot of our goods and tools from the studio 11 we lost a lot also: glass, kilns, workbenches, to name only a few of the items. It was a 12  experience.

    Here we were in the middle of winter with our studio collapsed. We couldn't work as we had almost13 all the material in a building we were not using. We could have done one of two things: we could simply say that we can no longer 14 our glass business. Let me tell you that this was certainly a thought that 15 our mind. Or we could find a way to get our studio back up and running.

    We picked the 16 option. We had a large barn that we were not using. So we renovated (翻新) the barn, 17 our working area and today we have a nicer studio than we 18 had. If the adversity we were 19 had not happened, we probably would 20 be working in the old studio — a studio that was less efficient.

    Every act of kindness starts with something small, something we all can and should do every single day. I'm Will Ruhio, one of the 1 of BYUtv's Random Acts show. We take hidden cameras to unexpected places to 2 random acts of kindness. We've filmed acts 3 from building disabled-friendly facilities for those who are badly 4 them but can't afford them to returning a lost wallet.

    On Random Acts, it may be a neighbour or a colleague who recognizes a need and 5 an incredible chain reaction of service. 6 the story of Emmalene Meyers for example. Like many young girls, Emmalene was7 to be a ballet dancer, but her physical disability makes even everyday tasks a(n) 8. Instead of seeing a limitation, Emmalene's friend Lily 9 an opportunity. Lily imagined Emmalene's dream being brought to life onstage and persuaded Random Acts to help make her plan 10.

    So, where can you start? The key is to be like Lily: look for an opportunity to make a 11 to those in need, and then take action to make it happen. Being 12 and involved in service is 13 like any other goal you want to achieve. You have to 14 it.

    After two seasons of hosting Random Acts, the joy of 15 burdens and brightening lives doesn't fade. I sometimes 16 Random Acts might lose its feature eventually, but that couldn't be further from the 17when I finally meet the people.

    We've been working to 18 and see their genuine shock and appreciation, it 19 me in the feel every time. I cry more than anyone else on the show.

    Be that person doing acts of kindness out of the 20 of your heart—be the nice you want to see in the world!

    Annie Griffiths is a National Geographic photographer (摄影师).She has taken pictures on almost every1 in the world. Antarctica is the only continent Griffiths hasn't2yet.

    Griffiths photographs are well known for their3and high quality. They4very different cultures and regions of the 5, Griffiths has photographed the ancient city of Petra (佩特拉城),Jordan, 6 the green landscapes of the Lake District (湖区)in England. Her pictures have also appeared in a book about7places in North America.

    Everywhere that Griffiths goes, she also takes pictures of 8. Griffiths has found ways to connect with people of all ages and nationalities even9she does not speak their language.“The greatest privilege of my job is being allowed10peoples lives.” she has said “The11is like a passport, and I am often amazed at how12people welcome me.”

    Knowing how to break the13has helped to make Griffiths a successful photographer, 14experts say that anyone can learn to15with new people. When people speak the same language, greetings and small talk can make strangers feel more16with each other. When People don't speak the same language, a smile is 17.

    Remember: the next time you look at a beautiful18, you might be looking at the work of Annie Griffiths. And next time you 19 a new person, don't be afraid to break the ice. The connection you make could be very 20.

I live in a landscape surrounded by shopping malls. So it's quite 1 to feel connected to the land. I wanted 2 for my children: soil, Mother Earth and ecology. I'm a classic suburban mom. But I grew up 3 summers at my grandparents' farm. I used to pick wild blackberries, catch fishes, and run between the tows of tall corm plants. I knew what wild garlic looked like. I 4 picked flowers from the honeysuckle (金银花) and sucked the nectar (花蜜) out. I've 5 my kids to do the same. "It's so sweet, Mom," they told me.

6, instead of teaching my kids about the landscape, I decided to teach them a love of the land they live in. I was determined to 7 PBL-place-based learning. So we went to the 8 parking lot near the dead mall and 9 dandelion (蒲公英) greens, which make delicious spring salad. We dug with sticks in the wheel ruts (车辙印) along the road while going home. My ten-year old found a special rock which 10 him to start a rock collection. In the fall. I took my kids to stands of chestnut trees and 11 them how to get the eatable nuts from the branches. I had taught them some big 12 about the earth, the 13 of which they should have appreciation for.

It has been revolutionary to be outside. We have 14 simply walking, observing, feeling the dirt under our feet, and happily bringing home something we 15 with our own hands.

Last semester in my final year of high school, I had Mr. Smith as my teacher, a teacher that I can never forget.

I was not necessarily the best student when it came to taking1 While I2learning, I had to work extra hard to get good3. Anyways, this class that I truly enjoyed still had me4to do well on my exams. Mr. Smith 5helped me and was always ready to answer my questions, which I greatly6.

I remember the day of taking my final exam, I was the last one still writing and7my exam paper as always, while everyone else had8and left the exam room. Having9my exam paper, I had thought to leave,10I decided to turn around and say what I intended to say.

What I did right then was that I went over,11to Mr. Smith and thanked him for everything. What I said to him lastly apparently12a lot more to him than I thought it would –"I really enjoyed this class." I did not think much about it. I was just being13with him, but the look of surprise and14on his face was remarkable. He seemed deeply15and thanked me for my simple16, just knowing that one of his students had truly enjoyed his class. That is what I call a simple, yet very meaningful act of kindness to17a teacher's day, because they work so hard for us and truly18us to learn.

I firmly believe such a simple compliment(赞美)can make somebody else's day extra19. So always give acts of kindness a20even a teenager can do it!

Some of the greatest problems we face today are concerned with the gradual destruction of our environment. Brown clouds; wildlife 1; polluted water. These 2  all seem so huge. So my family does what we can. We take cloth bags to stores instead of using plastic bags. We walk where we don't have to3.

But does it do any good?

I recently learned something about flamingos. These beautiful birds gather in4 groups of a thousand or more. Every year, when the time 5 for migration, a few flamingos start the process by taking off from the lake.  But 6  of the others seem to notice, so the tiny group returns.

However, the next day they 7  again. This time a few more struggle along with them, but the vast majority still8 no attention, so these pioneers come back.

The9  continues for several more days. Every time a few more birds join in but,

10  the thousands of others still take no 11 , the great migration plan is once again  12.

Then one day something13. The same small group of birds takes wing and a tiny number more join in, just as before. And this time their total number, though still quite 14, is enough to tip the balance. As one, the whole group takes flight and the migration15. What a16 sight it must be – thousands of flamingos taking to the sky at once!

A few can make a17. It's true that all of the great problems of the world have been solved because of the18 efforts of a few.

If you believe in a cause, don't 19! Others will someday take notice and together we will20 even our greatest problems.

On a freezing January evening, Ashley Austrew sat in her car in an Omaha parking lot. She was working up the 1 to go into a comedy improv (即兴表演) class. For 20 minutes, the 33-year-old journalist and mom of two sat with thoughts of 2: "I can't do this. I'll be the worst one." Then she turned off the engine, took a few deep breaths, and went 3.

For Austrew, 4 improv was the first small step to improve her self-esteem. She lacked confidence and didn't have the courage to try anything 5. So she made a list of all the things she was afraid to 6 and then asked herself, “What if I didn't let my excuses win?” Improv was her biggest 7.

Her fear 8 as soon as she walked into the class. Her classmates were also 9, and she discovered that she was 10 capable of earning a few laughs and making new friends. Over the next two years, Austrew went on to deal with other what-ifs, including writing a book. "Self-esteem is like a muscle--you have to 11 it constantly," she says.

Some people are 12 with a seemingly unshakable positivity, but most of us need to learn how to 13 ourselves up by our own hands. Thankfully, like Austrew, we can learn to feel 14 about ourselves and 15 our feelings of hope.

We have, like in many more countries, refugees（难民） in our country. Through the years I have tried to 1 without pay by teaching women our country's language as one of their 2. They have to learn the language, and also our culture, for example, what to 3 when they have to go to the doctor, or how to express what's 4 in such a place like a farm.

Only by learning the language will they be able to 5 activities in our society. Once a year, just before Christmas break, all the women from different countries make delicious food which are 6 for us all together.

Many 7 I have noticed that it seems 8 for women to accept any help than men, probably 9 the children that they have to raise.

Problems with the kids 10 happen due to being in a 11 country with a different culture and another 12. The women often miss their homes very much and feel 13, because they have to get used to this life as 14 as possible. I have seen the 15 and pain in their eyes. It is so good to give some comfort in one way or another, even just to be there for them. And it is really 16 when you make friends.

They and many more new people are trying to 17 up their new homes in this new country. Will we be able to get them out of 18, for everyone? And nowadays, though at times their lives look almost broken, I 19 it won't always. Because wherever we 20, we are together, as we are citizens of the world.

I worked in a restaurant. One night, a woman came in with three small children. As a waiter, I could 1 tell who is going to tip well and who isn't going to tip at all. She asked about the 2 of everything on the menu, but she ordered  3 water to drink. Her daughter asked her "Mum, can I have milk?" The woman pulled out her purse and 4 her change before saying yes. Then I was 5 that I wouldn't get a tip.

At the 6 of the meal, she paid entirely in coins. When I went back to clear the table, to my 7, there were a lot of coins left for me. It amounted to 8 dollars, about the 25% of the 8. Here was a woman who  9to count her money before 10 her daughter chocolate milk,  11she wanted to make sure she still had enough to tip me generously.

Was it the 12 tip I've ever got? No, but it's the only one I 13 after all these years.

This story is a(n) 14that the very best aspects (方面) of 15 nature can shine through in even the most 16 everyday situations. The first 17 may be powerful, but it's important to let others 18 their true nature rather than making quick 19 about them. Generosity is a valuable virtue to develop, whether you 20 to be rich or poor.

TJ Lawlor never expected to appear in a news story. So reading an article in the local newspaper about his1with Riley Dehne who has Down syndrome (唐氏综合征), he was2. The author, Riley's mom Ande Dehne, says Riley has become more 3after he got to know TJ.

One day 6 years ago, TJ was4in the frozen section of the Whole Foods in Redwood City，California，when he5Riley in the aisle (过道). Riley was6into the Disney movie "frozen "at the time, which was why he chose that7aisle. When Riley came close to TJ, the8offered a cheerful greeting and9himself. After knowing something about TJ, Riley found him10. Then TJ asked if the teen was 11to help him fill the freezers, and Riley 12agreed as he thought staying with him was interesting.

Since the13, they've become great friends! Now Riley still comes into the 14to help TJ with duties once a week as his mum's shopping here.

"It's hard to15someone with a disability. However, TJ didn't16Riley but took the time to get to know him and find out his17, making him believe in himself more," Ande said.

When Ande18TJ in the article, TJ said it's a win-win situation. "As a man who has to work all day to support my family, I19sometimes myself.  Every time this guy comes in, nothing but smiles!" TJ20. "He cheers me up and I cheer him up. That's what I look for in a friend."

Many Tuesday mornings I have coffee with my father. Although my father is a man of few words, I really1the time along with him.

One recent Tuesday, I found it a bit2when I rang the doorbell, no one seemed to be home. After climbing in through the window, I3through his home, checking every room. I tried not to4. Yet, upstairs, downstairs, no Dad anywhere.

I was worried.5, my father was seventy-one years old. Anything could have happened to him. Then, I got in my car and drove to my mother's aerobics (有氧运动)  class.

On the drive, I thought a lot about our history together. Suddenly, I was three years old and he was6me up to the living room window to see the Christmas lights. In his7, I was safe and secure. Then I was twelve and my dad was8all the kids at my birthday party with his magic tricks. I was so9of my father for being so talented. He'd made my party a10.

As I entered my mother's class, I was nervous. My mom looked at me in11. "Mom, where's Dad?" I asked, "He's working in the12on the side of the house!" she answered.

And I hurried to my car and13back to the yard. "Hey, Dad!" I yelled out and told him about my fears of the last half hour. And so, as I14the door to my father's house, we went inside for our usual cup of coffee.

Thanks, Daddy, for all the15and more importantly, for all your love.

Simply saying thank you doesn't seem enough in certain situations. I was considering this while working as a1Just a few weeks ago. And it came to me then how much easier it would be if we had a range of words that express different2 of gratitude (感谢).

My thoughts were soon 3. We had a woman patient who was 4 from a knee replacement operation. One afternoon, while 5to get into bed she collapsed (倒下) from what was 6 discovered to be a heart attack. The collapse was disastrous, 7 the emergency medical team and good teamwork. But she recovered, though 8, and was ready for discharge (出院)after four weeks.

She was 9 for everything that the medical and nursing team had done for her. On her day of discharge, we shared in her10 at her recovery. As she was11 she was eager to say12 to each of us in the nursing team. When she 13 one nurse, she tried to press a five-pound note into her hand. My colleague 14 to accept it, saying that we were all just 15 our job. The patient looked puzzled, and then16: "Oh this isn't for the 17 I had. I take that as a 18. No, this is for setting my hair yesterday. ''

And there you have it. To many people,19lives is part of the job but styling hair is an 20 and should be rewarded.

Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, a Vietnamese kid, would watch his parents play chess for hours on end. Before he was three years old, he asked them if he could join in. Expecting the pieces to end up on the floor, they let him play. Not for one minute had they imagined what would happen next. The boy not only set up the pieces correctly, but also began playing according to the rules. Within weeks he was 1 his parents. Within months he was playing in national games against 2 twice his age and twice his size. He became world under-10 champion in 2000 and was a grandmaster at 14.

For Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son's parents, it was nothing short of a(n)3. They were teachers who took home less than $100 a month combined. They had not trained their boy to be a chess prodigy(天才). 4 , they hadn't even taught him the rules of the game. For Nguyen, it just came naturally. No sooner had he started playing than he was able to5complex strategies.

How do child prodigies become what they are? The subject has been a constant source of mystery to both the public and scientists. These 6 children have been labeled as overly demanding, treated as money-making machines, and studied like lab rats. Rarely have they been understood.

Perhaps the key question is whether they are born or 7. Numerous studies have looked at inheritability of intelligence. Overall, they confirm that it can be 8through the generations of a family, but the studies do not confirm the link between intelligence and particular traits of prodigies. Prodigies are not smart in any general kind of way; they are able to master highly specific activities and skills. 'I just see things on the board and know what to do.' he said.

There is one thing that the experts are beginning to agree on, however: the importance of

9. Educator Wu Wutien says, 'Prodigies are half born, half made.' Only if they are in a(n)10 home environment will their natural talents develop. When parents have a house full of books and interesting objects, read to their child from an early age, or take them to museums and places of natural beauty, these all stimulate the child.