One afternoon, my son Adam asked me, “Are all people the same even if they are different in color?”
I thought for a minute, and then I said, “I'll explain, 1 you can just wait until we make a quick 2 at the grocery store. I have something 3 to show you.”
At the grocery store, we 4 some apples—red, green and yellow ones. Back home, I told Adam, “It's time to 5 your question.” I put one apple of each 6 on the table. Then I looked at Adam, who had a 7 look on his face.
“People are like apples. They come in all 8 colors, shapes and sizes. On the 9, some of the apples may not 10 look as delicious as the others.” As I was talking, Adam was 11 each one carefully.
Then, I took each of the apples and peeled (削皮) them, 12 them back on the table, but 13 a different place.
“Okay, Adam, tell me which is which.”
He said, “I 14 tell. They all look the same now.” “Take a bite of 15. See if that helps you 16 which one is which.”
He took 17, and then a huge smile came across his face. “People are 18 like apples! They are all different, but once you 19 the outside, they're pretty much the same on the inside.”
He entirely 20 it. I didn't need to say or do anything else.
I believe that we can have a big effect on anyone with whom we come into contact. Some acts that we think 1 can shape someone else's future. The right words at just the right time can 2 change someone's life.
Years ago, that was what happened to me. I was the only 3 child at Blue Elementary School. From almost the first day there, the other kids 4 me mainly because of my hearing aid and the way I talked. And I also had 5 with most of my schoolwork. When the other kids laughed at me. I was sure that I was a 6 person. I saw myself as a boy who wasn't smart enough to 7 the class.
Mrs Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, 8 all of that with a simple three-word phrase. One morning, she asked the 9 a question. I read her lips from my front-row seat and immediately raised my hand 10 I was sure I had the right answer. But when she called my name, I was 11. Here was an opportunity to impress the powerful teacher and 12 her I was worthy of her love. Maybe I would even impress my classmates a little. I didn't want to blow it. 13 my fears, I took a deep 14 and answered Mrs Jordan's question.
I will never forget what 15 next. Mrs Jordan enthusiastically slammed(猛击) her right foot on the 16, and with sparkling eyes and a wide smile she 17, "THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN!" For the first time in my young life, I was a star. I 18 a little taller in my chair.
From that day forward, my grades and speech 19 greatly. My popularity among my peers increased. It was all because Mrs Jordan believed in me and wasn't afraid to 20 it.
Scientists find that hardworking people live longer than average men and women. Career women are 1 than housewives. Evidence shows that the 2 are in poorer health than the job-holders. A study shows 3 the unemployment rate increases by 1%, the death rate 4 correspondingly (相应地) by 2%. All this comes down to one point: work is 5 to health.
Why is work good for health? It is 6 work keeps people busy, away from loneliness and solitude (孤独). Researches show that people feel 7, worried and lonely when they have nothing to do. Instead, the happiest are those who are 8. Many high achievers who love their careers feel that they are happiest when working hard. Work serves as a 9 between man and reality. By work, people 10 each other. By collective (集体的) activity, they find friendship and warmth. This is helpful to health. The loss of work 11 the loss of everything. It affects (影响) man spiritually and makes him liable to (易于) 12.
13, work gives one a sense of achievement (成就感). Work makes one feel his 14 and status in society. When a 15 finishes his writing or a doctor successfully 16 a patient or a teacher sees his students 17, all of them will be happy beyond 18.
From the above we can 19 the conclusion (结论) that the more you 20, the happier and healthier you will be. Let us work hard, study well and live a happy and healthy life.
It was January 2000, and I had just finished the final term of my year abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. Warm feelings and happy thoughts1 into my mind. I began thinking about the 2 I was due to take with my friends over the summer, across New Zealand.
I went shopping for gifts to take back to my family in Malaysia. Then I made my way home. I have always been very careful of3 safety. But, for some reason, on that day I quickly ran across the 4 without looking. At that moment, a 5 turned the corner. I was in the driver's6 spot so he did not see me, nor I him. I was hit by the minibus and was 7 under its wheels.
When opening my8, I learned that it took 15 minutes to. 9 me from the wheels. A(n)10 team from a local hospital had to lift the minibus off me with their hands. A tourist in the crowd had come to help, holding my hand and 11 me in the ambulance(救护车). When I arrived at the hospital, 12told me my injuries were life-threatening. They also told me there was a13 chance I could never walk again.
However, although I14a lot, I was not paralyzed(瘫瘓的). It took me six months to15. I was sad to miss out on the trip across New Zealand but my friends comforted me a lot. 16I was able to attend my graduation, crossing the stage with walking sticks; it didn't matter, because I was just happy to be17. The accident changed my18; it made me think about the terrible things that could have happened. It regularly19me to step back and think twice about my problems, to be20for the second chance I got at life.
Last year, I received an e-mail from my dad, under a subject line: "Mystery creature?" There was no body text, but1was a ten-second video, shot in the dead of night. It2a furry creature charging away from the camera and down a driveway. Midway through the video, the animal3abruptly, turns slightly and stares back. Then it runs into the4. Watching it again, I noticed that the driveway looked5. It was my childhood home. There soon came more e-mails with more videos. And the mystery creature6to be a raccoon(浣熊) without its tail.
For many years, my parents had been7about setting up some camera traps, just to see what sorts of animals were quietly moving around the8. But my dad had always thought the camera were a little too9and complicated. About a year ago, my dad finally10two cameras at reasonable prices that were easy to use. He first11them toward a place where he had noticed a particular pile of scat (动物粪便), which always appeared in the same12. After leaving the cameras on for only one night, he13. To his amazement, right in front of a bench where he'd 14 one camera, a fox arrived. It 15 to the center of the sight line and squatted (蹲下), briefly, in the exact spot. "Can you 16 it?" he said, playing the video for me again.
I could not, 17 there it was, clear to see. For me, the pleasure in watching these videos was that they would never be 18 believable and that the 19 would always be beyond my imagination. Rather than making the world more knowable, they seem to make it more 20. They've turned a backyard into a place full of mystery.
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales meeting in Chicago. They had1to their wives that they would be home on Friday evening. In their2to catch the plane home, one of these salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples.
Apples flew everywhere. Without3or looking back they almost all managed to reach the plane in time.
ALL BUT ONE! He 4, took a deep breath and felt sympathy for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He 5 his friends to go on without him, asking one of them to call his wife when they6and explained his taking a later flight. Then he7 to the place where the apples were all over the floor.
The girl was8blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in9and at the same time helplessly groping (摸索) for her spilled apples 10 the crowd walked past her ,no one stopping or11her trouble.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, 12up the apples, put them back on the table and helped 13her display. As he did this he 14that many of them had become bruised (碰伤的).So he set these 15 in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl ,"Here please take this $40 for the 16 we did." "Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears.
He continued, "I hope we didn't17your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the confused blind girl called out to him "Mister..." He paused and 18to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"
He stopped and wondered. Then slowly he made his19to catch the later flight with that20 burning in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"
I'll never forget that "very important meeting" with a guidance counselor (咨询师) during my senior year of high school. I gladly 1 my dreams，and was looking forward to hearing his 2 advice on how best to achieve my academic and professional goals for the future. He told me that I was not college material and that "3 a nice secretarial school" would be my 4. His advice did change my life, 5 not in the way he expected—because I didn't follow it. I didn't even 6 it. By trying to put limitation on my future, he made me even more 7 to pursue a college degree and a 8 of my choice.
At that moment in my eighteenth year, I started to be 9 for my life. I decided what kind of college I wanted to attend—one that was small, personal and would develop my enthusiasm and 10. I searched through many resources until I found the one for me: Endicott Junior College, then a women-only college in Beverly, Massachusetts. When I visited Endicott, it felt like home, and my 11 was made. It was the only college I visited, 12, and was interviewed by.
I was 13 to Endicott for the fall term and immediately knew it was the 14 school for me. After studying subjects 15 from English to early childhood education to psychology and art, I 16 with all associate degree in advertising. Then I went to one of the state universities. I decided to acquire my Bachelor's 17—and I did, while holding two 18 jobs. Now, when my little girls tell me they want to do this or that, I always tell them that I'll be fight there for them, doing everything in my 19 to support them in making it happen, because I know dreams really do 20.
Whenever I recall my childhood, there is one thing I remember clearly. My father used his 1 to let my mother2 her parents who lived far away.There were just my younger brother and myself in the 3. One evening, our father came home and there was no 4, not even a piece of bread. My father had no money and he was as 5 as we were. My brother and I went to bed without having anything. 6 I knew from the expression on my father's face that he could not7 us be hungry for long. He left the house, and about two hours later he8 and woke us up. He had two small potato pies in his hands. I didn't know where he got the money for the food but somehow he 9 to find a way. It was clear that he wanted to get his children 10.
My father did not eat and had 11 all day but he sat there and felt 12at seeing us eat. This has always stuck in my 13. At that moment, I felt 14 knowing that he tried his best not to let us 15. and he wanted us to know he was always there with us. In16 times. I think, it is important not to 17 weakness but strength. 18 the mother is the cement(黏固剂)that 19 a family together, then the father is the steel that strengthens that cement.
It is his values and 20 that have carried me forward and helped me deal with my own problems in life.
One day a farmer's donkey（驴）fell down into a well. The animal cried 1 for hours as the farmer tried to figure out 2 to do. Finally he decided the animal was 3 and the well needed to be 4 up anyway, so it just wasn't 5 it to rescue the donkey.
He invited all his 6 to come over and help him. They all grabbed (握起) a shovel (铁铲) and began to shovel 7 into the well. At first, the donkey 8 what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's 9, he was quiet.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked 10 the well and was 11 at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that 12 his back, the donkey was doing something surprising. He would 13 it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors 14 to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take another 15 up. Pretty soon, everyone was surprised as the donkey stepped up over the 16 of the well and ran off.
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The best way of 17 out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our 18 is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest 19 just by not stopping, never 20! Shake it off and take a step upward!
Grandma called me in from the yard, "Would you please go to the store for me? I'm ready to make cakes, and there isn't enough yeast (酵母). Take a quarter from my little change 1." I found Grandma's wallet and put the quarter in my pocket.
I was soon in the little general store that 2 our farming community. "Mr Jenkins," I said, "Grandma needs some yeast." Mr Jenkins set three cakes of yeast on the counter. His eyes shone, and he 3 at me. "And what else do you need?" I knew what he meant. I was always allowed to pick a penny candy when I came to the store with Grandma. "How much 4 do I have from a quarter?" I asked. "Seven cents." Mr. Jenkins replied. I thought 5 that quickly. I would have a nickel and two pennies back. I was sure Grandma wouldn't 6 if I spent one penny, and if she were here, she might even say I could have them both. The 7 I looked at the candy display, the more certain I became that I needed two pennies' worth as a reward for coming to the store alone. And I did so.
"Thank you," Grandma said when I 8 the yeast on the table. "Did you put the change back in my wallet?" "Yes, Grandma." I replied, hurrying out to the yard. "I hadn't really lied to Grandma," I argued with myself. "I did 9 all the change I had."
But I had 10 two pennies without Grandma's permission(允许). The second piece of candy in my pocket didn't sound like a good idea any more. I knew I had lied to Grandma, and I was 11 about it. Grandma loved me so much that I couldn't bear to keep anything from her.
12 Grandma took the hot cakes from the oven, I told her about the candy. She 13 when I finished my story. "I know just 14 you feel," she said. We all feel like that when we've done 15 deceitful(欺骗的). I' m glad you told me about the pennies, and of course I'll forgive you." Grandma hugged me tightly, and suddenly I felt as though a big stone was gone from my stomach.
When I was just out of college, I managed to get my dream job as a trader in New York City on the floor of the American Stock(股票) Exchange. Though it was a proud1 the job was simply too physically
2 I must stand in a crowd every day, which often3 me in a mindset(心态) that held me back.
Manhattan is a walking town and it's difficult to4when you have a disability. Taxis are expensive and riding the subway5dozens of steep steps to get below6This left me only one7 the bus.
One night, after the 8for my job, I was aching with my self-pity9it started to rain on my walk to the bus stop. I became more and more10without an umbrella, thinking I'd never11it in this city and telling myself, "this city is just too hard" and "maybe it is just not possible for a guy like me".
And then, I 12the most beautiful, short moment. A couple came rolling by on roller skates, hand 13hand as they skated what seemed like the tango(探戈). They were all wet but they saw the14 as an opportunity and romance.
I suddenly became15for waiting in the rain because I would have missed this beauty 16 if I had been in a taxi or on the subway. This, although17 was an important moment on my journey to discovering the 18 of achieving health and happiness. When I change my mindset,19for a moment, to what is possible and work to get rid of the self-limiting beliefs that20 my daily actions, I will be on the road to a healthier, happier life.
To most people, winter is dull and grey which raises many emotional problems. 1 the flowering blossoms（花）by my front gate bring their bright beauty to the 2of winter. I feel they are astonishingly stunning（极其漂亮的）. Why do these small blossoms 3 me so much, even more than a large number of wildflowers and roses in long summer days? When most of the trees and bushes are 4 , these tiny rose-colored blossoms are a rare 5. In my eyes, they are predictors of6.
Rushing from one task to another and moving mindlessly 7our days, we become accustomed to or 8 good and beautiful things in our lives. We focus,9, on what's wrong with our world, our jobs, our health and relationships,10what Shakespeare called “the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to（是……的继承者）”.
But a moment of beauty can 11 us up, especially when it is 12. We are filled with a sense of awe（敬畏）and 13when we see blossoms in winter, a ray of sunlight through the clouds of a rainbow arching overhead. These positive emotions can 14 us. They strengthen our immune systems, develop our personal 15, open our mind, and enable us to explore the 16of the world. As Emerson, Thoreau, and centuries of poets have realized, a moment of beauty can 17our world view on the whole and thus 18 change our lives.
If you're experiencing “the winter of discontent”,19during these dark days, look around you at the 20world to experience the healing power of beauty.
Scott Poore is an animal lover. He moves into the shelter kennel(犬舍) with the 1 of helping unwanted young dogs get adopted. Queen, a 3-year-old dog, has just gotten the most 2 roommate despite the narrow living room.
Since Poore is a 3 visitor at the shelter, he is familiar with all of the 4. However, little Queen in particular has really 5 his heart. Poore says that he recently began to 6 that Queen seemed to be" losing 7"in finding a forever home." I have been 8Queen every single day for over a year and now I can 9 see her giving up," Poore wrote on his blog last week. "She used to get so 10 when I would arrive and now she just lies in her bed and 11 at me. I sit in her room and all she does is look out of her window."
So as a 12 of raising awareness of Queen's situation, Poore 13 a suitcase and moved into the dog's kennel. Poore says it has been 14 managing his work while also living at the shelter, but he is 15 to stay in the kennel until someone adopts Queen. Since he 16 the kennel earlier this week, he and his new canine roommate have been 17 the headlines of dozens of national news outlets, although no potential 18 have stepped forward.
19, this dog has finally been given a loving home after his 20 crossed with that of a woman living on the other side of the country.
We are often attracted by fancy gadgets or interesting hobbies, and become obsessed (着迷的) with them. But how long can that 1 continue?
Yu Shibo became 2 with aerial filming when he first saw how a drone (无人机) was 3 during a school event. Although learning learning aerial filming was 4 than he thought, he never gave up.
This year, the 17-year-old, from Qingdao, 5 a video showing the beauty of his hometown on his WeChat Channel, which received a few hundred 6.
"Many places in the video were shot many times 7 an unforgettable scene needs timing and enough luck," Yu said.
To catch the perfect 8, Yu got used getting up early or staying up late. Yu9 the days he climbed the mountain in snow and fell several times. When he filmed during winter, he didn't wear 10, which nearly 11 his fingers, in order to precisely control the drone. "But all the hardships paid 12 when I get astonishing pictures. No pain, no 13."
Some viewers 14 that his shooting is professional. But in fact, Yu learned how to operate the drone and shoot all 15. "There are many materials 16 to a starter, but the key point is to act and keep 17 then you will have more 18 about the shooting," said Yu.
Although Yu is still 19 about his job in the future, he knows that his love for aerial filming will not 20.
A small airplane went down on Jan.4,2014 off the Southern California coast. The pilot said it never occurred to him that he wouldn't survive the 1.
"I was pretty 2, you look at the situation and you realize this is what you have to 3. I knew what I needed to do," said David Prizio. Prizio said he and his lone 4 were flying at 6500 feet when the engine 5 died.
"I did some quick math and realized I wasn't going to make it to the 6," said Prizio. So he decided to 7 and get the airplane down near some boats six miles northeast. "I wanted to 8in front of them, 9 they would spot us."
The rush of water broke the glass. He broke a finger but was otherwise 10. His friend escaped injury. "We were lucky that the 11was smooth and the plane didn't flip over," Prizio said.
Lifeguards and helicopter were quickly 12 to the scene, but a small boat reached the pair13. Drew Naffziger was on his way to Catalina Island with his brother and wife when he 14 the plane. "I told my brother, Hey, this plane is pretty15 and I don't hear an engine either. I think it's going to crash."
The plane went into the water 100 yards from his boat. The wheels 16first, and then its nose dipped in, sending its17straight up in the air. The two men spent only minutes in the water. Naffziger18 them a life preserver and pulled them onto the boat. Naffziger's wife, a nurse, grabbed blankets to keep the two men19.
Prizio said he would probably get another plane. "I was pretty nervous, but not so nervous that I won't 20again," he said.
Children find meanings in their old family tales.
When Stephen Guyer's three children were growing up, he told them stories about how his grandfather, a banker,1all in the 1930s, but did not lose sight of what he valued most. In one of the darkest times2his strong-minded grandfather was nearly3, he loaded his family into the car and4them to see family members in Canada with a5, "there are more important things in life than money. "
The6took on a new meaning recently when Mr. Guyer downsized to a7house from a more expensive and comfortable one. He was8that his children, a daughter, 15, and twins, 22, would be upset. To his surprise, they weren't. 9, their reaction echoed (共鸣) their great-grandfather's. What they10was how warm the people were in the house and how11of their heart was accessible.
Many parents are finding family stories have surprising power to help children12hard times. Storytelling experts say the phenomenon reflects a growing13in telling tales, evidenced by a rise in a storytelling events and festivals.
A university14of 65 families with children aged from 14 to 16 found kids' ability to15parents' stories was linked to a lower rate of anger and anxiety.
The16is telling the stories in a way children can17. We're not talking here about the kind of story that18," When I was a kid, I walked to school every day uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow. " Instead, we should choose a story suited to the child's19, and make eye contact (接触) to create "a personal experience". We don't have to tell children20they should take from the story and what the moral is. "
Everybody seems to pay more attention to my little sister Lisa. I've 1 enough of this big-sister thing!
So I decide to 2, with my favorite toys and other 3 like clothes. Mother 4 my running away. However, she's not as upset as she 5 be, "Are you going to Grandma's?" I can't believe she can even 6 this out. She's like a witch!
I don't 7 her and go out. So 8 on my leaving, I'm unaware Mother is 9 me. Finally, I get to Grandma's. 10 I even knock, the door opens. I realize Mother has 11 ahead.
Mother comes in and sits down, patting her thigh (大腿), "Come here." I don't want to, but I'm hot and tired, so I 12 her thigh. She pushes my hair behind my ear and asks 13, "Dear, why have you left?" And it all comes out: "It's 14 and all the time with Lisa, I get into trouble…"
Taking my face in her hands, Mum says, "I don't want you to be so 15. If it's hard for you, I'll call the orphanage and send her away tomorrow." I start to 16 and I beg her, "No. Don't send her away!" Seeming 17, Mother agrees.
18, whenever we have a(n) 19 if I say, "Mum, Lisa's being mean to me!" Mum smiles, "You had your 20."
Irma started a business, but later because of lacking money, he had to close it. After that he started to feel very 1.
This problem of Irma was later 2 by Professor Krishnan. One day he 3 Irma to his home and asked, "Are you still 4?" "Yes, all my efforts have been 5 ， " Irma answered. Hearing this, the professor 6 him a dead tomato plant and said, "I take care of it carefully, 7 it still died. There is always something 8 that happens. " "If success is only a matter of luck, what is the 9 of doing so much?" asked Irma. "You will understand after you open that door," said the professor. Irma opened it, and saw lots of 10 and healthy tomato plants there. "Oh! How did you do that?" asked Irma.
"Of course, not all my efforts have been wasted; so it is with yours. If you 11 doing the right things, then your 12 of success are greatly increased. But if you feel defeated because of failure, life won't give you any 13." At last, Irma understood the lesson of success, 14 what to do and came out with renewed energy. Finally he had a very big business.
It is true that no matter what we try, we can't 15 the result, but it's also true that those, who never give up, achieve success in the end.
A professor was traveling with a few of his students, they happened to pass a lake. Then the professor told one of his students to get some 1 for him.
When the student 2 the lake, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart(牛车) started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very 3. The student thought, "How can I give this muddy water to my 4 to drink!? " So he came back and told professor, "The water there is very muddy. I don't think it is 5 to drink. "
After about half an hour, again the professor asked the 6 student to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The student went back to the 7. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. So he 8 some water in a pot and brought it to the professor.
The professor looked at the water, and then he looked up at the student and said, "See what you did to make the water 9. You let it be. . . and the mud 10 on its own — and you got clear water. . . Your mind is also like that. When it is 11, just let it be. Give it a little 12. It will settle down on its own. You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It is 13. "
What did the professor emphasize here? He said, "It is effortless. Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless 14. When there is peace 15 you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spread around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.
My family went on holiday for a week this summer. I was surprised to learn the sleeping 1 for the night — my young daughter had agreed to sleep in a first-floor bedroom by herself.
As we 2, we discussed the deer we had 3 on our way. "I hope we could see a bear or two this 4!" my wife shouted. At bedtime, my wife and I went to the upstairs room, and my parents-in-law (岳父母) headed for a 5 on the first floor. My wife and I were about to sleep when our daughter appeared with a/an 6 look on her face. She said a 7was scratching (刮出刺耳声) at her window. I decided it would be best if I slept downstairs and my daughter shared the room with my wife.
On my way down, I passed my father-in-law, asleep in front of the 8.
I was in bed only a few minutes when I heard a tap … tap on the window outside. Something was indeed out there. 9, it wasn't a bear — I told myself. I fell asleep soon. Some time later, I was 10 by a strange sound. I saw a large 11 in the doorway and froze as it 12 closer to me. I realized what it was — only after my father in-law bent down to give me a kiss. "It's David." My father-in-law jumped back. We laughed 13 at the awkward moment, and I explained his granddaughter's bedroom 14. I told him that the only thing 15 than a bear attack was Papa Bear coming in to kiss me good-night.
