From the first day he entered my junior-high classroom, Willard P. Franklin existed in his own world, shutting out his classmates and me, his teacher. My __(1)__ at establishing a friendly relationship with him were met with __(2)__.

　　Shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday, we __(3)__ word of the annual Christmas collection of money for the less __(4)__ people in our school district.

　　“Christmas is a season of __(5)__,”I told my students.“There are a few students in the school who might not have a __(6)__ holiday season. By __(7)__ to our Christmas collection, you will help buy food, clothing and toys for these needy people. We __(8)__ the collection tomorrow.”

　　When I __(9)__ the contributions the next day, I discovered that almost everyone had forgotten it, __(10)__ Willard P. Franklin. The boy __(11)__ deep into his pants pockets as he strolled up to my desk. Carefully, he __(12)__ two quarters into the small container.

　　“I don't __(13)__ milk for lunch,”he mumbled. For a moment, just a moment, he __(14)__. Then he turned and walked back to his desk.

　　That night, after school, I took our contribution to the school headmaster. I couldn't help __(15)__ the incident that had taken place.

　　“It may be wrong, but I believe Willard might be getting ready to become a part of the __(16)__ around him,”I told the headmaster.

　　“Yes, I believe it sounds __(17)__,”he nodded.“And I have a prediction we might do __(18)__ to have him share a bit of his world with us. I just received a list of the poor families in our school who need the most help __(19)__ the Christmas collection. Here, take a look at it.”

　　As I gazed down to __(20)__, I discovered Willard P. Franklin and his family were the top names on the list.

　　It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The parking lot __(1)___ the church was filling up __(2)___. I noticed as I got out of my car fellow church members were whispering among themselves __(3)___ they walked in the church.

　　As I got closer I saw a man __(4)___ up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down __(5)___ he was asleep. He had on a long __(6)___ coat that was almost in rags and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you couldn't see his __(7)___. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too __(8)___ for his feet, with __(9)___ all over them. His toes stuck out.

　　I __(10)___ this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.

　　 We all talked for a few minutes, and __(11)___ brought up the man laying outside, People snickered（窃笑）and gossiped（说闲话）but no one __(12)___ to ask him to come in, __(13)___ me.

　　A few moments later church began. We all waited for the preacher（牧师）to take his __(14)___ and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened.

　　In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.

　　People gasped and whispered and __(15)___.

　　He __(16)___ his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit（讲坛）where he __(17)___ his hat and coat. My heart sank.

　　There __(18)___ our preacher--he was the“homeless man”.

　　No one say a word.

　　The preacher took his Bible（圣经）and laid it on his stand.

　　 “Folks, I don't think I __(19)___ tell you what I am preaching about today. If you __(20)___ people, you have no time to love them.”

　　Twice-crowned beauty queen Michele Reis, may be of 18 years old, but she is still her mummy's little girl. Mrs Reis described her __(1)___ feelings the night when her daughter __(2)___ the Miss Hong Kong Beauty Pageant（选美大赛）:“I felt as I __(3)___ from the loss of something important __(4)___ they crowned her. Not that I was not happy for her, but I knew that my daughter no longer belonged to me alone and I would have to __(5)___ her with everyone else.”

　　But mom should have seen it __(6)___ With her Portuguese-Chinese heritage（遗传因素）, Michele was quite good-looking as a young girl. She began modeling part time as a school __(7)___. There was something __(8)___ about her even as a child. People in the __(9)___ always turned around to look at her.

　　__(10)___ her recent fame, the beauty queen said,“Sometimes I have the feeling that I am no longer myself now. My schedule（日程）is __(11)___. I'm not getting __(12)___ sleep, and I'm always __(13)___ from one place to another. There are times when I am __(14)___ tired that I just want to sit and __(15)___.”

　　“Being a famous person has another __(16)___. People no longer regard me as an __(17)___ person. It's becoming __(18)___ for me to make friends, and I've learnt to __(19)___ old friends because they still treat me as Michele __(20)___ Miss Hong Kong.”

　　When Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery, he was considered as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Never had such great respect been shown to any __(1)__ man.

　　But there were some who were jealous（嫉妒）of the __(2)__.“Who is this Columbus?”hey asked,“And what has he done? Isn't he a poor pilot from Italy? And could not any other seaman sail across the ocean just __(3)__ he has done?”

　　One day Columbus was at __(4)__ and several of these fellows were __(5)__. They tried to make Columbus __(6)__.“You have discovered strange lands __(7)__ the sea,”they said,“But we don't see __(8)__ there should be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean, and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the __(9)__ thing in the world.”

　　Columbus made no answer, but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the people at the table,“Who __(10)__ you, gentlemen, can make the egg stand __(11)__?”One by one they tried the __(12)__ When the egg had gone entirely around and everyone had __(13)__, all said that it could not be done. Then Columbus took the egg and __(14)__ its small end gently upon the table so as to __(15)__ the shell a little. After that there was no __(16)__ in making it stand __(17)__“Gentlemen,”said he,“what is easier __(18)__ to do this which you said was __(19)__? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it--AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN __(20)__.”

　　Today, when a man steps onto the moon, the __(1)___ learns about it immediately. What did the __(2)___ say about that first flight in 1903? Strangely enough, they said hardly __(3)___ about it at all. There were only a few reports about it in the papers. These reports said very __(4)___. Some of the things they said were not even __(5)___.

　　In 1904 the Wrights built a __(6)___ machine. They called it“Flyer No. Two”. They __(7)___ some reporters to watch them fly. __(8)___ there was some mechanical（机械的）trouble with the plane and it did not fly at all that day. The newspapermen __(9)___ away. They were __(10)___ and did not come back. The Wrights went on with their __(11)___. In 1905 they built an even __(12)___ machine,“Flyer No. Three”. They were able to __(13)___ up in the air for half an hour and more in this machine. They were able to turn and climb in the air. Farmers and travellers often saw them __(14)___. But when these people told newspapermen about it, they __(15)___ to believe them.

　　The Wrights __(16)___“Flyer No. Three”to the United States Government. The Government was not __(17)___ They seemed to think the Wrights wanted money to build a __(18)___ They did not understand the Wrights had already done this, and flown it as well. Experts were still saying that mechanical flight was __(19)___. At the end of 1905, the two __(20)___ took their plane to pieces. The parts were put into a huge box. It seemed nobody was interested.

　　It was the golden season. I could see the, yellow leaves __(1)__ in the cool __(2)__. In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, __(3)__ to the sound of them.

　　Autumn is a __(4)__ season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me __(5)__. But one day, the sound of a violin __(6)__ into my ears like a stream flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was __(7)__ in playing her violin.

　　I had __(8)__ seen her before. The music was so attractive that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn't realize that I had been __(9)__ there for so long but my existence did not seem to disturb her.

　　Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building __(10)__ I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only audience. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became __(11)____. __(12)__ we didn't know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believed she also liked me.

　　Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening devotedly, the sound suddenly stopped. To my __(13)__, the girl came over to me.

　　“You must like violin,”she said.

　　“Yes. And you played very well. Why did you stop?”I asked.

　　Suddenly, a __(14)__ expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.

　　“I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that __(15)__ me.”she said.

　　“In fact, it was your playing __(16)__ gave me a meaningful autumn.”I answered.“Let us be friends.”

　　The girl smiled and I smiled.

　　I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure of the girl. She is like a __(17)__: so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.

　　There are many kinds of friends. Some are always __(18)__ you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but are close to you. Many people will step in your life, but only __(19)__ friends leave footprints.

　　I shall always recall the autumn and the girl with __(20)__. She will always bring back the friendship between us. I know she will always be my best friend.

　　I learned how to accept life as it is from my father.__(1)__, he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was __(2)__ and ill.

　　My father was __(3)__ a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness __(4)__ all that away. Now he can no longer walk. and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is __(5)__. One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started __(6)__ about life, and I told them about one of my __(7)__. I said that we must very often give things up __(8)__ we grow--our youth, our beauty, our friends but it always __(9)__ that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father __(10)__ up. He said,“But, Peter, I gave up __(11)__! What did I gain?”I thought and thought, but I could not think of anything to say. __(12)__, he answered his own question,“I __(13)__ the love of my family.”I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness.

　　I was also __(14)__ by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated（愤怒的）at someone. I __(15)__ remember his words and become __(16)__. If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be __(17)__ to give up my small irritations. In this __(18)__, I learned the power of acceptance from my father.

　　Sometimes I __(19)__ what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful for this one __(20)__.

　　Twenty year ago, I drove a cab for a living. I met people whose lives amazed me made me ___(1)___ and weep. But none touched me more than a woman I ___(2)___ up late one August night.

　　I was responding to a call in a quiet part of town. When I arrived at 2: 30 am, the building was ___(3)____ except for a single light in a ground floor window. I walked to the door and ___(4)____.

　　The door opened. A small, woman in her eighties ___(5)____ before me. By her side was a small suitcase. I took the suitcase to the ___(6)___, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked ___(7)____ toward the cab. She kept ____(8)____ me for my kindness.

　　When we got in the cab, she gave me a(n) __(9)____ and, asked,“Can you drive through downtown?”

　　For the next two hours, we drove _____(10)____ the city. She showed me the building where she had ____(11)___ worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived ___(12)____ they were newlyweds. She ____(13)___ me pull up in front of a house that had once been a ballroom where she had gone ____(14)____ as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building and would sit _____(15)____ into the darkness, saying nothing.

　　As the day ___(16)____, we got to the address she had given me. It was a hospice（临终关怀医院）. Two orderlies came out to the cab as ___(17)___ as we pulled up. They must have been ____(18)___ her. I took the small suitcase to the door.

　　“You gave an old woman a little moment of __(19)______,”she said.“Thank you.”I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the ___(20)____ of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought.

　　I used to find notes left in The collection basket of the church, beautiful notes about my homilies（讲道）and about the writer's thoughts on the daily readings. The __(1)__ fascinated（吸引）me. But it was a long time __(2)__ I met the author of the notes.

　　One Sunday morning, I was __(3)__ that someone was waiting for me in the office, a young woman who said she __(4)__ all the notes. When I saw her I was __(5)__, since I had no idea that it was she who wrote the notes. She was sitting in a chair in the office. Her __(6)__ was bowed and when she raised it to look at me, she could barely __(7)__ without pain. Her face was disfigured（畸形的）, so smiling was very __(8)__ for her.

　　We __(9)__ for a while that Sunday morning and agreed to meet for lunch later that week.

　　As it __(10)__, we went to lunch several times, and we shared things about our __(11)__. We spoke of authors we both had __(12)__,and it was easy to tell that __(13)__ are a great love of hers.

　　She suffered from a disfigurement that cannot be made to look __(14)__. I know that her condition __(15)__ her deeply. Yet there was a beauty to her that had nothing to do with __(16)__. She was one to be listened to, whose words came from a wounded but __(17)__ heart. She possessed a fine tuned sense of beauty. Her only __(18)__ in life was the loss of a friend.

　　The truth of her life was a desire to see beyond the __(19)__ for a glimpse（瞥）of what it is that matters. She found beauty and __(20)__ and they are friend of her, and showed her what is real.

完形填空

　　As the Chinese saying goes, each family has its own trouble. But I Want to say that some troubles are ___(1)____.

　　My mother is now 84 years old. She can't read or write, nor can she understand putonghua. What's ___(2)____, she is hard of hearing. ___(3)____ she came to live with us from our home town, our two children gave her new ____(4)___ in life and kept her ____(5)___ for several years. When the children grew up, she still kept ____(6)___ in housework, shopping, and cooking every day.

　　____(7)___ she was getting old, we asked her to keep ___(8)____ the road and not go shopping, cook ____(9)___ wash clothes. The more she ____(10)___, the more we worried for her. ____(11)___ she never believed. Now every day at work, I ___(12)____ my mother when I have a ___(13)____ moments. What is she doing now, I ___(14)____. The modern kitchen appliances（厨房用具）have trained a good ___(15)____ into a forgetful cook. She forgets to ____(16)___ the gas and we'll smell rice ____(17)___ before we enter our home. Rushing into the kitchen, we'll see the ____(18)___ pot smoking on the stove （火炉）. We have asked her not to do housework, but she says we don't ____(19)___ her any more and cries and refuses to eat. Then we ___(20)____ her as if we were treating（对待）a child.