In Chinese tradition, the autumn season is associated with the color white, the sound of weeping, the emotions of both courage and sadness. Autumn, however, for westerners, is considered to be the direction of dreams and visions.

What does all this mean? It’s the very system 【小题1】 describes how nature works. To the Chinese, nature means more than just the cycling of the seasons. Nature is within and around us, in all things. The basic cycles of nature, as understood by the ancient Chinese, 【小题2】 (be) easily comprehensible by Western students of nature. They ring true. After all, Chinese civilization flourished for many centuries before the Roman Empire 【小题3】 (come) to be. Today we know it’s part of Chinese culture to maintain and add to ancient 【小题4】 (wise). 【小题5】 contrast, the Western world tend 【小题6】 (replace) old ideas with new ideas.

Here is 【小题7】 simple example. While summer is associated with the emotion of joy, autumn is associated with both courage and sadness. You can 【小题8】 (probable) feel the truth of that association for yourself, because, in autumn, things are dying. The light is dying, as Earth’s orbit around the sun and tilt(倾斜) on its axis(轴) combine to carry us in this hemisphere further away from 【小题9】 (receive) the sun’s rays most directly. The days are getting 【小题10】 (short). Plants and trees are winding down their cycle of growth. Sadness and courage are natural emotions as these changes are taking place.

Happiness Is an Attitude

The 92-year-old confident and proud lady, 【小题1】 is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably combed and makeup (化妆品) perfectly applied, though she’s completely blind, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband recently passed away, 【小题2】 (make) the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the hall of the nursing home, she smiled 【小题3】 (sweet) when told her room was ready. As she got into the elevator (电梯) in her wheelchair, I provided a description of her tiny room.

“I love it,” she started with the enthusiasm (激情) of 【小题4】 eight-year-old child having just been presented with a new dog.

“Mrs. Jones, you 【小题5】 (not see) the room... just wait.”

“That has nothing to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. 【小题6】 I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture 【小题7】 (arrange)... it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it, It’s a 【小题8】 (decide) I make every morning when I wake up. I have a 【小题9】 (choose): I can spend the day in bed thinking of the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones working. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus 【小题10】 the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away... just for this time in my life.”

Pass Your Love on

【小题1】(wait)for the airplane to take off，I was happy to get a seat by myself. Just then， 【小题2】air hostess approached me and asked，“Would you mind 【小题3】(change) your seat? A couple would like to sit together. ”The only possible seat was next to a girl with her arms in casts(石膏绷带)，a black－and－blue face，and a sad 【小题4】(express). “No way am I going to sit there，” I thought 【小题5】(immediate). But a soft voice spoke，“She needs help. ” Finally，I decided to move to that seat.

The girl was named Kathy. She had been in a car accident and now was 【小题6】her way to treatment.

When the snacks and juice arrived，it did not take me long to realize 【小题7】Kathy would not be able to feed herself. I considered 【小题8】(offer)to feed her but hesitated，as it seemed too impolite to offer a service to a stranger. But then I realized that Kathy's need was more important than my discomfort.I offered to help her eat，and 【小题9】she was uncomfortable to accept，she did as I expected. We became closer and closer in a short period of time. By the end of the five－hour trip，we became friends，and the time removes the fear that keeps us separate. When we offer to serve another，we grow to live in a larger and 【小题10】(many)rewarding world.