I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn't be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.

We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile—warm and reassuring(安慰的)-and I returned her gift by smiling back.

''Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers," she said.

''Yes, she's special," I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. ''It's only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she's the one'' jokingly, I added, ''The only problem is that I can't figure out why she'd want to date a guy like me. ''

''Well, I think she's very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her," the woman said. ''My husband used to bring me flowers every week-even when times were tough and we didn't have much money. Those were incredible (难以置信的)days； he was very romantic and-of course-I miss him since he's passed away. ''

Para. 1 There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her.

Para. 2 It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased.

The wooden door creaked open, an elderly lady cautiously stepped into the grocery store. With trembling hands, she lifted some candy bars and a bottle of water from the shelf and shakily walked towards the checkout. “That would be $15, ma’am!” the cashier, Mr Andrews, who was also the store owner, said with a smile.

“$15? That’s too much. I don’t have that much money,” the elderly lady said, and her face was filled with disappointment. She reached into the depths of her faded purse and searched for the change, only to realize all she had was her last $5… “I’ll just have the bottle of water, please,” she sadly said as she extended the coins to the cashier, then leaving the Tstore and sitting onto the wooden bench outside.

It was half past five in the snowy evening as Mr Andrews stepped out of the store, ready to call it a day. His eyes fell upon the elderly lady, who was still sitting on the bench, all alone and shivering (颤抖). She had been sitting there for the past five hours, and at first, Mr Andrews ignored her the few times he vaguely (模糊地) looked out the glass wall of his store. He had assumed the old lady had just retired on the bench for some rest or was waiting for someone. But something bothered him when he approached her and noticed her tear-stained face.

“Is everything alright, ma’am? I saw you have been sitting here since afternoon… It’s getting late and colder…Are you waiting for someone? Is there something I can do to help you?” he asked.

The elderly lady looked up at Mr Andrews. Tears wouldn’t stop flowing from her eyes, which worried Mr Andrews even more. “Ma’am? Are you alright? Do you mind telling me why you’re crying?” he asked, his tone heavy with concern as he sat beside the old lady. The old lady snapped away her tears and said her name was Rose. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she looked at Mr Andrews.

Rose began to explain what she had gone through.

Hearing that, Mr Andrews was determined to join Rose in finding her beloved dog.

In a small village called Brightville, there lived three friends: Kimberley, John and Alicia. They were all students at Brightville High School. Kimberley was a hardworking and determined girl; John was a curious and creative boy; and Alicia was a kind and helpful girl. They shared a common dream of achieving their goals through education.

On a sunny day, the three friends gathered at their favorite spot near the village river. They often met there to discuss their dreams and motivate each other. Kimberley always emphasized (强调) the importance of studying and setting goals. John loved exploring new things and finding creative ways to learn. Alicia, with her caring nature, always supported and encouraged her friends.

One day, they came across an old abandoned library in the heart of Brightville. The library was filled with dust-covered books. Kimberley saw this as an opportunity for their dreams to come true. She suggested turning the library into a learning center for the village.

The three friends spent months cleaning, organizing and renewing the library. They reached out to the villagers, and soon, volunteers joined them to set up the learning center. They created a friendly and welcome environment where students could come to study, read books, and seek help.

Word about the learning center spread throughout the village. Students from all ages and backgrounds started attending. Kimberley, John and Alicia devoted their after-school hours to tutoring (指导) the students. They understood that education was not just about memorizing facts but also about nurturing curiosity and passion for learning.

As days turned into months, they saw the effect of their hard work.

The success of the learning center in Brightville caught the attention of the local government.