Mr Smith had recently joined the school as an English teacher, and within his first two weeks, he had already won over his students with his lively and interesting classes. The students were enthusiastic about reading pages from the novel they were studying, working hard to write wonderful articles and fearlessly giving presentations in front of the class. Mr Smith’s approach had breathed new life into the classroom, changing what used to be dull lessons into exciting learning experiences.

Despite the overall success, Mr Smith couldn’t help but notice one student who seemed to be struggling — Jeremy. This quiet student always sat at the back of the classroom, unwilling to speak or cooperate. Although his grades weren’t terrible, there was some clear room for improvement. Mr Smith wondered whether it was because of his lack of confidence in class and his below-average school performance.

One day, Mr Smith approached Jeremy with great concern, asking how he was finding the class. Jeremy’s reply was brief and shy, avoiding eye contact with his teacher. After replying to his teacher, Jeremy slowly left the class, walking behind the other students alone. It was clear to Mr Smith that this was a student who needed a helping hand, a bit of inspiration and motivation.

Mr Smith decided to call Jeremy’s mother to see if she could give him some ideas on how to bring him out of his shell. “I’m sorry, Jeremy is so busy helping me at home that sometimes that he doesn’t spend as much time on his homework as maybe he should,” she said. Mr Smith heard this and started to understand. “However, whenever he is helping me around the house, singing never fails to put a smile on his face.”

With this newfound knowledge, Mr Smith walked into the next class with a plan.

After class, Jeremy approached Mr Smith’s desk with a big smile on his face.

In the thriving city of Chengdu, a group of high school seniors were preparing for the biggest milestone of their academic journey: the college entrance examination. Among them was a young student named Liang Mei. Liang Mei was known for her exceptional academic performance, but as the exam drew near, she found herself overcome with anxiety.

Liang Mei’s worries weren’t just about the exam itself; she was also struggling with the fear of losing touch with her closest friends and the uncertainty of what the future would hold. The once carefree and joyful atmosphere among her classmates had been replaced by stress and tension. Liang Mei felt isolated in her concerns, as everyone seemed consumed by their own worries and study schedules.

One day, after a particularly difficult practice exam, Liang Mei trusted in her favorite teacher, Mr. Zhang. Mr. Zhang was not only a knowledgeable instructor but also a compassionate mentor who had always been there for his students. He listened attentively as Liang Mei shared her fears and concerns about the upcoming exam and the future.

Understanding the importance of addressing the emotional well-being of his students, Mr. Zhang decided to take action. He organized a group discussion session during one of the study breaks, inviting all the senior students to participate. The session provided a safe space for the students to express their anxieties, share their feelings, and offer support to one another.

During the session, Liang Mei found relief in hearing her classmates voice similar concerns. They realized that they were not alone in their fears and that their shared experiences could be a source of strength. They discussed strategies for managing stress and ways to maintain their friendships even after graduation.

Mr. Zhang also encouraged the students to focus on their personal growth and the valuable lessons they had been learning during their time in high school, rather than solely fixating (专注) on the exam results. He reminded them that their worth was not defined by their test scores but by their character, perseverance, and the relationships they had cultivated.

As the college entrance examination approached, the atmosphere among the senior students began to shift.

The day of the exam finally arrived.

Mr Tai, the teacher in charge of athletics at the school of SUKK Temarah, had just celebrated his 58th birthday — an age at which many would think seriously of retiring. However, it was not so with Mr Tai. He had an outstanding record of athletic achievements in leading the school’s sports team. Some of the students he had coached had become national runners or even coaches themselves. The school board agreed he continued to work as they did not want to lose the services of someone who had successfully led the school athletics team to the finals of the National Athletics Championships.

In the year before, however, the school team did not get as many medals in the National Athletics Championships as expected. Mr Tai’s hopes were fired this year by two promising star athletics, Farid and Hassan, who happened to be twins.

In the school’s sports meet, Farid broke the school’s twenty-year record for the 100 meters event. His brother, Hassan, was second to him. Since Hassan had an ankle injury, Mr Tai decided to submit only Farid’s name to the finals of the National Athletics Championships and told Farid to get ready for the event. On the day he submitted the results of the best runner in the school, he mistakenly wrote Hassan’s name instead.

When Mr Tai received the list of the finalists in the 100 meters event in the National Athletics Championships, he realized his mistake. However, it was too late to inform the sports secretariat (秘书处). Besides, pride also did not allow him to tell Farid the mistake. He decided to inform his brother, Hassan, and start training him in the final preparations. When Farid learned that he was not a finalist, he could not believe his ears. Even though he was glad that his brother was qualified for the event, he was quite disappointed. To make matters worse, Mr Tai did not give him any reasons for his not being allowed to take part in the finals. Realizing that his hopes for athletic glory were destroyed, Farid felt extremely sad.

Seeing Farid’s unhappiness, his best friend, John, pulled him aside to have a talk.

Hassan did not do well in the National Athletics Championships.