Most of us finish high school when we’re around 17 or 18 years old. However, Fred Butler finished high school at the age of 106. How amazing!

Mr. Butler lives in Massachusetts, USA. In order to support his mother and five younger brothers and sisters, he dropped out of school in the 8th grade and got a full-time job. He then fought in World War II and worked for years until he retired at the age of 68. It had always bothered Mr. Butler that he didn’t finish high school.

When his wife died on September 11th, 2012, Mr. Butler was very sad. His family thought it a good idea to cheer him up by helping him finish high school.

Mr. Butler has always emphasized the importance of education to his children and grandchildren. “He would give his grandchildren 5 dollars if they got an A to motivate them. Education was very big to him,” Mr. Butler’s son, also named Fred, said.

With the help of his family, Mr. Butler finally finished high school. He said, “1 never expected it would ever happen to me. I feel really happy.”

This story tells us that it’s never too old to learn.

I have a difficult time in life these days. It seems that when one problem disappears, another one appears. It is terrible! I go to my father to ask for his advice.

My father, a cook, says nothing after hearing my words. He writes something down on a piece of paper and takes me into the kitchen. “Follow the instructions (说明), Linda.” My father says.

I’m very surprised, but I still finish them.

“Dear, what do you see?” My father asks me.

“Carrots, eggs and coffee,” I reply.

“Touch the carrots,” he tells me.

“They are soft (软的). ”

After that, my father asks me to take an egg and break it. I find that the egg is hard (硬的). At last, my father asks me to taste the coffee.

“What’s the meaning, Dad?”

“As you can see, the carrots, eggs and coffee all change (改变) differently in the hot water. The strong carrots became soft. The fragile (脆弱) eggs became hard. The coffee changes the taste of the water. ”

“Who are you, Linda?” asks my father. “When you have problems, what will you do? Are you carrots, eggs or coffee?”

My father, a common cook, teaches me a very useful lesson today.

“As soon as I get the job, I’ll be able to leave my hometown and be free from my father’s orders, ” Mike thought to himself on his way to a job interview. When Mike arrived at the office, he noticed that the door was open and that the latch (门闩) was out. Mike put the latch back properly, closed the door and entered the office.

On his way upstairs to the interview room, he noticed that the lights on the stairway were on, though it was very bright. He remembered his father’s order that turn the lights off! So he turned off the lights.

As he entered the hall nervously and stepped on the “Welcome” mat (垫) near the door, he noticed that the mat was upside down. Mike remembered his dad’s voice again and he set the mat right.

Finally, Mike walked into the interview room and stood before the interviewers. After he introduced himself, one of the interviewers asked, “When can you start to work?”

“Is this a trick question or is this a signal that I have been offered the job?” Mike thought to himself. As Mike was thinking how to reply, the man continued, “We don’t ask anyone any question here. We watch everyone through cameras in this building. You are the only one who has passed our test today. That’s why we’ve decided to choose you for this job. ”

Mike couldn’t believe it. He realized that good habits were really helpful. He couldn’t wait to tell his father the good news and how thankful he was for his father’s orders.