Once there was a rich man in a village. He never gave anything to help others. The ________ didn’t like him. One day he said to them, “I know you don’t like me. I will give everything I have to you before ________. Then everyone will be happy.”

But nobody believed him. The rich man couldn’t ________ why they didn’t believe him. One day he went for a ________ by the lake. Under a tree he happened to hear a pig and a cow ________.

The pig said to the cow, “Why everybody likes you and nobody likes me? After I die, I ________ people with pork, ham and so on. I give three or four things to them. But you give only one thing— ________. Why do people like you all the time and not me?”

The cow said, “Look , I give them milk while I’m ________. They see that I am generous (慷慨的) with what I ________. But you don’t give them anything before you die. You give them ham, pork and so on only after you’re dead. People don’t believe in the future, they believe in the ________. If you give while you are living, people will like you. It is quite simple.”

From that moment on, the rich man did all his best to help the poor.

It can be an awful feeling when you realize you’ve said or done something wrong. Maybe you told a friend something that turned out to be totally false. Whatever the reason for being wrong, admitting it can make you upset.

No one enjoys putting up his hand to say: “I was wrong.” You become responsible for your mistake, and that can make you feel _________. Admitting a mistake challenges your pride and can damage your confidence. Saying you were wrong means having to _________ that you’re not always right or perfect.

Of course, having a sense of pride in yourself isn’t a bad thing. When you are proud of your good abilities, appearance and achievements, it’s good and encourages healthy feelings. But it will become a _________ when you are too proud to admit. Some people will try to avoid admitting being wrong. They will deny, make _________, attack someone or something else because it’s easier than finding their own problems.

Imagine switching off your pride for a moment and focus only on the facts of a situation that has caused you to make a mistake. When you consider the matter based on facts, it’s usually easy to see the _________ way to go. When you can say you were wrong and offer a sincere apology, it will help to clear up a situation.

So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and don’t be too proud to say you are wrong. You are human and on a beautiful _________ that will often test you. Take control of your pride, do what feels right and learn from experience.

Henry was going through a very hard time. His wife passed away one month ago. He thought his life became meaningless. Henry sat in his house _______ and did nothing.

One day, Henry’s neighbor, Lisa, saw him from her yard. She wanted to _______ Henry. Then she had an idea. “Hello, Henry! Just look at this fence between our houses. It is broken. You are a strong man. Can you _______ this fence?”Lisa asked.

After hearing Lisa’s words, Henry was a little _______. He didn’t want to help her. He thought he was the one who needed help. So he thought Lisa was kind of rude. However, he _______ Lisa because Lisa was too old to do the job herself. Henry worked on the fence for days. When he finished, Lisa thanked him, Henry gave her a _______. It was his first time to laugh after his wife passed away.

“What a wonderful job! Could you please paint it for me?” Lisa said to him. Henry couldn’t believe it! But because he respected her, he picked up the _______ and did it in the hot sun. As his neighbors passed by and saw Henry, they all praised Henry for what he was doing. Henry felt _______. He felt his life was not meaningless any more.

In fact, Lisa wanted Henry to know that staying _______ could help him forget his sorrow (悲痛). Henry understood Lisa’s ________ at last. He helped her, but she truly saved him. Sometimes, helping others is kind of helping ourselves.