Years ago, in a small fishing village in Holland, a young boy taught the world about the rewards of unselfish
service.
Because the entire village lived on fishing, a volunteer rescue team was needed in case of emergency. One
night, the winds 1 , the clouds burst and a strong storm overturned a fishing boat at sea. The crew in
trouble 2 the SOS. The captain of the rescue rowboat team 3 the alarm and the villagers 4 in the town
square overlooking the sea. When the team started their rowboat fought their way through the wild waves, the
villagers waited 5 on the beach, holding lamps to 6 the way back.
An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared through the fog and the 7 villagers ran to greet them.
Falling 8 on the sand, the volunteers reported that the rescue boat could not hold any more 9 and they had
to leave one man behind. Even one more passenger would have surely 10 the rescue boat and all would have
been lost.
11 , the captain called for another volunteer team to 12 the survivor. Sixteen -year-old Hans stepped
forward. His mother grabbed his arm, crying, "please don't go. Your father 13 in a shipwreck (船只失事) 10
years ago and yo ur elder brother, Paul, has been lost 14 for three weeks. Hans, you are all I have left."
Hans replied, "Mother, I have to go. 15 everyone said I can't go, let someone else do it? Mother, this time
I have to do my duty. When the call for service 16 , we all need to take our turn and do our part. Hans kissed
his mother, joined the team and 17 into the night."
Another hour passed, which seemed to Hans' mother like a century. 18 the rescue boat dashed through the
fog with Hans standing up in the bow. 19 his hands, the captain called, "did you find the lost man?" 20 able
to control himself, Hans excitedly cried back, "Yes, we found him. Tell my mother it's my elder brother, Paul!" |