Our final Student of the Month for 2012 is Ally Li. Ally has been with us since 2009 – but, sadly, she recently had to stop coming to classes because she got a job. Her new job is with Project Hope. Two other students, Charles and Xing, also got jobs with Project Hope.
Ally is a great student, and she participates a lot in class. We’re sorry to be losing her, but we’re happy that she found a job that allows her to help other people!
Watch a video interview with Ally below, then read a story she wrote. Afterwards, you can take a quiz to test your comprehension.
Karma: The Owl That Saved My Life
by Ally Li
Years ago, I drove to another town for vacation. It was a wonderful small town with a beach, in the south of China. A man walked behind me when I hung out on the beach. He carried a bag and said to me: “I have an owl here. Do you want to buy it?”
“No,” I answered without hesitation.
But he didn’t go away, even as I sat on the beach facing the ocean. I still felt he was lingering nearby. After a while, he came and sat in front of me and opened his bag. Suddenly, pity welled up in my heart when I saw the owl: what beautiful eyes, even though he was suffering!
I began to haggle with the man. I got a good deal at last. I took the owl and drove to the hill and sought out a clearing. I cut off the cord on his feet, and then I released him.
I haven’t forgotten that scene and how gorgeous it was! The owl stretched his wings. He didn’t fly away immediately but circled around above me once, twice, three times… then he flew across the sky.
“Good luck and be careful, baby! Don’t fall into the trap again!” I stood and watched him until he disappeared from my sight.
It was getting dark and foggy when I was on my way home. The street lamps were broken. I couldn’t see anything clearly. However, I could tell the road was slippery and that I could skid. The brake was seized up in a flash. My car lost control and rushed at the railing. My mind was momentarily empty and frozen just then. For I don’t know how long, the car was spinning in the highway. It circled once, twice, three times and then stopped in a middle place, a bridge. I could see the Pearl River under it.
A thought came to my mind: The owl just saved my life!
