When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, "Well, it's so-and-so's fault. "or "I know I'm late, but it's not my fault; the car broke down. " It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.

    Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.

    This is what being a winner is all about - creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situation to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on "whose fault it is. " Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.

    I just returned to my hometown of Wilson Creek. I was away for 10 years. So many things have changed around here. When I left Wilson Creek, there was a small lake in the south-east of the town.

    They have filled in the lake and built a large shopping center and a swimming pool there. They have also built a new post office just across from my old school.

    The baseball stadium(体育场)in the north-east of Wilson Creek has also changed a lot. They have now added a new stand(看台). Now the stadium can seat a few thousand people. It looks really great.

    The biggest changes have taken place in the town center. It has become a pedestrianised area(步行区) and you can't drive there anymore. They have built a large square and a cinema. There is also a new street cafe and a grassy area.

My street looks just the same as it always has been, but a public library has appeared on the next street. There used to be a park there but they have cut down all the trees. What a pity! The library now has a large green area in front of it but it's not the same as when the park was there.

    Another change is the new restaurants that have opened in Wilson Creek. A Chinese restaurant and an Italian restaurant have opened in the town center, and a Mexican restaurant has opened near my home. I'm going to the Mexican one tomorrow!

    An island with beautiful beaches and clear blue water full of colorful fish... this is Socotra (索科特拉岛). It sounds nice，but it doesn't sound very unusual, doesn't it? Well, there is a lot more to Socotra than that. You can see things there that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

    Socotra is in the Indian Ocean, 250 kilometers east of Africa and 340 kilometers south of Yemen. The island separated (分离) from Africa six million years ago, and over that time it has developed its own special plant life. If you travel away from the beautiful beaches and up into the rocky mountains in the middle of the island, you may feel like you're going back in time.

    Perhaps you will see the desert rose with its pretty pink flowers. The desert rose is a "bottle" tree. It stores water in its fat trunk. Like many of Socotra's plants, it has developed to survive in the island's hot, dry weather.

    One of the most unusual plants on Socotra is the "dragons' blood "tree. It is shaped like an umbrella, with a lot of branches under a green top. The tree gets its name from the red sap (树液) that comes out when it is cut. This sap has been used for centuries as a medicine and to make red dye and paint.

    Socotra isn't an easy place for tourists to visit. To get there, you need to fly from Yemen. There are only a few Hotels in its largest town, Hadibo, and the island doesn't have many good roads. The people there live a very simple life. But more and more visitors are coming to Socotra to see its special natural beauty.