Janitor's Dream Comes True

LAS CRUCES,NM, USA. Primo Torres has learned that dreams come true. Born in Juarez, Mexico, Torres grew up in Texas in a poor family. As a child, Torres was a bookworm and he loved school. At 15, he already dreamed of being a teacher.






One day at school, young Torres dropped by to see his guidance counselor. He told the counselor his plans for the future. "But this guy said, 'Primo, you will never be a college material,'" Torres said. "When he told me that, I gave up. He threw cold water on my dream."






After graduating from high school, Torres got a job as a janitor at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He cleaned bathrooms and swept floors. The years went by. Now and then, he talks to his wife about his childhood dream of being a teacher.






One day, when Torres was 41 years old, his wife gave him some papers. She had enrolled him in college. "It was strange going back to school at my age," said Torres. " I felt like an old man around all those kids." The words of his first professor changed his life. "Everyone in this room is capable of succeeding. You can all make an A." he said. Torres hit the books and made his frist A in college.
Torres finished college, and now he's teaching at Mayfield High School. His students love him. "My students don't realize that I'm the same man who used to sweep the floors in this school," said Torres.

About You:

1. Tell about a dream you had that came true.

2. Are you a bookworm?

3. For how long do you hit the books on a typical evening?

4. What do you dream of doing in the future? Does your family encourage you to follow your dreams, or do they throw cold water on them?

Money Rains From the Sky

MIAMI, FL, USA. Early one morning, residents in a very poor neighborhood in Miami heard a loud crash. An armored truck had smashed into a guard rail and overturned on a bridge. The truck was carrying millions of dollars. The doors of the truck burst open, and bags of money fell out. The bags broke open, and money flew all over the place. Hundreds of people rushed to get their hands on the cash. "Money is raining from the sky!" they shouted. Altogether, the people stuffed $500,000 into their pockets and bags.




When the excitement died down, the police went from house to house and announced, "if you took money, you must give it back within 48 hours." They waited at the police station, but in the end only two people showed up-a woman and a boy, Herbert Tarvin,11, turned in the 85 cents he picked up.




Herbet's honesty made an impression on people. When officials at Disney World in Orland, Florida, found out about Herbert, they invited him and his entire class to take a trip there. When they arrived, the Disney company rolled out the red carpetfor the 16 children. Herbert and his friends had the time of their lives. "We like to reward kids for good behavior," a Disney spokesperson commented.






About You:




1. Do you want to take a trip? Where? Why?




2. Tell about an occassion when you had the time of your life.




3. When you meet someone new, what makes an impression on you.




4. What time do you usually show up for class?