Mark often talked incessantly.I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable.What impressed me so much，though，was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving."Thank you for correcting me，Sister！"I didn't know what to make of it at first，but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often，and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake.I looked at him and said，"If you say one more word，I am going to tape your mouth shut！"
It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck，another student，blurted out，"Mark is talking again."I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark，but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class，I had to act on it.
I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning.I walked to my desk，very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape.Without saying a word，I proceeded to Mark's desk，tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth.I then returned to the front of the room.As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing，he winked at me.When I walked back to Mark's desk and removed the tape，his first words were，"Thank you for correcting me，Sister."
One Friday，I asked the students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper，leaving a space between each name.Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.It took the remainder of the class period to finish the assignment，and as the students left the room，each one handed me the paper.
That Saturday，I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper，and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.On Monday I gave each student his or her list.Before long，the entire class was smiling."Really"I heard the whispers."I never knew that meant anything to anyone！""I didn't know others liked me so much！"Then Mark said，"Thank you for teaching me，Sister."
No one ever mentioned those pieces of paper in class again.I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents.
Soon I was asked to teach junior-high math.The years flew by，and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again.He was more handsome and more polite than ever.Maybe since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the “new math"，he did not talk as much in the ninth grade as he had in the third.
That group of students moved on.
Several years later，after I returned from vacation，my parents met me at the airport.Mother gave Dad a side-ways glance and simply said，"Dad"My father cleared his throat as he usually did before saying something important."The Eklunds called last night，"he began."Really"I said."I haven't heard from them in years.I wonder how Mark is."Dad responded quietly."Mark was killed in Vietnam，"he said."The funeral is tomorrow，and his parents would like it if you could attend."
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before.Mark looked so handsome，so mature.
After the funeral，Mark's mother and father found me."We want to show you something，"his father said."They found this on Mark when he was killed.We thought you might recognize it."Opening a billfold，he carefully removed two worn and frazzled pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped，folded and refolded many times.I knew without looking that the pieces of paper were the ones on which I had listed all the good things that Mark's classmates had said about him."Thank you so much for doing that."Mark's mother said."As you can see，Mark behaved better and better at school.It's all because of you and your list."
Mark's classmates started to gather around us.Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said，"I still have my list.It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."Chuck's wife said，"Chuck asked me to put this in our wedding album.""I have mine too，"Marilyn said."It's in my diary."Then Vicki，another classmate，reached into her pocketbook，took out her wallet and showed her worn list to the group."I carry this with me at all times，"Vicki said without batting an eyelash."I think we all saved our lists."
That's when I finally sat down and cried.
Sometimes the smallest things could mean the most to others.The density of people in society is so thick that we forget life will end one day and we don't know when that one day will be.Compliment the people you love and care about，before it is too late.
疑难解析
one in a million百里挑一；极稀有的人或事
happy-to-be-alive [hpitbilav] adj.乐天的
mischievousness [mstvsns] n.恶作剧
incessantly [nses()ntli] adv.不停地，连续地，持续不断地
make of处理，对待
thin [θn] adj. 失去耐心的
once too often又一次；次数太多
novice [nvs] n.新手，生手
blurt out脱口而出
act on 遵照……行动；奉行
masking tape(绘画或喷漆时用以遮盖无需着色或油漆部分的)遮蔽胶条
tear off撕下；扯掉
remainder [rmend(r)] n.剩余部分，其余
the years fly by时光飞逝
new math美国的一种数学教育法，注重让学生了解数学观念和结构，而不重视实际运算。
side-ways [sadwez] adj.(斜)向一边(或一侧)的；向旁边的
Vietnam [vietnm] n.越南。越南战争(1961 ~ 1975)，为越南共和国(南越)及美国对抗越南民主共和国(北越)及“越南南方民族解放阵线(又称越共)”的一场战争。越战是二战以后美国参战人数最多、影响最重大的战争，也是美国至今唯一一次战败的战争。
serviceman [s(r)vsmn] n.(男)军人
billfold [blfld] n.(放钞票等的)皮夹子
frazzled [frz()ld] adj.<；口>； 磨损了的
sheepishly [ipli] adv.羞怯地
pocketbook [pktbk] n.(没有背带的)女用手提包
without batting an eyelash连眼睛也不眨一眨，全然不流露感情(eyelash也可换成eye或者eyelid)
参考译文
那些赞美之词
我在明尼苏达州莫里斯的圣玛丽学校教书，他在我教的第一个三年级的班上。全班34个学生每一个都讨我喜欢，但马克·埃克隆却是独一无二的。他外表干干净净，是个乐天派，所以即便是他偶尔调皮捣蛋，也依然讨人喜欢。
马克常常说个不停。我不得不一而再、再而三地提醒他，未经允许不能讲话。不过，令我印象深刻的是，每当我不得已指出他的过错的时候，他都非常诚恳地对我说：“谢谢你指出我的问题，修女！”起初，我不知该作何反应，但很快，我便习惯了一天听到好多遍这句话。
一天早上，马克又一次讲个不停，我终于不耐烦了，于是犯了个新老师才会犯的错误。我盯着他说：“再说一个字，我就拿胶带把你的嘴封上！”
结果不到十秒钟，另一个学生查克就脱口而出：“马克又在讲话了。”我并没有让任何同学帮我盯着马克，不过既然我已经当着全班的面说过他再说话就要罚他，我得说话算话。