【推荐1】It was a small graduation party. Only Ed, Max, Raul and I were there. All three men, each over the age of fifty, had achieved a_______in their lives. They could_______.

Overcoming decades of_______and a lifetime of covering up their illiteracy, these three men had signed up for a free three-month course, taught by me.

"I take the bus every day to work," said Ed. "Have done for over thirty years. Just yesterday I _______what the words' Emergency Exit' mean." Max reported that he was_______to understand much of Monday's newspaper sports article on his beloved Dallas Cowboys.

_______, his break time was spent _______to read in the hope his co-workers would never discover his shameful secret. As our final night came to a close, Raul took my hand between his rough ones: " You gave me a_______. You gave me a new life."

Being so young, I did not grasp the full _______of his simple statement until my own gray hairs appeared, a(an)________downturn robbed me of my work and income security. Now I'm the________ of my former pupils and my future needs a ________ button. I realize that limiting my destiny (命运) because of my age or my lack of skills is ________A future with many wonderful opportunities could belong to me as long as I have the courage to ________ it out and work for it.

Like Ed, Max and Raul, I am determined to make a new life for myself. They________me well.

【推荐2】There was an elderly lady standing in the cold outside the supermarket. She was ________ a basket of flowers. “Would you like some flowers? They are just $3,” she asked me as I was walking past and I ________ responded “No, thank-you” as I walked away and went inside the ________.

I was walking around the supermarket ________ the one thing that I needed to buy and thinking of that lady, ________ in the cold selling her flowers. I had my own personal ________ and I had to budget for everything. But it wasn’t my first thought when the lady had asked me about buying her flowers. My ________ thought was I don’t have the cash now.

When I went to the checkout to ________ with my card, I had asked for $3 cash out. The staff member ________ the button to process it. After a few minutes, she ________ me the $3. I walked away and ________ the lady.

“Hi, sorry, I didn’t have the ________ on me just now. Yes, I would like to buy some of your flowers.”

I gave her $3 as she put the flowers in my hands. I was ________ she asked me if I still needed some small change. She said she could give some to me. How kind she was!

I’m thankful for the experience. It is a good lesson that ________ is free and don’t cease to do good things no matter how seemingly insignificant they are ... it will always be ________!

【推荐2】After her husband had gone to work, Mrs. Jessica sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too_________ to do any housework that morning, _________ in the evening she would be going to an interesting fancy dress party with her husband. What she _________ was a terrible genie (妖怪) and as she had made that special dress of hers the night before, she was_________ to try it on. Though the dress _________ of nothing but a big piece of old cloth which was red, green, black and white, it would be very effective to make her look like a real genie. After putting it on, Mrs. Jessica went downstairs happily. She wanted to find out _________ it would be comfortable to _________

Just as Mrs. Jessica was entering the dining-room, there was a_________ at the door. She thought that it _________ be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if she __________ to open the door and leave the bread on the kitchen table. Now not wanting to__________ the poor man, Mrs. Jessica quickly __________ in the small storeroom under the__________. She heard the front door open and a man enter. When Mrs. Jessica__________ that it was the man from the electricity board (供电局) who had come to__________ the meter (电表), she stepped out of the hiding-place on a sudden and tried to explain the matter, saying with a smile, “It’s only __________! It is not __________ for you to be __________!” But it was too late. The man let __________ a sharp cry and jumped back several paces. Then he ran away, __________ the door behind him with great force and noise.

【推荐3】While on holiday in Istanbul I experienced kindness from a total stranger. I was at a(n) ________ bar that I had to try, because it had a history of 200 years. While I was there, my stomach got really upset and I wanted to ________. Suddenly I became pale and started ________, which suggested I should go back to my hotel.

But the problem was that there were no cabs (出租车) and I wasn’t in a state to ________ at that moment. I saw a small hotel nearby and asked if they could help me with a ________. They said yes, but obviously they would ________ me extra to get me to my destination. Meanwhile, while I was ________ to walk and hunt for cabs, a man came by and asked me where I wanted to go.

I told him I needed to get to Taksim, where my hotel was. Much to my ________, he was a taxi driver. His cab was ________ a walk away, so he had me ________ while he went to get his cab so I didn’t have to walk.

He didn’t try to charge me extra or take advantage of my ________. He took me back ________ to my hotel by the regular taxi meter. Not only did he ________ me from an extremely uncomfortable night, he also ________ some tea that could make me feel better.

This act of kindness from the sweet man made me feel ________ and have more faith in humanity.

【推荐2】The Art of Poetry

Poetry is a form of expression that captivates the heart and mind. It is not just about rhyming lines or perfect meter, but about conveying deep, often unspoken emotions. A poet uses words to paint pictures, to tell stories, and to express ideas in a way that is unique and powerful.

In poetry, every word counts. It’s not just the meaning of the words, but how they sound together, how they flow. The rhythm of a poem can   _______ a heartbeat or the quiet   _______ of a summer breeze. Imagery in poetry helps to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. It’s like a _______ that takes you on a journey through the poet’s thoughts and feelings.

But poetry is not always easy to understand. Sometimes, it requires   _______ and patience to unravel the layers of meaning hidden within the lines. It might speak of love, loss, joy, or pain, and often it reflects the _______ of life itself.

Poetry is a bridge between the _______ and the unknown. It allows us to explore the depths of our   _______ and to connect with others on a level that is deeper than words alone can achieve. In this way, poetry is not just a form of art; it is a form of   _______.

However, the true essence of poetry goes beyond its words and   _______. It captures the intangible, the feelings and thoughts that are universal yet deeply personal. Through poetry, we can experience the world from different perspectives, gaining insights into cultures, histories, and individual experiences.

Ultimately, poetry is a celebration of language and its power to evoke emotion, provoke thought, and connect us across time and space. It is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for creativity and expression, where words become more than mere sounds or letters. They become the   ________ of our shared humanity.