【推荐2】Just as we take care of our friends and families, our homes and Mother Earth take care of us. Our homes give us a place of shelter that ________ between us and the rest of the world. The earth is a(n) ________ giver of life and the keeper of our physical and spiritual needs. Her rich ________ bring us up, give us air, and offer us cooling shade. Her waters ________ our thirst. Yet it is easy to take both of these wonderful ________ of our gifts for granted. ________ the thanks you feel toward your home and Mother Earth for the gifts each ________ you. It can help you stay ________ of where many of the gifts in your life come from. Each time you give thanks, you’ll be ________ of the importance of caring for your home and for Mother Earth. There is a simple and beautiful ________ you can find to show your thanks. Begin by finding a ________ place where you can be alone. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply   ________ you feel relaxed and then read the following out loud:

“Thank you, home, for allowing me to live ________ your walls. Thank you for allowing me to stay strong and ________ me. Thank you, Mother Earth, for the land I ________ on and farm. Thank you, plants, minerals, and animals on the land for allowing me to ________ your beauty and your amazement of life, and for the ________ of living with all of you on this earth. Thank you for the wisdom and   ________ you bring to us.”

You can do so as often as you like and anytime you feel particularly thankful for the many gifts that you have ________. Each time you do, you’ll strengthen your connection with all that ________ and supports you.

【推荐3】Melbourne Girls’ College is getting rid of all dustbins and asking students to take their rubbish home to encourage them to move towards zero waste.

Starting next Monday, the college will gradually ____________ all the rubbish bins in five weeks in classrooms and the yard, ____________ 1,400 students and 140 staff to find their own home for chip packets and juice boxes. Volunteer students will ____________ daily non-compulsory food inspections in which children bringing “zero waste” lunch boxes will be ____________. Students using only ____________ packaging will receive a token (礼券) to win prizes.

The rubbish that students take home may still go to landfill (废物填埋场) via their home bins, ____________ the new policy will help persuade ____________ to buy fewer packaged items and reuse containers. Most issues around carrying rubbish home, such as smell and mess, can be solved. ____________ tuna (金枪鱼) in a tin, for example, can ____________ the school’s compost (堆肥) bin and the tin can be ____________ before it’s taken home.

The college principal Karen Money acknowledges that some parents may not have the time or means to avoid ____________ in single-use packaging, “But we are ____________ to get as many people as we can to avoid it. We talk a lot, ____________ educators, about the bad problems the world ____________, and if we don’t start putting some actions ____________ that beautiful idea, then it’s just empty.”

【推荐3】Like life, mountains can be seen as a series of difficulties that you need to overcome. To me, a mountain is the final _______, with body, spirit, and mind all having to work together. Being _______ is a challenge too. I wanted to do something significant to help change the _______ that friends and family had developed of me— the role of patient. I set a goal—to _______Half Dome in Yosemite. I was drawn to this destination _______ its uniqueness as its shape is unforgettably distinctive (独特) —it’s _______.

In August of 1996, just ten months after my heart _______, my husband Craig and I began to hike the trail leading to Half Dome. The trail began with a mild incline (斜度), which we eagerly took at a _______ pace. I was out of breath first, but as soon as my heart _______ me, I felt energized again. I tried to go as fast as the other hikers, but found it ________ to keep up. Though the final half-mile isn’t difficult, the steep (陡峭的)slope can be extremely frightening, especially for those afraid of heights. Craig, ________ the difficult task ahead, gently asked. “Do you want to ________?’’ Determined to harvest the ________ for all the effort, I replied,

“Absolutely, we have to go on.” Step for step, Craig stayed directly behind me, providing a ________ of security. When I finally reached the top, I was ________ with joy. Ten months after my operation, I had reached the top of Half Dome! My ________ heart had not failed me.

Looking down into the valley below, we stood in silence, amazed at how far we had come. As if the moment itself was not ________, Craig surprised me with a gold charm (吊坠)in the shape of Half Dome. As I held it in my hand, I was amazed at its ________. Craig took a moment to express how proud he was of me saying, “When I had to carry you up the stairs at night, I always looked at the photo you took of Half Dome hung on the wall and wondered if we’d ever make ________ climb.” His tender words brought me to tears. We had done it; we were here at the top of the mountain — a long way from those ________ of not knowing what the future would bring.

【推荐1】A little boy almost thought of himself as the most _______ child in the world because poliomyelitis (小儿麻痹症) made his leg lame. He seldom played with his _______; and when the teacher asked him questions, he always _______ his head without a word.

One spring, the boy’s father told his children to plant a sapling (树苗) and said, “Whose sapling grows _______, I will buy him or her a favourite gift.” The boy wanted to get the gift. But anyhow, seeing his brothers and sisters _______ water to water the trees merrily, he _______ an idea: he hoped his tree would die soon. So after watering it once or twice, he never _______ to it.

A few days later, he was surprised to find his tree grew some _______ leaves, and _______ with the other trees, his appeared greener. His father ________ his promise, and bought the little boy his favourite gift.

One night, the boy went to see his tree. He found his father was splashing ________ under his tree. He understood: his father had been ________ fertilizing his small tree!

Decades later, the boy, Franklin Roosevelt, was elected President of the United States.

Love is the best nourishment of life; ________ it is just a drop of clear water, it can make the tree of life thrive (茁壮成长). Maybe that tree is thin or withered, but as long as there is nourishment of ________, it can flourish and even ________ towering trees.

【推荐2】The boy almost thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He ________ played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always ________ his head without a word.

One spring, his father brought home some saplings (树苗). Each of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, “Whoever ________ his sapling best shall get a gift.” The boy certainly wanted to get the gift. But seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, he ________ an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So after watering it once or twice, he never ________ it.

A few days later, when the little boy went to see his tree again, he was surprised to find it not only didn’t die, but also grew some fresh ________. Compared with those of his brothers’ and sisters’, his appeared greener. His father kept his ________, bought the little boy one of his favourite gifts and said from the tree he planted, he would surely become an outstanding ________after he grew up.

From then on, the little boy slowly became ________ and confident. One night, he suddenly remembered his biology teacher once said that plants ________ grow at night. Why not go to see his tree?

When he came to the courtyard, he found his father was working near his tree with a ladle(长柄勺). Immediately he ________: his father had been secretly ________ his small tree! He returned to his room, tears in his eyes.

Decades passed. The little boy didn’t become a botanist. ________, he became President of the United States. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

________ is the best nourishment(滋养品) of life. ________ it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

【推荐3】Eight years ago, Nixon decided to begin each day from a bench watching the sunrise at the waterfront. “I call it’life rising’ because it makes me feel _________ before starting my day,” said Nixon.

Later a woman said something that changed his on his daily routine. “She said, ‘Every morning when I see you _________ here, I know that everything is going to be OK,’” Nixon recalled. “That’s when I knew: I needed to make eye contact and let people walking past know that we are _________ to each other.”

Instead of staring at the sunrise, Nixon started _________ at people and striking up _________. And soon, more early risers began joining him on the bench, sometimes _________ their troubles, asking him for advice about relationships, careers, and _________problems.

“I was happy to listen,” Nixon said. “I wanted them to walk away knowing they didn’t have to feel _________.”

So, every morning, Nixon rises at 4: 30. He drives seven miles to the waterfront where he’ll _________ for two hours. His presence and his __________ to listening have led some to nickname him the Sunshine Mayor.

While most people simply wave or __________ briefly to make small talk, others are __________ to spend a few minutes with someone who will __________ .

No matter what problem a person wants to __________ Nixon lends an ear. “You have to have an open heart because you never know who’s going to walk up and what they might need,” Nixon said. “Every person who stops by the bench __________ my undivided attention.”