【推荐1】A New Friend and Perspective (视角)

I picked up the phone, slowly dialing the number to her house. All I could think was what we could possibly have a conversation about. _________! I didn’t think I could have anything in common with someone who is 50 years older than me.

“Your grandmother won’t be around forever,” my mom said,_________ I just did what she told me and painfully _________ my grandmother. What I didn’t know was that the phone call would change my attitude to life and my grandmother.

When she answered the _________, I planned to have a small conversation. Instead, she invited me to lunch. _________, I replied with a “That sounds great.”

When I_________ the phone, I immediately regretted agreeing to the lunch date. How was I going to fit this _________my busy schedule of homework, games, and friends? It was not my ideal Saturday, but I sucked it up and _________ anyway. Me and my grandmother… nothing to talk about.

_________, my Saturday morning wasn’t painful. I was interested in listening about her recent trip to Europe and how she saw the famous Eiffel Tower. She told me stories about her sewing class and her friends. I wasn’t aware that 60-year-old people had a social life. It turned out that her life wasn’t as __________as I thought. For once, I was __________without friends and without my cell phone. We planned to meet again at her house. This time, my mom didn’t have to __________me.

During the next visit, we sorted through three shoeboxes of photographs. There was an interesting story for each one. I learned that as humans, we __________ human experiences, no matter what age.

Ever since I made the first phone call to my grandmother, we have talked at least once a week. I regret not calling her __________. Her advice has taught me things that can’t be learned in a textbook. She taught me to be open to new things, to enjoy the simple things, and to appreciate what life has given me. I have __________a friend, a mentor (导师), and a new perspective.

【推荐1】Deshi was so absent-minded that he found it impossible to concentrate on his books. He couldn’t stop _________ the girl in the building opposite.

Deshi couldn’t _________ that night and he was late for school the next morning. He ran out of the house and found her _________ in her dad’s car with the window open. Deshi dropped his schoolbag and she _________ to look at him with her green eyes. He stood _________ there—he had never seen anyone with green eyes. He smiled at her but she just _________ him like he didn’t exist.

That day school didn’t go well. At lunch time, the food in the cafeteria _________ made him feel sick._________ after school by his English teacher for his not concentrating, he missed the bus and decided to _________ home. He was crossing the ____________ near his street, missing his school and friends back in Shanghai. Then, he saw her, sitting on a bench with her dog. He waved at her but she just ____________ him again.

Later that evening, Deshi was practising his guitar when his mum came in with a ____________ in her hand. “The postman’s mistake!” she said. “This is for the building ____________ the street. Can you take it over?” “OK, mum!” said Deshi.

Deshi went down the stairs, thinking of his unhappiness and ____________. Before he knew it, he was outside the building opposite ____________ the door opened. “Oh no, it’s her!” The girl was about to come down the steps when she ____________ something. Without thinking, Deshi picked it up. “Hello?” she said, “Who’s there?” Deshi was ____________. “Er, I live across the street.” “Are you the boy who plays the ____________?” she said. “Hi, I’m Helen. I really like your music.” Deshi looked at what he was ____________. It was a white stick. She was ____________.

【推荐3】As the song says, “There's no place like home for the holidays,” Now, thanks to a pair of forward thinking business owners in County Kerry, Ireland, three families are _________ into company based houses to welcome Christmas holidays.

Patricia and Tony Walsh, owners of Walsh Colour Print and Educate, _________ nearly 120 people Patricia explains that the work they do _________ a specialized skill set. Since they've been _________ to find enough local job   candidates, a good part of their workforce comes from other European countries.

_________, with housing options both limited and expensive in the area, many employees couldn't save for _________ of their own while paying _________   rents. Two such longtime workers were Anma and Marcin Wojs. _________ the possibility of having to go home despite wanting to stay, they brought their _________ to Patricia and Tony's attention.

So, in 2017 the husband and wife team __________ planning permission to build homes on land owned by Walsh Colour Print Built on a not for profit basis the 1000-square-foot-atatchedl homes are __________ to employees at a lower price.

With the __________ of three house now complete, the Wojs family are __________ to move into their new home. The employees who have purchased the two remaining homes are also over the moon.

Tony Walsh notes that there will be an informal __________ employees who purchase homes will __________ with the company for the following 10 years. While he sees the __________ as a way to ensure a __________ workforce, he also believes homeownership will secure a stable future for his employees when they eventually __________

Tony Walsh says,“We are going to roll this out to the rest of our __________, and when they finish working at Walsh Colour Print and Educate. ie, they can close the door and say, ‘We __________ this.’"