There are times in life when we don’t have the energy or faith     1     (overcome) our problems. We can’t find the words to pray or the     2     (strong) to push ahead. That is when our friends come to help us out. Friends remind us through their actions that we are not alone. Even when some friends don’t always know     3     to help, they want to be there for us.

Author Parker J. Palmer in his book, Let Your Life Speak, shares about the time he was battling depression. A guy     4     (name) Bill asked Parker’s permission to drop by his house in the afternoons. Bill would sit Parker in the chair, get down on his knees in front of him, remove his shoes and socks     5     massage (按摩) his feet for half an hour. Bill had found the only place in Parker’s body     6     he could still experience feelings and reconnect with the human race. Bill would     7     (simple) do this and say very little. When he talked, he would not give advice but mirror Parker’s feelings. This simple act of care was what     8     (help) Parker get through his dark time.

We are     9     (thank) to the friends who sit with us. And we are grateful     10     the opportunity to be that friend to offer our presence to those who are suffering. Even if we are unsure of what to do, we can just be present.

My pen friend is Allison. She is a lovely Australian girl     1     big blue eyes. Like me, Allison loves singing and dancing, and we both like travelling to different     2     (place) for our holidays.

Do you want to know     3     our friendship started? By travelling! Three years ago, I paid a visit to my uncle’s home in Sydney. One Saturday my cousin and I went to the Blue Mountains Scenic World and I     4     (meet) Allison on the bus. She was sitting just next to me. At first, we were both a bit shy. We sat     5     (silent) all the way until we got near the foot of mountains. I was     6     (surprise)by the amazing views and opened the window     7     (take)photos. That’s when Allison turned to     8     (I) and said, “It’s beautiful, isn’t?” Then she began to explain why the mountains looked blue.

For the rest of the day, the three of us travelled together. We saw many koalas and were happy to see that they     9     (protect) well in the forest. What     10     great experience! Back home, I started writing to Allison and we’ve been friends ever since.

It’s true that as you get older, you care less what people think about you, but some of us still have those moments sometimes. My friend, Tiffany, however,     1     (actual) never cares what people think and I love her for it. All you can do is watch her be herself and be very    2     (confidence) because what you see     3     (be) what you get. I’ve learned from Tiffany,     4     is not afraid of holding anything back,     5     (accept) my loud and talkative self rather than hiding it     6     some people because I’m afraid of being annoying (烦人的) or too much.

She makes me laugh — well okay, if you know me, you’d know that anyone and anything can make me laugh in two     7     (second), but this girl can get me crying so fast because she can fall into a laugh attack ( 突然大笑) just as easily     8     me. She doesn’t judge me for saying or doing stupid things. She’ll also be the one     9     (sit) next to me on the couch ( 长沙发) to make sure I’m okay. She and I have had some pretty deep talks and that’s something about our friendship that I value. We accept each other for who we are and she has helped me become much     10     (comfortable) to be myself.

First published on October 15, 1952, “Charlotte’s Web” is a popular children’s book written by well-known American author E. B. White and     1    （illustrate）by Garth Williams that deals with themes of the nature of friendship, loss, fate, acceptance, and renewal. The story centers on a pig named Wilbur and the unlikely but deep friendship     2     shares with an uncommonly talented spider named Charlotte.

While it’s normal in the course of events on a farm for pigs     3    （kill）when they reach a certain size and age, clever Charlotte works out a scheme to keep Wilbur from his fate by weaving words into her web to create what amounts to a one-pig publicity campaign. By promoting Wilbur to celebrity status, Charlotte ultimately saves him     4     his date with the butcher’s knife.

The ending of the “Charlotte’s Web” is bittersweet, however,     5     while Wilbur survives, Charlotte does not. But even Charlotte’s passing is a lesson-for Wilbur and those reading his story-about the nature of death and renewal.

Death and destiny are both themes that the book explores. While Charlotte is willing to help Wilbur avoid a destiny that’s being imposed on him by outside forces beyond his control, she also understands that some fates are inevitable: All living creatures are born,     6    （have）a life cycle, and die. Charlotte accepts her role in this natural circle without regret.

Charlotte helps Wilbur realize that immortality is not about living forever, but rather,     7    （ensure）that new generations will follow. She also helps him understand that love and friendship are not fixed in quantity. While we may lose a friend, new friendships can come along, not as replacements for     8     we’ve lost, but as blessings to build on what we’ve learned.

“Charlotte’s Web” got its inspiration from true experiences that author E. B. White had on his farm in Maine,     9     he penned the book and lived until his death in 1985．While the author claims that the book     10     never be considered a moral tale, certain messages related to moral principles, or rights and wrongs, are obviously established in “Charlotte’s Web”.