【推荐1】It was a dark night. Thick, dark, gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to ________ me as I walked out on my porch. Still, I kept the porch light off because I didn’t want to be _______ by bugs and moths on this sticky_______   evening. I stood there for a while letting my eyes adjust to the lack of ________.

It was then, though, that I saw them. First one blink of light at the far end of the meadow followed by another and then another. I ________. I recognized them at once as my firefly(萤火虫) ________, my lightning bug buddies who always ______ this time of the year.

When I was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them ________ fly around blinking on and off. I never ________ and put one in a jar as some kids did because I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light. Their time on this earth was so ________ as it was. I tried to enjoy them each night they were here. It always ________ me when they disappeared in the fall and it always made my heart ________ when they reappeared the next summer.

We are like them in a lot of ways. Our ________ here on earth is brief. Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a ________ shine. Still, we do our best to share it and take ________ in knowing that others will be shining their light long after we are gone.

【推荐3】I have been adopted by an American family since I was fifteen months old. Growing up in the second-whitest county in California, I had little interest in my ________ as an adopted Chinese American. After I moved to Tucson, my curiosity about my identities ________ as I was exposed to a larger Chinese population there.

During my four years at Northern Arizona University (NAU), I took two years of ________ language courses, which was a major marker in my adventure to ________ myself.

Through my class, I was introduced to the NAU Chinese culture club, where I ________ my knowledge of Chinese culture and connected with international students from China and students who were deeply ________ Chinese culture.

Then I had an opportunity to study abroad in Hong Kong for a year. Surrounded by mainly people who looked like me, I did not feel like I ________ as I usually do in the US. I became ________ connected to Hong Kong and its ________. The experience ________ me to find beauty and ________ in the complexities (难题) of holding many identities.

After returning from my ________ abroad, I started to volunteer at the Education Abroad Office at NAU. I ________ my experience and encouraged other NAU students to go abroad, as it was such a ________ experience and enabled me to better understand myself. I’m ________ to call myself an adopted Chinese American.

【推荐1】When Freddie arrived to perform in the hospital room, Pam worried it was already too late. Her 88-year-old stepfather, Strobel, had just been moved to the palliative (姑息治疗) care unit. Pam could   ________ that something had changed in him. A nurse told her Strobel’s   ________ was near.

“You’re probably wasting your time,” Pam told Freddie. But Freddie shared with her what medical professionals had told him: ________ may be the last sense to go.

“Let me go in and ________”, Freddie said. “It’s as much for you as it is for him.”

Freddie is a country and folk musician. When he was in his childhood, his mother encouraged her young son’s   ________ talent. When she was dying of cancer, he put their ________ of songs to its greatest use. He would creep into her hospital bed with his guitar and ________ her favorites. His mother seemed to relax, a peaceful look crossing her face.

“That moment allowed her and me to ________ like we used to when I was singing as a kid,” Freddie recalled. It emphasized to him the ________ of music. When he ________ a non-profit organization called Swan Songs which arranged free musical last wishes, Freddie signed up for the ________.

That was the case with Pam’s stepfather who enjoyed ________ music, and Swan Songs sent Freddie. That’s why Freddie arrived at the hospital that day, when Strobel seemed ready to say ________. Freddie played some songs and after 45 minutes, Pam asked for just one more song. Freddie ________ Love Me. He sang the last note and Strobel took his last breath.

“Oh my, we just experienced one of the most ________ moments in our lives. It was a gift for us all. At a really sad time, it was beautiful,” says Pam.

【推荐2】Carl Allamby grew up in a poor African American neighborhood. As a child, pursuing his dream is ________ but easy for him. His school didn’t offer the advanced science classes that might have led him on the path to ________. Even it had, doing well in school could prove dangerous. There were often times they would be attacked for ________ the class. As a result, he ________ the thought of becoming a doctor.

At age 19, he started working alone in a garage. Over the years it had ________ into two shops, but Carl was ________ for something more. So at 34, he went for his bachelor’s degree in business management and he was ________ he had to take biology to get his degree.

It turned out that it was the ________ thing to have happened. Biology class reawakened a childhood dream he had ________ somewhere deep within himself. Determined to accomplish his dream, he skipped business ________ the science classes for a second career. “It was ________ to become a doctor at around 50. I would ________ become a nurse, or a physician assistant.” Carl reasoned.

But Carl’s chemistry professor ________ him after class one day and talked him out of that thought.

He was right. Carl did well in all his courses. And so in 2015, he cut ________ with his past, selling his two shops and everything in them. In 2019, at 47, Carl Allamby became Carl Allamby, MD. The world may have ________ him around once or twice, but it didn’t defeat him.

“How many people can do something so ________ at such a late stage in their life?” he says. “I fit so many demographics (人口统计数据) that ________ you shouldn’t be a doctor. ________ it’s because of my age, my race, my upbringing, or my career, these are all good ________ suggesting I shouldn’t be here. And ________ here I am.”

【推荐3】I work as a waiter at a hotel. Last night,an elderly white, seemingly _________ couple entered the restaurant. My co-worker greeted and _________ them in a friendly way. We usually take charge of our own _________, but when we are _________, we help each other out.

I was _________ the customers at another table when the elderly husband _________ to me that they were ready to order. When I went to take their order, the husband began ordering, stuttering (结巴) to a degree I’d never heard before.

It was very clear that he had a _________ disorder. I could tell the wife had told her husband very extensively what she wanted, as a(n) _________ for him to practice ordering.

It took him quite a while to order. Meanwhile, she was just sitting there,looking proud and_________ despite her husband’s endless stuttering.

Honestly, the whole thing was beautiful and made me realize that a huge part of love is   __________, patience and support. She could have made the order for her husband and avoided the __________ from other tables, but she didn’t. __________,she supported him and was proud to see him __________ the order.

The whole thing also reminded me that life isn’t always __________ for everyone. Even rich people also seemed to have problems they have to face daily. But I’ve learnt that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to __________, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

【推荐1】“Where is the bus?” I asked myself. I was going to be late and the manager wasn’t going to be _______ .“ Thank God. Here it is.” The bus   _______ round the corner and I got on. Ten minutes later I was walking into the _______ where I work. Twenty-five past nine. I hope the manager doesn’t notice. But no _______luck.

“Smith!” shouted the manager. “Late again. What’s your _______ this time?”“ I'm afraid the bus was late, Mr. Brown.” “_______ up earlier tomorrow! Anyway, get to business at the counter. We'll be opening in a few minutes.”

My first customer was a pretty girl _______ a red dress. Behind her was a young man of about 25. He seemed very _______ , and _______ few seconds he looked towards the main entrance. The girl asked about opening a bank account. I gave her the necessary ________ and she walked out. ________ , I noticed a tall man by the door, carrying something ________ with brown paper. Turning to my next customer, I was terrified to see a gun ________ out of his coat. The next moment a loud noise ________ my ears. Everything went black. I was falling.... After ________ seemed a very a long time, I opened my eyes and found myself in bed! ________ shaking from the memory of this terrible dream, I got dressed and ran out of the house. As ________, the bus wasn’t on time, and I arrived at 9:25.

“Smith!” the manager cried out in a voice like thunder. “ Later again! Go and start work at once!” To my ________ , the first customer was a girl ________ a red dress and behind her stood a man carrying something wrapped in brown paper. The dream!   ________ that the surprise of my life!

【推荐3】After ten years in the same company, I found my job was no longer fun. However, I didn’t have the confidence to apply for new jobs due to lack of experience. I felt _________.

A friend suggested another path—_________. I had toyed with the idea of studying for a master’s degree but _______ stood in my way. Yet I found a course at London College of Communication, _________ my job and enrolled.

During the 18 months that followed, I began to flourish (茁壮成长). Not only had I found the courage to take my _________ forward in a new, exciting direction, but the self-doubt that had followed me around like a _________ began to disappear gradually. My classmates and I treated each other as _________. Younger students _________ my experience and knowledge when it came to group work. I made new friends and joined committees.

I also decided to move out of home. Living in student halls was a(n)_________. The halls life added to my sense of __________ and, with it, confidence. I was __________ new things every day. Even making myself a meal or __________my small living space felt rewarding.

Soon after completing my master’s, I made my way back through the university gates—this time to __________. I am now a lecturer on the same course that I took. I __________ the person I was before and smile—she didn’t yet know her __________.