【推荐2】I was at home alone at midday, working at my typewriter, when the telephone rang. A man' voice said “Your name Bell? You'd better_______ over to the hospital right away. Your _______ has been hurt in an accident.”

Janet had gone out ten minutes earlier. As she left, I'd kissed her absent-mindedly and she _______ me, “You don't even know who you are _______.” She was laughing as she went out the door.

The traffic was heavy and I was caught between _______ and despair (绝望) . My thought turned to the evening last year, _______ I was struggling at a job I didn’t like while longing to make a living at _______. She knew it and made the _______ easy for me- at a time when turning away from a (n) _______ income would have been unthinkable to most women.

In the last few blocks to the hospital, I said to myself our life together could not________ . There were too many good years ahead with our children. Too many trips we'd ________ and hadn't made. They have to be shared to be ________.

Rushing into Emergency, I found Janet's face and clothing were covered with blood. But she reached her hand out to me, saying “I'm all right, darling. Just don't ________ me.” There were the most wonderful words I'll ever hear.

She was all right. We are one of the ________ families, as we know. I had never let Jan understand how meaningless life would be ________ her, How grateful I am for a second chance.

【推荐3】Several years ago, our “Mommy and Me” time began. My next-door neighbor and _________ of four, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of about age 6 _________ their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children _________ alone,” said Christie.

Then we _________ a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I'll _________ her other three. And when she takes care of two of mine, I'll take _________ out.

The children were very quick to _________ the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie's daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of _________ . McKenzie was smiling _________ Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She's like a __________ child when there's no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn't have to make an effort to gain __________ . Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also __________ something different in each of my children during our __________ times. For example, I am always __________ when my daughter, who is __________ close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering (口吃的) son, Tom, doesn't stutter once during our __________ since he doesn't have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who's always a __________ when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.

The “Mommy and Me” time __________ us to be simply alone and away with each child - talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest __________ . Every child __________ to be an only child at least once in a while.

【推荐2】I remember the day shyness took over my life. I was 14 and having a French lesson. The teacher told us to record ourselves ________ about a film. Perfect! I recorded myself ________. Then I pressed “play” to listen back. What I heard was a little kid talking. My ________ reaction was to ________ I was listening to someone else’s recording. But then, it dawned on me. That was my ________. I realized there was something ________ about me.

My little voice has made me feel really sly. And my shyness has caused me to ________ attending events, not make important ________, and keep my ideas to myself. As shy person, working from home, hiding behind my computer was ________, but the more time I spent hidden away, the more my comfort zone shrank. Everyday ________, like ordering a coffee, became increasingly awkward and ________.

And, then, one day I was at big conference and it suddenly ________ me like lightning bolt (闪电). All speakers were confident, comfortable with being ________. There were no quieter voices. But the ________ is, if the loud voices are the only ones you hear, we quieter people feel even more alienated (疏远的). The world needs mixture of personalities. Success is not just about who can shout the ________. The world needs quieter people, too. That day I chose to stop ________ and embrace my shyness. No more feeling like I needed to change who I am in order to ________. No more living a small life.

Then I created the Shy and Mighty Society, a space for shy people like me to ________, and in the process of helping others, I could also push myself ________, bit by bit. Now, I’m happy to tell people I feel shy. I’m not ________ any more. And I know that I’m not alone.

【推荐3】My daughter loved dance, until she didn’t. After an _________ first year, I noticed her interest fading week by week. Then, one day, she slowly walked to me before class and asked if she could just _________ it.

My first reaction was to _________ her to “finish what you start”. After all, sticking with something difficult can teach perseverance, discipline and confidence. But watching my first-grader _________ herself into each ballet position, I started to question how much sense that “blanket advice” made. Is it really in my kid’s best _________ , or even practical, to make her stick to every commitment through until she reaches a bitter _________? What if there are different but _________ valuable qualities, which can be gained by _________ the things that are not right for her?

With the winter show approaching, I realized she needed to either _________ her class or commit herself to it. After a few days’ consideration, she __________ dance wasn’t for her—a choice I __________. Quitting is never a black-and-white issue. Sometimes, it means __________ a barrier in your way to love something else. In my daughter’s case, ending dance made space for her new hobbies, such as horseback riding and Girl Scouts. She’s into them for now, but it is okay if that still changes.

As adults, we are accustomed to __________ the power of saying yes, but what about saying no? The ability to recognize when something isn’t an __________ investment of our time or energy is also Important. As my daughter gets older, I want her to feel confident to exit something that’s no longer meeting her needs. She shouldn’t be held back by the thought that she must finish something at any cost __________ because she has started.

【推荐1】There is a fine line between a parent who is active and open-minded and one that doesn’t know when to let go. As my daughter, Nicole, prepares to leave home for college, I’m discovering how hard it is to stay on the ______ side of this line. One day, it was time to prepare for dinner. When I held ______ the apron strings (围裙带) connecting us, Nicole, eager to ______ independence, tried to loosen my grasp (掌控). What resulted was a (an) ______ mother-daughter, push-me, pull-you kind of tango.

For the past two years, it’s gone like this:

Mother’s question: “Have you thought of taking an advanced class (大学预备课程) so that you can earn college credit (学分)?”

Daughter’s ______: “No, I’m not interested in that.”

…

Two months ago, she was ______ into a great university. However, I was still the mother having a ______ time letting go. The night before the introductory meeting of the university, I had read the course catalog (目录) carefully and ______ the courses which I thought looked good. We met on the campus the next afternoon, and Nicole’s face ______ with excitement. “I have had all my timetables of courses ready,” she said. “Already?” I was astonished, ______ she should have discussed it with me. I examined what he chose. Nicole hadn’t taken a (an) ______ one of the courses I had suggested. Every course she had chosen ______ suited her interests. Just then I saw a mature, strong young woman with a ______ mind and the ability to shape her future. She no longer needed her mother ______ every decision she made. I felt proud, though still a bit ______.

I ______ the lessons carefully. Nicole has struggled to learn over the past 18 years the following things: ______, sympathy, and hard work. There have been a few holes along the way. ______, she is well-equipped and eager to ______ the future. The next step, I recognized, was mine to take: giving my daughter and myself the ______ we both needed.

【推荐2】On my first trip to Ireland, I was drawn by its wonderful scenery and the hospitality (好客) of the people. More than that, I also felt a sense of _________. When leaving Ireland, I made a prayer: Please show me a way to live here.

Once home, I made a vision _________ with the title “Irish love”, which included pictures of the Irish countryside along with a handsome Irishman. I also chose an _________of a butterfly as my personal symbol and placed it in the center.

Back then, I was in my mid-thirties still _________ with a nice career. I had never lived outside of a five-mile distance from where I was born, so this _________ to live in Ireland was pretty big. Whenever I saw the images, I would _________ myself living in Ireland with the lover of my life.

One year later, I returned to Ireland. _________ and perhaps a little bit of hope led me to the small town of Lisdoonvarna County Clare, where the traditional matchmaking (相亲) festival was taking place. Early Sunday evening, _________, I found myself in a small pub. I was standing against the wall _________ I noticed a man entering the pub. It was just like in a movie: He was tall and dark-haired with the golden light of the setting sun __________ around him. It wasn’t long before I felt a __________ on my shoulder and came face-to-face with the man himself—Mike. Eventually, we kept __________ for hours, laughing heartily. This was the beginning of our relationship.

After getting married, we moved to the western Ireland and __________ there. The first day I stepped into the hallway of my new home, I was __________ by three butterflies flying around, which immediately reminded me of the vision board from years ago __________ my dream to live in Ireland.