【推荐2】On May 7, “eco-mermaid” Merle Liivand _________her own world record by swimming a full marathon’s distance with a single fin (鳍) in Biscayne Bay, Florida. When Merle Liivand was a child, she had health problems, and began swimming to help her lungs get _________ . In one training session, she nearly wound up swallowing some _________ that was floating in the sea.

That _________ made her think of all the sea animals who faced _________ pollution every day. She decided to work to make people more aware of plastic pollution. Inspired by sea creatures, she began swimming with a special single swimming fin _________ both of her feet. This single fin allows her to swim by _________both of her legs together. She believes swimming with it _________“a bigger message”.

Since 2019, she’s broken records, swimming vast distances—first in California, then in Florida, and this time swimming the _________ of a full marathon. Despite encountering challenges like jellyfish stings, she __________ , collecting trash along her route. Her dedication extends beyond records; it’s about community and global __________.

During her__________, a friend kayaked (划皮划艇) alongside, providing food and water and collecting the trash she __________ . By the end of her marathon, the kayak held three bags full of trash. Liivand’s actions aim to __________ a bigger goal: it’s not just about achievements, but about making a __________ impact on the world.

【推荐1】Carolyn Crump has been with United Parcel (包裹) Service for 23 years. And six of those have been _________ in Clayton. Throughout those years, the people she _________ to have started to call her family. They all _________ her cell phone number.

A few weeks ago, Carolyn Crump _________ Jason Lehtman had a connection to a roofing company. In passing she mentioned that she was going to need a _________ roof soon because her 30-year-old roof had been leaking (漏).

Little did she _________, Lehtman started a GoFundMe to raise money to get Crump a new roof. But, the community came together and doubled the _________ needed for a new roof.

On Friday afternoon, she was scheduled to _________ a package, which didn’t really exist. When she got there, she was _________ by her daughter and more than 60 of her customers. They surprised her with a check for the new roof and the __________ money.

As anyone can expect, Crump was deeply touched. “I love my __________ and I love the people in the community,” she said excitedly.

__________ and compliments (称赞) for UPS workers are received by the company’s supervisors (主管人). But for Crump it’s all compliments, said her supervisor, Jane Strini, who also __________ for the surprise.

That same level of enthusiasm (热情) remained after the __________. Crump handed the check and money to her daughter and finished the day delivering her __________ packages.

【推荐2】Vernon Jackson goes to work at his barbershop even on his off days. But it’s not because he wants to earn as much _________ as possible— it’s because that’s the day he has set aside for VIP _________: children with special needs.

Haircuts are one of the things those children typically struggled with. After _________ so many horror stories that parents were going through with other barbers who had no patience, he resolved to _________ his day off and open his shop only for children looking to get a proper _________.

“There would be no other barbers in the shop and I could give them all my _________.”

As Jackson cut he started _________, making sure children in his chair keep a smile. Sometimes that meant dancing. Other times, it meant belting out a Taylor Swift song

His goal is to get the children who are sensitive to unfamiliar environments accustomed to the shop so they can feel _________ when other employees and clients are present.

Not only does he work on his day off, but he does it for free. When he _________ the idea on social media a friend offered to sponsor a haircut. Soon more people asked to __________ and Jackson started a GoFundMe.

“Some parents would __________ any amount just for their children to have an experience like any other person. At the end of it, I can tell them ‘It’s __________,’” he said. “They say ‘I got to give you a tip.’” I say,“No, trust me. This is a __________ from the community, myself— please receive it.”

“I’ve had parents bursting into tears, had grandparents getting __________” said Jackson who’s done more than 300 free cuts to date. “It has allowed me to __________ to my fullest capacity and to see what happens when I do.”

【推荐3】Wheeling her red chair and scissors around, a salon owner gives out-of-luck strangers a gift — one free hairdo at a time. To date, Steller has given about 30 such haircuts to _________ people around the city. “It’s _________ a haircut,” she says. “I want it to be a _________, to show value and respect, but also to get to know people. I want to build _________.”

Steller knows that a haircut can _________ a life. As a teen, she suffered from a disease so severe that her hair _________ greatly. Her mother arranged for Steller’s first professional haircut. “To have somebody talk to me like a person, it helped me feel _________ and less alone,” she says. After that, Steller knew she wanted to have her own salon so she could help people _________ the way she’d felt that day. Not long after finishing school, she began her Red Chair Project. “I can’t _________ their problems, but maybe I can help them feel less alone for a moment,” she said.

A branch of her project is the Steller Kindness Projects in which people who __________ acts of kindness are invited for a free hairdo. __________, they tell their stories, which Steller shares on her website. Her hope is that by reading about kind acts, others will be __________ to spread their own. So far, it’s working, she says.

It all began with a belief in __________ acts of kindness, such as a free haircut. “The way you __________ in the world matters,” says Steller. “You have no idea what people are going to do with the __________ that you give them.”

【推荐2】I remember a time when I needed a phone number or an address, I naturally dialed “0” and an operator with a pleasant __________ would ask what she could do for me. But now I have the __________ of acquiring knowledge from my laptop in the comfort of my home. Automation certainly has its advantages, but I still miss the __________ with people that the devices have replaced.

Recently I decided to dedicate a day to accomplishing all of my goals in a __________ manner. I began by having lunch at McDonald’s, where I __________ the computer terminal in favor of ordering from a smiling __________, who remembered me from a long-ago visit. It seemed that her glow of __________ made the meal more delicious. In the afternoon I went to the public library and asked the librarian to help me find a title I could have easily ______ by myself with a computer search. During our stay in the stack (藏书架) we had the most wonderful _______ about Annie Proulx’s new book. Finally on my way home I had a stop at the supermarket. __________, I walked past the self-checkout and was __________ by a cashier, who suggested that for only one more penny I could get a(n) __________ cabbage.

That evening I had dinner with a friend and excitedly reported my day to her. However, she wasn’t buying. She remarked that I could have ordered everything with my cellphone and they would be __________ to my home, which would have taken less than an hour. Exactly, but I would have sacrificed one precious cabbage and even __________   all those kind words and friendly smiles. I enjoyed my day, maybe just because someone took the time to __________ the encounters.

【推荐3】I saw a photograph in a magazine once. A male lion was seated on the ground. Beside him was a young lion, and the young was giving him a _________ on the backside. But Papa lion didn’t react. He didn’t roar (吼叫); he didn’t get angry; he didn’t try to blow the cub away. He _________ sat there and allowed himself to be annoyed. This is _________ dads do-they endure (忍耐).

Not long ago at a _________ game in America, a batter lost control of his bat. The 907-gram piece of hardwood flew out of his hands and went spinning into the stands. Everyone dived under the seats to protect themselves except for one young boy who hadn’t been _________ attention. At the last moment, a (an) _________ reached out and stopped the bat away from the boy’s head. It was the hand of the boy’s father _________ appeared in time. This is what dads do to _________ their children.

My brother has two daughters. They are both _________ and have jobs and live away from home. One day, his elder daughter had a flat tire while rolling on a busy highway. It was a (an) dangerous place to have something like that happen, __________ she didn’t have to think twice about whom to call for help. My brother __________ what he was doing and drove 32 kilometers to change the tire. This is what dads do to help their children all __________ their lives.

June 19 is Father’s Day, the day we thank dad for all the things he does for us and for all the times he is there when we need him. Moms are the __________ of the family and dads play an important role in keeping the family __________. Having a good dad makes children more __________ and successful and less likely to get into trouble.

So, thanks to all the dads who endure, protect and help. They are the everyday heroes that children need.