【推荐1】A Dog’s Day in Court

We used to live about a quarter mile from a train crossing. Our dog, Lenny, had a very annoying habit: he howled (嚎叫) whenever a train whistled for the crossing, due to his very _______hearing. Outside or in the house, he howled and howled _______the train went by. When the wind was _______, he would even howl for the crossings farther down the _______. We learned to _______the noise, mainly because we loved our pet so much.

Early one morning while we were eating breakfast, we heard a long ,very high sound of a train’s _______efforts followed by a terrible crash. We _______out and discovered a twisted car jammed on the cowcatcher (排障器) of the massive locomotive (火车头). Unfortunately, the driver of the car had died_______.

Back in the house, we called the local rescue workers. But we all immediately said to each other, “Lenny didn’t howl. The whistle could not have blown!”

At the _______, my brother recognized what was left of the car ________that of his friend’s father and knew the sad news would now have to be ________to the family. When the rescue team arrived, my brother told them, “The engineer couldn’t have blown the ________because our dog did not howl. And he always does!”

The story of Lenny’s howling ________rapidly around our small town as everyone ________in the sorrow of the wife and family. Left without the ________, the family of nine was in a difficult situation. One of the county’s best-known lawyers ________to pursue a claim against, by now, the infamous (声名狼藉的) Soo Line Cooperation for the sake of the widow and children. The lawyer hired an investigator and recording technician, who, for days, at all hours, visited our home listening for oncoming trains and ________recording Lenny’s howl. Lenny never ________to respond with his howl to the sharp sound of an approaching (靠近地) train.

The taped evidence, ________in court, along with the testimony (证词) of my family members, convinced the judge and jury. The settlement ________to the family secured their home and future. County court records give evidence of the success of a “dog’s day in court!(法庭)”

【推荐2】Have you ever noticed how the way you feel about yourself sometimes depends on whether or not you get confirmation of your value from others?

I have______a lot about nurturing a positive identity of love and appreciation from the man who taught me to train dogs.

First, he started out by ______his dogs with love and respect, and by showing them an infinite amount of______as they were learning.

Then, the______thing he did was a true stroke of genius. He would cut a small piece of______for each dog. He would place it in the dog's sleeping area, for him to______each night. He would also take this carpet during the______and set it down in various locations, and sit the dog on the carpet, as he______the dog for being good.

Next, Frank would teach the dog to______the carpet himself, and carry it to_____ they were going. The dog would then set the carpet down when they______, with Frank all of the time praising him. Now Frank said, "The dog begins to feel that he truly______in every place he travels to, and no matter where he goes, he______my love and appreciation. "

If this strategy______so brilliantly with dogs, would it not work just______with human beings?

【推荐3】Trees have always held much attraction for people. They are the _____ and biggest life-forms on our planet and one of the most beautiful. As a direct _____with thousands of years of history, trees appear in many religions and have ____ artists over the years.

When I was a child I ______a science fiction story that made me think about trees in a new way. In the story, _____ from an advanced civilization come to our planet and their spaceship _____in the middle of a forest. The aliens (外星人) have a long _____with the trees of the forest and then leave, _____to think that the inhabitants (居民)   of Earth are noble, intelligent and peaceful.

Trees ______a lot about being part of a community and how cooperation is better for a society than ____. Scientists are only just beginning to understand how it all ______, but we now know that trees growing together share all of the available resources (资源) with each other. So, strong trees in a good _____ will share food and water with ______ trees that receive less sunlight. By ______, a community of trees makes itself stronger. The ______of giant redwood trees, for example, grow together under the ground. It’s as if they are ______hands. This means that they are ______stronger when there are heavy winds or floods.

We all acknowledge that trees are _____ for the environment and the survival of our ______. Perhaps they have even more to _____ us in the future.

【推荐1】A farmer wanted to sell some baby dogs. He painted a _________ advertising (做广告) them and then set about nailing (用钉子钉牢) it to a post beside his yard. As he was driving the last nails into the post, he felt a sudden _________ on his trousers. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy. “Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your little dogs.”

“Sure,” said the farmer.

And with that he let out a whistle, “Here, Dolly!” he called.

Out from the doghouse and down the road ran Dolly the mother _________ by four little balls of fur. The little boy _________ his face against the fence. His eyes danced with _________.

As the dogs _________ their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else moving inside the doghouse. _________ another little ball appeared, this one _________ smaller. In a somewhat _________ way the little dog began hobbling (蹒跚) towards the others, doing its best to __________.

“I just want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to it.

The farmer said, “He is not a wise __________ as he will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”

With that the little boy __________ from the fence, and began rolling up one leg of his __________. In doing so he showed a steel brace (钢支架) running down both sides of his leg. “You see, sir, I don’t __________ too well myself, so I know he will need someone who __________ him,” he said.

The world is full of people who need someone that understands.

【推荐2】I decided to ski to the North Pole. It was after I saw a(n) ______ in a newspaper looking for people to join a team that would ______ 350 miles to the Magnetic North Pole. Back in 1996, a woman from the UK had never ______ this challenge. I wondered what it would be like to ______ in temperatures that cold, so I sent off for the application form.

When the application form ______, it said “Are You Man Enough for the Ultimate Challenge? ” and it was ________ pictures of male explorers. I was angry and decided that women could do it too, so it made me even more ______ to get on the team.

Over 500 individuals _______ for a place in the team, and the selection process included physical and psychological tests designed to _______ the best group. One test was to complete the Sandhurst military assault course, where the UK’s best officers are trained, and it’s not for _______. We had to climb a huge rope ladder, and I stopped at the top because I have a fear of ______. I thought all hope was ______. But two others helped me over, and later I found out that the organizers were not looking for amazing ______, but great team players, and it was this moment _______ had shown them who would look out for others in the team. I had also shown my real self, and in a place like the Arctic, you have to be yourself,_______there is nowhere to hide. These _______ of asking for help and showing your real self are necessary for women to master.

I realized that by being yourself, I could _______. I was chosen for the team, and as a result became the _______ British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole. I realized that I could achieve more than I ever ______ -but more importantly, by sharing my story with others, I could ______ them to take a step into the unknown.

【推荐3】A meadow in bloom （鲜花盛开的草甸）cannot be more appealing for British. The swinging wild flowers at their peak show essence（精髓）of the season and are perfect for ______ with your video camera. But that is a thing of the ______.

Motorways, new towns, factories―Britain has ______ much damage to its natural scenery, and every year more land of the countryside is ______ to tall buildings. While no wildlife habitat has escaped the ______ of the developer’s bulldozer （推土机）, none has ______ a greater impact than the meadow. Around 93% of Britain’s meadows have ______ in the past 70 years.

The blooming meadow was a much-loved ______ of the English countryside poetry for generations, as ______ to the summer as white snow to the winter. Nowadays, scenes of a farmer’s field ______ of colorful wild flowers are more ______ to be seen on greeting cards than on country roads in July.

Although expansion of cities has ______ England’s green land, the primary cause for the loss was the post-war trend of frequent ______ practice. These wildflower-rich habitats began to decrease during wartime when traditionally managed grassland was ______ to serve as farmland. The sowing of highly productive crops, such as potatoes, ______ the practice after the war. More of the grassland was,______, gone forever.

In terms of biodiversity, the ______ of the habitat cannot be overstated: a common old meadow can ______ around 130 different plant species. Many of them are ______, since they flower for just a few days in midsummer. An uncut meadow is also a ______ for many of Britain’s threatened birds to keep away from enemies.

【推荐1】UPS driver Ryan Arens was making his rounds near a pond in Bozeman when he heard a strange sound. It was December, and about 15 feet from the frozen bank was the________of that sound—a half-submerged (半淹没) wire-haired dog, ________to cling to a thin layer of ice. An elderly man was already on the________, determined to save her. He’d________the pond in a rowboat and was striking the ice with a rock to create a(n)________to the dog. It was slow going, and Arens, 44, thought he stood a________chance.

“Animals are my weakness,” he said, ________why he chose to take off his overcoat, even though the temperature was in the 30s, and ________the rescue task.

His heart beating fast, Arens________the dog, using the other man’s rock to break the ice. He gave one______heave (拖动) with so much force that he slipped off the boat, ________into 16 feet of cold water. Luckily, he________in time to see the dog going under. He swam about five feet toward her, took________of her collar, and pulled her to the ice. He then lifted the dog into the________and slid it back to the shore, where________bystanders carried the dog to the home of the rowboat owner. Once in the house himself, Arens jumped into a________shower with the dog until they both defrosted. A few more minutes in the pond, and the dog would have likely________.

The next day, Arens was back working in the______neighborhood when the dog’s owner________to thank him for saving Sadie. The dog’s owner opened the door to his pickup, and Sadie ran out. She went________towards Arens, leaping on him and bathing him in wet kisses. “That special delivery was the highlight of my UPS career.” said Arens.

【推荐2】Ciro Ortiz, an 11-year-old kid, has recently set up a shop in a New York subway station. He offers five-minute “_________ advice” sessions to passers-by for $2.

Every Sunday, Ciro Ortiz spends about two hours at the Bedford subway station, sitting at a folding table with a cardboard sign that _________ “emotional advice $2”. Believe it or not, people actually do _________ for some pearls of _________ from the “emotional advice kid”. They ask him about all sorts of things from relationships and career advice to Donald Trump-the 45th US President-elect. He does his best to help them find the answer to their problems.

Ciro’s dad doesn’t make much money. One night Ciro was just inspired to try an idea of _________ he could make his own. His father _________ the idea and the next day they went into Williamsburg and set up the _________ on the street.

Ciro was surprisingly _________ with passers-by, and he’s been doing it ever since. On a good day, he’ll earn about $50, but it’s not just money that _________ him. Ciro was bullied at school in the past, which inspired him to __________ his entrepreneurial (创业) spirit in the temporary emotional advice desk, __________ the much more popular lemonade stand.

Plus, Ciro is __________ really good at giving people emotional advice. A woman came up to his father and said what Ciro told her was what she’d been __________ in her gut (直觉) that whole time. He was really nervous and __________ of himself in the beginning, but after a few Sundays, he started coming home telling his mother, “I’ve met so many wonderful people. I will __________ having so many friends.”

【推荐3】There was a time when I was certain I could never deeply love an animal. I know this is ________ to admit. In Britain, an indifference (冷漠) to pets is considered a fault on one's character.

My wife was also ________ sure that she could never deeply love me if I could not love animals. And at the beginning of this year, the risk increased. We were to ________ a cat from a friend who had fallen for a woman who is allergic (过敏的) to them.

I ________ — but coldly enough, I felt, to make clear that I would not be responsible for the creature's upkeep. I would ________ the cost of cat food, of course, but like a strict Victorian father I would avoid ________ entanglement (瓜葛)．

However, Hopper-well, I hardly need tell you that Hopper differs from other cats. Eight years old but slim as a kitten. Green-eyed and white-socked. Entirely independent but in need of human ________ , too, when the mood takes her. Like I said — unique.

These last four months have ________ me to spend an unexpected amount of time with Hopper. In my makeshift office, she sleeps beside me, meows at my feet, or leaps onto my back. Through the window, I watch Hopper stalk (踱方步) through the long grass, ________ me of a wilder world outside.Every morning feed her; every evening we play with a feather stuck to a stick. It is our ________ -the only part of my timetable that has not been spoiled by the coronavirus (冠状病毒). Without the lockdown, would I have realized the everyday happiness a cat can bring?