【推荐1】I joined a new school in Grade 6. The_________of surroundings was a headache. The new school buildings created a sense of_________in me. And I was certain that the first few days were going to be_________.

On my first day at Vigor High School I truly felt like a_________out of water. While I_________the school campus I could see that this place was cleaner and more organized than my previous school. As I walked towards my new classroom, I couldn't help_________if I would get a seat towards the_________of the room. I have always been_________and preferred staying away from the limelight.

When I entered the room, I could feel the energy. of_________thirty pairs of eyes staring at me. I slowly moved towards the middle of the room where I spotted one of the few__________seats and parked myself there. I didn't look up to meet and__________my new classmates, as everything felt to awkward.

Then I saw tall girl entering the room. She had a__________face, her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail（马尾辫）, and she came towards me with a__________look. I wished that she would not talk to me and stopped making eye contact. However, she__________herself as Meer and asked if she could take the seat beside me. I had no choice but to__________.

The warmth in Meer's smile and the beauty of her thoughts were__________as soon as she stared speaking to me. I immediately sensed that she was someone I would want to be__________with.

After completing a year at Vigor High, I am now__________that there was an empty seat next to me on my first day at school, as that was what__________me to find Meer. She is my best friend in school today and I know we would be friends for__________to come.

【推荐2】The stage lights dimmed, and I took a quick look from behind the heavy black curtains into the audience. Blinded by the lights, I quickly_______.It seems that a great number of eyes were looking at me. I took a deep_______as the music of my dance began to play. I entered the stage and began my_______, the graduation test of the classical Indian dance.

After a decade of learning this art form, I had_______ been considered ready to take on the most difficult act. The test is the most important event in a dancer's life, as it shows_______ for all the factors in one's life that_______ the dance form: one's culture and family.

The performance is undertaken only by the most_______ and determined students. It is a difficult process that requires much_______. For more than six months, I spent two to three hours every day_______these dances. Many times, I ________ myself to my physical and mental breaking point, but still I would not stop. I could not give up. There was always so much more to do and so much more to________

I________a lot about myself in those tiring hours. I learned that I was far too________ to give up, and I was too proud to prove myself________ after I had set an unrealistic goal. Even with physical pain and mental________, I forced myself to meet my________. Even when I was at the end of my ________there was always something driving me on, forcing me not to give up.

Fortunately, I made it. What I had done________the success. It was in those hours that I learned what a dancer________ is. The time was evidence that I could________ something I set out to do.

【推荐1】A mysterious creature was living under a man’s shed (简易房). Everything in his garden was almost ________, so he decided to set up a ________.

“I’ve been a gardener for over 20 years and I’ve never seen this kind of damage. Everything I ________ was getting eaten to pieces,” said Jeff.

He ________ a squirrel and a mouse grabbing snacks, but something didn’t ________. Then one day, he saw the culprit (肇事者), a groundhog (土拨鼠). The groundhog looked straight into the camera as if he was ________, “Yeah, I’m here. I’m eating your garden. What are you going to do about it?”

At first Jeff was a little upset and built some high ________. He put woods under the fences. But nothing ________. He kept seeing videos of the groundhog eating his vegetables.

Things only got ________. The groundhog, whom Jeff named “Chunk”, got a girlfriend and invited her to enjoy Jeff’s delicious treats, right in front of the camera. No matter what Jeff did, they were ________ a step ahead. “All they do is wake up and eat,” he said.

Well, as the saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” So, Jeff ________ to give them their own garden.

After they went into hibernation (冬眠) last November, Jeff had the ________ ready for them when they woke up. And to his ________, there was now a baby groundhog.

Jeff ________ the groundhogs a small picnic table, a water fountain, and put out some nice decorations. “If I can do a job to ________ them and keep them safe, I’m all for it,” Jeff said.

【推荐2】Stephen, a 68-year-old homeless man, lived in Australia. To ______ his time, he began to write poetry and short stories. He had always thought nobody else would see his writings. One day that ______ all because of a woman called Katie. He first met Katie in 2020 when her ______ became too much, and she needed to know what he was writing.

One day she got a special surprise from Stephen. He ______ her with a poem, and Katie was amazed at his ______. Katie knew he had an incredible ______ to write and wanted to share it with the world. She decided that Facebook would help to ______ the word and created a page for him. His work began to ______ many followers. He was given not only words of encouragement but also ______ gifts. In fact, there was one gift that would indeed change his life forever. One of the ______ on the page turned out to be Stephen’s long-lost brother, and the page helped them ______!

Katie ______ part of his life, and they are very close friends. His page is still ______, and he can write in the ______ of family and friends.

This story was so ______ that it was made into a documentary, called The Conditioned.

【推荐3】Devi had never been to a swimming lesson in her life. But now that her mother had found a new job in the city, Devi faced a new ________ — school field trips to the local pool.

The first time Devi went with her class to the pool, she had no ________ what she was in for. Devi ________ into the water and held onto the side of the pool, expecting to be able to touch the ________ with her feet. But when Devi ________ the side of the pool, she sank under the water. Devi soon ________ the cement ledge (水泥平台) to prevent herself drowning. Then, seized by ________, she just sat on a bench, too embarrassed to try again.

When she came home, her mother ________ right away that Devi was upset. “Honey, I made a call to the local pool, and you start lessons this weekend.” Devi felt ________ that lessons would help, but she had to ________ her fear.

________, when the time came to take her first lesson, Devi was even more embarrassed than before. “I’m 13, and I’m taking lessons with all little kids! This is ________”

When she was standing there, her ________ came over and said,“ Hi, Devi! I’m Angela. You know what, I didn’t learn to swim until I was 20, and now I’m a swimming teacher!”

Angela’s words put Devi ________ . She couldn’t help but smile, realizing that she might never be a fearless swimmer, but she would sure have fun ________.