【推荐1】On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were _______ to go home. Some battled to call a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the _______ bravely, walking miles to get to work. I _______ to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most _______ had stopped. After making my way _______ crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was _______.

Unluckily, there were so many people waiting to _______ the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the _______. So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train _______   my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was ________ through, exhausted and discouraged.

My co­workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 p.m., I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer ________ I received an e­mail from Garth, my Director: “I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and ________ reported to work. It is always reassuring (令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their ________   to their jobs. Thank you.”

Garth’s e­mail was short, but I learned more from that ________ message than I ever did from a textbook. The e­mail taught me that a few words of ________ can make a big difference.

【推荐2】Last year I went on holiday to Spain. But ______, after two days in Madrid, I started to get severe ______ pain. I was in such suffering that I went to the local hospital for a(n) ______.

No sooner had I arrived than I was ______ to a small room, and I had not been waiting too long ______ a surgeon came to examine me. He didn’t speak English and I only spoke a few words of Spanish. He ______ that I had to remove my clothes and he gave me one of those funny hospital gowns (罩衣) which hardly ______ anything.

He then asked me in Spanish if I was embarrassed. “Si, unpoco (Yes, a little)”, I replied with my face turning red. You see, not only did I feel embarrassed at ______ my clothes in front of a stranger but also this ______ stranger was an extremely handsome man. He looked at me as though ______ me and then he quickly ______ down the passage.

I was beginning to ______ what had happened to him when he suddenly reappeared, this time with a group of ______ students, and again asked the same question in Spanish. Now I was feeling ______, and shouted in English, “Yes, I’m extremely embarrassed. I think you would   ______ too if you had to talk to a crowd of strangers with almost no clothes on.” Then a female doctor in the group held my arm gently and ______ in perfect English, “I think I see the ______. My tutor wants to take a photograph of your back ─ an X-ray ─so he wants to know if you are ______ a baby. You see, embarazada means pregnant in Spanish.”

No sooner had she told me this than I realized the ______ of the misunderstanding. We all had a ______, although I must admit that I felt rather stupid as well.

【推荐3】Charlie Villanueva, once an NBA player, is known for his ability to shoot hoops (篮筐). He says his success is largely due to what he has ________ since childhood.

Today Villanueva’s career may look successful, but life wasn’t always ________ for him. At 10, Villanueva got a skin disease alopecia. It caused his ________ loss, which was not life threatening but difficult for a kid to go through. Other kids called him hurtful names. In middle school, he was suspended (停学) for ________ a no-hats rule. ________ a note from his doctor allowed him to wear hats, they only ________ more unfriendly attention.

Through it all, Villanueva’s mother was there for him in good times and bad times. With his mother’s help and _________, Villanueva turned his frustration (挫败) into ________ to play basketball well on the court. As he improved as an athlete; basketball helped him deal with his alopecia.

In fact, over six million Americans have alopecia like Villanueva. They have gifts, abilities and a need to feel _________, Villanueva established the Charlie Villanueva Foundation to help families of kids with alopecia. Villanueva ________ kids to feel good about who they are, work hard toward their goals and ________ to others. Here’s his ________ for them.

“We’re all ________ in our own different ways. Embrace it and enjoy life _________. Many didn’t think I’d make it. Thankfully they were ________ about me. Believe in yourself, and all dreams are possible.”

【推荐3】It was a hot, wet summer day a few years ago. At a local gas station, I noticed two elderly ladies _________ away from their car. There was a look of shock and _________ on their faces. I looked and saw what they saw. Five wasps (大黄蜂)had started to _________ a nest around the gas cap. My eyes _________ in surprise. I shared the ladies' fear. The nest seemed to be forming.

Wasps had never been _________ of mine. Several times wasps had _________ me while I was cutting my grass, bringing me a lot of pain _________ I was afraid to cut the grass for a long time.

The most _________ time, however, was when I was a young boy. A friend of mine and I were running and playing in my backyard. I had _________ stepped on one of their hidden nests because before we knew it, we were being run after and __________ over and over by the wasps. We ran to my mom with tears in our eyes. My mom immediately let us have a cold bath and put us in the __________ water before giving us medicine to fight all the __________ in our little bodies from the stings(刺毛).

Recalling the past stings, I knew I couldn't let fear prevent me __________ others now. I reached into my back pocket for a paper towel and tore out the nest while the __________ wasps flew around me. The ladies finally thanked me and I said “You're welcome!” with a smile and a(n) __________ heart.