【推荐1】At 111, Dr Edith Kaufmann was the second oldest person in the UK. I met her when I _________ a care home for the elderly in London six years ago. I didn’t realize it would be the start of a close _________, where the age gap was eight decades.

At first sight, I was _________ by her self-confidence. Her doctorate (博士学位) told me she was intelligent and _________. From the beginning, I never felt as if Edith and I _________ conversation. Edith could have a full conversation with me about anything, and that her memory stretched back so easily, _________ even small things which took place 100 years ago.

She was also _________ . She loved dancing as a child and I recall, only a few weeks before her death, she laughed _________ when I played the waltz (华尔兹) and we _________ hands and danced along to the music. Although towards her later years she was __________ to a wheelchair, she still participated in the exercise classes.

As I __________ Edith each week, I realized that I was going as much for me as I was for her. I learnt to take the words of __________ when I could get them. When I have __________ over the years, and small decisions have weighed on my mind, I have __________ nothing more than the opportunity to regain my perspective on life and what actually __________.

【推荐3】The Patch of Life

Not long ago, my daughter’s shoes were scratched (划破) with a knife. She ________tears. I took them to the shoemaker’s to get them repaired.

The young apprentice (学徒) glanced at the opening and said, “There is nothing I can do except________the upper.” But his master looked at them and said, “If you trust me, I will add more scratches on both shoes.” I was________and asked why. He explained, “As if the openings were made_________   purpose for a special style.” I didn’t fully understand him, but I decided to leave the shoes.

Two days later I dropped by from work to ________the shoes. I found more ________on each shoe, but all the openings were patched (打补丁) with soft red leather, and the stitches (缝线) were twisted with the appearance looking more ________and interesting than ever. I couldn’t help________ the master’s skill.

Another time, my wife’s sister’s white blouse was torn a large opening on the back. My wife checked it ________, and then said, “Let me take it home and mend it.”

Three days later, seeing it again, I was shocked: all the ________and openings were sewed up by thin and white thread and they ________a look of branches, like the ice crystal on winter’s branches in the ________. In order to enhance the effect, she ________a fatty snowman and a cabin made of flowery cotton rags on the shirt. I sighed with praise, “It’s amazing.”

“I was inspired by the shoemaker. Patches are supposed to be ugly, but a ________craftsman can make it take on a look of ________,” replied my wife.

Her words ________me more: imperfection is normal in life; patches appear in the form of injury, ________or disease. Since you can’t change the________of wound, you should not expect people’s sympathy by the wound, which is ________. Just sew the wound by patches and bloom a most ________flower on the wound, and that is the significance of life.

【推荐2】A sudden illness took away most of Rebecca’s hearing when she was only six years old. Afterwards, she says her ________ went too. Unable to listen, she ________ to communicate with the great help of her family and friends. Rebecca felt lonely, but she did not ________ herself. She says her biggest concern was ________ to live like a normal person. She taught herself to

read lips, and learned to speak confidently without being able to hear herself. ________, she found the right place to flourish (茁壮成长).

Today, working at the Qetan Sewing Center, Rebecca rediscovered something she greatly ________: a sense of belonging. “The center has a really ________ impact on me in terms of being able to meet people. The environment is ________, which helps you move forward,” says Rebecca.

Better still, Rebecca has also found a professional outlet. “I’ve always been ________ the arts. Drawing and logo design are major parts of our work. I ________ this very much,” she says.

Rebecca says her ________ of self-discovery is not yet over. Every day, she is seeking to ________ herself. “Open your mind to the ________. Take positive ________ to achieve your goals. Keep an eye on your future.”

The way that Rebecca lives her life demonstrates this idea that you can achieve your goals ________ you stay focused.