I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying and made a     1     (complain) about that, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. . My mother said to me, “You     2     (look) at by the passengers now. We had better not make a noise. In addition, she said, “You     3     have learned about America before, haven’t you?” I said yes. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to     4     I listened every morning.

I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. The four years that followed taught me the importance of thinking about and dealing with matters     5     (positive), but the idea did not come to me at once. Originally, for the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather (继父) and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”

My     6     (responsible) in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives. I ended up     7     (be)able to adapt     8     the social style and environment here in America. I also loved to     9     (participation)in some volunteer activities with my classmates. Now our family members are all     10     (citizen) of America.