【推荐1】I had spent a full day on my work again. And now I only had twenty minutes before my three _________ girls would come with various: storybooks and homework demands that would keep me on my toes until their _________.

I was a(n) _________ in a small publishing house, writing several columns and several others. I spent my days at the _________, my nights at my home computer, and somewhere in between, parented my children and ran our busy household. I felt like I was _________ so much time and energy on my work that it was hard to _________ the passion for my children.

There is a quote which reads: “Our children deserve the best of us, not the rest of us.” The _________ of my day, and then of the past weeks, months and years, gave me clear memories: I _________ at work with the enthusiasm of a new day. _________, when I came home, I was always __________ and spent. I realized how much I had been putting in my work and how little I had __________ for my children. This quote describes everything that was __________ with my priorities, with my work-life balance, in a few simple __________.

The following day, I gathered up every bit of courage and __________ my boss for a chat. We spoke for a while, working out a way to __________ my job and move some of the burden out of my __________. So, I could come home __________ and have some emotional reserves given to the most __________ people in my life. The shift was __________. The more family time we had together, the more delighted they became. If you want to feel wealthy, __________ the things you have and that money can’t buy.

【推荐3】Our oversized, male Golden Retriever (金毛寻回犬), Rusty weighed much more than most Goldens. Though big, he was _________. When Karen, my 18-month-old daughter, held a cookie out to him, he’d take it gently. Wherever she went, Rusty would _________ her. If we grown-ups held out food for him, _________ , he ate it like a hungry wolf.

One day, I was occupied with chores all the morning in the kitchen. When I looked out the window, my heart _________! Our back yard had two levels, with stone steps leading from the lower level to the larger open area above. At the highest point of the steps was a _________ of 1.5 meters to the lower level. Then and there, I saw Karen on the upper level walking along the edge!

Though _________, I didn’t shout for fear of frightening her into losing _________ and falling to the ground below. Then I noticed Rusty beside her, moving to _________ the way. Not to be stopped, Karen walked to an open spot. Just as quickly, Rusty moved himself in front again, _________ her.

That repeated a couple of times. Finally, she got __________ and moved back to the center. Sighing with __________, I ran up immediately. “Come on, Karen,” I said, “Let’s go inside and get a __________.”

She clapped her hands and grabbed mine, making her way down slowly. Rusty stayed by her side, moving at her pace. When we got to the door, she __________ my hand and crawled through the doggy door. Rusty followed. This was how they got outside with the door __________. By the time I got to the kitchen, Karen and her four-legged nanny were waiting for the __________ cookie.

I never worried about Karen playing outside after that.

【推荐1】I looked around at the other patients waiting to see the doctor. Maybe they all had more ______ plans for the evening on this Valentine’s Day, but for now the group seemed completely antisocial. Three people had their heads down, staring at cell phones. Another young man ______ a magazine. The receptionist tapped at her computer, Behind her, the clerk who dealt with insurance was examining papers ______. Everyone was in their own little world.

“Roberta? The doctor’s ready for you,” the nurse called. At least I’ll have some kind of human ______, I thought.

My checkup went ______, and I walked out of the office cheerfully to my ______ in a space right out front. I got ______ and turned the key in the ignition (点火装置). Nothing. Oh, no. Not again. I’d brought the car in several times already for this very problem and thought it had finally been ______.

Instinctively, I reached for my cell phone to call AAA—then remembered it was ______, like my car. I would have to use the phone inside. A few people glanced up when I came back into the waiting room, then quickly went ______ to what they were doing. “Sorry to disturb you,” I said to the group, hoping that I sounded ______. Several people turned to ward me to listen. “But my car won’t ______.”

The nurse first broke the ______ in the waiting room. “Are you in trouble? I’ll get my jumper cables for you.” Just as she said that, some patients also ______ to see and followed me to my car. I was deeply touched. A moment ago, we were still ______, but now, we are just like a family.

【推荐3】Jane is an Australian girl. She likes sports very much. Last year, she went to climb a _________ mountain. When she began to climb, she wanted to _________ the top quickly. _________ she ran fast all the way. Then she arrived at a ridge (山脊). She was very _________ to the top now, and she could see the other people on the top. She couldn’t wait to _________ them.

Suddenly, she saw that there was a huge stone _________ the way. She wasn’t able to see a road up to the top. “How can I get to the top?” She _________ loudly. So she thought, “I will have to jump over the huge _________.” She tried again and again but she couldn’t _________ it. It’s too high. How all those people get to the top? She said to __________ “Perhaps they are taller and __________ than me.”

Just at that moment, a middle-aged woman __________ behind her. “Would you like to reach the top of the mountain?” She asked. The girl said yes. “You follow me.” the woman said. The girl followed the woman to the far side of the ridge and saw there was a winding (弯曲) road.

Climbing the road was __________ . Soon they got to the top.

At times the fastest way to get where you would like to go is to take many small __________ instead of one big jump. It needs patience, courage and wisdom said the woman. __________, the girl understood what she should do on the way to success.