【推荐2】According to an old story, a young man came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water while wandering in the desert. The water was very ______. He filled his leather canteen (水壶) so he could bring some back to an old man in his tribe who had been his ______.

After a four-day ______, he gave the water to the old man. The old man took a deep drink, smiled warmly and ______ his student for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy ______.

Later, the teacher let another student ______ the water. He spat it out, saying it was ______ and stale because of the old leather canteen.

The student ______ his teacher: “Master, the water was terrible. Why did you ______ to like it?”

The teacher replied, “You ______ tasted the water. I tasted the gift. When my student gave me the water, it was an ______ of love and kindness and ______ could be sweeter.”

I think we ______ this lesson best when we receive ______ gifts of love from young children. Whether it’s a paper boat or a drawing, the natural and proper ______ is appreciation and thankfulness because we appreciate the gift.

Gratitude doesn’t always come ______. Unfortunately, most children and many adults ______ only the thing that is given,______ the thought behind it. We should ______ ourselves and teach our children about the beauty of ______ gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

【推荐3】Once upon a time, there was a bad man named Millisphore. Millisphore was so thoroughly evil that he made a plan to ______ every important thing in the world. ______ by his great machines and ______ , he managed to ruin everything important. After that, he created a potion(毒药)that robbed people of their desire to work. He also managed to give off a ______ gas, which made people prefer to stay at home rather than ______ .

When things had reached the point where the entire world had been spoilt, Millisphore saw that only one thing     ____ in his way. It was the ______ . Despite all his evil inventions, his potion and his ______ , it seemed that families were still sticking together. What ______ him most was that all the families were resisting him.

He tried making the houses ______. but the families just lived closer together in less space. He also destroyed food, but the families just ______ little food they had, So he continued with his ______ deeds against the only thing that still ______ him, but nothing was working.

____   he discovered the secret to the strength of every family——they ______ each other. Though he tried to invent something to destroy the love. Millisphore ______ managed it. Sad and angry at not having managed to rule the world, he gave up and let everything ______ to normal.

At last, Millisphore was so depressed that all he could think of was to go to his parents' ______, and tell them what he had done. ______ all the wicked deeds he had done, his parents ran out of their house to hug him. They ______ him, and encouraged him to be good.

And so it is that even the family of the most wicked will love him and forgive him for anything! And aren't we fortunate to have a family?

【推荐1】A couple in ordinary clothes walked into the Harvard’s outer office. “We want to see the president(校长),” the man said softly. “He will be busy all day,” the secretary spoke_________, concluding that the couple had no _________ with Harvard from what they wore. “We’ll _________,” the lady replied.

Four hours, the secretary _________ them, hoping that the couple would finally become _________ and go away. They didn’t. And the secretary grew_________ and finally decided to disturb the president. Someone of his _________ obviously had no time to spend with nobodies, but he _________ people in such clothes filling in his outer office.

The president, frozen-faced, walked _________ toward the couple. The lady told him, “We had a son that __________ Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard and was very happy here. But he was accidentally__________. And my husband and I would like to ________ a memorial(纪念物) to him somewhere on campus.” The president wasn’t __________; he was shocked, “Madam,” he said __________. “We can’t put up a statue(雕像) for every person who studied in Harvard and died.”

“Oh, no.” the lady__________ quickly, “In fact, we thought we would give a building to Harvard.” The president __________ at the couple and then shouted, “A building! Do you know how much a building costs? The cost of the Harvard’s buildings is over 7.5 million dollars.”

For a moment the lady was __________. The president was pleased. He could __________ them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly. “Is that all it costs to __________ a university?” Her husband nodded. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California, where they established the university __________ after them—a memorial to a son.

【推荐3】Wayne Rogerson’s close friend, Ashley Cooper, died when he was seriously injured in a crash in 2008. His family later _________ his donated organs (器官) helped save seven people. This _________ Mr Rogerson to start donating blood.

Mr Rogerson said he _________ to do his bit and had donated blood 21 times, seldom _________ an appointment over eight years. But he could not have known the _________ act of giving blood would _________ save his own life.

At a donation _________ in 2017, a Red Cross Australia Lifeblood nurse discovered Mr Rogerson’s hemoglobin (血红蛋白) count was low and _________ him to seek medical care. “I had no _________, none at all,” he said. After Mr Rogerson went to a hospital and had medical tests, doctors said that he had developed cancer. Mr Rogerson spent about three months in hospital for an operation and treatment. During that time he _________ two blood transfusions (输血). “I was so _________ that they got it in time … I was fully recovered in November that year,” he said. But, to his _________, he can no longer donate blood due to_________ reasons. “After being both a(n) _________ and a recipient (接受者), I urge everyone to donate if you can,” he said.

“The _________ you save might just be your own.”

【推荐3】“A public-speaking competition will be held next Monday. Each student will give a two-minute speech, ” Mr Taylor said.

The idea of _______ in front of the students made me _______. On the bus home, I asked Tanya, “What will I give a speech about?”

“I don’t know. What can you _______ for two minutes?” she said.

“_______!” I said. “All I’ll be able to _______ is my shaky legs and voice!”

For the whole _______, I felt nervous and worried. I even considered flying to Brazil for a holiday to avoid this speech.

The day finally came and my name was called.

“He-ll-o,” I said. Someone laughed quietly.

I _______ again, “Hello.”

Better — _______ I still sounded like a scared dog.

Yes! That was it. “I _______ public speaking,” I said. Some laughed.

I showed the ________ my shaking legs. Everyone laughed. I looked at Tanya and she gave me a big smile. My speech flooded back to me. My knees settled and my hands ________.

“Many people feel like ________ when they have to give a speech,” I stopped for a second. “But I guess I’m the only one who ________ bought a ticket to Brazil.” I was on a roll and my two minutes ________.

Laughter and clapping floated around me ________ I finished my speech. I had given my audience an excellent speech.