【推荐1】We went for a walk in the fields, my mother, my wife, my son and I.

Mother had been ___________ to come out with us, for she was in poor health, and even a(n) ___________ distance would make her feel tired. But I insisted that, just for this reason, walking was necessary. ___________ her agreement, she went to fetch her overcoat.

This year, spring came too late. Some old people found it hard to endure the long cold. But ___________ spring was here now, and my mother had ___________ another bitter winter.

My mother and I walked in front, followed by my wife and son. Later, ___________ occurred between us: my mother wanted to take the main road, for it was wide and ___________, while my son preferred the little path, where there might be more interesting things. It was ___________ me to make the final decision. My mother had got used to listening to her strong son, and my son was in the habit of ___________ his father, a big figure in his mind. I suddenly feel the weight of a heavy ____________. I tried to ____________ a win-win choice, but failed. Finally, I decided ____________ my son, because there would be long years ____________ in which I could be with him.

But my mother changed her ____________ and said, “We’d better take the little path. You’ll have to ____________ me on your back in places I can’t walk across.”

The problem thus ____________; we picked our way along the little path. When we came to a certain spot, I let my mother get on my back. My wife followed my ____________ and carried our son. ____________ as my mother was, she was quite thin, and not heavy at all. My son was ____________, but a child could only be so heavy. Despite this, both my wife and I walked ____________, as steadily as possible, as if we bore the whole world on our backs.

【推荐1】It was Christmastime, and I had promised my son a bicycle. But life’s little catastrophes had __ my bike savings again and again. I stood at the bicycle display and my heart __ .

But, ___, there must be one that I could afford. I walked back and forth in front of the ___, as if I could will one into _____. “Please God,” I prayed silently. “I promised him a bicycle.”

I stopped and stared as the truth became __: there was not a single bike within my _____ .

A man walked up beside me and was excited about making his __. He wanted to know which one I was getting. I pointed to a green one, my son’s favorite color and explained to him the promise and my __ .

He stared at it for a moment and then said to me, “I’ll carry this to the __ for you.”

“I can’t!” I said. “I don’t have enough money.”

“I know,” he said,   “I’m _____ it for you.”

“What? You can⁵t get this for me.”

He __ me and walked to the checkout line and paid.

“Now which way to your car?” he asked, walking out of store.

A million concerns as to his motives _____through my head, but I walked to my car, full of ____ and gratitude.

He ____ the big box into the trunk. Then he turned to me, said, “Merry Christmas!” and quickly disappeared in the parking lot.

I ____ the generosity of that man’s deed in my heart, and over the years tried to be ___ to what I could do for others.

Fifteen years later, in that same store I heard a __ woman in the next line whispering that she couldn’t ____ what she needed for her unborn baby. I __ and said to myself “I’m on it, God!”

【推荐2】My brother Henry and I were driving home together and were talking with each other. We became so _________ in the conversation that my brother took a wrong turn. The wrong turn took us towards a _________ and we had no way to turn back. _________, my brother paid the toll (通行费) and drove on. He was clearly _________ by the mistake and the waste of $4.

We finally found an exit and, as we took it, my brother noticed an old black car _________ to the side of the road. A young man holding a mobile phone was standing nearby and trying to _________ someone. I was busy trying to find out which way we went next, but my brother stopped to ask the man if he needed _________.

And he did. He had a _________ tire (轮胎) and needed a wrench (扳手) to get it off. My brother gave him a wrench, and then started to help him _________ the tire. He said that this had been a __________ week for him; earlier a minor car accident, and now this flat on his way home. But he called us “A breath of fresh air” and kept __________ us and tried to give $20 to us. “No,” my brother said, “We were never meant to even get on that bridge, but we took a wrong turn. Now we know __________ we did. It was to help you. Thank you for turning our mistake into a __________ to serve.”

What I loved most was watching my brother through the whole __________. He was able to turn his anger for the mistake into __________ energy. He was able to see a chance to help in a negative situation, which I totally missed!

【推荐1】The moon had gone behind a cloud and there weren't many stars in the sky. As I took a glance (一瞥) at my neighbour's house, I saw a flame (火焰) in his_________. I thought he was having a midnight fast food so I went back to my _________.

Soon, there was a burning smell in the air and I guessed something was wrong. _________, I jumped out of bed and went downstairs to _________. I saw fire coming out of my neighbour's kitchen. Right away, I _________ "Fire! Fire!" But there was no one nearby to hear my shouts for help.

I _________ into my house, called the fire department and went back to my neighbour's house. I rang the doorbell, hit on the door and called out my neighbour's name but there was no _________. I managed to _________ the house and rescued a cat and a rabbit.

I tried to throw water through the kitchen window _________ it was no use; the fire was too strong. __________, a fire engine arrived and soon the firemen put out the fire. They arrived just in time as the fire was going to __________ to the other rooms in the house.

When my neighbour came back, he was__________ because his kitchen was burnt down, but he thanked me for calling the fire department and for saving his __________. He wanted to give me some money in return but I did not accept it.

Weeks later, my neighbour repaired and restored his kitchen. He __________ me to see his new kitchen and there he gave me a medal that he had __________ ordered from a factory. It made me feel very happy.

【推荐2】One of my neighbors used to have a beautiful tree in her front yard. Her dad had planted it for her when it was ________ a little branch and several years later it started to ________ towards the sky at an amazing speed. Soon it ________ her with cooling shade in the summer and glorious, golden leaves in the fall.

When the two-day snowstorm struck our town, heavy snow fell on the tree’s branches that were still full of leaves. The weight split that lovely tree down the middle. I was so ________ seeing half of it lying on the ground after the storm. When I talked to my neighbor later, she said that the damage had been too much and that the entire tree would have to be cut down. ________ , she had saved a few seedlings from it that she hoped to replant in the future.

Still, it was a(n) ________ to drive by her house the other day and see nothing but a stump(树桩) in her front yard. I missed that tree. I missed its branches, its leaves ________ in the afternoon sun. I missed seeing its limbs reach towards the heavens. I thought that the stump would be a sad reminder of its   ________ for a long time to come.

My wonderful neighbor had another plan, ________ . When I drove by her home today I saw a tiny bird feeder sitting on that stump and a colorful songbird having its dinner. It was such an affirmation(肯定) of ________ . It was such a joy to ________ .

Life by its very nature is a ________ bag. It hands us both beauty and ________ , love and loss, pleasure and pain. What we do with it, however, is up to us. We can let it split us in two, or we can use even its ________ times to make our souls stronger and our hearts more loving. We can spend it complaining or we can ________ it to help others.