【推荐1】One night, when I was eight, my mother told me that her company needed her to work in Brazil—a country far away from our home. In order to make us live a better life in the future, she decided to go. After my mother left, I ______ her very much. For almost four years, my mother would call us from Brazil every day. Every evening I'd ______ wait for the phone to ring and then tell her every detail of my day. A phone call, however, could never take the place of her presence, so I still felt______ at times.

During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Brazil to visit her. Looking at her large empty ______ , I became aware of how lonely my mother must have been in Brazil, too. It was then that I started to______ the tough choices she had to make on balancing family and work. Faced with difficult decisions, she used to tell me that I must make the best out of the situation with a ______ attitude.

Back home, I reminded ______ that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she______ to live in Brazil all by herself, I, too, could learn to be independent ( 独立的). I learned how to take care of myself and set high but achievable ______.

My mother is now back with us, but I will never______ what the experience has really taught me. The separation between us has proved to be good and helpful for me.

【推荐3】Dante Gabriel Rossetti was a famous 19th-century poet and artist.One day,he was____by an elderly man.The old fellow had some sketches and drawings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good, ____if they at least showed____talent.

Rossetti examined them carefully.After the first few, he knew that they were____,showing not the least____of artistic talent.But Rossetti was a kind man,and he told the elderly man as____as possible that the pictures were without much____and showed little talent.He was sorry,but he could not____to the man.The visitor was____,but seemed to____Rossetti's judgment.

He then____for taking up Rossetti's time,but____to ask whether he would just look at a few more drawings—these done by a young art student.Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became____ over the talent they____.“These,”he said,“oh,these are good.This young student has great talent.He should be given every help and encouragement in his____as an artist.He has a great future if he will work hard and____it.”

Rossetti could see that the old fellow was deeply____.“Who is this fine young artist?”he asked.“Your son?” “No,”said the old man____. “It is me—40 years ago.If only I had heard your____then!For you see,I got discouraged and gave up—too____.”