【推荐1】A store owner was putting up a sign above his door that read “Puppies(小狗) For Sale”. Soon a little boy appeared under the store owner’s ________. “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.

The store owner ________, “Anywhere from 30 dollars to 50 dollars.” The little boy reached in his pocket and ________ some change. “I have 2.37 dollars,” he said. “Can I look at them?”

The store owner smiled and whistled(吹口哨), a mother dog came out, ________ by five puppies. One puppy was ________ behind. The little boy said “What’s wrong ________ that little dog?”

The store owner explained that it was born with ________ legs. The little boy became excited. “That’s the little puppy that I want to buy.”

The store owner was ________ and said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you ________ want him, I’ll just give him to you.”

The ________ got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes and said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is ________ every bit as much as all the other dogs. And I’ll pay full ________. In fact I’ll give you 2.37 dollars now, and 50 cents a month ________ I have him paid for.”

The store owner said, “This little dog is a disabled dog. He is ________ going to be able to jump and play with you like the other puppies.”

To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant. A big metal brace(支架) was supporting his leg. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need ________ who understands!”

【推荐2】That day, Sam was called to his teacher Jackson’s office. He was feeling down when he talked with his teacher.

“I feel as if I had no ________ of my life at the moment. My parents are telling me one thing, but my friends are telling me another. Everything keeps changing and I ________ my way.” Jackson nodded his head and left the room for a moment, returning with a chessboard. He set it down on the table between them and ________ Sam to start. They exchanged a few turns without any real purpose ________ Jackson spoke for the first time.

“In the game of chess, who are you?” Jackson asked. “I feel like a pawn (卒). I am limited (受……限制) ________ in my movement,” answered Sam. “Who would you like to be?” Jackson asked. “I’d like be the queen, of course. She can move in any direction and is the most ________ piece on the chessboard,” Sam said. “Are you sure about that?” Jackson added. “Of course! Isn’t it ________?” Sam answered.

Jackson sat back in the chair and said in a quiet, but firm (坚定地) voice ________ be the pawn or the queen. You should to be the player moving the pieces around. Stop being pushed around ________ others and take charge (掌管，负责). There are too many people around us whose lives are controlled by other people. You are better than them, so step up and take charge! We weren’t born to be pieces moved around on a chessboard. We were born to positively (积极地) ________ the world around us.”

Sam understood and smiled, “Checkmate (将).” With that, deciding to change the world in his own way.

Richard was born in California. He _______ with three older sisters and they had a happy life. There was delicious food on the table and he had lots of clothes too. They went to _______ schools in the city. All this was possible because of their father Michael.

Michael was born in a _______ family in a small town just outside Mexico City. When Michael was a boy, there was not enough food for him to eat, or running water to drink. Whenever he was thirsty, he would go to the river to collect _______. Michael lived in a small house. Many times he slept on the _______, with just a blanket (毯子) between him and the ground.

That all changed at the age of 17. Michael _______ to the United States with his family. The first few years were almost as _______ as it was in Mexico, but gradually (渐渐地) things began getting better.

When Michael was 19, he decided to go to a community college. His father had always talked about the importance of _______ English while they lived in Mexico. Soon Michael brought home excellent report cards (成绩报告单). _______ this, he was able to go to university.

After graduating from the university, Michael got a great job that paid ________. He soon had a big happy family of his own.

【推荐2】As husband, Jeff, stood on the busy New York city street trying to stop a taxi, I tried to protect my daughter from the cold December wind and rain, put my head down and kissed her tiny face.

Sad and wet, my husband ________ his try to call a taxi. I knew the feeling. Just after my daughter Katie’s birthday, we were told that she had a brain illness. Since that moment, Jeff and I felt like runners in a race where the finish line kept moving. We knew Katie was running out of time. It had taken months before we finally had a name for the illness, but ________ a few doctors in the world knew how to check it.   Now as we finally found an excellent doctor to ________ our girl, we were in a   strange city in the cold rain.

Just at that moment, a middle aged woman stopped her car and said, “Pardon me? May I offer you a ride?”

________ we could say anything, she continued, “Really no trouble for me. Just get in.”

It was then that I noticed her thick Irish accent ( 口音 ), which ________ me up like hot soup. She encouraged us to be happy before she left. We simply said, “Thanks! Roosevelt Hospital, please.” As we got in her car for the ride. “Are you going   ________ the baby?” she asked us. I nodded my head, holding back my ________.

At the hospital, we thanked her many times for the ________. As the woman hugged me, I noticed her face was wet with tears.

After three more visits to New York and two more brain surgeries, Kate is cured. But the ________ of the Irish Angel was like a bright ray of light that appeared in our ________ days. My family would never forget that angel.