1 . Back in the day when I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life, I was studying to become a firefighter. As a firefighter, you’re _________ thinking of other people and trying to help children. That’s the mindset.

One dark night I _________ at a burger place. I got my burger and started to head for my car when I was _________ by a homeless man. He was very dirty and obviously very hungry. He asked me for some _________ to buy a little food. As I was pulling out some, I had an idea.

I _________ to see if he wanted to eat a real dinner, so I asked him to follow me back into the burger joint to order. He was _________ of the way he looked and said he did not want to. But I _________. When he eventually followed me in, the people behind the _________ refused to let him in, but I told them that I was buying him dinner and he had a _________ to be there. After some negotiating, they finally __________. It seemed like he was __________ a bit to be finally sitting at a table. Well, I asked him to order whatever he wanted. He only ordered a burger, so I had to __________ him to order whatever and however much he wanted. He __________ ordering enough to fill his stomach at least 3 times over!

Now I often think about this story, because to me it’s not just about helping someone out by __________ them, but giving him the respect and __________ of being a human being and allowing him to feel good about himself that was truly rewarding.

3 . Many people agree that pets are family. It’s because they _______ pets like human family members. Unfortunately, so many animals have much _______ lives than us. And it seems like we can never get _______ days together.

Julia Earheart knows _______ how strong the love for a pet and the pet _______ to its owners can be because she has her own pets. Based in Michigan, Julia works as an independent photographer with plenty of _______ customers. But it’s her non-paying customers that get the most out of the sessions.

When elderly and sick pets _______ their final months with their humans, Julia offers to take pet photos for _______. She photographs these owners and their pets so even when the pet dies, its owner can enjoy every last moment together.

And these pictures couldn’t be more beautiful but heartbreaking at the same time. “The shoots can be emotional and difficult, absolutely,” Julia said. “But when you look at the pictures, you can see that _______ is possible even when there isn’t much ________ left.”

Julia wants the owners to be able to spend the money on vet bills and toys ________a photography session. Thanks to her, some lucky owners can ________ the final days with their companions so the owners couldn’t be more ________.

“I won’t be able to get to all of them and that’s the hardest thing for me,” Julia said. Even though she can’t help all of the owners, she is an angel for giving this ________ gift to so many heartbroken pet parents. Above all, she uses her talent to________love and comfort.

7 . Kim Stemple, a special-education teacher, faced terrible diseases during her stay in a Boston hospital. While ________ with depression in her hospital room, Stemple received an unexpected present from a friend: a medal.

Before Stemple got too sick to ________, she had been a marathon runner and the medal brought back her racing memories. It served as a much-needed pick-me-up, ________ her of the strength and perseverance she once possessed. ________, it worked like a charm, and then some, ________ her spirits and renewing her determination.

Inspired by this life-changing ________, Stemple began to think about how such a simple act could bring hope to others going through ________ times. And from this ________ of inspiration, her charity, We Finish Together, was born. This initiative ________ medals from strangers — runners, dancers, swimmers, singers, and even spelling bee win-ners — and donated them to individuals in need.

Part of the process ________ the donor writing a personalized note on the ribbon, giving the recipient a unique ________ to someone who cares. Indeed, for those who were ________ in hospitals and battling health challenges, being presented with a medal and reading the warm ________ really made a big difference. It ________ a reminder that they were not ________ in their struggles and that there was always support available to them.

8 . There are lots of children across the US who are living in residential treatment facilities (疗养中心). Many of these young people have _________ serious trauma (心理创伤) in their lives.

“People seldom know that they’re there,” said Mike Ball, whose nonprofit, Lost Voices, works with these teens. Bal first _________ this population of youth in 2005 after he was _________ to speak about his writing career at a college.

As a writer and music lover, Ball knew songwriting could have a _________ effect on these young people. He had other local musicians _________ for the project, and Lost Voices was born in 2007. The organization _________ weeklong programs where musicians go into residential treatment facilities to help children to write songs and find their voice.

“I’m often _________ by the songs they write,” Ball said. “Sometimes they’re silly, but heartbreakingly real.” Ball has been writing and playing music since he was a child. He made a career out of his _________. He’s known the power and freedom that comes from _________ personal stories. “Expressing yourself is really essential,” Ball said.

A key __________ of the Lost Voices program is the trauma-informed care approach, which Ball and his team are specifically __________ to carry out. They create a nonjudgmental space where kids from all walks of life can __________ express their thoughts and work through difficult __________.

The program has __________ more than 2,500 kids. For Ball and his team, working with these populations can be demanding at times, but he said it’s __________ to do it.

9 . While driving in a small Colorado town, I stopped as a group of people crossed the road. As I watched, I ______ a thin, poorly dressed old lady taking a(n) ______ suitcase.

She managed to carry it for a few yards before setting it down on the ground. After trying several times, she was still ______ with it when the traffic started to move again.

Having experienced similar ______ in the past when traveling, I ______ alongside her and leaned over to call out through the window, “Excuse me. Would you like a ______?”

She stopped, gave me a ______ look and then started to walk hesitantly toward me, pulling her suitcase hard. “If you want to tell me where you’re going, I’ll ______ you off. That suitcase looks ______ heavy,” I said.

“Well, all right,” she answered in a ______ voice. And after we had both lifted her luggage into the back of my pickup, she ______ herself without a word on the front seat. My attempts at conversation were a ______, except for directions to her destination. When we arrived there and got her suitcase down, she ______ her hand into a pocket, saying, “What do I ______ you? I don’t have much.”

Surprised, I said, “Nothing. I was glad to be able to help.”

Her expression changed immediately, and she stared at me unbelievably. “Well, thank you, lady. No one has ever done me a(n) ______ like that before. God bless you.” Then she disappeared down the street, while something warm occurred in my heart.

10 . Justin Horner was driving down a freeway in Portland, when his tire blew out. He _________ to the side of the road and made a sign that said he needed _________.

Three hours later, a truck _________ pulled up. Out came a family of four. They were Latino, and their young daughter acted as the _________ between her parents’ Spanish and Horner’s English, so that they could work together to _________ the car. They spent about an hour on the repair.

“I just _________ them,” Horner recalled. “And I tried to give the daughter a $20 bill. And she just wouldn’t _________ it.”

But Horner was stubborn, and he put the money in her _________, and walked away. Then Horner heard their daughter asking him if he was _________. Indeed he was, and she came over with a tamale (玉米粉蒸肉). They exchanged thanks and the family __________ to drive away.

“I __________ the tamale and my money was in it,” Horner said. Horner immediately ran over to the truck to get the father’s __________.

The father saw Horner __________, rolled down his window, gave him a wave, rolled up the window and drove off. Horner also saw the young girl __________ goodbye through the window.

A few months later, Horner posted his story on social media, which drew thousands of likes and hundreds of __________.