2 . The Enemy Is in My Pocket

Yesterday I went to a phone store. There were no other ___________ inside, just me and three salespeople.

“How can I help you?” One of them asked me.

I replied, “I ___________ if I'm able to trade in my iPhone for a non-smart phone.”

“Um, let me check on that.” She walked to the other end of the ___________ to ask her manager. Later, she came back with ___________ news. She smiled, ___________ they didn't provide such service. “___________ , you're the first person we've ever had who wanted to trade down your phone. "

That moment had come after months of struggle. I ___________ thought that I'd reach that point. I'm young and always ___________ the latest internet happenings using my iPhone. I didn't want to ___________ anything.

But one day, I began to wonder how important being online really is and if it made me a ____________ person. Twitter has funny jokes, but I’m often mad at posts from trolls (喷子). I spend hours playing games that ________the intention to read the news online. Throughout high school, the lessons had no hope of pulling my ____________ away from my phone. Being online so much made me feel ____________ or anxious and ____________ real-world things I needed to get done.

So, I wanted to ____________. Unfortunately, as I was told by the saleswoman, that isn't possible quite yet. But since then, I've started to leave my phone in my bedroom when I need to ____________ and when I go out with friends. The best way to stop ____________ my phone constantly is not having my phone on me to begin with.

I've only been doing this for a few days, but I have found myself obviously more ____________ and creative without breaking my concentration whenever I get a TikTok notification (通知).

Where there is a ____________ there is a way. There are always ways that everyone can enjoy the conveniences of new technology ____________ being burdened (烦扰) by it.

3 . It was January, the first day of the year. I decided to get the bank work out of the _________. The bank clerk, an elderly gentleman, was _________ curt(简短而失礼的) to my polite “Happy New Year” _________. He nodded and I sat in front of him. Minutes passed and nothing happened. Then very _________ I put my form in front of him. He was busy _________ entries in his register. I sat there wondering why we had _________banking if we were still filling in registers. While waiting I showed all _________ of being impatient, I asked him _________ my work was done. The moment I uttered the words, he shouted, “Nothing is done, it will take time!”

Just then I saw his morning tea lying there, _________. It had turned almost cold. Suddenly I sensed how he feels when customers come who are __________ hurried to get their work done and __________ him for doing their work first. We don’t even feel the __________ to thank him. Then I told him, “Sir, please have your tea, I am not hurried.” This man suddenly __________ me and for the first time we had eye contact.

I realized he was also missing the __________ things in life just like a hot cup of tea. He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday __________ with me." His wise words really __________ me. I felt that we all had put shields (盾牌) on our __________, and that we were scared to show our hearts and __________ too much of ourselves. From then on, I __________ to be more friendly to others and be __________ that they are there for me.

4 . Originally, I don’t think about getting older. Perhaps it’s because I like to keep busy and just don’t think about it. ________, sometimes something happens that makes me ________ my death and what lies ahead.

I used to be a radio broadcaster and recently I was ________ by the activity director at a senior citizen’s home near where I live. She told me there are a couple of former broadcasters who live in the home and they would really ________ a visit from someone with a ________ background who can trade stories with them about the good old days. I’m retired, and I have some free time so I said, “sure, I’d come for a visit or two.” That has developed a ________ in which I spend an afternoon each week ________ the old boys and helping them to ________ their happier and busier times.

One of them, it turns out, is ________ tied to an oxygen generating machine, can only ________ in a wheel-chair, and ________, has dementia(痴呆) and knows he is ________ losing his memory and ability to think clearly. My other new friend in the home is about ten years than I. He has cerebral palsy (大脑瘫痪) and is also ________ to a wheel-chair. Neither man can live ________ any more: they can’t drive a car, can’t prepare their own meals, and can’t plant a garden. But they’re being well ________ and they have television, people to serve their daily needs and workers at the home who try their best to keep them comfortable. They have family members who visit them ________ and now I guess they have me. It makes me consider what lies ahead, perhaps not for a number of years, perhaps tomorrow, I have no way of ________.

The thought of being dead doesn’t ________ me, for I’m in absolutely no hurry to get there. What worries me is the process of dying. I’m getting older but I’m still going strong and feeling ________. I go to visit the men in the senior’s home and sometimes I look ahead into the unknown. Life gets ________ in unexpected ways as one gets older.

5 . I got addicted to cigarettes about 11 years ago. As a smoker, I certainly realizes the _________ the cigarettes are causing to my body. I used to be good at running and other sports, but smoking made my physical activity a great _________. It was not that I never thought of quitting but just the _________ of a cigarette would make me go weak at once. Then I _________ another cigarette and started my day.

For so many years I always felt unrested after a night’s _________. The cough was making my life _________. Over and over again, I was _________ asking myself about my own condition: the nicotine in cigarettes not only made my teeth brown, but also _________ my fingers and nails as well. I _________ myself, “Is all this worth it?” I didn’t get an answer.

It was my birthday’s eve and I was back home by 10 pm. Usual birthday calls from friends made me __________ till 1 am. Throughout the day I was thinking of giving myself something as a __________, but I couldn’t think of anything. Suddenly an idea __________ me. I came up with the plan of quitting smoking. This time the __________ was much stronger. I wanted to quit smoking so I can run and __________ my son during soccer practice and have more energy. Habitually I turned to the cigarette pack and it was __________, which was probably a hint(暗示). Quitting smoking is a long and painful process, but I worked hard to fight the __________ to smoke again.

Today it’s exactly 526 days__________ I gave up smoking. I feel much more energetic and I am regaining my __________ which I lost in the past 11 years. All I want to say is that strong willpower and determination really __________ a great difference. Quitting smoking is the best birthday gift I __________ for myself and it makes me feel happy and proud.

6 . Have you ever stopped doing something that you used to do every day? Yes, I have! _______ the awful but important entrance examinations, I decided to stop watching TV for ONE WHOLE MONTH!

Just after I promised my mom to stop watching TV for a month, I _______. I was used to watching TV for _______ three hours every day, so I totally couldn’t imagine how I could _______, without my dearest music programs, various shows, soap operas and so on.

One day, after I buried myself in _______, something inside me encouraged me to _______ the television and secretly turn it on. I couldn’t _______ any more so I moved slowly towards my “old _______”. However, I couldn’t turn it on _______ I progressed so much force on the “________” button with my finger. I then found a small note stuck on the side of the TV. It said, “________ yourself, my dear. Study hard and try your best. If you really want to take a rest, go for a walk, have a nap or even take a shower, which makes you ________. Remember not to break the ________! Love, Mom.”

Mom locked the TV so that I couldn’t turn it on unless with her ________ remote control. In spite of this, I didn’t get angry with her. ________, I thanked her wholeheartedly. I knew that what she did was for my own good. After reading the ________ words, I said goodbye to my old friend, went back and ________ to study.

Since then, I studied harder and harder and didn’t even stay near the TV. One ________ has passed already. I didn’t break the invaluable(无价的) promise, ________ I knew that it was not an ordinary promise between mom and me, but a treasure ________ love and support.

8 . As I was walking along a river this evening, I intended to do something nice for a stranger. I started to look around for a _________ to do a random act of kindness. Two minutes later I was _________ by a complete stranger. I wasn’t sure why he came close to me, _________ I could tell he was drunk. I just stayed _________ and kept walking ahead. There were hundreds of people sitting on _________ nearby, so I wasn’t really worried.

As I tried to walk along, he _________ saying bad things to me. Then I tried to change my _________ and he kept following me, coming closer each time. I got really scared and didn’t know what to _________. I was praying that one of the many people sitting on benches nearby would be _________ enough to help me out of this situation.

Seconds later, just when I felt really __________, a couple had seen everything happen. The lady __________ and linked her arm into mine, saying “Dear, why don’t you come with us?” and __________ walking me away from the guy. The guy started __________ and getting angry, while this sweet lady was __________ me, saying “Don’t worry.” Finally, once he __________, she said, “You’d better carry on __________ where you were going and we’ll make sure he goes the other way.”

As I rushed away, I was shaken up, but at the same time had feelings of __________ for that couple. I started with the __________ of doing a random act of kindness. __________, I ended up on the receiving end. One thing is for certain though — it is equally important to learn how to receive and to feel grateful for the __________ of others.

9 . I was doing a big clean-up one day and my son was helping. As he searched through boxes, he _________ an old dark brown coin. “Mum, can I have this?” he asked. I took one look and _________ his request. I said slowly, “This one is _________. This coin is worth much more than its monetary _________.” My son looked at me strangely and I _________.

Three years ago, I went to work in a health clinic in Niger. Arriving by taxi, I began to _________ my possessions. With my bag wedged(夹住) between my legs, I reached for my larger piece of _________. A motorbike with two men approached slowly. Without _________ one of the men grabbed(抢) my bag. Within seconds, the two were out of _________, swallowed up by the night. The bag had my passport, money, an airline ticket and other things __________to me. I was in deep __________.

In the weeks that followed, I __________ the rest of my valuables and regarded all locals with __________. Then, walking on the streets one day, I was __________ by an old woman beggar. I told her __________, “I have no money. A thief stole all my money. ” The woman listened attentively. Then she reached into the pocket of her dress. “Then I will give you,” she announced. __________, she placed an old, dark brown coin in my hand. I looked at it in __________. It was a little, but for this woman, the coin __________ a meal. At that moment, I felt the __________ of my previous anger. __________ her poverty, she was able to give me something priceless. With one small coin, she changed my attitude completely.