1 . My first goal: try not to look so scared. It took quite a few tries before I could ________ from the mouth open, eyes wide ________ that being on roller skates gave me.

I took up roller skating at the end of 2021, as a way to ________ a difficult year spent in my house. In online skate class, they ________ me to wear protective equipment, to cheer and ________ when someone falls. Falling means you’re trying, and everyone ________ in skating, but having a positive ________ helps.

I learned how to move on wheels and danced alone at home, but the rink (滑冰场) was incredibly ________. Everything moves so fast, ________ in unpredictable directions. What ________ me about the rink is how people create their own sense of   ________ inside the circular movement, so that two awkward dancers might ________ past each other to avoid knocking into each other, all while on rhythm.

Now I’ve made much progress. The other day I skated past an older woman moving ________ in her knee pads (护膝). “My goal is to skate like you,” she said, almost under her breath. I tried ________ my ride. Keep at it! I yelled over my shoulder. Soon, I tripped, fell, quickly ________ myself up, and then kept at it.

2 . I was never a fan of football, or any sports for that matter. At primary school, my classmates spent lunch break ______ on the playground, while I was in the library getting pleasure from ______ . In Games lessons, to fit in, I ______ to be interested.

As I got older, I ______ trying to fake (假装) it. Instead, I showed off my dislike for football as a sign of ______ “It’s only a silly game!” I’d tell Dad, as he ______ me to watch a match.

But, sometimes I’d find myself ______ an opener like, “Cor, a terrible season we’re having, eh?”, or ______, “Who do you support?”, and feel my heart sink, knowing my reply would surely ______ .

And then I became a dad, and I didn’t want my boy Harvey to ______ this desirable social skill. So I bought him ______ to watch our local team, Boreham Wood. And, because he kept asking me what was going on, I stayed relatively ______ on the game.

Almost without noticing, my ______ of support when “The Wood” scored a goal were actually real, as were my sighs when “we” missed a penalty kick (罚球).

Harvey was ______ , and we’ve since returned to Meadow Park five times, each time feeling a ______ connection with the team’s supporter community.

3 . While enjoying my fresh lunch in a restaurant in Amsterdam, I noticed something odd. Customers coming in for something to eat ignored the person standing behind the counter (柜台), preferring to________through a smart phone.

What was the crazy thing about this? They were just several________apart! In fact, they were so close that the staff member took a quick________at his screen to get a head start on picking the right vegetables—all without any words________. Now, I get it: Modern technology allows us to be more________, but I might be witnessing something deeper: we prefer not to talk to each other anymore.

Think about it for a moment. When was the last time you naturally ______ a conversation with somebody you didn’t know? The chances are that you don’t even________! Likely either you or the other person was “busy” with other things like________with a smartphone. Now, with the________of digital technologies, one can’t help but pay the________for modern efficiency: our ability to talk to strangers.

We shop,________a hotel, or order a taxi, all via an app.________with random strangers is becoming rarer and rarer. Yet there are surprising________of having even a short and simple conversation with strangers. You might learn something________, and beyond doubt, it has the power to enrich your understanding of others and________a special bond in our modern world.

4 . Skydiving has always held a fascination for me. Despite the fear, there is something that _______ me to it. It is an adventure, making me feel _______ but thrilled, with the world opening up before me in mere seconds.

November 24, 2021, a day perfect for my solo skydiving — sunny, with little wind.

After going through safety rules with my coach, I _______ with faith. As I flew through the air, the adrenaline (肾上腺素) ran through my veins.

However, after 30 seconds, I realized I was lower than anticipated. Urgently, without stabilizing my body position, I _______ to pull my parachute, only to have it wrap around my leg. I tried to untie the lines, but my efforts were _______.

With the ground getting closer, I prepared to _______. As an optimist, I didn’t think it would be destructive. _______, the automatic reserve (备用) parachute opened. I gained some control, directing myself toward grass, which I hoped would _______ a softer landing.

The _______ turned out far from gentle. I lay in ________ pain, screaming for help. The skydiving club members arrived quickly but they didn’t dare do anything due to the risk of ________ my injuries. Soon, the air ambulance crew came with ________, offering temporary relief.

Severe injuries cast ________ on my future. No one could guarantee if I would walk again. Sticking to my determination, remarkably, I took my first steps in three months.

My enthusiasm for skydiving ________ after that horrifying experience. As I embark on another journey later on, I will carry with me the undefeated ________ that pushed me to challenge my limits.

5 . My photographs are the items I would definitely take or guard in case of an emergency. But what else? This was the question I asked myself as a ________ came toward us.

Unlike some friends and________, we decided to stay in our home. We didn’t have to choose what we would save by ________ it into the car, but we still had to decide what required protection by storing it in our walk-in closet. Surprisingly, few items made the cut - an obvious ________ that we had surrounded ourselves with beautiful yet unessential items. We needed ________ for the truly important things: ourselves.

Because when you hear the roar of the winds, or when something ________ hard against your windows, you don’t think of photos.You don’t worry about your big screen TV, or those paintings you’ve covered with towels to protect them, or that ________ car that you still haven’t finished paying for.

As ________ goes on outside, this is what you think: My children, are they OK? Are their impact-resistant(耐冲击的) windows working ________? Are their roofs keeping out the damage? My grandchildren, are they crying out in fear? Are they ________ as their own grandparents are? My relatives — yes, even those I try to avoid — have they ________ the worst of it? My friends, will they be forced to move somewhere else permanently? You don’t think about what you own but about what you love; what money can’t buy back.

Months and years after the hurricane, I often told people that there are two parts to ________ this kind of catastrophe: the horror of the hurricane itself and then the rebuilding that follows. The ________ together of a life, however, will take months, perhaps years.

But we will do it, ________ and as a community. Of that I have no doubt. In fact, I’ll make one more prediction. Piece by piece, item by item, we will once again collect the material possessions that decorate a home. I hate to admit this, but lessons learned ________ fear aren’t always long-lasting.

6 . I had never been more anxious in my life. I had just spent the last three hours reaching the airport. Now, as the bus driver set my _______ on the airport sidewalk, I realized that my _______ journey had only just begun.

This was my first visit to the international terminal of the airport. I couldn’t _______ any sign and nothing was familiar, so I began to _______. I tried to ask a passing businessman for directions, but my words all came out _______. He just _______ and walked away.

Another bus arrived, and the passengers came out. Here was my _______! I followed them, finally reaching the elevators. No! There was not enough _______ for me. I watched in despair as the elevator doors closed. I was _______ again! When the elevator returned, I got on it and ________ pressed button 3．The noise announced the opening of the door, and tears of disappointment formed in my eyes when I found it was a ________ lobby (大厅)!

What was a surprise was that just then an elderly airport employee came around the corner. He saw that I was ________ and asked if he could help. He gave me his handkerchief to dry my eyes as I ________ my situation, then led me down a long hallway. At last, there was customs! He left before I said something, but I will always remember his ________ kindness. I can only hope that I will support others who are ________ in a terrible journey.

7 . After bringing up three children, Barthorpe decided to do something for herself. She planned to _________ herself by learning to ride a motorcycle at the age of 60. After passing her driving test, she soon _________ on her first solo (单独的) ride. She remembered the _________ of being on the road alone for the first time.

Although Barthorpe preferred riding solo, she contacted the Women’s International Motorcycle Association (WIMA) in the hope of _________ it. It was the connection with the WIMA that led her to a(n) _________ — the Women Riders World Relay. The plan was to pass a baton (接力棒), rider to rider, all around the world. That was a test of the riders’ courage and _________. But just after Barthorpe took on the role, she _________ fell down and got injured. She spent several months in hospital. However, Barthorpe didn’t see it as a _________ experience. She knew that she must pay much attention to _________ first. Getting on a motoreycle again was ____________, but Barthorpe took extra training and ____________ a lot. And she pushed herself to take part in the race in Australia. Barthorpe then realized that it was normal to ____________ and rise to it, which offered an opportunity to grow.

What attracts Barthorpe most to a motorcycle is the ____________. “I can go anywhere I want and any time I like,” she said. “The kids said to me, ‘Mum, you seem to have turned into a ____________ teenager.’ I just told them, ‘No, I’ve just found the field where I can see my ____________.’”

8 . I grew up in a multicultural family; my father was Italian, and my mother was Greek. A gift of fate (命运). ________ me to learn to speak both languages ________ as a child. Besides speaking their own languages, my parents often communicated in French at our dinner table. ________ I spoke Italian to my father and Greek to my mother, I ________ French at university.

Being a multicultural individual helps me to understand and connect more deeply with people from ________ parts of the world. Best of all, it’s helped me to develop cultural ________ and patience. Here’s a(n) ________:

One day, a Middle Eastern man ________ me when I visited a shop. He was able to respond to my questions and ________ my problem. But when I walked away from the shop, I felt uncomfortable and slightly ________ because he avoided eye contact for 20 minutes. He looked sideways at the desk behind me. Never ________ did he look at me while talking to me. Later, I told the incident to my friend, who ________ me of an vital cultural truth of some Middle Eastern counties that I had ________. I spent most of my early years in the Middle East, where males and females are taught to ________ their eyes or avoid eye contact with each other. This practice is a sign of propriety (得体的举止), which can be ________ for being rude by anyone unfamiliar with the culture.

9 . Several years ago, Katie Doble was diagnosed with a cancer called ocular melanoma. Doctors gave her 16 months to ________ . But her father who was a physician himself, felt ________ when he found a clinical trial that could save her life.

So after Christrias, Katie flew to New York to see if she would ________ the trial. As she went through a series of tests, she found herself ________ her mom. ________, she passed away when Katie was a teenager. “On tough days, my mom offered what she called an ‘energy hug’. Those were hugs that she’d ________ extra tight and extra long, ”Katie remembered.

As she sat in waiting room, Katie had a ________ for one special hug. “I see a girl who looked to be about my age and she has her head ________ in her mother’s lap. And her mom was moving her ________ gently and pushing it behind her ears. And I was very envious(羡慕的)and missing my mom and her energy hugs, ” she said.

Soon, a ________ came out and called the daughter in. The girl ________ and I watched her get her echocardiogram(超声心动图). And when I turned my head back around, the mom was ________ right in front of me and said to me, “You seem to need a mom’s hug. ”

With tears in her eyes, Katie ________ and said yes. “It was just one of those moments in life when somebody ________ and gave you something that you needed. ” she recalled.

In this summer, Katie and her family ________ her anniversary(周年纪念日) of being cancer free.

10 . From the village, for the village

“In my childhood, the houses in the village were old, and the roads were _____ .” recalled Li Jing, 29, currently serving as the director assistant to the village secretary in Cuijiaba, a town ______ Hubei province. “But now, our village boosts modern, ______ homes, wide well lit roads.”

Li is a native of this village and was one of the first from her community to ______ higher education. After graduation, she embarked on a career in the city. However, she made the life altering ______ last year to return to her village. She was willing to ______ herself to her hometown and realized her own personal______.

When Li returned to her hometown, she received firm support from her family, despite some villagers who ______ her decision. She resolved to prove herself through ______ and action.

Li explained, “Her job involves extensive communication with the villagers, and promoting ______production.” “We hold meetings ______ about sharing insights on potato planting ______ , sales channels, market trends, and more,” Li said. “These gatherings provide us with opportunities to ______ the villagers with tools and offer a window such as live streaming ______ like Douyin   for them.”

In the near future, Li hopes to continue helping her fellow villagers raise their potato production and increase their ______ . Her long term vision is to promote urban rural integration (体化).