1 . Katherine would never forget the day when her daughter brought a plate from kindergarten, with a drawing of mouse-like creatures on it.

“Emma, what are these little characters? What do you _________ them?” Katherine said. “Mom, they’re my _________. They come to children who are lonely or who were meant to have a _________ life,” Emma said. It _________ the unemployed 36-year-old mom’s heart during a time when she wasn’t feeling too good about her job _________.

All this eventually _________ a new project for Katherine, unemployed for months—making a line of stuffed animals for sale based on her daughter’s _________. “Every day, I would work on it,” she said. “Over time, it felt like this is what I really _________.” In her basement, Katherine cut patterns, wrote storylines and _________ prototypes (原型样品) to turn “The Representatives” into dolls (玩偶).

Today she has four __________ doll prototypes and specific storylines to go with each main character. She hopes to__________ the dolls to parents going through hard times, or maybe those preparing to work overseas, leaving their __________ behind with relatives.

She said even if the dolls don’t __________, she’s taught her daughter __________ to keep moving even in down times. It’s really a __________ for those unemployed right now, she said.

2 . When Chris decided to study teaching, he knew his father would be upset. Chris found it hard to make decisions, if they _________ his successful father’s expectations.

The 25-year-old special-education teacher, who lives in Maryland, US, wanted to make a _________ in the lives of children. His father, a successful doctor, however, thought he should study _________.

Chris’ father had worked hard, _________ to offer his children some help in future medicine study, and he wanted them to make the most of it. For a long time, Chris _________ he would follow his father’s example. _________, when he started studying science in college, he realized medicine wasn’t a _________. Breaking the news to his father was _________. “My father was really disappointed.” Chris admitted.

Chris, the kid of a famous doctor, felt as if he was acknowledged as his father’s child rather than as himself. That might be because his father _________ more attention than he did, __________ the situation. And there’s a whole world of children like Chris, whose parents cast (扔、掷) large shadows __________ their lives. For these children, who grow up in the shadows of overbearing (压倒性的) parents may later try to copy their career’s success to gain __________.

But it’s possible to settle differences and __________ from a parent’s shadow. Each individual is __________ and we should never compare ourselves with others blindly, even if this person is our own parent. What really __________ is to make correct decisions that fit us in deed.

3 . She wants to be a singer. You think she should go for a long-term career with job security and eventually retire with a good pension (退休金). But a new report suggests that in fact she’s the practical one. Why do parents make terrible careers _________?

Today’s 14 and 15-year-olds are _________. They look at their working future in a different way from their parents’. A job for life is not in their vocabulary; neither is a dead-end but secure job that is _________ but pays the bills.

In the past, this might be considered as _________ news. Certainly, when I was 15, my guidance mentor _________ my plans to become a writer. I’m glad I didn’t change my plans to suit them. But the world has changed. The global economy is not _________ to yesterday’s diligent and dependable worker. The future belongs to quick-thinking people who are resourceful, ambitious and can take the _________. This means that a 14-year-old who sees her working future as a kind of _________ is not necessarily being unrealistic.

_________, she has to have the training and guidance to help her develop the right skills for today’s market. Many young people __________ that downsizing (裁员) and freelancing (自由职业) are all part of modern working life, but no one is telling them how they might be able to turn the new rules of the __________ game to their advantage. This is what they need to know if they are to make a life for themselves.

So what is to be done? A most important step would be to __________ the way in which schools prepare young people for adult life. The education system is becoming less flexible and sticks more to traditional skills at just the time that the job market is going in the __________direction.

What, then, can we as parents do to help them? The best thing is to __________ all the advice that your parents gave you, and step into your teenager’s shoes. Give them the courage to follow their dreams—however strange they might sound now. In a world that offers economic security to almost no one, imagination is a terrible thing to __________.

4 . Dreams are like stars. You may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to success.

My daughter had talent for acting. When Alex was accepted into New York University’s musical theater program, I_________the dress I’d wear to her Broadway debut(首秀). But now she decided to be an exercise instructor. It was_________for me.

“I thought_________at gyms was just to pay the bills until you got your big break?” I asked when Alex_________her full–time job at a gym called Equinox in New York City.

“Acting was my childhood dream.” she explained. “I loved_________,but my adult self wants to help people be _________.

Even after Alex earned her personal training certification, I still couldn’t accept her_________.

When the COVID-19 crisis shut New York’s gyms, and Alex returned jobless to Richmond, my_________of working on her acting website was rejected. Instead, she launched online kettlebell classes and rounded up clients using social media. Her_________took off, and our house became her virtual studio until she returned to Manhattan in August 2020.

One day I signed up for her private sessions. In between dead lift(拼全力一举) sets, I asked, “What are you doing to find a real job?”

Alex pointed to her waist,__________my form. “Mom, this is my__________. I’m growing a business.” And she was. Soon she was making more than what she ever did in gyms and had total__________of her schedule. I was one of many who__________from her patient encouragement. Over time, my lower-back pain disappeared and I could lift a heavy box__________. Through my training, I learned she knew the right__________for her.

5 . Returning to your home town to work could give you some ________, such as having more time to be with your family members and being back in familiar surroundings But Jiang Zhihui thinks that kind of convenience won’t necessarily ________ you success in your career.

The 28-year-old Jiang said that, “Eventually, it’s your own hard work that ________ most. Everyone, in fact, needs to develop _________ resources and a network, instead of just ________ the past.”

She returned to Suzhou after getting a master’s degree at a university in Macao. She ________ among competitors while applying for a ________ with Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee.

“I’m more realistic and want to be close to my parents and friends. And I want to enjoy a slower pace of life.”

She was also able to see the amazing economic growth potential in her home town, ________ since her job was to attract investment to the industrial ________.

At the same time, she found that her network of people and her knowledge of her home town didn’t mean much at work. “Every day, I get to meet business people from all over the world, and be in touch with the ________ technology,” she said. “So, I have to ________ from the very beginning just like anyone else. I spend most of my time learning to adapt better to my job.”

And now, her hard work has paid off. Many of the projects her team negotiated for are in the construction process or are actually up and running. She felt proud of this “Honestly, in my opinion, sometimes it’s more crucial to ________ a promising job or profession than to choose a ________” Jiang said.

She may not be in a major city, but she never felt that her personal ability would be ________ In fact, her job handling high-tech investment bids has given her plenty of _________ to visit those exciting places and ________ a different life on business trips. “If you keep your mind open, you’ll always be at the cutting edge, regardless of where you are.”

Jiang is quite satisfied with the ________ in Suzhou. “I often hear classmates living in bigger cities ________ about the pressure, the cost of housing, longer work hours and traffic jams,” she said.

“Life in a ________ city is relatively comfortable, even if I ________ less.”

6 . If you’re young and trying to start your career, it’s important to remember two things: your _________ doesn’t prevent you and your achievements—no matter how big or small—should be celebrated.

At 22, I attended the largest book fair in the world and _________ foreign publishers who were more than double my age. I was met with a few surprised looks and some _________ about my age. I didn’t have the decades-long _________ that many of my predecessors (前辈) had, but this didn’t discourage me. I had the knowledge, I had the skills, and I had the _________.

When I was 18. I did four internships (实习工作). I understood their _________ and I did everything I could to make them worth my while. I asked questions and I thought. I _________ different industries, and I got the necessary _________ which finally led to a job offer.

You are never too young to get valuable experience in your favorite _________. Learning from experienced employees, volunteering, taking an online __________, or attending an industry event can be __________.

In college, I became friends with a group of highly successful women. We are of __________ ages, backgrounds, and career paths, but we have the same __________: to become authors. Instead of being competitive, we __________ each other. We share books and contests and __________ to meet publishers, and most importantly, we __________ failures. Each time we receive a rejection, we text the group. In doing so, we know that we aren’t __________, and that we’re in this together. Besides, we encourage each other to keep __________.

Rejection, I’ve learned results in __________. The more rejections we receive, the more courageous and __________ we are to reach our goals. So whatever age you are, remember you are never too young to get started.

7 . My husband Wilson and I were spending our honeymoon in Hawaii when he got a call from his Human Resources manager in Boston. We were completely _______ for the news that he would be losing his job within a month. It was _______ terrible because I had quit my job before our wedding.

What a shock! If two of us were _______, how could we make the ends met? Shall we still _______Boston? We had our flat, friends and family there. _______, with no job and a little savings, that is not a(n) _______ option. “How about moving to Los Angeles?” Wilson _______ suddenly. He knew well that Thad always had a _______ to settle or home in Los Angeles.

“Los Angeles? The high living-cost Los Angeles? But we don’t even have a job there! Is it realistic?” I reasoned. Wilson didn’t_______ but just looked at me, smiling. After a while, still unsure, yet feeling ________ about his proposal I found myself happily said “yes!”. Once ________ was made, action came immediately. We went back to Boston and got ready for moving. The rest honeymoon was replaced with busy ________, searching for apartments in Los Angeles online, and ________ for jobs. So Wilson had a phone interview for a job, a second interview and a hid something magical happened as we were ________ to Los Angeles along the highway. We found our stress slowly fading away as we ________ the destination. Smiles climbed on our faces again. Being ________ to spend hours in a car, we found ourselves having a long ________ about our future. The day after arrival, Wilson ________ “the call”. And he made it. That job he had been interviewed for three times was now his. Later, I also got my new job.

Had we not taken a chance, we would have ________ the joyful life we have now. Sometimes, a roadblock in or lives will turn into a stepping stone if we ________ the opportunity, think big and keep your feet on the ground.

8 . The year 2020 was supposed to be great for me. I had finally gotten my _______ on track and arranged some incredible international _______ I had dreamed of for years. And then, almost in an instant, everything fell apart.

Since the beginning of the lockdowns, all the projects I had worked so hard for were _______ by the day. Trips were canceled or _______ as international borders were shut. Our normal way of life had almost ceased（停止）to _______ .

At that moment, I realized I had to make a _______ , and fast. I was going to look into _______ career options. I had been a personal trainer before, and the _______ of getting back into something health and wellness _______ interested me.

Of course I had ________ . How was I going to do this? Was I too old? Was I ________ enough? I had to put those ________ aside. If there is anything that 2020 taught me, it's to ________ the unknown. So, with great enthusiasm and a hint of anxiety, I ________ for an EMT course to begin my journey.

From the first day, I devoted my time to ________ everything I could about health and wellness both in class and at home. And the passion and hard work ________ . At the end of the year, I had ________ my EMT license and began to look for options in the industry.

I learned much from this experience. Life can change overnight, so it's important to get ________ and adapt to the new situations. Learning new skills will open your mind and doors to new ________ . So the year 2020 was great for me, just in a ________ way from I had planned.

9 . Young Talent Looks To The Stars

Anne Breaks grew up on the edge of a forest in Canada. And she started _________ the stars and learning about the earth from her scientist father at five. At the age of eight, she decided to become a(an) _________ and devote her young life to that goal.

This year, she _________ the ten spokesman for Space Day sponsored by NASA. She hosted and spoke at many events, _________ more awareness of space and interesting future air travel. Astronauts must be _________ fit, so Anne, now 18 and a high school senior, practices taekwondo. She has already earned herself the _________ grade—a black belt. Astronauts don’t all speak the _________ language, so she’s learned German and French and is now studying Russian and Japanese. Astronauts train for zero _________, so she has learned to scuba dive to get used to feeling weightless She takes piano and flute lessons because advanced music skills are prized by astronauts for the _________ required to achieve them.

“A lot of astronauts have told me that __________ is the most important thing,” she said. “So I will keep __________, and when it’s time to apply to be an astronaut, I will. It’ll __________ take about 10 years of applying just to be chosen. __________, I’m going to do it.”

Breaks __________ the Royal Astronomical Society in Canada, and at age 14 earned the __________ mark in one of the exams. That drew the attention of NASA officials, who led her into a new world of __________ exploration.

Breaks said her time as Space Day spokesman started on “a rally __________ day” —February first when the space shuttle Columbia __________ as it returned to earth.

She __________ the dangers of space flight, but that hasn’t put her off the idea. __________, she knows what she wants to do in space: fly to the international space station and take “a really neat spacewalk”.

10 . For the first fourteen years of my life, I thought science was boring. As far as I could tell, science was a process of memorizing _______ : the order of the planets, the names of clouds, etc. So instead I spent all my spare time reading and writing, and decided to be a _______ when I grew up.

This all _______ in my first year of secondary school, when I met the periodic table(元素周期表) that I found amazing. In the next year, maths also became _______ . So now I had a _______ . I wasn't so interested in being a writer any more, and I _______ liked maths and science. However, in my school, all the best maths and science students _______ to be doctors; but I wasn't so excited about _______ things.

During this inner _______ , something else was going on: I was becoming interested in the ________ . This was mostly a ________ of peer (同辈) pressure. There was a cool group of students, who'd started an environmental club. Once a week, I ________ with them at club meetings, where we had long discussions.

I ________ to wonder if there was a career path which ________ the environment with maths and science. Then, one day I was chosen to ________ a climate change conference. The first ________ was called "The Science of Climate Change". The speaker talked about many different things and all of them were ________ . It slowly occurred to me that the job called "scientist" basically ________ you could study whatever you found interesting, and get paid to do so. "Right then." I thought. "I'll be a scientist."

Eleven years later. 1 ended up studying a part of the climate system. ________ is full of creativity and solving mysteries. My work is always changing and ________ . and I never get bored.