2 . Anthony was excited to hand out invitations to his graduation from the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) to his family on Monday. To his surprise, however, he wasn't the only one, as his mother, Gray, followed with a letter that had the _________ information for the UHD ceremony with her own name and degree.

“Her picture was on an invitation saying that she'll be graduating from the university the same day,” says Anthony, “I was _________.” Without any sign that his mother was attending the same school at the same time, Anthony ______how it was possible that she was admitted.

Gray just ________ how she kept it that way. “I knew Anthony's schedule. So I knew what time he would be there and what time he wouldn't,” says she. “So I never ________ him at school.” She made sure to keep her secret just between herself and her husband.

She says of why she kept her return to school _________. “I didn't want to start something and then everyone expects me to complete my education and then it may become a disappointment. I was ________ because you're talking about an older lady competing against younger students in one class. You can imagine how ________   it was.”

The mother explains that she used to think of _________ her family. However, it was always a _________ of hers to go back to school. “I met a friend the other day, he spoke a word to me, ‘If you are still breathing, then it's not too _________.’ And I just thought of those words and I attended _________.”

On Saturday, Gray and Anthony will be graduating together in a virtual (虚拟的) ceremony held by the school. ________ it isn't the graduation that either of them expected, it might be even better. “There are people who may have a dream, but don't quite have the __________ to complete the dream. And I just want to __________ them,” Gray adds. “Don't stop, go forward and make sure it becomes a reality.”

4 . The local transport in Liverpool City Region is convenient for visitors to go around. The following are some means of transport for you to choose from.

By Train

Merseyrail trains run frequently throughout the day across 68 stations in and around the Liverpool area. With 4 city centre underground stations, you can easily get around the city.

You can now buy tickets online. Your ticket will be emailed straight to you, so you don’t have to think about it at the station, just jump on the train and enjoy your journey!

By Bike

Liverpool is easy to get around by bike. Bike parking can be found on the Liverpool Cycle Map. If you`re arriving in Liverpool by train or ferry (渡船), bikes go free.

The CityBike bicycle hire system is also available in the city centre. Find more information at www.citybiheliverpool.co.uk.

By Bus

Bus travel in and around Liverpool is a green and convenient way to explore the destination (目的地). The bus network is run by Merseytravel, with two main city centre bus terminals (终点站) — Liverpool ONE and Queen Square.

5 . Lucy Blaylock is on a task to comfort kids going through difficult times,one blanket at a time.The 11-year-old_______learned to sew（缝纫）three years ago when she made a blanket for a friend's birthday party.After the_______she asked her mom if they could put together a _______giveaway（捐赠）for children in need.She posted on social media and received sixteen messages from parents of_______who are fighting against some diseases or a move to a new city.

"When I told her it was time to choose one from the sixteen kids, she started crying and said she couldn't_______just one,"Lucy's mom Veronica Blaylock said. "She wanted to sew one blanket for_______of them, so we got sewing for the sixteen kids."

_______Lucy has made 500 blankets for kids in 14 countries, spending two_______with her sewing machine for each blanket every day. Every blanket has her name inside a heart to show _______ love.

"It makes me feel ________when I think of the kids getting the package in the mail and ________it,"Lucy said. "I always hope they'll know that someone ________them. It feels good to know that I'm helping all these kids feel loved."

"Kindness does matter, and it always will,"Lucy said. "It makes the world a better place when we do________acts. It may get hard sometimes, but what we are________is making a difference."

Lucy, who lives in Gallatin, Tennessee, received a volunteer service award from the government. She tells kids who are________volunteering to"just start and keep going. Serving always matters."

6 . I’m pretty sure everyone wants to visit Europe at least once in their lifetime. Here’s a list of the most amazing places to visit in Europe.

Riviera

Wow, this is such a beautiful place in Italy. The Cinque Terre is a gorgeous national park, which connects five beautiful villages. Walking paths connect the villages, follow the coastline and offer hikes through hills. The villages remain unaffected by tourism.

Tuscany

Another Italian region, Tuscany is simply appealing. The buildings there are amazing, and the culture is special. From the historical center of Florence to the Cathedral of Pisa, it’s an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Make sure you check out the nature reserves, and enjoy a few bottles of the very famous wine.

Lauterbrunnen

Since a school trip here, I’ve always wanted to revisit this city in Switzerland. The city always seems as if it’s trapped in time. There are untouched fountains and springs everywhere, and a huge number of waterfalls and valleys. The area is very popular for skiing.

The Greek Islands

There are plenty of places to visit in Greece. But I love the Greek Islands best. White houses and beautiful churches beaches and the Aegean Sea make this a shocking and very popular place to visit. However, there is more to do here than just sunbathe. I can’t wait to go back and check out the caves and culture that make the Greek Islands one of the best places in Europe.

Venice

I am a big Italy lover, and Venice is another city that is not to be missed. It has its own share of history, art and gorgeous buildings. However, the attraction comes from the pedestrian（行人）-only streets and rivers filled with boats.

7 . One of my favorite actions is doing good deeds. When other people receive my help, it makes me happy. However, some people look at you strangely when you want to do that. Once I asked a gas station operator if I could pay for the car behind me, but I got a blank stare. After a short explanation, he hesitantly agreed, but then said it was so unbelievable when I pleasantly made this double payment.

So, it’s nice when people “get it”. It seems that people do me a favor too if they receive my favor. At a barbershop recently, after getting my hair cut, I went to the counter to pay. My barber said, “That’ll be twenty dollars please.”

I found that in my wallet I had exactly forty-two dollars. “OK, tell me if you think this is crazy—I’d like to pay for someone else’s haircut as well.”

She hardly hesitated, “Yeah, you can do that.”

Wow it seemed that she was used to this. How cool! She opened her appointment book and asked, “Who do you want to pay for?”

“You pick.”

A pause. “Oh, you mean someone you don’t know?”

“Yeah, is that crazy? What do you think?”

“No, that’s great! I mean sure, why not?”

She agreed to pick an upcoming appointment of hers. I told her I was sorry I only had two dollars left for her trip, but that I would come back later with more. “No, no, this is enough,” she said with a smile, as she quickly wrote down a note. It was as if this idea was so pleasantly natural that she was being introduced to something familiar.

I don’t know who got my help at last, which isn’t important. The process is often just as satisfying, if not more that the result.