1 . Many years ago, a teenage boy named David arrived at a children’s institution in England. He was referred to me, a (an)_________, by his head teacher. David had lost both his parents and was understandably sad and_________. I met with him twice, but he _________ silent.

I recognized the limitations of psychology in _________ his deep pain but found that empathetic listening and shared activities like chess provided a safe space for David to _________. So we played every Wednesday afternoon in _________ and without any eye contact. I _________ to ensure he won once or twice, providing a sense of _________ and success.

Gradually, David began to _________. He arrived early and __________ participated in setting up the chessboard. It seemed as if he enjoyed my __________. I thought David needed someone to share his pain with, and he sensed my respect for his __________. Months later, I watched David __________ over the chessboard. Suddenly, he looked up at me and said, “Your __________.” After that, he started talking and making friends. He wrote to me about his bike rides and plans to get into university. Later, he really started living his own life.

David showed me how one can reach out to another person without __________, just with a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear that listens.

3 . Jonathan Tiong came into the world with a rare disease that gradually damages muscles over time. A doctor _________ a prediction to his parents that he wouldn’t live beyond his second birthday.

Yet, Tiong not only surpassed (超出) the doctor’s _________ but also made great achievements. On the day of his 24th birthday in October, he gave a speech _________ at his graduation ceremony. What’s more, Tiong got a(n) _________ as an editorial writer at a famous wealth fund. However, all these amazing honors were not easily _________, for which Tiong went all out.

Beginning his _________ journey during the rise of remote work has also _________ the effect of his disability. Tiong finds _________ in the virtual field, stating, “Having everyone work online feels really great. Because when everyone is together online, I don’t feel like there’s actually much of a _________.”

Despite the __________ he has earned, Tiong remains a supporter for reshaping society’s opinion of success. “We must admit that living with a disability is a (n) __________ challenge in itself. Every day, countless individuals with disabilities __________ difficulties all over the world without media coverage, fighting their battles __________,” Tiong stresses.

His goal is not to lower expectations for individuals with disabilities but to __________ the traditional idea about success. “If we reconsider what it means to succeed, you’ll find that everyone out there who is doing their jobs quietly is __________.”

5 . Lobb and Jafri were queuing up for a lunchtime workout on Pier (码头) 15, overlooking the East River, when Lobb froze. What he saw was a person ______, lifeless. Before Jafri could respond, Lobb climbed over the ______ at the edge of the pier and jumped into the cold water. Jafri then took off his shoes and swan-dived.

Approaching the ______ victim, Lobb saw that it was a middle-aged man. The ______ felt around, grasped the man and kicked ______ until they both resurfaced. Jafri was there now. They floated the man on his ______. As Jafri looped (环绕) his arms around the man’s shoulders and Lobb ______ the hips and knees, the pair undertook the slog (重担) back to Pier 15. Their lungs heaved (起伏) and ______ burned as they pushed and pulled the ______ figure through the cold water.

On the pier, a crowd had gathered. From somewhere, the onlookers ______ a rope and a life preserver and threw them to Jafri and Lobb. The friends ______ the victim’s arm and head through the life preserver ring and tied the rope around him.

With the two men pushing from below and the crowd pulling from above, the victim was pulled onto the pier. Both men, thoroughly ______ from 15-plus minutes in the water, watched as rescue workers loaded the ______ drowned man into an ambulance and ______. Lobb and Jafri never ______ who he was, what became of him or how he’d fallen into the river.

6 . In October 2020, 71-year-old Bill Sumiel, battling kidney failure, found himself in an unlikely situation—a ride with Uber that would change his life. Little did he know that his ________ with Timothy Letts, the Uber driver, would lead to an extraordinary tie that went beyond the boundaries of mere ________.

Having lived with a(n) ________ that caused kidney issues for over two decades, Sumiel relied on Uber for transportation to his specialized center. During the journey, they ________ over their conversation. “Bill really lit up the car with positive energy,” says Letts. ________, he offered to donate his kidney after learning about Sumiel’s search for a donor. Despite being ________ by Letts’unforeseen generosity, Sumiel quickly ________ that Letts was genuinely sincere about his offer. Following months of screening and ________, it was confirmed that Letts was an ideal donor and a perfect ________ for Sumiel. On December 7, 2021, the successful surgeries changed Sumiel’s life for the better, ________ him from kidney treatment. Sumiel ________ the extraordinary nature of living donors like him and was ________ Letts’ selfless act.

Now, Sumiel cherishes precious moments with his family. Letts, although relocated to another country for work commitments, ________ a solid relationship with Sumiel, anxiously awaiting their ________. As fate would have it, their unexpected Uber ________ became a life-saving journey, showcasing the power of kindness, empathy (共情), and human connection in the face of adversity.

8 . I was at the North Pole. I was wearing a warm overcoat, a cotton hat, thick gloves and heavy boots. However, I still felt that my hands and feet were _______. There was such a terrible snowstorm that I could _______ see.

I made my way back to the research camp. I had been out in the snow for three hours and I could not _______ my hands. I thought I needed a hot cup of coffee to warm me up and recover some _______. It took a long time to struggle through the thick _______, but I knew I was getting close to the camp, as I could _______ food. I shouted to find out whether there was anyone there, but there was no _______. As I slowly moved on, the snowstorm became worse. It became _______ to see where I was going. I almost believed that I would never find my way.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of _______ from behind. I turned around but there was nothing ________. Maybe it was the sound of the wind. I ________ walking anyway, but stopped when I heard the footsteps ________ again. My heart began to beat faster and faster. I was sweating with ________. All of a sudden, I heard a loud noise ring out through the cold air. It made my blood run cold. I wanted to run, but fear held me ________. A few seconds later, I felt my shoulder was being grasped by a hand. I turned around with my hair standing on end. Thank goodness! It was my friend Tim! What a false ________!

9 . Jennifer Jones was a fifteen-year-old. She was in her morning PE lesson when she ________. She was rushed to hospital immediately. She was found to have dangerously ________ blood sugar levels and needed to be treated right away.

Jennifer’s parents were very ________. They told the doctor that she had often ________ her meals. Jennifer’s classmates hoped to see her back at school soon. They said she had struggled with ________ problems for a long time. Her friend Laura Williams also said that Jennifer had ________ focusing her mind in class. She ________ warned Jennifer not to skip meals to lose weight, but Jennifer didn’t listen.

________, Jennifer is out of danger now. Her doctor says that she will make a ________ in a day or two. She points out that it is important for teenagers to have a healthy balanced ________ since they are still growing and their bodies need a lot of nutrition to function well.