1 . A few weeks ago, I received a package containing a small batch (一批) of seeds from my friend. When I asked her what it would grow_________ , a flicker of a smile crossed her face. “Just plant them and be patient. You'll see for yourself_________”she said.

I sowed the seeds in a beautiful flowerpot. In the first few days, I was excited to search for the slightest_________ of germination (发芽). But nothing happened. With_________ homework, I began to feel frustrated and a little bit disappointed. How much I_________a splash of color in my fast-paced life!

I watered the plant carefully. I placed the plant in the sunlight and rotated (旋转) it for a_________ illumination (光照). On the fourth day, to my great surprise a few light green sprouts (芽) _________.

Bending down and carefully studying the seedlings, I could almost_________them growing. More days passed, the flowerpot soon became_________with coriander (香菜) plants.

Now they are taller than the edge of the pot,__________shaking their verdant (青翠的) leaves in the gentle__________of the wind, as if they are merrily singing a song of __________ and freedom.

I am certain that after a few more days, my coriander plants will be ready for__________. Thanks to my friend and my patience, these plants have played a crucial part in__________my everyday life. They may not be a main food on our table, but sprinkling some will surely add a__________of flavor to our dishes to spice up (为…调味) our busy days.

2 . The hot summer sun beamed down on my back as I panned for gold. It was 1996 and my first trip to gold country, the town of Sofala in New South Wales.

I sloshed (搅动) the water round and round, as the old-time miner had _________, looking for the unmistakable shine of gold in the bottom of the pan.

_________, a breeze caught my straw hat,_________ it from my head and blowing it into the water where it tumbled (翻滚) and tumbled, twisting downstream.

“My hat!” I cried. “My HAT!”

My _________ collie, Cobber, was standing on the side of the bank. His ears pricked up when he heard me call out. He turned around to see my _________ and watched the crazy hat _________ down the bubbling stream.

Down the bank side he ran,_________ madly at the hat to stop. Then he _________ deep into the water, paddled out quickly towards the hat, his long coat flowing behind him. The stream took the hat one way, he followed. Then it took it another way, and he followed again. Finally, he _________ the hat with his long pointy snout (口鼻部) as I watched on in __________.

He climbed out and __________ himself off vigorously. Then he ran back to me, all wet, and dropped the hat at my feet.

It was more than a game. I knew that he knew he’d done a good thing __________ he proudly watched on from where he sat. It might be a small thing but the __________ is forever imprinted on my memory.

I am __________ to say that my hat flew off another two times and each time Cobber regained it for me.

All in all, the day was a(n)__________ one — and I did find a few specks of gold!

4 . Some twenty years ago, Poonam visited Ranthambore, with her husband Aditya Singh. She was _______ by a tigress with three cubs (幼崽) on a hill. At the end of the trip, she asked Aditya if they could move to the Ranthambore and he agreed.

Over the years, the couple bought about 35 acres bordering the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on one side. The area, called Bhadlav, had _______ vegetation but has since been _______ into a green forest.

After _______ in Ranthambore, Aditya first visited the Bhadlav area with a BBC film-maker. He became _______ that the farmers were _______ their land because of the risk of predators (食肉动物) searching for food. “I just bought this and did nothing to it except _______ the aggressive species. We _______ the land to recover and now after 20 years, it has become a green forest which is frequented by all kinds of animals, including tigers.”

Not only did the couple have the _______ to let the natural habitat renew itself, they also created several water holes to ensure the wild animals have enough drinking water even during the hot summers. Because of their efforts, the ________ to the farmers in the area has been dramatically reduced. “The animals understand in this forest they get food, water and safe shelter without any ________.” Aditya explained. They have had many ________ from buyers for the land but the Singhs are not interested in selling ________ their love for nature and wildlife. “Money was never the ________,” they said.

Aditya and Poonam’s story has inspired others in the area to follow their example. Aditya has also been receiving ________ from people across India who want to create a comparable model in their own states.

5 . I've spent all my adult life working with trees. Recently, our fundraising team was looking for novel suggestions to raise money to help________ the giant redwoods in Benmore. Some of the staff_________ I do a sponsored tree huggathon.

They knew I'd been a tree hugger since a very early age. Still,I wasn’t ________ people would be interested enough to_________ money. But my colleagues thought it was worth a_________. So I agreed to hug 350 trees in a year.

My tree hugging practice is simple: making maximum contact.This means wrapping my arms as________ round as they'll go.

________, there were a few raised eyebrows from passers-by. Some people________ quietly, maybe they thought it was a(n) ________ and old-fashioned Scottish custom. I was played jokes on among my family, too,but everyone understood it was for a________ cause.

I'm delighted that we_________ to raise more than double the original________ to help save our own splendid redwoods, which were planted in 1863 by a wealthy American.

Tree hugging is a wonderful way of reconnecting with_________.on a deep level. That's something I think we all need more of, with the________ pace of modern life. Tree hugging can help us slow down; to appreciate the small things in life. Above all, trees can teach us________.

6 . Mother Hen

From the moment my husband brought home a box of six chicks, our nine-year-old, Sophie, hasn't let them _________ her sight. She named them Trixie, Bearty, Sweet Pea, Speedie, Captain Flint, and Adrian and was very _________ when we wouldn't let them sleep in her bed.

Sophie takes at least one chicken everywhere we let her and has done_________ things with her chickens. One hot day, she wanted to take Captain Flint to the creek(小溪). I wasn't so _________ about it: Could chickens swim? Sophie balanced a stick on her river tube (游泳圈)for Captain Flint to stay on, and the two_________ down the creek.

_________, Sophie dressed as a chicken for Halloween and _________ us that Trixic had to come. The reactions from neighbors were _________＂Wait,is that a real chicken you're holding?" Trixie cooed (咕咕地叫)the whole time.

The chickens are teaching us about love as well as _________ and grief.Sadly,Captain Flint faced an untimely death after an eagle attack. We had a chicken funeral, said a few words about what a good chicken she was, and thanked her for the __________ she brought to our lives before we __________ her. Sophie painted a lovely picture __________ it and has worn a pendant（坠饰） with Captain's picture ever since.

The chickens weren't__________ in the house until one morning when Sophie told me,＂There's nothing to feel happy about." Since then, we've allowed one chick inside at a time if Sophic promised to__________ immediately. The chickens brought a glimmer of joy back to our lives. In a few short months, they have taught us to__________ situations we can't change and find joy where we can. I am so grateful.

7 . Martin Strel knows a thing or two about rivers. He has been swimming in them ______ he was a young boy. Although he holds five world records in marathon swimming, he is best known for using his sport to raise ______ of water pollution. After years of swimming in dirty water, he decided he had to do ______. He began to swim to ______   “peace, friendship and clean water”. He hopes to see ______ laws strengthened.

So far, he has swum in many of the world's most famous rivers. In 2000,he ______ to swim in Europe's second longest river, the Danube. He swam 1,866 miles in 58 days and ______ a world record for long-distance swimming. In 2002, Strel swam in the Mississippi River and ______ a distance of 2,360 miles in 68 days. In 2007, he swam 3,274 miles of the Amazon River in 66 days. Most of the ______ in the Amazon comes from harmful chemicals used in gold mining and oil leaks from ______ maintained boats. He became very weak and ______ 42 pounds. In order to continue swimming, he had to be carried in and out of the _______.

Still, Strel plans to ______ swimming for peace, friendship and clean water, but he would prefer to do it in the ocean. ______, the world's rivers are simply too dirty. He ______ a day when everyone can go swimming in clean water.