2 . Ryder was born with a serious illness and has never been able to walk. When he started attending preschool, he had to be _______ to the end of the road in the _______ to wait for his school bus by his parents every day. As Ryder was unable to _______ for this bus if he was late like his schoolmates, he would have to wait for up to 15 minutes out in whatever _______ there was. Although his father had _______ a patio (露台) umbrella at the end of his driveway to provide some _______ from harsh weather, he still would get wet.

Then his father _______ for help on Facebook looking to see if someone might have an old bus hut (小屋). After the post, he was suggested to reach out to the _______ class at Westerly High School.

_______ , he sent an email to Dan McKena, who had been teaching construction technology at Westerly High School, asking if he’d be ________ in this kind of project. Delightfully, Dan ________ with an “absolutely” and then he worked hard on the hut with his students for weeks.

The hut made of wood was ________ enough to shelter both Ryder and one of his parents or a nurse comfortably and was finally ________ to the home six weeks later. Now, Ryder ________ it every day and his parents wait inside it every day while they await his returning home. He considers the hut ________ and does like to hang out in it from time to time.

3 . It happened in a small office of the immigration authority in the German city. It was a hot day in May when I stopped being a( n) _________.

It had been a _________ road that had brought me to this door: a childhood in India, a 14-year stay in the US and finally a life of 25 years in Germany. In all those years, I’d   _________ my Indian citizenship, though hesitating over whether to _________ the identity because of the inability to vote in Germany.

Now, approaching retirement, I want to spend more time in where I grew up. I was afraid, though, that more than six months’ _________ could result in a loss of my resident status in Germany, which over the years had become my _________ . And I knew I couldn’t _________ to let this door to Germany close forever. If so, what would my family do without me?

At 3 pm I knocked _________ on the door, uneasy and went in. The official, a middle-aged woman asked me to take a seat when she got my file out. I wasn’t sure if I’d have to show some documents to prove I’m _________ to get the citizenship in Cermany. Actually, she didn’t asked me to show anything. She just handed me a half page text in German and asked me to __________ it out. I started reading it, but she __________ me, saying mildly, “Please read all, including the place and state. ”So I started again. It was an oath (誓言) I was reading, swearing to be __________ to this country and to __________ all the social rules. Then she asked me to sign to give up my Indian __________. My eyes were full of tears, reading the citizenship certificate she handed me. We shook hands. No photograph, no flowers - just a __________ handshake. To __________ my tears, I said it was a huge step in my life, however, a terrible __________ as well. I watched sadly as she took my old Indian passport away. “Can I get it back after it’s been __________?” I asked. "That’s something you’ll have to ask the Indian consulate (领事馆) , ”she said. "It’s their __________, not ours, and certainly not yours. ”

Now I could live in Germany, vote, and travel to many countries without needing a visa. However, why did I feel so __________?

A white winter in Beijing is nothing new. The city is    1    （frequent）enveloped in snow over the colder months. However, the snowfall last weekend led    2    a unique combination of the seasons and a contrast of colours.

Famous places, especially with unique    3    （nature）beauty, were blanketed with a layer of snow and visitors. Camera in hand and braving the cold, I headed off to two of my favourite scenic    4    （spot）.

My first stop was Jingshan Park. The artificial park    5    （build）in the Ming Dynasty offered remarkable views of the Forbidden City. The coating of snow, contrasting with the colours of the autumn leaves and ancient structures only added to    6    （it）elegance and mystery. It is a view I    7    （see）countless times over the past decade and remains one of my favourite in the city.

Next up was Xiangshan Park,    8    dates back to the Jin Dynasty. There was a significant increase in    9    number of visitors. People traveled from all over China    10    （witness）the tree-covered hillsides transforming from their rich summery greens into yellows and reds like a blanket of fire. This created a picture I wouldn't soon forget.

9 . Officer Galen Hinshaw heard the call over the radio: a fellow officer was in trouble. A crowd _________ police around the country had _________ a police car at Memorial Bridge. The officer inside radioed for help as these crowds _________ his car. Hinshaw, part of police Department’s Special Response Team, drove to the _________. As he got out of his car, he was also immediately surrounded by the crowd. Some yelled rudely, while others _________ their fists. As the crowd _________, Hinshaw, wearing a vest, a helmet, made his way to keep his back to the wall. He needed to be sure that _________ could get behind him.

The crowd yells _________, “We do care, man, we do care,” Hinshaw yelled back. It was then that a man wearing a red mask that _________ the lower half of his face put himself between the __________ crowd and Hinshaw. Day care operator Lee had also noticed the crowd __________ Hinshaw. He jumped in and __________ arms with the stranger in the red mask. __________, one man shouted “We’re supposed to protect the police!” and the people __________ him. Then Ricky, a factory worker, __________ up and stood to Lee’s left. As the crowd around them grew larger and louder. He heard Lee yell, “__________ arms!” At that point, local businessman Julian joined in. “I saw the guys link up, and I saw a weak spot,” he says. He took up a position on the end of line, feeling nervous and __________ his hands trembling. Finally, five men __________ a human shield (屏障) to protect Hinshaw. Three were Black, one was White, and one was Dominican—all linking arms to keep __________ away from Hinshaw.

The standoff lasted just two minutes, though it felt __________ to those who were there. “It was a moment where strangers came together to help another stranger, and that stranger was me.”