1 . I love and enjoy playing the piano. So when the recital (音乐演奏会) was ______, I was disappointed. I had expected it for long and already ______ my best songs.

However, Mom turned this ______ into something worthwhile. “You should ______ at Carriage House Manor. I’m sure the ______ there would really appreciate the music.” To me, this was a win-win situation because not only would I play more songs, but I have the chance to ______ the residents, some of whom tragically didn’t have families.

The much-anticipated day ______ arrived. Stepping into the dining area, I saw several gray-haired people seemingly enjoying a dinner and the ______. Despite on-going conversations at tables, ______ still hung like a dark cloud in the room. After introductions, I sat down in front of the piano, butterflies in my stomach. But my ______ melted away as I played on.

The dinner hour flew by. One woman got up and began to cheerfully ______ about the room to the beat of the ______ while others snapped their fingers (打响指). I was ______ to see how music brought big smiles to their faces.

Calling off the recital was a blessing because it led to us ______ the gift of music with those who needed it most. Go spread ______ whenever possible.

In May of 1886, 400,000 workers in many parts of the USA went on strike, demanding an eight-hour working day. The strike started     1    (peaceful), but on the third day of protests in Chicago, there was some violence. The police shot at unarmed workers,    2    (kill) several of them. The next day there were more protests and someone threw a bomb. Seven police officers and four workers were killed by the bomb. The person     3    threw the bomb was never identified, but eight workers were arrested. Seven of them were sentenced to     4    (die), and one of them was sent to prison for 15 years.

This event, known.    5    The Haymarket Affair, was very important in bringing working people together in the USA. Many people didn’t believe the men were     6    (guilt), and the trial was criticized for being unfair. The Haymarket Affair became     7    international symbol of the struggle for workers’ rights, and May    8    (choose) to be International Workers’ Day. On this day, socialist parties and trade unions called for workers     9    (demonstrate) for the eight-hour day and in favour of peaceful protest. The eight-hour working day became law for public workers in 1892. Since then, workers’ movements all over the world     10    (continue) to fight for and win this right.