1 . Steph Morris is a talented UK artist who specializes in hyper-realistic drawings of sneakers (运动鞋). Her works are so true-to-life that even closeups of the drawings are ________ to distinguish from the real thing.

When it comes to sneaker ________, Manchester-born Morris is famous for her unmatched realism. She has always had a thing for sneakers, so pairing up this passion with her ________ talent just made sense. She didn’t ________ plan to make a living out of drawing sneakers. At first, she was more interested in ________ them, as she sought a career in sports. But a number of injuries forced her to ________ her option and come up with a plan B. She ________ a pencil and started drawing the things she ________ most.

“I’ve always loved sneakers since I was a ________so exploring that in my work is very ________.” Morris said. “It was actually a pair of sneakers that I drew to hang on my wall that got me here in the first place. It’s one of my favorite sneakers, and I collected many ________ growing up.”

While ________ as a graphic designer, Morris ________ a phone call from Reebok and was invited to a Future x Reebok event in New York. Since she couldn’t get any ________ off from work, she decided to just ________ her job and take up drawing full time.

2 . Lyn Story is a retiree in Fort Worth, Texas. She had a lot of _________ time on her hands until she met Apryl Goodwin, who had been diagnosed with uterine cancer (子宫癌).

Apryl had no transportation and didn't know what to do. So she sought for _________ on the community app Nextdoor. Someone _________ and said, “I’ll take you to your _________.” She ignored it because it was a stranger and didn’t accept it until Lyn _________ her again and said, “I’ll take you. I mean it. I’m _________ and sincere.”

That _________ was Lyn, and over the last year, she has taken Apryl to more than 25 radiation appointments, six chemotherapy treatments and _________ doctor visits. Apryl said Lyn was like her guardian.

Lyn’s _________ doesn’t stop there. Months after meeting Apryl, she was on the Nextdoor app again when she __________ a post from Kevin Horrigan, who is legally blind. “Lyn’s really a kind woman,” said Kevin. “She really is, because I can’t __________.”

Tough times made Kevin come back to work after retiring. Now Lyn __________ his burdens. Lyn drives him to work or she picks him up from work. Kevin says what Lyn has done helps him __________.

Lyn said she started thinking of herself as a bad-weather friend. “You know, fair-weather friends only __________ you when everything’s good for you,” she explained. “But a bad-weather friend is there to help you in times of __________.”

Filled with love, Lyn’s story is life changing for so many.

3 . Dave Hall led Surprise Squad, an organization to bring surprise to those in need, on a mission to spread joy at a local Albertsons store. Their _________ was simple yet influential: to pay for the groceries of _________ customers. Among the customers was Stephanie, a disabled veteran(退伍军人)who relied on her wheelchair.

She _________ to Dave that she was shopping for food for herself and her dogs. She was down to her last $50,_________ of how she would manage after that. Dave, thrilled to help, paid for all her groceries, a _________ that left Stephanie extremely grateful.

Dave _________ a man standing beside Stephanie. _________ mistaken for her husband, Larry turned out to be a friend of Stephanie’s husband and a fellow veteran. Despite his own financial _________, Larry was determined to support Stephanie.

He stood in the checkout _________ with just a bottle of dish soap and a piece of candy—all he could afford. Dave, moved by Larry’s situation, __________ buying him groceries. Larry’s eyes were filled with tears as Dave accompanied Larry back into the shelves, filling a __________ with food and toiletries(洗漱用品), far more than Larry had __________that day. As they finished checking out, Larry __________ that he had never spent so much on groceries before. The gratitude and emotion on his face were __________.

He thanked Dave wholeheartedly and left the store, carrying not just groceries but a moment of __________ that would never fade.

5 . Salvador Quijada is now an eighth-grade math teacher at Philip’s Academy Charter School. When he _________his own journey into maths, he gives credits to one high school math teacher who pushed him to take on AP calculus (微积分). Quijada said his teacher’s belief that he could succeed allowed him to challenge himself in ways he might not have otherwise _________.

Now, Quijada brings that _________ into his lessons. Last year, seeing many students who did well in maths, he thought they might need an _________ push in terms of their maths. So he wanted to bring an accelerated version of the eighth grade curriculum (课程) for them to _________ more easily. He brought up the _________ to Philip’s headmaster, Yasmeen Sampson, who encouraged him to move forward with it! Thanks to the right curriculum he found, the students were _________ enjoying the class. They were cooperating, _________ and working hard during the class. They’re now making great _________.

When asked what he has done as a teacher that he’s especially __________ of, “I create a classroom environment that __________ respect and learning,” he replied. “I always want my students to feel comfortable and __________, even when making mistakes. In my first year as a teacher, I had a student who always __________ me and made it difficult to teach. I had to really learn how to work with him. Once I was able to build a __________ with him, it became much __________ to teach him. Now, seven years later, I still keep in touch with him.”

6 . Dressed in a kachhad, a traditional Nepalese clothes, Umesh Balal walked into his meetings at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) on climate change in Dubai with a sense of determination.

Balal, who has physical disability, was there to publicly _________ inclusion of disability rights in the climate change conference, an aspect that he said has long been _________ by organizers of the world’s largest annual meeting on climate issues.

As a student, Balal was _________ about science and involved himself in research on environmental science. Those were his first few interactions that _________ the climate related issues to him. Being from a mountainous region, Balal _________ more about how climate change had _________ people there, which led him to develop climate anxiety.

The more Balan _________ himself to climate science, the more he learned about the impact of climate change. People with more resources have better chances of _________ the climate crisis. But the less developed countries, for the _________ communities, usually don’t have the same opportunities, which will push them further into the __________

And it is even harder for people with __________. Many people with disabilities in Nepal don’t have __________ to proper education or opportunities for growth. As a result, they aren’t able to advocate for their rights.   

In an interview, Balan said, “__________, I am honored that I come from a supportive family, where I had a chance of good education which __________ me to grow in life. This is what I __________for others, to change the way they live their lives.”

8 . I turned on the radio and heard a woman describe her father’s final days in a hospice (临终安养院). ________, his end was a warming memory because of the hospice volunteers who ________the pain of strangers. In her sadness, she had ________ humanity at its best. I suddenly realised that I wanted to be where life matters most, which is when it is ________. I wanted to be one of those hospice volunteers.

I Googled hospices and ________ to one hospice seeking a volunteer to write the life stories of patients in its day center. Within a month, their ________ took my breath away. I was listening to the strangers giving an ________ of their loves and their losses, the memories that had never been shared and regrets that had ________ been expressed.

I began to see life differently. Everything I ________ the school run, the weekly shop seemed a gift to those no longer able to experience it. The details that the patients recalled of their past were so ________ , though so small. I saw people ________ , too. Instead of the unknown faces of ________ in the street, I saw leading characters of untold stories and the quiet heroism of ordinary life.

Six months later, my father fell ill and died ten days later. His sickness was sudden, but the hospice had ________ me. It was my encounters with patients and their relatives that enabled me to accept my father’s diagnosis without ________ .

These days, I try to see the world from the perspective of those I briefly knew and cherish chores and routines as a gift. And I want to take back into the outside world that sense of life stripped back to its ________ , where what ultimately matters is love.

9 . Over the past few decades, technology has profoundly transformed the way we live and work. The digital revolution has brought about________ changes to industries, economies, and societies worldwide. As we continue to navigate this rapidly changing landscape, it is crucial to understand the ________ impact of technology on various aspects of our lives.

In the realm of employment, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping job markets. Routine tasks that were once carried out by humans are now________ by machines with remarkable efficiency. While this automation has increased productivity and reduced errors, it has also ________ concerns about job displacement and the need for upskilling.

The education sector has not been immune to technological advancements either. Online learning platforms and digital resources have________ traditional classroom settings. This shift offers flexibility in learning, but it also requires learners to possess strong________ skills to navigate digital environments effectively.

Communication has been revolutionized by technology as well. Social media platforms enable instantaneous global________, connecting people across borders. However, the rapid spread of information in the digital age has________ challenges related to misinformation and privacy breaches.

Healthcare has witnessed the integration of technology through telemedicine and remote monitoring. While these innovations improve access to medical services, they also raise questions about the ________ of personal health data and the potential loss of the human touch in patient care.

In the realm of creativity, technology has opened new avenues for artistic expression. Digital art, virtual reality experiences, and interactive storytelling have________ boundaries in the creative world. However, concerns linger about the ________ of originality and the potential loss of tangible artistic experiences.

The environment benefits from technology through innovations in renewable energy and resource management. Yet, the________ footprint of electronic devices and the challenge of electronic waste management underscore the ________ implications of the digital revolution.

In conclusion, technology’s far-reaching influence touches every aspect of our lives. Its ________ can be both empowering and concerning. To navigate this complex landscape, individuals, businesses, and policymakers must work together to harness the potential of technology while addressing its________ challenges.