1 . When I decided to buy a house in Europe ten years ago, I didn't think too long. I liked traveling in France, but when it came to picking my favorite spot to _______, Italy was the clear winner.

During my first visit to Italy, I _______ to ask for directions or order in a restaurant. But every time I tried to _______ a sentence of Italian together, the locals smiled at me and _______ my language skills. That encouragement helped me to get through the language _______. After I made Italy my permanent home, I discovered how _______ Italians are. Neighbors will bring me freshly made cheese and will come to my door to _______ me to close the window in my car when rain is coming. It's these small _______ of kindness that make a new country feel like home.

As a foodie, the way to my heart is through my stomach, and nowhere fuels my _______ quite like Italy. Each town has its own traditional ________, and every family keeps a recipe passed from one generation to another. Families ________ for big meals on Sundays, birthdays, and whatever other excuses they can ________. These meals are always ________ by laughter and joy. Whatever ________ life in Italy might have, the problems are ________ once you sit down to a big meal with friends and family.

2 . I’ve been motivated — and demotivated — by other folks’ achievement s all my life.

When I was a teenager, a neighborhood friend ________ a marathon race. Feeling motivated, I started running ________, but then two things happened. First, a girl I met one day told me she was ________ for a “super,” referring to a 52.4-mile double marathon. Then, the next day I went on my longest run — 15 miles. To be honest, I ________ it! Between the girl making my ________ seem small and the pure boredom of jogging, I decided that the only ________ I’d ever run again is if a big dog was running after me!

So I ________ cycling. I got a good bike and rode a lot. I ________ of entering cycle races until I flew to San Diego to visit my sister. While she was at work one day, I ________ her bike and went for a ride. The ________: The roads there went through large valleys where I’d be riding uphill for miles at a time. I’d never faced such ________. That day, I got ________ by about 100 “local” bikers who were used to such roads. When I got back home, suddenly riding my bike didn’t seem quite as ________.

I’ve ________ a lot since then. I’ve come to accept that whatever ________ I set for myself, they just have to be my own.

3 . I once worked on a farm. One day, a powerful wind slammed (猛推) me against a post. My left arm got totally _________, and it was later cut off.

Back home after an operation, I found everything a(n) _________. My husband tried to help me, but I wanted to be _________. I called my left arm “Stumpy” and tried to _________. I learned to squeeze toothpaste; I developed a technique for pulling the toilet paper.

“Mom can do anything,” my daughter said _________. The one thing I really wanted to do, though, was get back into _________. First, I tried to swim. When I swam with Stumpy, there was no forward motion. _________, I kept going and finished the lane at last. Then I tried the triathlon (铁人三项). I _________ how to balance the bike with one arm and start running. Within a year, I became an _________ athlete, winning a silver medal at the Paratriathlon World Cup.

In 2020, I decided to do New Zealand’s __________ event. Competitors have to run for 36 km, cycle for 140 km, and kayak (皮划艇) for 70 km. I __________ hard over the next six months. Then the big day came. After kayaking for a long time, my legs felt like jelly. “Don’t __________,” I told myself. In the last few kilometers, I heard loud __________. Many people came to support me.

Life in __________ for me, but I choose to change it. “Just because you’ve got only half a wing doesn’t mean you can’t __________ to achieve your dreams,” I said to myself.

4 . In a crowded migrant (移民) camp in Tijuana, Mexico, a three-year-old girl wandered ________ toward the exit. She was steps from a busy road. Estefanía Rebellón was the only person who ________ her. The writer had just driven from Los Angeles with a group of friends to drop off food and clothing to a(n) ________ organization.

It was December 2018, a time when the US-Mexico border was seeing migrants from Central America ________ violence and poverty. Rebellón rushed over to the child and took her ________. “Where are your parents?” she asked anxiously. Eventually, she and her friends found the girl’s ________ father, who had stepped away to ________ for food.

Back at home, Rebellón gathered a group of volunteer ________ via social media, and using a thousand dollars from her ________, set up a school at the Tijuana border. In five years, the pilot program has grown into the non-profit Yes We Can World Foundation, which has ________ three school buses into classrooms and established two schools.

________ by donations, the foundation’s teachers have provided a bilingual education to more than 3,000 kids. The schools ________ an official curriculum (课程) from Mexico’s education ministry. They also offer ________ courses, which help kids understand more about migration.

Rebellón has received numerous ________ for her work, including Outstanding American by Choice. As more than 6.6 million people still live in refugee camps around the world, she says she’d like to ________ the foundation’s influence and support migrant children globally.

6 . Good news came from Killington. In a challenging ______ that unfolded in 2024, the police department, along with the search and rescue team, ______ rescued 23 lost skiers and snowboarders. It was a remarkable ______ of teamwork and commitment.

The police department received a call at 2: 30 pm informing them of 7-9 lost individuals in the woods. However, as the officers, ______ with the search and rescue team, dug into the investigation, they ______ a more extensive situation involving a total of 21 last individuals. They set off instantly.

______ frosty temperatures, the rescuers hiked and snowshoed about 5 miles to reach the trapped skiers and snowboarders. They tripped and ______ their knees. But their goal was ______ : find everyone and bring them to safety. Finally, they did it.

Just when the rescuers thought their mission was ______, an additional call came in for two more lost skiers. Without any ______, six of the rescuers reentered the woods. They ______ and accompanied the lost to safety, ______ the highly organized activity at about 7: 30 pm.

The rescuers went to great ______ to ensure the safety and well-being of others. The ______ of these selfless individuals illustrated the true spirit of community. The police department ______ special thanks to all involved.

7 . A dog named Kobe became a hero by finding a gas leak in his owner’s front yard. The dog’s action underlined the importance of paying attention to the _______ of our companions.

The story began when Kobe, owned by Chanell Bell, was _______ digging a sizable hole in the yard. Initially _______ it as typical dog behavior, Bell grew _______ as the hole expanded. _______ that Kobe’s action was unusual, she _______ the dog’s judgment, given his normally well-behaved nature.

Following the _______ and repair of a recent gas leak in her home, Bell _______ her house with a gas detection device. She assessed Kobe’s _______ dug hole using the device. The device detected gas coming from the hole, so Bell contacted the authorities about the ________ .

“If the gas had continued to leak into our homes,” said Bell, “something as ________ as a light switch turning on could have caused an explosion!”

Workers discovered three main leaks in Bell’s neighborhood caused by aging pipes. It took the workers over three days to repair the leaks and ________ new pipes. Bell said, “Kobe ________ them as an exceptionally outstanding dog. It feels amazing to know Kobe went to that kind of ________ to save our block. Humans and animals can, should and must enjoy each other’s ________ . I am very thankful to have Kobe.”

8 . Lobb and Jafri were doing workout on Pier (码头) 15, overlooking the East River, when Lobb froze. What he’d seen was a person _________ , lifeless.

“Somebody’s in the water,” he said. Before Jafri could respond, Lobb climbed over the rail at the edge of the pier and _________ into the cold water without taking the time to _________ his shoes. Approaching the unconscious victim, Lobb saw that it was a man who was _________, around 200 pounds and sinking fast. He was 3 feet below the _________ by the time Lobb reached him. The rescuer grasped the man and kicked up desperately until they both resurfaced. Jafri looped his arms around the man’s shoulders and Lobb _________ the hips and knees. When at last they reached Pier 15, they faced a new _________. How to get out? The pier stood an unreachable 10 feet above.

On the pier, a crowd had gathered. From somewhere, the _________ produced a rope and a life preserver. With the two men pushing from below and the crowd _________ from above, the man’s body slowly __________.

Lobb and Jafri never learned who he was, what became of him or how he’d __________ the river. They say, they were the fittest people there and, so, had a(n)__________ responsibility. “If I know I’m __________ ,” Lobb says, “why wouldn’t I help?” Jafri adds,__________, “People always say ‘The friendship of a gentleman is insipid (淡而无味的) as water.’ I think my story __________ that one.”

9 . Watering my plants and watching my grandkids run around my vegetable garden, I was filled with joy. They are my _________ to save the earth, I thought.

Six years ago, though, I _________ gave the environment a second thought. Busily working in family day care, and a mum of three, I _________ products without hesitation. Things like throwing out leftover vegetables without care and shopping for fast fashion were part of my everyday _________. Then, one day in January, I _________ an article online about palm oil (棕榈油) , and its _________ effects on our rainforests and wildlife.

My husband and I had just changed our _________ then, becoming grandparents. “We need to _________the world,” I told him. It was not going to be easy, but we _________ to start somewhere. So while doing the shopping, I __________ every label to make sure the product was __________ from palm oil, a leading cause of deforestation. I even started my own vegetable garden and raised chicks. Soon, I became known as Eco Granny!

I love walking through my garden, with my little __________ closely following me. It is also __________ to teach my grandkids to do what I do. They all offer to help pick vegetables. And __________ one lady’s message of “Your post motivated me to make a change”, I more firmly believe if I can go __________ and be an inspiration, anyone can!

10 . Travel always gives me much energy. As a new travel writer, I was _________ for a solo (单独的) visit. When I was going to leave finally, my three-year-old Maia didn’t _________ her sadness. I tried to comfort her and told her someday she’d understand the _________ of travel. Returning home after a few days away, I was _________ and inspired. Maia told me I could keep going on trips for work, but I needed to take her with me.

Then, a year after that trip, an _________ came to experience the train Rocky Mountaineer on a parent-child journey. The trip sounded too good to pass up. _________ me taking notes about the local scenery, Mai a wanted to _________ her worth as an assistant. She began _________ a local couple across the row from us, who chatted with her happily. Too young and _________ to spell more than a few words, she got their answers drawn. I was surprised when Maia ended up being such an easy traveling __________ .

When she was six, we flew to the Riviera Maya in Mexico. I was impressed by how __________ she was when we swam in deep underground caves in water. On the __________ home, my sticking-to-me-like-glue kid said it was okay that the air line didn’t __________ us together. It was then that I realized how much travel was __________ her and helping her become more independent and __________.