2 . When I was 19 years old, I decided to pursue my passion for writing as a career. At the time, I knew that it was a _______ choice. It is one thing to turn your passion into a career, but to study writing as a 4-year degree? Was I being crazy or just _______?

The truth is, from the moment I chose writing as my major, I was _______ doubting my decision. I enjoyed my classes, but I couldn’t _______ the anxiety. As my senior year closed in, most of my friends had thought about what kind of careers they were looking for. I, _______, hadn’t even decided what kind of writing I wanted to do.

Then I asked myself why I write. For a while, I did not have a good enough _______. “Because I love it” often came to mind, but it didn’t seem to be a _______ reason to justify (证明……正确) devoting my life. Finally, after many doubts and anxious questions, I found the answer that gave me _______. I have returned to this moment many times to remind myself why I keep _______.

Why do I write? Because it is what I have to ________. I have the ability to share in a way that connects with others. I have the clarity (清晰的思维能力) to see that I can ________ others through the language I use. It is how I can give of myself to the world that has ________ me. And so, I find dignity (尊严) in the work I do.

Every person ________ a passion for something. Whatever they are, it’s worth it to seek out why they matter, and keep seeking until we find an answer that ________. And once you have found the answer, stick to it. ________ to it again and again to remind yourself that what you have to share with this world is uniquely yours to give.

3 . It was a normal morning in March, and school bus driver Sondra Artis had just picked up the last student on her route (路线).

As she headed towards Surry County Schoo in Virginia, the driver noticed a ________ smell in the air. Sondra wiped the windshield (擦挡风玻璃) to see if it was steam (蒸汽) or ________. “As I stepped on the ________, more smoke came out,” Sondra said. “The scent (气味) was so ________. I just had to get the students off that bus.”

Sondra ________ pulled the bus into a parking lot and turned to ________ the 20 students on board. She ________ them of the evacuation drills (疏散演习) they performed at the beginning of the year and ________ older students to leave through the backdoor and ________ students through the front.

“I told the kids that, ‘We have ________ at the beginning of the year, but this is going to be real, so I need you to be ________,’”said Sondra.

The students rushed to the ________ as smoke began to fill the bus. When they were out, Sondra went back onto the bus to ________ that everyone escaped safely. Seconds after they all ________, the bus caught fire. Another bus came to take the children to school.

The bus can be replaced, but human ________ cannot. The parents of Sondra’s students were really thankful for her coolness under fire.

6 . At 111, Dr Edith Kaufmann was the second oldest person in the UK. I met her when I _________ a care home for the elderly in London six years ago. I didn’t realize it would be the start of a close _________, where the age gap was eight decades.

At first sight, I was _________ by her self-confidence. Her doctorate (博士学位) told me she was intelligent and _________. From the beginning, I never felt as if Edith and I _________ conversation. Edith could have a full conversation with me about anything, and that her memory stretched back so easily, _________ even small things which took place 100 years ago.

She was also _________ . She loved dancing as a child and I recall, only a few weeks before her death, she laughed _________ when I played the waltz (华尔兹) and we _________ hands and danced along to the music. Although towards her later years she was __________ to a wheelchair, she still participated in the exercise classes.

As I __________ Edith each week, I realized that I was going as much for me as I was for her. I learnt to take the words of __________ when I could get them. When I have __________ over the years, and small decisions have weighed on my mind, I have __________ nothing more than the opportunity to regain my perspective on life and what actually __________.

8 . Larry was performing with his acting troupe (剧团) on the streets in England. As the crowd _________ around the professional actors, the stage was _________ for an exciting story completed by costumed actors and an energetic narrator telling the story on a loudspeaker.

When the story took a turn, Larry's character was thrown from an imaginary _________ . The actor fell to the ground and began _________ heavily to show the seriousness of his false _________ . Though the audience understood that this was all an act, there was one member who couldn't _________ to watch Larry lying on the ground in great _________ . Larry accepted an interview and recalled his reaction to the _________ .

“The character I played was hurt and painful,” he said. “He'd fallen off a horse, and was breathing hard. I felt _________ on my face. First, I thought my scene partner was approaching me.” Instead of feeling disappointed that some __________ the scene, Larry quickly broke into a smile as he felt the kisses from a __________ worried dog. “I was very happy when I felt the dog’s kisses,” Larry recalled. “I was very __________ . He was like an angel who wanted to help me. It was a very emotional moment for me. I hadn't __________ it.”

Some people might think that the acting troupe would be __________ about this accident, but everyone seemed to enjoy the dog's reaction to the scene. The dog showed its __________ for humans in a strong way.

9 . I’ve had many opportunities to experience living in a foreign culture. But my first experience came in an _______ place—my own country. When I was 20, I got an internship (实习职位) in New York City. It was my first time to _______ outside of my home state of Texas.

With my move north came culture _______ . I grew up in a big city in Texas. But it was no comparison to the tightly _______ New York with their 8 million citizens. I was used to life at a _______ pace; New York moved fast. The saying is true—this city never _______ . I had to adjust.

My first reaction was fear. Fear I would _______ at my new internship in the 54-store y office building. Fear of getting lost on the subway. Fear that the locals wouldn’t have _______ for my frequent moments of confusion. My fear ranged from reasonable to silly. But I _______ my fears and kept trying.

I learned quickly never to ________ a New Yorker always speaks English. New York is home to people of all walks of life, from all corners of the world. At weekends, I would spend hours ________ along Canal Street in Chinatown—the closest I’d ever been to an Asian country.

By the end of my internship, I was a little older, a little wiser and ________ of big city life. I hated the skyscrapers, tourists and the high price I had to pay for a cheeseburger and fries. But I had ________, too. I was quicker, smarter and more independent. I knew I would ________ that feeling of having the world right at my doorstep. It was good ________ for the life of travel I’d soon begin.

10 . On Nov.29, 2011, my little sister Lily was born. The whole family welcomed her arrival with _________ and open arms. We were thrilled to have a new addition to our family.

As she grew, her _________ became apparent. We _________ she would appear distant at times and was unable to _________ with others. The smallest things would keep her entertained for long periods, and she would _________ the same routine happily throughout the day. At the age of three, Lily was taken to the hospital by my parents. We were told that she was a child with autism (自闭症), and she would have _________ in communicating and forming relationships with others.

My family were _________ to learn that our loved one would probably be unable to live a _________ life. Unaware of what exactly this would bring, we made a decision to consider autism a _________. And what a blessing it turned out to be! The diagnosis(诊断) brought our family ____________, and we realized a deeper ____________ for one another.

Raising a child with a developmental disability is a(n) ____________ process. Mistakes are ____________. However, through it all, our family is always there watching over her, ____________ a comfortable and safe environment for her at all times. And Lily knows that she has a loving and supportive family who can be ____________ and her biggest cheerleaders when ____________ is achieved.

For those normal people, perhaps my experience might make you more ____________ what is really important in life. As for me, autism has ____________ been a combination of strength, courage and hope. It should not be ____________ as a burden, but rather as a blessing to the families fortunate enough to ____________ a different lifestyle.