2 . I was 3 years into my Ph.D. Yet I still felt in the ______ because I did not know how or when I would graduate. To be ______, I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Worse still, Erika was ______, the only other woman in the lab. This added to my ______. As she cleared out her lab space, she offered a ______: her old but big computer monitor (显示器). This kind, seemingly minute ______ turned out to be exactly the lifeline (救命稻草) I ______.

To me, this monitor was a ______ that my community supports me even when they aren’t ______ with me. After years of using only a small laptop, I was ______ by how much my work benefited from having an additional screen. With this ______ perspective, I started to like writing. I handed in my graduation paper, and the light at the end of the tunnel shined brightly.

Then I graduated. My ______ with the monitor came to an end, and I wanted to ______ the chain of care and sisterhood. So, I offered it to another woman engineer, who told me the monitor allowed her to have focused writing time. It also helped solidify her ______ that she is in community with people who support her — just as it did for me.

And just like that, a ripple (涟漪) effect from an ______ monitor.

3 . Mrs. Oren, with her family, lived down the block from us. We were four kids living with our parents happily.

Our happiness _______. I was 14 and my youngest sister was 4 when our mother passed away suddenly. _______, Mrs. Oren always stayed by our side. I was already an “independent” teenager, but she _______ my youngest sister every day while our dad was _______ and the rest of us were at school.

My morning _______ on school days included getting up with the alarm clock as Dad already went to work, and _______ the “kids” to get them ready for school. One morning, I felt so _______ while making breakfast. The next thing I _______ was that I was lying on the floor in the _______, with the world spinning around me.

It was heartbreaking that I soon ________ my sisters crying and throwing up. But I could do nothing, feeling so ________. Suddenly, the door opened and Mrs. Oren came in! We were ________ to the hospital in her car. It turned out that she came to our house that morning ________ to look after my youngest sister, only to find the frightening ________. Later, Mrs. Oren told us we all got gas poisoning.

What would have happened to us but for a caring ________ who kept an eye on us every day?

4 . Alexander Graham Bell hated spending summertime in Washington, DC. He usually ________ to his farm in Nova Scotia, but one year he had to stay in the capital.

“Why humans have ________ how to warm a house but not how to cool one — until now,” he wondered, and in 1872, he ________ a cold-air-producing device and brought the temperature in his room down to 21℃.

When 69-year-old Bell told that ________ in a speech to the 1917 graduating class of McKinley Manual Training School, the students went ________. The clapping lasted so long that he was ________ to say something more surprising.

“Could postage stamps be used in ________ of persons?” asked Bell, who had thought of ________ a low price for public transport, but the cost of building additional roads was too high. “Perhaps, the flying machine will be the ________.”

In the speech, Bell also ________ on a century of progress and looked ahead with remarkable foresight. In the reflection, he was amazed by the ________ made in the past century: Gas lighting had evolved into electric bulbs and automobiles ________ horse-drawn vehicles. He then went on to ________ the commercial airplane, solar panels, and the ________ for renewable resources.

Gilbert Grosvenor, the editor of National Geographic magazine, asked for the ________ and published a revised version in the February issue. Now, more than one hundred years later, Bell’s predictions still remain prescient (预见性的).

5 . After more than 40 years of service to the Sunset Hills Community, Ricky Woods, a beloved bus driver, said goodbye to his role.

Two days before his ________, Woods was greeted with a ________ as he arrived at his usual working spot. The streets were lined with signs bearing warm messages and a celebratory cake ________ him. Deeply touched, Woods expressed, “It was unexpected and very emotional. My heart is ________.”

Woods’ impact on the community was ________. His acts of kindness and willingness to go the extra mile made him an ________ part of Sunset Hills.

One neighbor ________ recalled an instance where Woods ________ in an emergency. “One day, my grandfather had a heart attack. It was Ricky who took immediate action and ________ to take my grandfather to hospital. My grandfather received timely ________ and recovered,” the neighbor shared.

Woods’ ________ nature extended beyond just people. Besides kindly interacting with kids, Woods always had a treat on hand for their ________.

To show their ________, the community came together to create lasting memories for Woods. Neighbors ________ their resources to make a plaque (牌匾) gifted to Woods, which reads, “In appreciation of your many years of ________.”

6 . In the fast-paced world of Formula One racing, there was a young driver named Alex who was an ________ boy. From a tender age, Alex dreamed of becoming a Formula One champion. Alex’s family, though ________ at first, recognized his determination and supported him in pursuing his dream.

But Formula One was a very ________ world, filled with talented drivers. Alex faced many challenges and ________ along his journey. He was faced with moments of self-doubt, questioning whether he had what it ________ to succeed at the highest level of motor sport.

Yet, Alex refused to let difficulties ________ him. He knew that true champions were made in the crucible (磨炼) of defeat. With great determination, he pushed forward.

As seasons came and went, Alex’s skill and reputation ________. Some famous teams took notice of his remarkable talent, and he eventually ________ a seat in one of the top Formula One teams. It was the ________ of a lifetime, a chance to compete against the best drivers in the world for the ________ of championship.

Alex faced massive pressure and expectations. The ________ of his dream and the eyes of millions were upon him. However, he resisted the pressure and ________ became the Formula One World Champion.

From that day, Alex’s victory ________ a symbol of courage and resilience. And his story ________ us that in the pursuit of our dreams, there are no ________— only possibilities waiting to be realized.

7 . When Karl Goldstein was a kid, he took piano lessons every Saturday morning with a family friend. But when Goldstein was 12, his teacher told his ________ that he needed better instruction. So his mother took him to a music school, and ________ for classes taught by Alice Shapiro who was known for being ________. On the first day, she told Goldstein that he had to memorize the ________ of the Beethoven Sonata within a week.

“Well, I don’t think I can do that,” Goldstein hesitated.

“But you must do it,” the teacher said ________.

This was nothing like his ________ Saturday mornings with his former teacher, and it wasn’t ________ before Goldstein decided that he didn’t want to take piano lessons anymore. He ________ he’d pick up another instrument, or maybe just ________ himself the piano after the semester.

But a few words of encouragement from the music teacher changed Goldstein’s ________. One day, Shapiro turned to him and said something ________, “I am really happy that you have made remarkable progress within such a short time! I am sure you’re not going to ________.”

The encouragement transformed their relationship ________ and it was the beginning of a long and ________ relationship.

“Years later, I became a piano teacher and that’s what I’ve been doing for the past 50 years. I ________ it all to the precious moment with my seemingly tough teacher, Alice Shapiro.”

8 . Around 2000 years ago, ancient Chinese divided the sun’s annual circular motion into 24 equal segments, each segment was called a ‘Solar Term’. Each solar term ______ a unique period of a year. But have you ever heard the term — “Hui Nantian”, a unique meteorological (气象) ______ that occurs ______ in southern China? This term, which translates to “the return of the south wind,” encapsulates (概括)a seasonal shift that not only ______ the weather patterns, but also deeply affects the way of life and cultural practices in this region.

“Hui Nantian” occurs during the ______ from winter to spring, when the cold, dry air of winter ______ the warm, damp air of the south. This change is not merely a meteorological shift; it’s a cultural event. People in the southern China anticipate “Hui Nantian” with a ______ of excitement and caution.

On the one hand, it signals the end of winter and the ______ of spring, a time of renewal and rebirth. On the other hand, the ______ humidity and dampness can present challenges, especially in terms of maintaining the integrity of buildings and ______ personal items. In Chinese culture, “Hui Nantian” is often associated with traditional practices and beliefs. It also reflects the importance of respect for ______ and traditional values in Chinese culture. In addition, it is also connected with the concept of “harmony with nature.” This belief encourages people to live in harmony with the natural world and respect the ______ of nature, such as the changing of the seasons and the flow of energy.

By ______ these natural rhythms, it is believed that people can achieve a state of inner peace and harmony, which is essential for leading a healthy and ______ life. Overall, Hui Nantian shows a blend of traditional practices, beliefs, and values that are unique to Chinese culture. These practices not only serve to preserve the cultural heritage of China but also ______ harmony and balance in people’s lives.

10 . By the age of 27, Vincent had made the most important decision of his life, to become an artist. He spent the years between 1880 and 1885 developing his _______. He had little money and lived in _______ rooms all over the Netherlands, including the flat agricultural landscape of the Drenthe. There he _______ country people. He was often ill and miserable, but determined to _______ this new career.

After the failure of his studies for the priesthood, Vincent didn’t want to _______ art formally at an academy. But he knew nothing of anatomy (解剖学), the study of the human figure, or of perspective, by which artists show a sense of _______ in work done on flat paper or canvas. Theo, his brother, knew a rich young _______, Anthon van Rappard, who taught Vincent perspective, and _______ him prints to copy. Vincent made hundreds of drawings of people, _______ charcoal, crayon, ink, and watercolor. Theo provided ________ for oil paint, and he began to paint in oils. Vincent often traveled to the ________ or the coast to draw working people. He was beginning to believe in himself as an ________.“Diggers, sowers, planters, male and female, they are what I draw ________. I have to ________ and draw everything that belongs to country life.” The compassion that Vincent ________ for poor people as a preacher was now channeled into his art.