1 . If you want to stand out, 10,000 hours of training will take you much further than your natural abilities. Mozart is considered by many as the greatest composer who ever lived. Traditionally, many people ________ outstanding achievements like Mozart’s are due to talent, or even inborn inspiration or ________.

This assumption holds especially true for child prodigies (神童) like Mozart whose music talent ________ the world at the age of six. But looking more ________ at this phenomenon, we find that these individuals actually had to practice countless hours before showing their ________ remarkable talent. In fact, scientists indicate that a prodigy’s training typically ________ at a very early age, with massive time invested in practice.

For example, when the six-year-old Mozart toured Europe to ________ his brilliant piano skills, he had already ________ 3,500 hours of musical training. If you compare this to other pianists who have practiced for as long, Mozart’s ________ wasn’t all that exceptional. It seems that outstanding abilities come from intensive strict practice ________ natural talents. A study shows the only factor directly ________ the students’ level of achievement was the amount of serious practice time: the most ________ performers had practiced for an average of 10,000 hours, while the least skilled had only 4,000 hours of practice. What’s even more revealing is that there were no ________: All of the top performers had ________ great efforts to their practice. It seems that no extraordinary talent can ________ without tough practice.

2 . Blissdom, a blogging conference, was held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. I went to the hotel three years in a row. On my first visit, I remember entering my hotel room and being _________ by a lovely piece of music playing. The sounds were so _________ that I nearly fell asleep while relaxing on my bed.

Before I _________ , I asked the hotel if I could buy such a clock radio. They told me they didn’t sell them and that they might be _________ in any store. To my _________ , I couldn’t find one anywhere.

The next year, the clock radio in my _________ was a newer model, but it still played the gentle music. I again asked where I could find one, but got no answer. I tried to search for one in stores, in _________ once again.

So this year, I was _________ to find the machine in my room at Gaylord Opryland. I asked the _________ on Twitter, “Where can I buy this Shaper Image clock radio?”

They replied, “Sorry. It isn’t available to customers.”

“I’ve been __________ one for three years,” I said.

I received no __________ after that, and I attended the Blissdom closing night party. When I came back, I found a second clock radio on the dresser (梳妆台), and a __________ beside it with my name on it, which __________: “Christina, the clock radio is for you. We hope you enjoy these nice sounds at home. Sincerely, Opryland.”

That would be the point where my excited screaming __________. Thank you, Gaylord Opryland, for giving me such a(n) __________ gift!

3 . Roger Bannister, born in Harrow, London, early showed a talent for running. University education was beyond the ________ of his working-class parents, but he was ________ to secure a place at one of England’s top universities and pursue a career in ________.

Luckily, owing to his academic efforts, Bannister was awarded a scholarship by Oxford University, where his exceptional speed on the track soon earned him the attention and ________ from the sports media. Surprisingly, he ________ to compete in the 1948 Olympics in London, preferring to focus on his ________ and his medical studies. By 1951, Bannister had won the British championship in the mile and felt ________ for Olympic competition. ________, a last-minute change in the schedule ________him to compete without resting between events and he finished just fourth in the 1500-meter race at the 1952 Olympics. To break the four-minute mile barrier, Bannister ________ 45 minutes every day from his full-time medical studies for training. On May 6, 1954, at Oxford, his ________eventually paid off. At age 25, Bannister made history, crossing the finish line at 3: 59.4. When the announcer read out the time: “3…”, the rest was ________ by the cheering crowd. In the following famous “Mile of the Century” race, Bannister ________ Australian runner John Landy with a time of 3: 58.8 to Landy’s 3: 59. 6, both under four minutes. In 1955, Bannister’s autobiography, First Four Minutes, was published.

Bannister’s ________ to academic medicine is equally remarkable, but his spirit of the four-minute mile is ________ to not only people of our era, but to before and after.

4 . After my mother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease(阿尔茨海默病), the plants in our house began to die. In years past, I remember the deep, earthy smell that would ________ in our house after my mother had made her weekly watering rounds. Back then, I never connected it with the care that was at the ________ of everything she did.

But now, leaves were ________ , some dry and edged with brown, and many of the stems(茎) bare. It was a mark of how my mother can no longer attend to all the things that she lovingly cared for. I was so focused on the increasing ________ of her own care that her beloved plants had escaped my ________ .

I began her old rounds, pouring water into the thirsty soil, and soon the plants ________ . That’s the thing about houseplants: They demand nothing. They wait quietly, no matter how ________ they are. But even after my best ________, some of the plants couldn’t survive. My mother’s kind caregivers have since brought new ones to add to her ________ , and my father buys fresh flowers every week.

Though Alzheimer’s disease ________ so much of her memory, her desire to care is still there. I would guide her down the steps to water the plants herself. I watched as her shaking hands picked the brown leaves. Each time, she smiled up at me with ________ satisfaction because being able to ________ something is still, what brings her the greatest joy.

I look at plants ________ these days. I see them as my mother does:________ reminders of the need for kindness toward all living things. It is clear to me that the things we spend a lifetime ________ are never truly lost and the love she has planted in me still blooms(开花).

5 . Many years ago I lived in New York City. One Sunday morning I decided to _________ my parents who lived in a small town two hours north. As I approached (靠近) the town, my car _________. It happened in the late 1970s when there were no cellphones. A woman in her thirties _________ to offer me a ride to a mechanic (修理工) in town, and as we _________ on the way in, I learned that she was a local realtor (房地产经纪人). I _________ that I was from the city seeing my parents. We exchanged _________ and went our separate ways, but I never forgot her _________.

Forty years later, both my parents now passed away; I decided to _________ their house because I was unable to pay the tax (税). I _________ the realtor who had helped me all those years ago and called her office by the number on her business card I always treasured. __________, the lady had passed away, __________ her daughter and granddaughter were running the __________ and ended up being my realtors.

They were __________ to work for their late family member’s old acquaintance (相识之人) who always remembered a simple act of kindness from a __________. And, knowing my difficulties, they helped me, sell the house for free.

Kindness __________ in the same family, and I felt quite thankful, again.

7 . When I was in third grade, my family and I took on an unforgettable trip across the country. It turned out to be more than just a/an _______ journey; it was a journey of discovery into our _______. Every day, Dad _______ us with his trusty road map. Mom, the heart of our family, shared folk tales and painted pictures about the upcoming _______. We went through diverse _______from the thick forests to the vast deserts of the West.

One day, while hiking through the Grand Canyon, I _______   a particularly rough path. Frightened, I _______, not knowing how to proceed. That’s when my parents _______ .

As Dad showed me footholds, Mom coached me with calming _______and reminded me of the breathtaking views that lay ahead. Then, I________the confidence as my feet ________ solid ground again. When I finally overcame my fear, I felt we became ________ as a family.

From then on, every evening, we’d gather around a campfire for what we________called “Family Reflection Time”. During these sessions, we’d share laughs, ________, and insights from the day’s experiences.

The trip taught me that the true meaning of travel isn’t merely about reaching the destination but about the personal growth that happens on the route, and the family bonds formed when facing ________ together.

8 . If you think you haven’t got what it takes to achieve your goals, you must remember that hard work beats talent every time!

________ is the natural ability or capacity to perform a function. When you ________ talent in an area, you are gifted with the “knack (诀窍)” or “instinct” needed to perform a skill or ________ a specific quality. But this only means you have the “________ qualities.” So, you have the equipment or tools needed to perform the skills.

According to a study by Angela Duckworth, a leading researcher, hard work and ________ are more important ________ of success than talent.

Duckworth found that ________ who showed more grit (defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals) were more likely to achieve their ________ than those who were simply talented but lacked the ________ drive to succeed.

However, ________ you learn how to efficiently use, manage, and control these resources, you cannot perform or use your talents at the highest levels. This is where “hard work” ________. “Hard work” applied to your natural talents and instincts will take you to levels others may never ________ . But talent alone will not do it…you must ________ your “talents” through “hard work” -practice, training, and exerting effort.

If you do not ________ to gain experience, education, and training as it relates to your talent, your ________ ability will not shine. Soon, others will surpass your accomplishments. Hard work beats talent.

10 . At 20 years old, I was a confident and handsome student at the University of California at Berkey.

But that year, I ________ a bump (肿块) in my right nostril (鼻孔), and when it didn’t go away, I made an ________ with a doctor. It turned out to be a tumor (肿瘤). Then I underwent surgery. Fortunately, the procedure was ________, and I returned to classes soon.

But six months later, a new bump appeared. Numerous ________ confirmed it had reproduced a horrible, life—threatening tumor. I was advised to have another operation and ________ that I might lose part of my nose. I was too young to think about death then, but the thought of disfigurement (毁容) made me feel ________.

I awoke from the surgery with a scarred, disfigured face. As I re-entered the real world, I noticed adults ________ and children pointing—and sometimes laughing—at me. The occasional and ________ negative reactions from my friends also hurt me. My self-respect sank increasingly lower, and I constantly asked others, “Do my looks ________ you?”

Five years and 20 reconstructive surgeries later, I ________ a man receiving treatment. After hearing my question, he criticized me. My problem, he ________ me, was not my physical appearance, but my emotional insecurity. His ________ helped me realize my mental scars were far more disfiguring than my physical ones.

I began examining myself from the inside out. Later, I volunteered at a cancer support organization to offer inspiration and hope to those ________ cancer

Now, I am ________ for who I am—a much stronger person than before. To you, I offer this message: Avoid making judgements about people at ________.