2 . Having relocated often, I’ve developed a love of de-cluttering (整理). Actually, there have been times when I’ve questioned whether it’s an/a ________. But I’ve concluded that it isn’t. Besides, the habit is just wonderful blessing.

Standing before my wardrobe (衣橱) at least once every couple of months, I consider what can go. Even doing so ________, there’s always something that I no longer love. Perhaps it’s an article of clothing that doesn’t express how I see myself any more or is not the most ________. Maybe it’s something that has ________ through the last few selections and has finally lost its fight to ________ in the wardrobe.

Either way, some clothes ________ at the charity shop. Occasionally such a ________ may see something new-to-me come home from the store. At least I know, though, that the new item adds a different energy to my wardrobe. So it’s ________. If however, I haven’t worn the new item within a few weeks, then it’s ________ that I am not as in love with it as I thought. It’s then donated back to the ________ on the next trip.

De-cluttering does not belong only to wardrobes, though. I also delete old computer files and emails, ________ the recycle bin on my computer daily. That way, when I look at my computer, it is like my wardrobe — only that which serves a purpose remains.

The best form of de-cluttering we can really do is to rid ourselves of outdated ________. Like with all forms of de-cluttering, saying goodbye to thinking patterns that no longer serve us creates ________ to breathe. It also makes room for new ways of thinking. Yes, de-cluttering can ________ all areas of our lives.

I wish you the courage to abandon the parts of your life that no longer ________ you and make space for fresh energy to flow.

3 . For a long time Gabriel didn’t want to be involved in music at all. In his first years of high school, Gabriel would look pityingly at the music students, _________across the campus with their heavy instrument cases, _________at school for practice hours _________anyone else had to be there. He swore to himself to _________music, as he hated getting to school extra early.

However, one day, in the music class that was _________of his school’s standard curriculum, he was playing idly(随意地) on the piano and found it _________to pick out tunes. With a sinking feeling, he realized that he actually _________doing it. He tried to hide his _________pleasure from the music teacher, who had wandered over to listen. He might not have done this particularly well, because the teacher told Gabriel that he had a good _________and suggested that Gabriel go into the music store-room to see if any of the instruments there __________him. There he decided to give the cello(大提琴) a chance. When he began practicing, he took it very __________. But he quickly found that he loved playing this instrument, and was __________to practicing it so that within a couple of months he was playing reasonably well.

This __________, of course, that he arrived at school early in the morning, __________his heavy instrument case across the campus to the pitying looks of the non-musicians he had left   ___________.

4 . A man was employed to paint a boat. He brought paint and _________ and began to paint the boat as the owner wanted. While painting, he _________ there was a hole in the body of the boat and decided to repair it. When he finished painting, he received his _________ and left.

The next day, the owner of the boat visited the painter and_________ him with a cheque (支票), much higher than what he was paid for the painting work. The painter was _________.

“You’ve already paid me for painting the boat, sir!” he said.

“This is not for the paint job. It’s for repairing the _________ in the boat.”

“Ah! But it was such a small service.” the man said. “Certainly it’s not worth paying me such a high amount for something so _________!”

“My dear friend，” the owner said, “You don’t understand. Let me tell you _________ happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I _________ to mention the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took it and __________ a fishing trip. They did not know that there was a hole there. I was not at home at the time. So when I __________ and noticed they had taken the boat, I was hopeless. Imagine my __________ and joy when I saw them returning safely from fishing.”

“Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You now see what you did? You __________ the life of my children!”

Each of us has a moral duty to offer help, wipe tears, listen carefully and repair all the “hole” we __________ in our life journey, because a small act will make a big __________ in the future.

6 . That cold January night,I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco． _______ home, I thought seriously about _______ both my job and San Francisco．City life had become too much for me．

As 1 walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and _________．I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers．About a block from my apartment, I heard a _________   behind me．I turned quickly but the street was _______．All I saw was a shining streetlight, which made me nervous. I started to _________ faster．Not until I reached my apartment building did I realize the noise had been my _________ falling to the sidewalk．

Suddenly 1 wasn’t cold any more．I ran back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk _________ for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be _______.

Just as 1 was about to give up the ________,I heard the garbage truck pull up to the ________ next to me．Then out jumped a small red—haired man with a(n) ________ look in his eyes．“Is this what you’re looking for?”He asked ________ up a small square shape．

That night, I got my wallet back．I also got back some ________ of city life．I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to __________ each other．

8 . A year after Benjamin Canlas died at 17，his love of helping others lives on. Through a foundation _________ by his parents，this kind young man is _________ making the world a better place ——one bike at a time.

In the Philippines，many jobs have been lost _________ the coronavirus crisis. Thousands of people have to travel to take_________ jobs to survive. But public transportation has been _________limited. Benjamin’s parents had the idea to _________ bikes to deserving individuals.

At first，their _________ was to donate seven bicycles. But then they received more than fifty _______. And then 27 people were awarded’ bicycles. These bicycles are _________ to help make their lives a little easier.

Among the __________ is Ronaldo Rosario. He sold rice cakes in the morning and smoked fish in the afternoon. ________ many kilometers each day，which caused the borrowed bike to break often. So，he often lost __________ time and some of his earning on repairs.

There are people still in need and much more __________ needs to be offered. The foundation is working on launching more sustainable __________. The goal is that these programs will help more people while also ________ others to be kind and help those in need.

9 . I was making a stop on my book tour. A sweet woman approached me, and pleasantly _______ she wouldn't buy a book. She said she _______ wanted to ask me a question: How did I get into acting and how did I _______ to stay in it? I was _______the performance, so I didn't want to waste energy with a long response. I said, "Persistence," without thinking.

She laughed and said, "Well, sure. That's true with everything, right?"

A light came on in my brain. She was righter than she knew. I said, "Yes, but not how you mean. Success is a _______of persistence. So is failure. We become whatever we're persistent at. I had friends who were always exactly 20minutes late－persistently late. You could set your _______by them. I know actors who persistently destroy their own chances. They don't _______ enough. They don't learn their lines. Persistently."

A lot of the time our methods of working are a series of habits, good and bad, we _______sometime in the past. Habits feel_______. My ex-acting teacher once said, "Comfort is the enemy of the artist."

I wasn't crazy about his statement back then, because I was uncomfortable, but still wasn't an artist. I see the ________ of it now. People________take the easy path. It's human nature to look for the________ at the back of the book. We often see the effort in finding better habits as a problem to be avoided, but in doing so, we persistently waste our ________.

As actors, we know we can become anything with enough rehearsal. ________look at what you do persistently. If you don't like your habits, change them. No matter what your passion is the power to ________the map of your life is essential.

10 . My twin sister, Dawn, born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫), has to wear braces (吊带) on her legs and walk with the help of a stick, often causing people to _______and point.

As Dawn was the only “different” child in our neighborhood, we were constantly picked on. We never had any friends because of her condition. I began to _______Dawn and was embarrassed to be seen with her. So I did everything to get her into trouble to _______her being born mentally and physically disabled.

When I turned twelve, my mother was so displeased with my behavior. She figured I was _______enough to know better. One day she threw me in my bedroom and gave me a thick yellow book. What I saw in that book _______the way I viewed my disabled sister.

There were many baby _______of Dawn and me dressed alike, the only _______ : I looked small and peaceful while Dawn was hooked up to tubes and needles and machines. If you looked closely, you could see the _______in her eyes though she was always smiling. One picture stood out: we were _______each other. The words below read, “I’m so happy to have a twin sister, Netti. The doctors make me cry. She makes me ________.” Looking back, I realized how ________I had been! I had never put myself in Dawn’s shoes! Feeling ________ , I cried myself to sleep.

Later, Dawn came to wake me up for dinner. I kissed her and hugged her ________ like in the picture.

From then on, I was Dawn’s ________ . No one was going to hurt her for any reason. We were ________ . I am her the other half and she is my world.