2 . Life can give you so many choices and opportunities, but in the end it is up to us to take the first step. It’s _________ to turn your back on the rest of the world after experiencing a lot of pain.  

Before becoming involved with Hestia (a charity founded in 1970), I often felt that I just wanted to be left _________. I then volunteered to help distribute Hestia’s newsletter. I was _________ a small amount for my involvement and it was a great financial help at the time. During this time I met some wonderful people — staff and other service users within Hestia and it _________ that I actually had a good time. I felt respected and appreciated for my _________. If I had not decided to help out, I wouldn’t have realized the benefit that I gained both financially and _________.  

I was still unwilling to become more _________ though. However, when I realized that sitting within the four walls of my room wouldn’t help much, I knew I had to _________ myself. By helping other service users I started feeling _________ about myself and throughout it all I have ____________ my confidence and created good and lasting ____________ with other people. This has encouraged me and given me strength to take on other ____________ within Hestia.  

I later learned about other volunteering opportunities at Hestia and ____________ in the reception area gave me a sense of belonging. After a while I joined the finance department where I was part of a team and where I was shown ____________— something I was not ____________ to. For the first time I felt I could be “Me”.

3 . You just can’t imagine what a brave mother is like. She was a mother of three, who just _______ an earthquake, couldn’t tell if her children were _______ for help. Or what if you knew you couldn’t yell at her for help because she couldn’t _______ you? That was what happened to Connie and her three children _______ the 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocked Napa, California. Connie is _______ and communicates with her children using sign language.

At midnight, Connie and her three children were _______ on the first floor of their two-story home. She and her 16-year-old son, Juan, were shaken awake. Instantly, they realized there were no disaster supplies downstairs. Connie, also _______ one-month-old Raul and 8-year-old Adriana, called Juan to come close to her in the darkness and _______ for him to go upstairs to get a _______.

Juan slowly __________ the stairs. He heard a loud creak (嘎吱声). Arriving on the top floor, he moved quickly but __________ to get what he needed. Using the flashlight to guide his steps back __________ the stairs, the family was able to take a few items from the first floor and __________. Their home was almost in ruins.

Being deaf was not deterrent (妨碍物) for this __________ mother. The family made it to the __________ safely, which comforted everyone.