1 . My first job was at a fast-food restaurant called Carroll’s in my hometown. One spring day my next-door neighbor _________ me to apply for work with her there, and I agreed to have a try.

One little _________ was that I wasn’t 16 yet, so I just changed my birth date on the application from July to _________. Luckily, they didn’t ask for any ID to prove my _________, because there were few applicants for the job. Both of us were _________.

The pay was _________, only $1.60/hour with no tips. I worked at the _________ and only boys were allowed to work in the kitchen. I got a chance to make milkshakes, though, which I considered kind of fun. I also _________ the relationships with all the other workers, who were mostly easy-going teenagers.

It was great to _________ different diners. The restaurant was located on a __________ entryway into town, so all kinds of people came in. One day a man in plain clothes __________ but ordered many signature dishes. When he came to my counter to check out, I was __________ to find he was my idol.

Besides __________ about my age, I also failed to inform the manager that I was leaving in June to attend summer camp, so my first job only lasted a few __________. It has been long gone, but the __________ in the restaurant remains a sweet memory of my life.

3 . My beloved grandma, had never left Australia and now never would due to cancer.

Planted _______ in the armchair, she had no alternative but to “travel” via the travel program on TV. I _______ the sadness and thought hard. It finally _______ me that I could ask strangers on the internet for help. I _______ the post:

My Nanny has cancer and she will never see the world. Please send her postcards so she can see the world from her armchair. I can offer nothing but gratitude.

I _______ not to breathe a word of this; should nothing come, I couldn’t bear to carry her _______ along with my own. Days _______ weeks and Nanny’s health declined rapidly, my suffering growing unbearable.

Finally, about six weeks after my post, a dog-eared, _______ postcard from UK wandered into our humble little letterbox. It was to me a ray of light and from that day, our letterbox became the _______ for postcards from all over the world and a hotel, ________ travel-weary cards. My dream of armchair travels became a reality.

In the months that followed, thanks to those cards, my Nanny had a private “flight” to board, travelling far and wide, satisfied and ________ . Cancer could not stop us. Our very last flight ________ on a warm morning. My dearest travel ________ bought a different ticket for this trip and began to explore another world.

I have ________ from great loss, knowing that her journey ahead would be a brilliant one with so many ________ from the strangers.

5 . At 17, I quit school, left home and moved from place to place. Years later, I was________for possessing drugs. I’d never touched drugs, but nobody believed me because my wandering lifestyle failed to defend my________I was sent to prison.

My cellmate was Herbert. We both worked in the electric shop. I wouldn’t let the fact that I was________imprisoned defeat me; so to keep myself________I volunteered for extra work, My attitude and effort earned me Herbert’s confidence and friendship.

Before Herbert was________, he offered me a job at his big company. Never had I expected________would smile on me! Deeply touched by Herbert’s________I was determined that someday I’d help other ex-prisoners this way.

Once out of prison, I went to Herbert’s company, where I was________rapidly through hard work. When I had a________in employment, I began to perform the________I had made to myself. Through the years, we have offered over 300 ex-prisoners________jobs. We believe in them, regardless of their past.

As we know, prison________a man. When his tern ends, society rarely gives him a paid-in-full receipt. He carries the________of “prisoner” wherever he goes. Nobody trusts or wants him. The only________open for him might lead back to crime. I’m glad I’ve________some of them and inspired their passion for a new life.

6 . My mother turned ninety. I knew I needed to find a senior _______ center. Not for her — for me. If I were at her age, I would want to stay in shape to _______ life, getting a lot of pleasure. Yes, walking in local parks was my _______, but I wasn’t so active as before.

I called a nearby center, “Do you have aerobics (有氧运动) classes _______ for seniors?” “Sure. Come and check us out! We start at 10 am,” the receptionist (接待员) replied and _______. The next morning, I went there. One part of me was _______ that the class was too easy, not doing me any good. The other part feared it was too hard for me to _______.

When I came into the room, a woman _______ me, “Oh, you’re new. Welcome.” Then the music started. The hour-long workout woke up the muscles I didn’t often _______ in daily walks, suiting me fine. I became a member there. My classmates ranged in age from fifty to ninety. Most gave the exercises their own ________, doing as much or little as they could. ________ no one kept score. Soon I learned physical well-being wasn’t the only ________ there. During breaks, people chatted happily. Whenever some people were ________ we asked around. Were they busy? Were they in hospital? Moreover, we signed cards for those who were ill.

I ________ to be in good shape now as I’ve hoped. Still, I’m grateful for things more valuable from the class — close friendships and new social ________.

7 . After a rough week, all I wanted was a good rest. I went to the beach nearby for some ________ time with myself. It was a lovely, warm weekend in California, kids joyfully ________ in the water, or building sandcastles.

As I was leaving, I ________ a girl playing by herself. She built a little sandcastle with a moat (护城河) around it and was trying to fill it with water. Unfortunately, there was no ________ around to carry water. She would go to the waves,________ her hands and then walk back to her little castle. ________, not much of the water was making it to the moat. But she kept trying, still smiling and ________. As I was standing there watching her, feeling helpless, I ________ that I had a bottle of water in my bag. I quickly ________, took it out, and walked over to ________ it to her. Confused at first, she smiled but ________ her head shyly, saying no. I told her that it would make getting the water much faster. She ________ and finally took it from my hands after I insisted (坚持), Looking back, I saw her running over to the sea with a big smile, ________ in hand.

For me, it was a tiny ________. But I also know that when she meets someone in need, maybe, she would think of this little act of kindness by a ________. And maybe she would help create a little gentler world around her.

8 . After years of homeless, I was ready to give up. I had lost hope that life could get _________. But what happened next was that instead of me finding hope, it _________ me — and its name was Jay.

Jay was part of a homeless outreach program at Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW). I truly don't know where I'd be if CCFW hadn't _________ me. For the first time in years, I knew that someone had my back. CCFW _________ with me every step of the way. Because of the help, I was able to get on my feet and move into my own _________.

For me, volunteering and giving back to the community that helped me is _________ because I know the _________ these programs can make in the lives of others. One of the most rewarding ways I have been able to _________ is right in my backyard — a soccer field I helped to _________ for my poor neighbors.

In less than two years, I've gone from having __________ to lay my head down at night to being able to __________ and help others. And __________ as I am to have a home, it's not the __________ I give back or even the most valuable thing I've been given. The most life-changing gift I received was hope, and the true __________ of hope is hard to fully grasp until you know what it's like to __________ it.