1 . Dad is a reserved man of few words but is always strict. What's more, he is quite _______ from other fathers and he believes a dutiful _______ is the product of the stick.

When I was 8, Dad _______ himself outside in the day time because of his tight schedule but began to take me to task for whatever I did _______ at table after supper. He would _______ me with a belt, leaving my arms many   _______. I was emotionally upset and disturbed, so I used to _______ with other kids in the neighborhood and Dad would _______ me more heavily the next time, making it impossible for me to _______ on my lessons. Everything went from bad to __________ for me so much that I even couldn't __________ out the English alphabet. Later, I was even   __________ into a reformatory school（少年管教所）.

This time bitter tears were in his eyes, __________, "Son, it is not that I don't love you, but that I should not have been so angry at your __________ to live up to my expectations!"

Twenty years later, the Ph. D. graduation ceremony was around the __________ and my parents were __________ invited to show up. Dad didn't say a single word in praise of me but __________ bitterly again this time, and at this very moment, my mind was filled with mixed __________ and I stood on the stage with warm tears __________ up in my eyes： the first time you shed tears bitterly for my being __________, but this time you did so for my being a Ph. D.

2 . 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.

3 . I quietly placed my ear against the kitchen door. Mom had a male______! I peeked(偷看) around. Sitting there was a gentleman, the most handsome man I’d_____seen.

Mom was a young widow then with three children. My sister was ten, my brother four and I six. I______having a daddy. And I knew he was the one. Then I marched right into the______.

“Hi! I’m Patty. What’s your name?”

“George.”

Looking towards Mom, I asked, “Don’t you think my mom’s pretty?”

“Patty!” Mom scolded with______. “Go and check on Benny.”

George leaned forward and______, “Yes, I do. I’ll see you later, Patty. I think we will be good friends.”

George started______Mom more often. He always seemed happy to see me and never grew______of my endless questions.

Soon they entered into a______. For George, who’d never been married before, coming back from World War II and into a ready-made family took some______. One evening was especially bad. Benny was crying on the kitchen floor. Annie was______loudly it wasn’t her place to______that spoiled child. And I spilled a whole pot of butter milk. With a(n)______look, George muttered(嘟囔), “I must have been______to marry a woman with three kids.”

Mom fled to their bedroom in______, and George walked out. I hurried to the porch. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. Please don’t______!”

____wiping my tears, he said, “We’re friends, and friends never______the people they love. Don’t worry. I’ll always be here.” Then he went to______Mom.

Over the years, George has always been there for me. I still turn to him with my______though he is 85.