1 . A Call to Action

We are here today because we want to stop global warming. Like me, you are trying hard to ________ your own personal carbon footprint. And these small, _____ changes do have an impact, do help ________our carbon emissions.

But it is not________ for individuals to change. We need governments to change. We need industry to change. We need big changes if we want to prevent global warming ________ destroying our planet.

One third of our global carbon emissions---35 percent---comes from_____ electricity. As a result, we need government and industry to work together to lower these ________, more importantly, to develop new, cleaner technology to heat our homes,________ our factories, and to keep lights ________.

Another 20 percent, 20 percent of our emissions comes from transportation. _____, We need government and industry to work together to build more energy _______ cars and trucks. Good ________ public transportation will allow us to ________ our cars and the pollution they produce forever.

Another 20 percent of all emissions comes from industry---our factories and businesses. They ________ tons upon tons of carbon into the air every_____minute. It is time to say enough! We need these businesses to lower their own_____ carbon footprints.

So my ________to you today is: keep trying to reduce your personal carbon footprint. But also stand up, stand up and ________ that government and industry do their ________, because that is what will make a _______ .

2 . My nephew’s 10-year-old son came for a visit one hot, July weekend. I persuaded him to ____ inside and joined him in a game. After ____ for an hour, I suggested that we relax for a while. I ____ my favorite chair to let my neck relax. He left the room and I was catching a few enjoyable ____ of peace.

“Look, Alice,” he said excitedly as he ____ over to the chair where I was sitting. “I found a kite. Could we go outside and ____ it?” Looking out of a nearby window, I noticed it was ____ outside. “I’m sorry. Tripper,” I said, sad to see his ____ expression. “The wind is not ____ today. The kite won’t fly.”

The _____10-year-old boy replied, “I think it’s windy enough. I can get it to fly,” he answered ____ he hurried out to the back door.

He ran back and forth, as ____ as his ten-year-old legs would carry him, looking back ____ at the kite behind. After about ten minutes of unsuccessful trying, he came back in.

I asked, “How did it ____?” “Fine,” he said, not wanting to admit (承认) the failure. “I got it to fly some.”____, I heard him say secretly, “I guess I’ll have to wait for the _____.”

At that moment I heard another voice speak to my ____. “Alice, sometimes you are just like that. You want to do it your way ____ waiting for the wind.”

And the voice was ____. We usually want to use our own efforts to ____ what we want to do. We must learn how to make use of “the wind” in the first place!

3 . Last year，I was assigned to work at an office near my mother's house.______，I stayed with her for a month. During that time，I helped her out with the housework and contributed to the______．

After a week，I started______the groceries were running out pretty quickly. ______，I began observing my mother's daily routine for two weeks. To my______，I found she would pack a paper bag full of canned goods and______every morning at about nine. She took the food to the slums(贫民窟)and distributed it to street______．

I asked around and______my mum was popular in the area. The kids looked up to her as if she were their own mother. Then it hit me－why didn't she want to tell me about what she'd been doing？ Was she______that I would stop buying the groceries if I knew the truth?

When she got home，I told her about my discovery and______she could react，I gave her a big hug and told her she didn't need to keep it a______from me. She told me that______of the children lived with an old lady in a makeshift home while others______on the streets. For years，my mum had been helping out by______whatever food she could______.I was so moved by how______she was. She used what was______for her to help others in need. And I was so______of her.

I______to buy groceries for my mum. But now，I always add a(n)______bag for her other children.