1 . Critical thinkers start by asking questions about whatever is in front of them. They consider ______. If this, then what? If that, then how is the outcome different? They understand that every action has a ______, and they think about all possible outcomes of decisions before they make them. Asking questions helps this process.

Once you have asked every question you can come up with about a matter, ______ information that will help you answer those questions.____! Do some research. You can learn almost anything on the Internet, but it’s not the only place to do your research. _____ people. I’m a big fan of polling (民意调查). Ask the experts around you. Gather ____ and various opinions you can use to make your own determination. The wider the variety, the better.

You’ve got _____ information, and now it’s time to analyze it all with an open mind. This is the most _____ part, in my opinion. It can be pretty difficult to recognize the filters that were instilled (灌输) in us from our first families. We are products of our environments, of the ways in which we were treated as a child, of the role models we've had throughout our lives, of the opportunities we have said yes or no to, of the sum of all of our experiences.

Try to be as aware as possible of those ______ and biases (偏见), and turn them off. Question everything during this step. Are you being _______? Are you speculating? Assuming anything? This is the time to look at every thought as _____ as possible. Do you know it to be absolutely true? What are the facts? Have you considered the situation from every different point of view?

Critical thinkers are more interested in solutions than in placing ____ complaining, or gossiping. Once you’ve reached a conclusion through critical thinking, it’s time to communicate and ______ a solution if one is called for. This is the time for compassion (同情), empathy (同理心), diplomacy. Not everyone involved will have thought the situation through as ______ as you have. It’s your job to understand that, and to _____ solutions in a way that everyone can understand.

2 . Only positive thinking is not enough to attain our goals. Our _________ act as beacons (灯塔) that tell us where we want to go, but we need some “negative” thinking to light up that _________ and to expose the obstacles we will face along the way.

In the 2008 summer Olympics, Michael Phelps was ready to _________ his own record for the 200-meter butterfly swimming race. After Phelps’s first turn, his goggles (游泳镜) _______ water and he couldn’t see. To stop and _________ his goggles would mean disqualification. _________ without his sight, how was he supposed to know exactly when to turn? This misfortune could cost Phelps _________ seconds each lap (圈). So, what did he do? Had he done anything to _________ him for this moment? Yes. Phelps had been practicing something he _________ for himself: negative visioning. During his training. Phelps had already imagined in __________ how he would respond in this moment of crisis. He already knew __________ how many strokes (划水) he would take before he reached the next wall. So, though unable to see, he __________ his strokes and made quick turns. And at last he won the gold medal.

In psychology, the __________ of balancing learned optimism with practical realism — or acting against the __________ thought with the “negative” one —is called “mental contrasting”. It __________ us to lower our strong expectations about a (n) __________ outcome. So we can make wiser __________ and maintain motivation while working toward our goals.

Mental contrasting can make sure we consider realistic obstacles when __________ our plan for the future. In this way, the obstacles in our way __________ us to think more critically and __________ become the means by which we achieve our goals in the first place.

3 . 23-year-old Ganesh Baraiya is living proof that nothing is impossible. Despite facing _________ because of his short stature, he managed to become the world’s shortest doctor.

Ganesh Baraiya was born in the Talaia Thaluka area of Gujarat, India, and faced adversity (逆境) from a very young age. He was born normal. _________, at the age of four, his parents noticed that his head was _________ his body, so they took him to a doctor. They learned that the boy suffered from an _________ condition and there was nothing anyone could do. Wanting to help her son, Ganesh’s mother put a tub-like helmet on his head to prevent it from growing and give his body a chance to _________. In school, he was often _________ because of his large head and short stature, but he also had friends who _________ him and he was able to focus on his studies.

Despite his physical limitations, Ganesh Baraya was always very _________. He knew he wanted to be a doctor from a very young age, and put all his energy into his studies, working hard to get high grades. When the time came, he applied for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree (MBBS), only to be _________ because of his dwarfism (侏儒症). Despite his good test results, the Medical Council of India rejected his application because of his height (only three feet), __________ that he wouldn’t be able to perform his duties in emergency cases.

Ganesh was shocked by the rejection, but he wasn’t about to give up on his dream. With the help of his school principal, he __________ the District Collector, then the state Education Minister, and __________ knocked on the doors of the Gujarat High Court. __________ of his efforts were successful, but he refused to give up. His case reached India’s Supreme Court, and justice was __________ done. In 2018, India’s top court of law awarded Ganesh the right to enroll in an MBBS, and he did just that the following year.

“I was very disappointed three years ago, but I refused to accept their refusal. Now I am very happy that I got justice from the Supreme Court,” Ganesh said. “Now I am on the way to fulfill the dream I’ve __________ since childhood. I know I’m different, but I want to live a good life like other people and make my parents proud.”

4 . In 2001, Nathan Ogden raced down an Oregon ski slope, launching himself off a jump over 30 feet into the air. While he had done this many times, something was ______ on this day. He jumped further than planned, causing his body to fall hard against the ski slope. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't move. It was soon ______ that his neck was badly injured.

Over the next few months, he remained _______ that he would walk again, despite what the doctors said. Gradually, as he ______ sense to his legs and a little independence, his doctors called his progress“miraculous.”

But he wanted to progress faster. He worked ______ to regain use of his upper body, and while he could hardly move his legs, he was ______ that one day he would walk again. He eventually regained 50% of his body movement, but more _______ was yet to come. In 2003, Ogden caught pneumonia (肺炎) and fell unconscious in his sleep.

When his wife couldn't wake him, he was ______ to the Emergency Room, where technicians ______ dropped him to the floor while x-raying his lungs. For the second time, Ogden had ______ his neck. But this time, the break was higher up,______ his permanent loss of bodily movement below the chest.

Sometimes Ogden felt ______. He noted being physically disabled was extremely difficult and that he lost his job, friends and almost his marriage. But Ogden tried to be ______ throughout the coming years.

He continues to fight a daily battle against ______. With his wife and children supporting him,he has been skydiving, snow skiing and water skiing. He is even writing a book to inspire as many as possible to believe in hope and _____. While he might never leave the wheelchair in this life, his spirit is rising higher than his legs could ever take him.

7 . I am a Russian girl, and it has always been my small dream to climb to the top of a mountain to enjoy the sunrise since my childhood. However, there are no big ________ in my hometown, which makes me very ________.

After coming to China, I heard that there was Mount Huashan. I ________ to climb it to meet the beautiful dawn (黎明) at the top of the peak. On arriving at the foot of the mountain, I began climbing immediately with great ________ and determination.

During the process, a sudden ________ made the stone floor wet and slippery. I had the idea of ________, but the crowd encouraged me to continue the ________. As the steps became ________, everyone lined up, caught the chains and ________ moved forward. When I got close to the top of the mountain, I had nearly run out of ________, so I found a place to rest for a while. Then I heard a voice saying, “Relax, and don’t be afraid. As long as you climb up, you are the best!” Hearing that, I realized if I was frightened by the ________ just now, I could not be the best. So I gathered all the ________ and finally made it!

At the moment of ________, the rolling sea of clouds and the amazing scenery on the mountain changed obviously. I truly ________ that life is like climbing up a mountain. Only with all the way of sweat and the confidence can you reach the top to enjoy a ________ life.

8 . Juleus Ghunta is a published children’s author and award-winning poet. But when young, he could ________ read.

He grew up with his three sisters in rural Western Jamaica, raised by their single mother. Life was tough, and proper schooling was out of the question due to ________ resources.

When Ghunta finally went to school, he couldn’t ________ on reading. Not only had he been kept home from school as a child, but he had not been ________ to books.

By sixth grade, he could spell his name, but still couldn’t make out words or read with ________. He struggled in school with a deep sense of ________ and worthlessness.

At age 12, a young teacher-in-training ________ a special reading program for ________ students. Ghunta was the first to join. That teacher, whose name he does not ________ now, became Ghunta’s unsung hero — the person who changed his life.

The teacher was incredibly kind to him. Under her guidance, Ghunta’s reading skills saw marked improvement, and his sense of inadequacy began to ________.

“She had left me with the gift of literacy,” he said. “And a deeper ________ of my talent.”

After Ghunta’s experience with the teacher, his life course ________. He graduated with academic ________ and is now the author of two children’s books, including “Rohan Bullkin and the Shadows.”

Years later, Ghunta returned to his old school and asked the principal and teachers if they knew her ________, but none did. Carrying this memory, however, he still hopes to find and thank her for seeing his ________ and being a source of light and hope in his life.

10 . I was 3 years into my Ph.D. Yet I still felt in the ______ because I did not know how or when I would graduate. To be ______, I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Worse still, Erika was ______, the only other woman in the lab. This added to my ______. As she cleared out her lab space, she offered a ______: her old but big computer monitor (显示器). This kind, seemingly minute ______ turned out to be exactly the lifeline (救命稻草) I ______.

To me, this monitor was a ______ that my community supports me even when they aren’t ______ with me. After years of using only a small laptop, I was ______ by how much my work benefited from having an additional screen. With this ______ perspective, I started to like writing. I handed in my graduation paper, and the light at the end of the tunnel shined brightly.

Then I graduated. My ______ with the monitor came to an end, and I wanted to ______ the chain of care and sisterhood. So, I offered it to another woman engineer, who told me the monitor allowed her to have focused writing time. It also helped solidify her ______ that she is in community with people who support her — just as it did for me.

And just like that, a ripple (涟漪) effect from an ______ monitor.