1 . “Are you ready for our walk?” Grandma asked the usual question every Friday evening. “Of course, we are!” We ________ excitedly. Growing up, my sisters and I always knew Grandma had heart problems and couldn’t do anything hard, but we did know she would do anything to spend more with us.

One day, we were told that Grandma only had 2% heart ________. Her heart was ________, but she found out that there was a way to live longer: a surgery.

The ________ of the surgery was rough for our family, as we woke up bright and early to ________to the hospital. That car ride left me with worried thoughts ________ through my mind: Will Grandma be okay? Will we ever take another walk?

When we arrived at the hospital, we knew exactly where to go, as we had been there many times before. After________ those familiar doors up the stairs, my mom and I walked up to the nurses’ desk and asked for Grandma.

“Oh, Mary?” A nurse answered. “She’s one of the nicest ________ we had.” Then she ________ us to the waiting room and told us that only two of us were permitted to go into the ward (病房) to say goodbye to Grandma before she went in for surgery.

When my turn came, I________ the chance. I ran forward and gave her the biggest hug with tearful eyes. Grandma, holding me tightly in her arms, said, “I know there’s a chance I won’t ________ it, but I love you forever.” I comforted her, “Don’t worry, honey. We are all waiting for you here.” Then she was ________, leaving us waiting and praying anxiously.

Finally, after the longest morning of my life, the doctor entered the waiting room smiling. “Mary is out of surgery. You’re allowed to visit her as long as you’re ________.” he said. ________swept over my body and tears began rolling down my face. Thank goodness, I had grandma back! Once we walked into the room, there lay Grandma, looking peaceful yet painful with so many tubes ________ to her. I felt so shocked but so happy.

2 . I never thought that I had to move to another state at 14. I was doubly _________ for I had just lost my father.

My family got _________ in giving away all the things we could not carry with us. On top of the _________ was a wooden cradle (摇篮). Cradles are _________ meant for newborns, but my mother decided to _________ this big one to my friend Sara as she used to love playing in it.

Soon I got _________ with the new schedule of school, adjusting to the new city. Times fled quickly until I _________ the news of Sara’s marriage. My thoughts wandered about her and our good _________ in the native town of Kerala.

I happened to _________ the town after 20 years. What a (n) __________ -Sara’s daughter was sleeping in the very cradle from my mother. I also came to know Sara was __________ on her mother’s decision to donate this cradle and she refused. Sara, even today, treats this gift as a blessing and a sign of __________ from my mother to her. She now __________ the cradle to other babies and fetches it when they start walking.

“This is not just a material thing; this indicates our strong __________. The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its __________,” Sara said.

3 . It all began on a cold, rainy day．

Sarah, a poor single mother, was ________ to make ends meet. While waiting for the bus with her two children, Sarah ________ an old man sitting on a nearby bench. He was shivering (颤抖), his ________ jacket providing little protection against the freezing weather.

Sarah ________ the man and offered him her coat. She knew it would make her cold, but the thought of this stranger ________ while she had something to give was too much to bear. ________ by her selflessness, the man thankfully accepted the coat and gave back a smile. Little did Sarah know that her simple act of ________ would make a huge difference.

A man, who saw the heartwarming ________, took a photo and shared it on social media. The post quickly became a ________, with thousands of people sharing and commenting on Sarah’s ________. Encouraged by her, people began organizing events to ________ those less lucky. Schools added lessons on the ________ of helping others, and businesses started a “pay it forward” project, where people could buy more and leave the ________ meal for those in need.

Reflecting on this unbelievable journey, we can ________ our individual power, which may create an effect that would ________ reach every corner of the globe.

4 . My 10-year-old son attended an amazing half-day basketball camp with more than 60 kids. I watched how much _______ my son was having throughout the day.

Before the camp ended, there was a ________ competition. Only a few kids were picked to ________, and my son was not one of them. The competition ________ received prizes and recognition. And a few kids were titled as “all-stars” for effort,________and participation (参与).   Again, my son was not________.

When the camp ended, I could see how ________ he was. He certainly loves the sport, and his jumping skill is ________ . He would have enjoyed the recognition. But sometimes it doesn’t ________ that way.

In my mind, the day was ________. At the camp, he played with kids,________ them fiercely (激烈地) and took shots easily against them. But it was hard for him to see the result s as a small part of his day. The last thing I wanted was for these results to________ the experience.

It’s my job to help my kids think more ________. I did the math and figured out the shooting competition and awards were about 6% of the total camp. The rest of the camp, the parts that he________, were 94%. If my son felt most of the day was great—that’s a win. We can ________ the parts that disappoint us, as long as we are willing to focus on the bigger picture.

5 . We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. This saying perfectly shows the _________ of giving, and how it helps to _________ our own lives. One of the most frequent ways of giving is through voluntary work, where we help others without receiving any financial reward _________.

I once volunteered to _________ one-room flats where the less fortunate lived. When I first entered the flat, I was _________ at the living conditions. It was overcrowded with people and household items covered with dust. _________, I could not contain my judgement, and was instinctively _________ about the owners of the flat. However, as the cleaning proceeded, I talked to them. Learning about _________ that the family had met with, I was regretful for my initial _________ judgement of them.

Another time when I volunteered to teach life skills to students with cerebral palsy(脑瘫), I found they were very __________ of the teachers. They often said “thank you” and smiled whenever I helped them even with a __________ task. This experience has allowed me to be more mindful of the things that I take for granted, and to be more careful of not letting insignificant things __________ me.

Voluntary work has provided me with the opportunity to gain more __________ into the lives of the less fortunate and count the __________ in my life. Instead of just being absorbed in your own __________, extend a helping hand to others.

9 . For the past 17 years, Raquel Radford Baker has been a school bus driver for the Dallas Independent School District. Last month, Baker saved the life of a 7-year-old boy who had a _________ moment on his way to school when he accidentally swallowed (吞咽) a coin and began to choke.

The _________, which was caught on tape, took place on September 29. Preston, a first grader, was sitting in his seat on the bus, when he suddenly sat up, _________ that the coin he had been holding above his open mouth had _________ his throat. He got up and walked to Baker at the front of the bus and tapped her for _________.

Initially, Baker thought Preston was sick, but _________, she heard him say something about a coin and she sprang into _________. She grabbed him from behind and carried him off the bus. When she got to a bench in front of the school, she told a nearby parent to call 911 as she started _________ first aid, which she’d _________ during the company’s training sessions. ____________ that moment, Baker, getting teary, said the only ____________ running through her mind was, “I have to save this boy. I have to save him.”

Thanks to her ____________, the coin was removed from Preston’s throat. Before that, however, Preston had gone ____________ and his face was turning blue. Baker continued first aid. That was when Preston said, “Miss Raquel, I’m okay. I can ____________ ” Baker said that moment brought great ____________. She immediately hugged him tight. Preston promised to never put coins in his mouth again.