4 . In October, I told the eight-year-olds about my plan. “I’d like all of you to do extra jobs to _________ some money. Then we’ll buy food for a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who might not have a nice dinner _________.” I wanted the children to _________ that it’s more blessed to give than to _________. I wanted them to understand that kindness is _________ nice ideas and that people somehow have to make it come _________.

Early in the week, the boys and girls arrived in class seizing their hard-earned money and couldn’t wait to go shopping. I watched _________ they ran up and down the supermarket aisles. _________, we headed toward the checkout. Then someone _________ a “necessity” that sent them racing.

“Flowers!” Kristine cried. The group rushed toward the holiday __________. I pronounced, “You can’t eat flowers.” “But Mrs. Sherlock, we want flowers.” __________, I sighed as the children moved a pot of purple daisies (雏菊) into the cart.

Then we set off for the house of a needy grandmother and finally __________ in front of a small house in the woods. A woman with a tired face came to the door to __________ us. My little group hurried to get the turkey and the trimmings. As each box was carried in, the old woman thanked us — much to children’s __________. When Amy put the daisies on the counter, the woman seemed __________.

We returned to the car. Fastening seat belts, we could see the kitchen window. The woman inside waved goodbye, then turned and walked across the room, past the turkey, past the trimmings, __________ to the daisies. She put her face in the flowers. When she raised her head, there was a __________ on her lips. She was transformed before our eyes. The children were quiet. In that one brief __________ they had seen for themselves the __________ they possessed to make another’s life better. The children had __________ that sometimes a person needs a pot of funny flowers on a dark November day.

6 . While another baby was on the way, Karen’s three-year-old son, Michael ______ to his sister in Mommy’s tummy.

The pregnancy progressed ______ for Karen. But something serious ______ during delivery. Finally, Michael’s little sister was born, but in serious ______. With siren (警报) howling in the night, the ambulance ______ the infant to the ICU at St. Mary’s Hospital.

____ inched by. The little girl got worse. The doctors told the parents, “There is very little hope.” They had ______ a special room in their home for the new baby-now they planned a funeral.

After two weeks in ICU, it looked as if a funeral would come ______ the week was over. Michael, however, kept begging his: parents to let him sing to his sister. Kids were never ______ in ICU. But Karen made up her mind to take Michael ______ they liked it or not. If he didn’t see his sister now, he may never see her alive.

She ______ him in an oversized suit and ______ him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket, but the nurse ______ him as a child, “Get that kid out of here now!” The usually ______ mother glared steel-eyed right into the nurse’s face, saying in a ______ tone, “He’s not leaving until he sings to his sister!” Karen towed Michael to his sister’s bedside. He gazed at the tiny baby ______ the battle to live and began to sing. ______ the pure hearted voice of a 3-ycar-old, Michael sang:

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray...”

____ the baby girl responded. The pulse rate began to ______ down and became steady.

“Keep on.” encouraged Karen. “You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away...” The baby’s breath became as smooth as a kitten’s purr.

“The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping.” Michael’s little sister relaxed as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

Funeral plans were ______. The next day-the very next day-the little girl was well enough to go home!

Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!

7 . When I was twelve years old, my father took me to see Zig Ziegler. I remember sitting in that dark auditorium listening to Mr. Zigler raise everyone’s _______up to die ceiling. I left there saying, “Dad, I want to make people feel like that.” My father asked me what I _______ . “I want to be a motivational speaker just like Mr. Zigler, ” I replied. A _______ was born.

Recently, I began pursuing my dream of _______ others. After a four — year relationship with a major fortune 100 company as a regional sales manager, I left the company at the _______of my career. Many people were shocked that I would leave after earning a six-figure income. And they asked why I would _______ everything for a dream.

I made my decision to start my own company and leave my secure _______ after attending a regional sales meeting. The vice-president of our company _______ a speech that changed my life. I realized that everything I had _______ the graduate degree, the successful sales career, managing for a fortune 100 company had ________ me for this moment. I was ready to become a motivational speaker.

When I tearfully told my boss my ________, this incredible leader whom I respect so much replied, “________ with confidence and you will be successful”.

Having made that decision, I was immediately ________. One week after I gave notice, my husband was ________ from his job. We needed both incomes to ________ the monthly mortgage payment(抵押贷款). It was ________ to go back to my former company, but I didn’t. I decided I still wanted to move forward ________ end up with a mouth full of “if onlys” later on. A motivational speaker was born.

When I held ________ to my dream, even during the tough times, the miracles really began to happen. In a short time period my husband found a better job. And I was able to book several ________ engagements with new clients. I discovered the incredible power of dreams. To celebrate my success I had a local artist paint my new office as a garden. At the top of one wall she painted, “The world always ________the dreamer.”

8 . It was a cold evening and my daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn't notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora did. She wasn't even four, but she _______ at my coat and said, “That man's cold. Daddy, _______ we take him home?”

I don't remember my reply. But I do remember a sudden _______ feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her _______, whether it was _______ in flight or children playing. But now she was noticing _______ and beggary.

A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and _______ it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I _______ us up. Nora was _______ about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how ________ our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to ________ myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge to ________. The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this? ________, we phoned the elderly person we'd been appointed. She ________ us right over.

The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. ________ inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged, I walked home in tears.

Professionals call such a(n) ________ “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities, I've come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something ________ that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve to needy people and ________ clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve ________ her grow over these past four years, I still wonder-which of us has ________ more?

9 . There was something in the elderly woman’s elegance that caught my eye. Although slow and unsure of step, the woman moved_________in an elegant way. However, a younger woman who I guessed was her daughter displayed signs of_________, checking her watch every few seconds.

It was a few years ago, and I_________a part-time holiday-season job in a video store at the local shopping mall. From inside the store, I could see the people rushing by outside.

_________entering the store, the elderly woman separated from the younger one and began to_________through the DVDs on the nearest shelf. Without any_________, I walked over to her and asked_________I could help her find something. The woman_________me a title written on an old piece of paper. The title was unusual. Rather than rush off to_________the DVD for the woman, I asked her to walk with me so I could tell her where she could find it.____________, I think I must have wanted to enjoy her____________for a moment. Something about her____________me of my own mother, who’d passed away in the previous year.

As we walked along the back of the store, I____________our shelf arrangements to her. The woman seemed glad of the ____________company and casual conversation.

We found the DVD at last. She smiled and told me it was one she’d____________when she was her daughter’s age. After I____________the elderly woman to the queue at the cash register, I stepped back and walked over the younger woman.

“Is that your mom?” I asked.

____________her eyes, she said, “Yeah.” There was annoyance in her reply.

“Mind some advice?” I asked.

I smiled to show her I wasn’t____________. “Cherish her,” I said. And then I answered her____________expression by saying, “When she’s gone, it’s these moments that’ll come back to you.”

The elderly woman moved back to her daughter. Surprisingly, the daughter placed her arm with obviously unaccustomed____________around her mother’s shoulders and together they made their way toward the store’s exit.

10 . The phrase “take a penny, leave a penny” may not have been created by 14-year-old Nomaan “Nomi” Bilal, but he’s taken it to a whole new level.

Bilal collected quite a few pennies and _______ them with organizations helping people in need. With mostly pocket change, Bilal _______ a total of $4,150 from neighbors, family and friends. He donated it all to a district-run program for _______ disadvantaged families. The organizations used the donations to purchase and _______ gift cards for about 20 families.

While finishing up his first year of high school online, Bilal started collecting _______change he found. Through Facebook, Bilal and his mother, Nadia Pervez, got the _______ out, and soon enough plenty of people were stopping by to _______ bags upon bags of change. Every day, Bilal devoted most of his spare time to _______ and hand-rolling coins. Eventually, a stranger heard about his _______ and contacted Pervez to donate a coin sorter, which has made the __________ quicker and easier.

Roseann Miceli, director of a charity organization, called Bilal's efforts __________ and unprecedented (前所未有的). Miceli will buy more gift cards with the rest of Bilal’s fundraising, which continues to __________. She said the families were so appreciative — they would be __________ out their windows: “Thank you so much”. Miceli wanted Bilal to know that he’s made a big difference with small change. The idea came to her while she was __________the donations from his house. “I think a ‘thank-you’ and a wave __________ the door 6 feet away with a face mask is not enough for this kid who has been __________ pennies for the past 20 days,” Miceli said. She organized a “thank-you parade” to drive past Bilal’s house. Cars lined the street, with the drivers all waving, holding signs and shouting “thank you” from a social __________.

“I was just __________ at the scene that so many people should come out of their way just to see me,” he said. One of the parade participants gave Bilal a handmade sign that __________: “Nomi is our hero.”

“It shows that one person can make a difference and how such a small effort can turn into such a big thing,” he said. “And that my community is very helpful and thoughtful throughout these __________ times.”