1 . Close to the king’s palace stood a little house. In it lived a ______ gardener who worked at the palace grounds from dawn to dusk. It was hard work. Yet he ______ complained. He always seemed to be at peace with himself.

The king wondered, “I wish I could be as happy as him.”

One evening the king found the gardener packing up his tools after ______ the day’s work. He was covered with dust and mud. But he kept singing to himself. The king ______ him and said, “You are always happy. I wish I could be as happy as you. What is the ______ of your happiness? Won’t you ______ it with me? ”

“Why should I be unhappy when I get two meals a day and have a ______ to sleep in at night? I’m happy that I have the ______ to work from morning till evening to earn my bread. I’m so ______ now that I can enjoy anything, even hard dry bread. And I am tired too. So I can ______ on the hardest floor, and drop off to sleep ______ . When I wake up in the morning, I feel fresh and full of ______ to welcome another day. I take every ______ as it comes. This moment is what ______ to me the most,” the gardener bowed and replied ______ .

“But what if tomorrow you fall sick! Shouldn’t you think of the future too?” the king asked.

“And start ______ ? Then I will lose my appetite. I will not get good sleep. I will fall sick and ______ my job. I will starve and die. I can’t ______ to worry about the future. Only this moment counts. Nothing else,” the gardener explained.

“You said it. Thank you,” the king nodded and ______ to change his attitude and to make the best use of the ______ .

2 . Do you find yourself pulling away from others, especially if you’ve experienced a deep disappointment? Maybe the most ______ thing most of us can do is to be with people when we don’t feel like being around anybody.

A man who lost his wife to cancer found himself wanting to be ______ . He dropped out of his community and ______ all of the activities he and his wife were used to for year. He ______ socializing at work and returned ______ home to an empty house after work. He turned down ______ from friends and co-workers.

His friends became ______ . One came by to visit and invite him over for supper the next evening. The two old friends sat in comfortable chairs by a ______ . The visitor extended the dinner invitation and ______ him to come, “You may need to ______ others to share your pain.”

The man responded that he felt better ______ staying with other people. “And ______ ,” he said, “it’s just too difficult to get out anymore.”

They sat in ______ for a while, watching the wood burn in the fireplace. Then the visitor did a(n) ______ thing. He took tongs (火钳) by the fireplace, reached into the fire, pulled out a ______ coal and laid down by itself on the earth. “That’s you,” he said.

The man sat in silence, ______ the red-hot ember. Neither man looked ______ as the once hot coal gradually transformed into a black lump. After some moments, the man said, “I get the ______ , my friend. I’ll be over tomorrow evening.”

We cannot ______ in any healthy way by ourselves. The leaf needs the branch. The branch needs the trunk. The trunk needs the roots. And the roots need the rest of the tree. We are ______ . And in that connection life and vitality (活力) are found.

3 . Beep! Beep! Beep! I rolled over and turned off my alarm clock. It was still _________ outside so I turned on the light. I got dressed quickly because I knew both of my dogs would be _________ to get outside for their morning walk. I reached over to grab a _________ and stopped. It was technically still fall but the _________ here in the Appalachian mountains of my home didn’t follow the _________. It had been cold and snowy two days ago and chilly and rainy yesterday. I had forgotten to _________ the weather report for today, however, so I wasn’t sure if I _______ my light jacket or my heavy coat.

I _________ my light jacket, pulled it on and leashed up my bigger dog. I opened the door and stepped outside. Instantly I knew I had made the _________ choice. Each breath I exhaled was a frozen mist. The wind chill was bitter cold. The grass was covered in __________ and I tried to keep my __________ while my dog dragged me along behind him.

I shivered (打寒颤) and __________ a bit but finally turned my head up to the heavens. I looked up at the __________sky and saw it was full of twinkling stars. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. __________, I felt a warmth inside of me and __________ shivering. While my dog sniffed the ground, I opened my heart to the __________ of nature’s creation. In all of its sweet seasons it had never __________ to touch my soul. It had heated my heart on the coldest days and     ________ my spirit on the darkest nights.

Our lives here are full of sweet __________ as well. From the innocence and youth of Spring to the wisdom and wrinkles of Winter. __________ all your sweet seasons. Make each day a creation of your love.

4 . The Enemy Is in My Pocket

Yesterday I went to a phone store. There were no other ___________ inside, just me and three salespeople.

“How can I help you?” One of them asked me.

I replied, “I ___________ if I'm able to trade in my iPhone for a non-smart phone.”

“Um, let me check on that.” She walked to the other end of the ___________ to ask her manager. Later, she came back with ___________ news. She smiled, ___________ they didn't provide such service. “___________ , you're the first person we've ever had who wanted to trade down your phone. "

That moment had come after months of struggle. I ___________ thought that I'd reach that point. I'm young and always ___________ the latest internet happenings using my iPhone. I didn't want to ___________ anything.

But one day, I began to wonder how important being online really is and if it made me a ____________ person. Twitter has funny jokes, but I’m often mad at posts from trolls (喷子). I spend hours playing games that ________the intention to read the news online. Throughout high school, the lessons had no hope of pulling my ____________ away from my phone. Being online so much made me feel ____________ or anxious and ____________ real-world things I needed to get done.

So, I wanted to ____________. Unfortunately, as I was told by the saleswoman, that isn't possible quite yet. But since then, I've started to leave my phone in my bedroom when I need to ____________ and when I go out with friends. The best way to stop ____________ my phone constantly is not having my phone on me to begin with.

I've only been doing this for a few days, but I have found myself obviously more ____________ and creative without breaking my concentration whenever I get a TikTok notification (通知).

Where there is a ____________ there is a way. There are always ways that everyone can enjoy the conveniences of new technology ____________ being burdened (烦扰) by it.

5 . It was January, the first day of the year. I decided to get the bank work out of the _________. The bank clerk, an elderly gentleman, was _________ curt(简短而失礼的) to my polite “Happy New Year” _________. He nodded and I sat in front of him. Minutes passed and nothing happened. Then very _________ I put my form in front of him. He was busy _________ entries in his register. I sat there wondering why we had _________banking if we were still filling in registers. While waiting I showed all _________ of being impatient, I asked him _________ my work was done. The moment I uttered the words, he shouted, “Nothing is done, it will take time!”

Just then I saw his morning tea lying there, _________. It had turned almost cold. Suddenly I sensed how he feels when customers come who are __________ hurried to get their work done and __________ him for doing their work first. We don’t even feel the __________ to thank him. Then I told him, “Sir, please have your tea, I am not hurried.” This man suddenly __________ me and for the first time we had eye contact.

I realized he was also missing the __________ things in life just like a hot cup of tea. He gave me a rare smile and said, "It is an everyday __________ with me." His wise words really __________ me. I felt that we all had put shields (盾牌) on our __________, and that we were scared to show our hearts and __________ too much of ourselves. From then on, I __________ to be more friendly to others and be __________ that they are there for me.

6 . Originally, I don’t think about getting older. Perhaps it’s because I like to keep busy and just don’t think about it. ________, sometimes something happens that makes me ________ my death and what lies ahead.

I used to be a radio broadcaster and recently I was ________ by the activity director at a senior citizen’s home near where I live. She told me there are a couple of former broadcasters who live in the home and they would really ________ a visit from someone with a ________ background who can trade stories with them about the good old days. I’m retired, and I have some free time so I said, “sure, I’d come for a visit or two.” That has developed a ________ in which I spend an afternoon each week ________ the old boys and helping them to ________ their happier and busier times.

One of them, it turns out, is ________ tied to an oxygen generating machine, can only ________ in a wheel-chair, and ________, has dementia(痴呆) and knows he is ________ losing his memory and ability to think clearly. My other new friend in the home is about ten years than I. He has cerebral palsy (大脑瘫痪) and is also ________ to a wheel-chair. Neither man can live ________ any more: they can’t drive a car, can’t prepare their own meals, and can’t plant a garden. But they’re being well ________ and they have television, people to serve their daily needs and workers at the home who try their best to keep them comfortable. They have family members who visit them ________ and now I guess they have me. It makes me consider what lies ahead, perhaps not for a number of years, perhaps tomorrow, I have no way of ________.

The thought of being dead doesn’t ________ me, for I’m in absolutely no hurry to get there. What worries me is the process of dying. I’m getting older but I’m still going strong and feeling ________. I go to visit the men in the senior’s home and sometimes I look ahead into the unknown. Life gets ________ in unexpected ways as one gets older.

7 . I got addicted to cigarettes about 11 years ago. As a smoker, I certainly realizes the _________ the cigarettes are causing to my body. I used to be good at running and other sports, but smoking made my physical activity a great _________. It was not that I never thought of quitting but just the _________ of a cigarette would make me go weak at once. Then I _________ another cigarette and started my day.

For so many years I always felt unrested after a night’s _________. The cough was making my life _________. Over and over again, I was _________ asking myself about my own condition: the nicotine in cigarettes not only made my teeth brown, but also _________ my fingers and nails as well. I _________ myself, “Is all this worth it?” I didn’t get an answer.

It was my birthday’s eve and I was back home by 10 pm. Usual birthday calls from friends made me __________ till 1 am. Throughout the day I was thinking of giving myself something as a __________, but I couldn’t think of anything. Suddenly an idea __________ me. I came up with the plan of quitting smoking. This time the __________ was much stronger. I wanted to quit smoking so I can run and __________ my son during soccer practice and have more energy. Habitually I turned to the cigarette pack and it was __________, which was probably a hint(暗示). Quitting smoking is a long and painful process, but I worked hard to fight the __________ to smoke again.

Today it’s exactly 526 days__________ I gave up smoking. I feel much more energetic and I am regaining my __________ which I lost in the past 11 years. All I want to say is that strong willpower and determination really __________ a great difference. Quitting smoking is the best birthday gift I __________ for myself and it makes me feel happy and proud.

8 . Have you ever stopped doing something that you used to do every day? Yes, I have! _______ the awful but important entrance examinations, I decided to stop watching TV for ONE WHOLE MONTH!

Just after I promised my mom to stop watching TV for a month, I _______. I was used to watching TV for _______ three hours every day, so I totally couldn’t imagine how I could _______, without my dearest music programs, various shows, soap operas and so on.

One day, after I buried myself in _______, something inside me encouraged me to _______ the television and secretly turn it on. I couldn’t _______ any more so I moved slowly towards my “old _______”. However, I couldn’t turn it on _______ I progressed so much force on the “________” button with my finger. I then found a small note stuck on the side of the TV. It said, “________ yourself, my dear. Study hard and try your best. If you really want to take a rest, go for a walk, have a nap or even take a shower, which makes you ________. Remember not to break the ________! Love, Mom.”

Mom locked the TV so that I couldn’t turn it on unless with her ________ remote control. In spite of this, I didn’t get angry with her. ________, I thanked her wholeheartedly. I knew that what she did was for my own good. After reading the ________ words, I said goodbye to my old friend, went back and ________ to study.

Since then, I studied harder and harder and didn’t even stay near the TV. One ________ has passed already. I didn’t break the invaluable(无价的) promise, ________ I knew that it was not an ordinary promise between mom and me, but a treasure ________ love and support.

9 . When Vance Hinds learned of comedian Bert Kreischer’s no-wine October challenge last year, he felt inspired. Hinds decided to prove to himself that he could also achieve something _________ he tried his best. In early 2019, he _________ it.

The Georgia native began his weight loss journey weighing in at 475 pounds. To make sure he stayed on_________, he recorded the weekly weigh-ins and _________ his progress on Youtube. While his aim was admirable, one of the most special aspects came from his friends’ consistent _________.

From the very beginning of his decision to change his life, Hinds’ friends willingly _________ him for a walk around the park. As the weeks went by, not only did he _________ strength, his walking group grew as well. After a while, he was _________ to walk around the park once without stopping. It’s a milestone, and he _________ recorded it on video with his supporters __________ behind him.

Day after day, Hinds made his __________ a priority (优先考虑的事), completing some form of exercise six times a week. Not long after __________ to lose pounds, he received a tweet from a fitness instructor and motivational speaker, Diamond Dallas Page. He __________ to help him take his progress to the next level.

With Page’s help, Hinds __________ to lose weight every single week. The pounds __________ and as 2019 began approaching, he became closer and closer to __________ his goal.

When he weighed himself one year after beginning his challenge, he felt really __________. The number on the scale (秤) read 277 pounds. He had lost __________ 200 pounds in one year, gained significantly more __________, and kept his spirits high.

Hinds’ excitement and __________ attitude are obviously a heartwarming reminder that all you need to realize a goal is a healthy mentality and continuous efforts.

10 . As I was walking along a river this evening, I intended to do something nice for a stranger. I started to look around for a _________ to do a random act of kindness. Two minutes later I was _________ by a complete stranger. I wasn’t sure why he came close to me, _________ I could tell he was drunk. I just stayed _________ and kept walking ahead. There were hundreds of people sitting on _________ nearby, so I wasn’t really worried.

As I tried to walk along, he _________ saying bad things to me. Then I tried to change my _________ and he kept following me, coming closer each time. I got really scared and didn’t know what to _________. I was praying that one of the many people sitting on benches nearby would be _________ enough to help me out of this situation.

Seconds later, just when I felt really __________, a couple had seen everything happen. The lady __________ and linked her arm into mine, saying “Dear, why don’t you come with us?” and __________ walking me away from the guy. The guy started __________ and getting angry, while this sweet lady was __________ me, saying “Don’t worry.” Finally, once he __________, she said, “You’d better carry on __________ where you were going and we’ll make sure he goes the other way.”

As I rushed away, I was shaken up, but at the same time had feelings of __________ for that couple. I started with the __________ of doing a random act of kindness. __________, I ended up on the receiving end. One thing is for certain though — it is equally important to learn how to receive and to feel grateful for the __________ of others.