1 . During the first weeks of his retirement from the fire service, Max had felt lost. And that’s when Polly, a library manager, helped him sign up as a ________ , for Robot Club in the library.

Max hadn’t volunteered before and he didn’t know anything about ________ . He opened the packs containing the robots, nervously staring at the mess of parts. A dozen primary-age children gathered around the table, ________ eagerly. Almost double the number of adults crowded around them, watching.

Glancing around the library at the many parents and carers accompanying the robot builders, Max knew he had to face this ________ .

“Okay, team,” he started ________ , adopting the tone he’d used to brief his unit during his firefighting days. “We’re going to build these robots one step at a time.”

The children nodded, their hands busy with screws and plastic limbs. Max wandered from table to table, ________ words of encouragement, and slowly but surely, piecing together the instructions in his mind.

An hour passed, and the room was filled with the sound of chatter and clinking parts. As the final minutes of Robot Club ticked away, Max stood back and ________ the room. Robots of all shapes and sizes stood on the tables. The children were excited, ________ their creations to anyone who would look.

As they began to leave, many children stopped to thank Max. Each “thank you” and “see you next week” chipped away at the sense of ________ he had felt since retiring. He hadn’t put out a fire today, but perhaps he had lighted something far more important — a new ________ for himself.

2 . All my friends had made the football cheerleading team except me. My name was _______ from the list. I still sat with them at lunch, still laughed at their jokes, _______ I felt as if I didn’t belong. I fought back tears, wanting to be strong.

Knowing that next year would bring a new round of try-outs, I started practicing and was determined to see my name on the list. However, my dad suggested that I get involved in a school-sport-_______ as anyone could sign up with no try-outs. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I only _______ I might participate in it until I made the cheerleading team again.

On the track team, running pushed me to work harder than I ever knew I could. Race after race, I continued to feel my lungs burning from the _______. I guessed that I wanted to _______ myself to see if I could improve my running time.

The next year when spring came around, I was thrilled to make the football cheerleading team, when, incredibly, I received a letter from a new cross-country coach, _______ me to join his running team. I didn’t have a reason for choosing running over cheerleading, _______ the fact that I followed my heart.

When I called the coach and told him I would give it a try, I never realized that one simple _______ would change the direction of my life. Within one year, I became one of the fastest female cross-country runners.

We can be who we were born to be or we can just follow the crowd. And when I chose to be a runner, I chose to be __________ to myself.

3 . I had always wanted a dog. My parents told me when I was old enough and _______, I could have one.

One day I hopped off the bus, not knowing what awaited me inside. I walked through the door, and to my _______, a white and black puppy greeted me with many puppy kisses. A very special friendship was born that day.

She was a smart dog. We _______ play for hours, spending our days learning and growing together.

Eleven years we were together, best of friends. Unfortunately, arthritis (关节炎) and old age set in on her. My parents knew what had to be done, but they let me find and make the decision myself.

She was _______ so much and the medicine didn’t seem to help anymore. She could _______ walk. I looked into those deep brown eyes and _______ it was time to let her go.

I carried her into the vet’s (兽医诊所) and placed her on the table. She leaned her head forward and gave a lick to my hand as if to say, “I understand. Stay _______.” Her tail was wagging (摆动) in a circle as always.

The vet asked before giving the final shot, “Are you sure?” With a heavy heart and tear-filled eyes, I nodded yes. The final shot was given. My eyes fixed upon her wagging tail. In a matter of seconds, it _______. The vet listened for a heartbeat, and said, “It’s over.”

I took her home and buried her in the pasture, where she loved playing and chasing rabbits. It was the _______ thing I had ever done.

Recently I went back to her grave. Growing on her grave was a single wildflower. It was swaying in a circle, just like her. I know now that, that special friend will be __________ me always.