1 . Ryder was born with a serious illness and has never been able to walk. When he started attending preschool, he had to be _______ to the end of the road in the _______ to wait for his school bus by his parents every day. As Ryder was unable to _______ for this bus if he was late like his schoolmates, he would have to wait for up to 15 minutes out in whatever _______ there was. Although his father had _______ a patio (露台) umbrella at the end of his driveway to provide some _______ from harsh weather, he still would get wet.

Then his father _______ for help on Facebook looking to see if someone might have an old bus hut (小屋). After the post, he was suggested to reach out to the _______ class at Westerly High School.

_______ , he sent an email to Dan McKena, who had been teaching construction technology at Westerly High School, asking if he’d be ________ in this kind of project. Delightfully, Dan ________ with an “absolutely” and then he worked hard on the hut with his students for weeks.

The hut made of wood was ________ enough to shelter both Ryder and one of his parents or a nurse comfortably and was finally ________ to the home six weeks later. Now, Ryder ________ it every day and his parents wait inside it every day while they await his returning home. He considers the hut ________ and does like to hang out in it from time to time.

2 . Ever since 3 years old, Peyton has always longed for a pug (哈巴狗). As much as Peyton’s parents wanted to get him one at the time, he wasn’t _________ . He had been diagnosed with autism (自闭症), which he needed to adjust to before taking on even more _________ .

Since then, Peyton has worked hard and has shown great _________ both at school and home. That’s why, after seven years, his parents decided it was finally _________ to get him the pug he always wanted! But rather than telling him the news _________ , they got the pup while he was at school and planned the perfect pug _________ .

When Peyton got home, he was _________ that the family dog had caught a bunny (兔子) and that they needed his help to _________ it. Since this type of thing is pretty common for them, he didn’t _________ anything as he prepared to catch the “ bunny ” his mom had ____________ under a cardboard box. But as soon as the box was ____________ , it took no time for Peyton to burst into tears of ____________ — that was the pug that he has always wanted.

What an unforgettable experience for this ____________ boy! He couldn’t be more ____________ for his parents’ kindness. The parents ____________ the hardworking boy in the very best way and hoped that Peyton could get a new life. Hats off to this thoughtful parents!

4 . Whether you’re in the final research stages of a major paper, or on a Zoom (a calling app) call for work, a dropped WiFi connection at zero hour is something annoying.     1     One of the most common reasons it happens is that too many devices are connected.

    2     Now, with smartphones, iPads, smart TVs and so much more, it doesn’t take long for WiFi to hop aboard the struggle bus. Actually, even if a connected device isn’t actively sending or receiving data, it will still consume some of the available bandwidth. It means that if you have many devices connected, you can start to see slowdowns or drops in your WiFi connection.     3    

The first and easiest fix is to disconnect unused devices from your WiFi. The easiest way to do this is to simply change your WiFi password, which will kick everyone off. Then, you can allow only certain devices to rejoin.     4     It is workable to stop gaming or downloading a movie.

    5     First, run a speed test to check your current speed. (Google “speed test” to see a list of websites where you can do this.) You may have too many devices connected for the internet speed you’re paying for. If this is the case, contact your internet provider about upgrading to a higher speed. But you may want to try some of our other fixes first before spending the money.

5 . We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ (器官) of the body in the head. But a brain can mean so much more.

To tease is to make fun of someone. But a brainteaser is not one who makes fun of someone else’s brain. A brainteaser is a puzzle that makes you think.

To understand the next brain expression you first need to know the word “drain”. As a verb, to drain means to remove something by letting it flow away. So, a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But a brain drain is when a country’s most educated people leave their country to live in another.

Next, we have a brainchild. A brainchild sounds like a really smart kid. But it isn’t. A brainchild is an idea that one has without any help from others. If you have a really great idea, it is your brainchild — no one else’s.

However, if many people are responsible for a great idea, you can say they brainstormed it. It is a process of thinking creatively about a difficult topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products.

But if you can’t find a solution to a problem, you may have to rack your brains. In this way, you may find a solution. Sometimes, you have to rack your brains, trying to remember someone’s name.

Now, if people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new ideas by using repeated pressure in a forceful way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way.

6 . When I was growing up in Minnesota, Joe Versus the Volcano was one of my favorite movies. I ________ to be swept away to an island. But as I found myself in La Palma ________ on the Cumbre Vieja eruption in the Spanish Canary Islands, I quickly ________ that there’s nothing romantic about volcanoes or being trapped on an island.

I had come ________ — an N95 mask, baseball cap, and a swimming mask. But nothing could prepare me for the invasiveness of the volcanic ________ . It fell from the sky like a rainstorm, lining streets, ________ doorways and windowsills, and filling my ears.

It wasn’t long before the airlines canceled all flights. When ________ began panic, buying all the ferry tickets as I was interviewing residents about their futures, I realized I had ________ the boat.

For two days, I wandered ________ streets awaiting the resumption of travel, carrying a backpack and feeling progressively stuck and at times ________ . And then I realized I was being given the ________ for deeper insight. Here I was ________ what the local people were feeling: uncertainty, frustration, and tiredness from living next to an erupting volcano with no end in sight.

Like the people of La Palma, I ________ others to get me through — from the English woman who ________ me a bag of oranges from her garden to the minister of the church who let me use the bathroom after being trapped at the top of a mountain.

As I finally left, I realized how ________ I was to have experienced the humanity of the people in La Palma in the face of crisis. I know it’s what will pull them through it.

7 . When Byron Thanarayen and his wife Melissa returned to their home recently, their 13-year-old dog named Chucky was completely wet. The couple assumed the dog had splashed around in his water bowl and made a mess in the house. When no evidence could be found inside, they turned to their security footage (录像).

What they saw made the blood freeze in their veins. Chucky was walking near their backyard swimming pool when he stumbled (绊倒) and fell in. Since the dog is so tiny, he was unable to get a purchase on the slick sides of the pool.   Instead, he paddled around, searching in vain for a way out. After a few desperate moments, the couple's other dog appeared on the scene. Jessie is a 7-year-old dog who became noticeably upset when she saw her friend struggling to keep his head above the water. She began circling the pool's edge, following Chucky as if she was encouraging him not to give up.

For 34 minutes, Jessie worked to rescue her friend. She repeatedly tried to grab hold of the smaller dog with her mouth, but Chucky kept slipping out of her grasp. Finally, after several failed attempts, Jessie succeeded in grasping Chucky's neck and dragging him out of the pool.

When Byron and Melissa realized Jessie was a hero, they were unspeakably grateful for their sweet girl! “We still struggle to watch that video today, just thinking of what could have happened if Jessie was not there,” Byron said. “I'm really proud of her, considering she is the youngest.” The family now plans to install a pool cover to keep their pets safe. Thankfully, they have a wonderful life-dog on duty just in case anything ever goes wrong!

9 . Benefits of Reading to a Dog

Here are five great reasons why your kid should read to a dog.

Dogs create a stress-free environment

It's hard to be really stressed(焦虑) around a cozy, friendly dog. Classrooms can be tense for kids who aren't great readers or presenters.     1    

Your kid won't even know she's building her vocabulary

    2    Without even knowing it, she'll be building her vocabulary, becoming more interested in books and improving her oral skills. Kids may also become more active to read aloud in other settings, as they get better at reading out loud to a dog.

A confidence-booster(增幅器)

Dogs are nonjudgmental. Kids will feel less self-conscious about reading aloud to them rather than, say, a judgmental human being.    3     .Thus they will be less afraid to read aloud in class.

Dogs like what your kid likes

Wanna talk about video games? Woof! Mermaids? Woof! A favourite cartoon? Woof! Dogs are interested in whatever your kid is interested in.

    4     They're not going to roll their eyes when your kid reads the Pokemon Go manual to them for the hundredth time. In fact, they'll just woof for more.

Petting a dog reduces stress and can even improve movement skills

Just grooming(梳毛)can help to improve a child's movement skills.

    5    Petting or hugging a dog also provides valuable breaks in reading, which gives children a chance to process what they've just read.

When my boys were younger, going out with them was difficult. My heart sank during the holiday season every time I looked at the long line of kids waiting to meet Santa. This was not an activity our family could enjoy. The noise and crowds caused sensory (感官的) overload for my five-year-old son Noah, an autistic (患自闭症的) child. I also had a younger son, Henry, who needed an extra hand. Waiting in line was hardly possible.

I always hoped for the best but planned for the worst when I took the boys out of the house, but I knew that attempting to get a picture with Santa wasn’t worth the risk. If we had attempted to stand in line for even a few minutes, I would have been chasing Noah, and Henry would have experienced an emotional breakdown. It was easier to stay at home.

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve a year ago, the phone rang. The voice on the other end of the line said, “If you’re at home this evening, I’d like to arrange for Santa to stop by.” It was Denny, the friendly owner of a company, who had helped us with our do-it-yourself project. In a short time he was at our home, Denny’s kindness and ability to relate to our kids were evident.

I felt nervous and excited about having Santa come to our home. Denny told me it would be well arranged. Would our kids even notice? Would they be frightened by a stranger in a red suit? Would they cry?

A few minutes before I was planning to cook dinner on Christmas Eve, Santa tapped gently on the living-room window. Noah was speechless, and his jaw dropped. Henry, two years old, waved and said, “Hi, Santa!”

Excited and nervous, I opened the door and Santa stepped inside.

Santa left after staying for only a few minutes and tears streamed down my face.