It is just past five o’clock on the Chinese New Year’s Eve, and Luo Yan lifts the cover of a large bowl to breathe in the rich smell of the soup     1     his wife and mother have prepared.

Luo Yan and his wife and son have settled in the big city far away from their hometown. Their journey from the city where they live and work back to their hometown was a     2    漫长而又疲乏的 one just a few years ago. However,     3     the high-speed train has made it more convenient for them to go back home. During the four-hour trip, they chatted happily with each other.

    4    一到家, they find Luo’s parents eagerly waiting for them. Indeed, the family couldn’t be happier to be together. As midnight approaches, Luo Yan takes his parents, wife and son outside to set off firecrackers.     5     The whole village is lit up with the flashes of fireworks.

2 . My father was the kind of guy who could walk into a room full of strangers and leave with new best friends for life! He was a hard worker and was known as “Mr Fix-It” to everyone. He was also one of the most cheerful, affable (和葛可亲的) and gentle people you would ever meet, which made us, his beloved daughters feel proud.

But when Dad was in his fifties, my family began to notice him struggling. His work and skills began to become worse and worse, and he became depressed and withdrawn. This was not the man I knew. At the age of fifty-eight, Dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As for our family, it was the worst.

Our first step was to attend a meeting hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association to learn more about the disease and programs that might help us. That meeting inspired me to start a Walk to End Alzheimer’s^® team. But I still wanted to do more. In 2017, I became a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter.

The loss from this disease is gradual. My father’s decline continued for several years. Losing my father more and more each day was leaving a big hole in my heart and my life. I decided to fill that hole with action to honor my father.

That’s why I recently decided to leave a gift to the Alzheimer’s Association by naming it as a beneficiary of my retirement plan. My future gift will provide money to support research because I don’t want another person in my family or someone in other families to have to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

I am so proud to be able to honor my father and other family members who lost their fights to Alzheimer’s in this way. My dad was an inspiration to me, and I hope, through my gift, I can inspire others to join in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

3 . When Guo Xiaoyu was born just days ahead of the Opening Ceremony in August, his grandpa Tao Zhenguo was very busy with his volunteer work for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The grandpa was very happy to _________ his newcomer.

Fourteen years later, the 77-year-old Tao is even _________ because Guo has also become an Olympics volunteer. “He is _________ an Olympic boy now,” Tao says. Both grandfather and grandson are volunteering at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. They are helping with garbage _________, traffic guidance and information inquiries (查询).

Guo says he learned a lot from his _________. He listened to Tao’s volunteer _________ when he was a little child, and began doing community work. But Guo is not just _________. He’s now also teaching his grandpa English.

Tao doesn’t speak English, but he is _________ that “as an Olympics volunteer, I have to learn it to at least be able to communicate a bit with foreign guests”. “It’s never too late to learn,” Tao says. “I don’t _________ to become an English-language master, but I hope that I can at least say Welcome to Beijing when I ____________ foreign athletes and guests.”

5 . On my first day in America, I was excited, but nervous as well. It was my dear neighbor Susan who helped me   _________ my new life far away from home.

There was a knock at the door. When I _________ it. Susan came in with a homemade apple ple. She hugged me and said, “Wow, you   _________ be the precious (珍贵的) Chinese dull (娃娃)!”

With a big smile, she   _________, “Alice, I am sure you have never tried a home-made apple pie before! You are going to _________ it so much!”

To be honest, I was greatly surprised by this welcome from a _________. And the apple pie made me _________.

Susan was very helpful to me.

When I was thinking about the clothes to wear on Halloween, she suggested I _________like a traditional Chinese girl. “I happen to have a traditional Chinese dress and guess _________, I’m a great make-up artist!” She said. Susan did not hide (隐藏) her excitement, when she pushed me to the __________ to examine our work after an hour of hard work. The clothes fit me perfectly! I am sure that I stood out from the crowd that Halloween, and I am __________ for her help.

My first Thanksgiving was another highlight (亮点). __________ the festival morning, I was surprised to find a gift box in my front yard. There was a note on it: “Hello Alice, I’m the Thanksgiving bunny (兔子)! Enjoy your __________!” I looked around and caught Susan looking at me from her porch (走廊). Seeing that she had been __________, she hurriedly picked up a newspaper and pretended (假装) to __________ it. I couldn’t help __________. When I walked up to her, she said, “ __________ was not me. It was the Thanksgiving bunny!” Susan is such a __________ person; She is the American above all others I need to thank.

I saw that the spirit of the Chinese saying, that “Neighbors carry more__________ than distant relatives”, is alive and well in America. Susan filled my heart with   __________ and joy, just as angels do.

9 . Most kids have nothing to worry about except homework and basketball matches. But things are ______for the kids who have lost their parents. _____ these is Milly Bell, a nine-year-old girl from Exeter, England. She is doing something to make life _____better for children like her.

A few years ago, Milly’s father ____ a serious disease. Milly was very sad and thought that only bad things happened to her. Her mother told her that ____ a lot of kids like her, however. So Milly began to think, “_____can I help other children if they are also losing someone?”

Sadly, Milly’s father   ____ since 2006. Then, Milly found a way to help other children. She has written a book _____My Daddy is Dying.

“Although I’m still sad and often think of Daddy, it_____ easier as time has gone by. I know it’s important to speak out and cry about my feelings _____when I feel sad.” Milly said. “I hope this helps other children get through the same thing, and lets them know that they are not the only ones.”

Everybody wants a healthy relationship with their dad. When your dad is happy with you, you’ll get the best treatment from him and most likely be happy too. It can be difficult to please your dad but it’s important to do so for a healthy family. By focusing on the way you interact with your dad, you can achieve a happy family relationship.

    1    

It can be difficult to spend time with your dad, especially during school days as your schedule is busy and your dad is at work. Making that extra effort to spend time with him and share your opinions and thoughts will strengthen the bond between you.

    2    

Take time to ask your dad about his youth, his dreams, his career, and his favourite memories. These are stories to cherish as you grow older. They might also help you understand his values.

    3    

Consider asking your dad for advice on school work or friendships or matters of finance (经济) if you have or are seeking a job. This will show him his opinion matters. Even if your dad doesn’t have experience with a certain situation, he can still give you advice on how to approach it or where you can best learn how to approach it.

Show affection (关爱).

Show your dad that you love him. Speak to him in caring words, in a warm tone of voice, or show him affection through hugs and kisses. Some dads don’t like being too affectionate and even you might find it strange to be physically affectionate. Know that caring human touch is a basic need.