3 . They were a happy family:four daughters were all in the same school in different grades. The youngest, Janice, who was in my class, seemed to be glued(粘) to her mother’s skirts. The three older girls took the bus to school every morning, but Janice was always driven to school by her mother.

One Friday, Janice’s mother asked for a talk with me. She said in a soft voice, “My husband is going to Europe on business for two weeks, and he insists that I go with him. I have tried to explain over and over that Janice needs me here. But he thinks that she will be fine without me so I have no choice; I have to go. I have told the babysitter to drive her every morning. Will you please give Janice special attention and help her? I want to be sure everything goes well for her.”

I told her that we would make every effort to support Janice. I even volunteered to meet Janice at her car so she would see a familiar face. As a mother myself, I’d like to help. Janice’s mother thanked me for my understanding.

On Monday morning, expecting a tearful, anxious child, I planned a special program of fun and games. I waited outside to greet Janice, but just then the bus arrived and not three, but four girls got off. Janice skipped along joyfully, saying “goodbye” to her sisters as she ran with two friends into the classroom. I walked slowly into the classroom and called Janice over to ask how the bus ride went. Impatiently she said, “Oh, I always want to take the bus with the other kids, but Mother needs to be with me. You see there won’t be any more babies, so I have to be a baby a little longer. While she is away, I’ll just ride the bus every day. I am five, you know.”

5 . Dad had a green comb. He bought it when he married Mum.   Every night, he would ________me his comb and say, “Good girl, help Daddy clean it, OK?”

I was ________to do it. At age five, this dull task brought me such________. I would excitedly turn the tap________ and brush the comb carefully. Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I would happily return the comb to Dad. He would________affectionately at me and place the comb on his wallet.

Two years later, Dad started his own________, which wasn’t doing so well. That was when things started to ________.   Dad didn’t come home as early and as much as he used to. Mum and I became ________with him for placing our family in trouble. With ________ going by, an uncomfortable silence grew between us.

After my graduation, Dad’s business was getting back on track. On my 28th birthday, Dad came home ________.   As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave, he said, “Hey, would you help me clean my comb?” I looked at him a while, then ________the comb and ________to the sink.

It hit me then: why, as a child, helping Dad clean his comb was such a________. That routine meant Dad was home early to ________the evening with Mum and me. It ________ a happy and loving family.

I passed the clean comb back to Dad. He smiled at me and________placed his comb on his wallet. But this time, I noticed something________. Dad had aged. He had wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiled, ________ his smile was still as ________ as before, the smile of a father who just wanted a good________ for his family.

I have a good friend calls Tony. He is our monitor and he as well as some other classmates in our class is outstanding. Though he is a cleverer boy, he works very hard. Have much in common, we have a lot to talk about. One evening he told me what something happening when his parents were out. He was doing his homework one Sunday morning while he smelt something burning. He stopped look out of the window and find a cloud of smoke coming out of his neighbour’s house. He called 119 immediately. Ten minutes late, the firemen came and put off the fire. Her neighbour was very thankful for his help.

7 . What made Tom, our son, different from others was that he was born with a serious brain disease. My wife and I often comforted him as he faced many ______ in his early years.

It was ______ to see him regularly chosen last for baseball, but his most difficult time came when he began high school. One afternoon, Tom returned home in ______ and shouted: "I'm never going to school again!" He was ______ with food that other kids had ______ him on the school bus on the way home. Tom later told us what had ______. A few days earlier, Tom had ______ up for the school running team. That day, a few older students made fun of his performance on the track. I called the headmaster about the ______ and it never happened again.

One day, as the other kids exercised in the gym, they ______ one lonely runner-Tom, jogging around the snow-covered track. A few weeks later, Tom said to me, "Dad, I was ready for the worst." He added that each month, each student ______ an "athlete of the month" and voted（投票）for the ______. Tom's name had never been ______. But that day, one student said: "Sir, I would like to propose（提名）Tom for athlete of the month." The coach looked ______. "He works harder than any of us, Sir," the student continued. "But we'll have to have someone support the proposal," the coach replied. Tears formed in Tom's eyes as everyone in the class put their hands up. We, also in tears, looked on as he ______ showed his certificate（证书）.

Whenever I feel hopeless, I think of this story. I ______ myself that challenges are not overcome（战胜）by force, but by patience, determination, and faith.

8 . As soon as Aleeya woke up, she remembered it was Mama’s birthday. She jumped out of bed ______ and ran to the kitchen. There was no birthday ______ Then Aleeya went to the refrigerator, ______ its door and looked inside. There was no birthday cake in the refrigerator and no birthday cake ______.

When it was Papa’s birthday,   Aleeya and Mama had ______ Papa a cake in bed. Papa was so surprised! Now it was Mama’s ______. But Papa was away at a meeting, and there was no cake. ______ could she surprise Mama?

She could not ______ that; she opened the door of the refrigerator again and put her head all the way in. Maybe there was a birthday cake ______ somewhere. But there was none, and she felt very ______ Just then she saw the apple butter—Mama’s ______！Aleeya took the jar of apple butter and ______ it on the table. She got a plate, a spoon, and a piece of bread. She opened the jar, took some apple butter and spread it on the bread the ______ Mama liked—not too thick, and evenly to the sides.

Aleeya became happy now and a gentle smile ______ over her face. It became bigger and bigger as she walked to Mama’s room with the ______ bread. “Happy birthday to Mama. Happy birthday to Mama,” she ______.

Mama was ______. She took the plate and held her daughter in her arms.

“Pretend there are ______,” Aleeya said, “and blow them out.”

Mama closed her eyes and ______ a wish. Then she blew out the imaginary candles.

“Was it a good ______?” asked Aleeya.

“It was the best one ever in my life, my baby,” said Mama.