2 . I never really enjoyed running. But my _________ with running has changed. I’m a _________ living in London. When my mom became ill with cancer and there was no _________ of her living much longer, I decided to move back to Harrogate. My work as a musician didn’t _________ and I just wanted to be with my mother.

I have been _________ psychotherapy (心理疗法) for more than three years, which has helped with my anxiety, but back in Harrogate, I _________ to do something else positive for myself, as looking after my mother _________ me. I wanted to do something physical and running _________ that need.

Getting up before six was _________ for me. But I made myself go running three times a week. After starting last summer, I would run with __________ members and talk about my mom with those I’d known better. It helped me put my __________ in the right place to face another day. And it helped me process my feelings after my mom __________ in October.

Although therapy has been the __________ for all the positive things in my life, running has added to that. Together, they have changed my __________ to life and I’m now less anxious than I was. While running, I feel grounded and I live in the __________.

3 . When Zou Hongyan welcomed her son to the world in 1988, terrible birth complications (并发症) left him disabled for life. Doctors _________ her to give him up, a view that even her own husband _________, as they believed the boy would lead a worthless, _________ life. Zou, however, rejected their claims, divorced her child’s father, and made it her life _________ to treat and support her baby boy.

Zou worked _________ three jobs to support her family. She _________ how to massage (按摩) his muscles and would play intelligence _________ and puzzles with him.

The mother also _________ from the start that her son would learn to _________ his disabilities as far as possible. For example, Ding had problems coordinating (协调) his __________ movements, and found it difficult to use chopsticks. __________ many relatives said it was perfectly understandable, Zou insisted on __________ him to do so.

“I didn’t want him to feel ashamed about his __________ problems,” she said.

Ding graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Peking University in 2011. We can only __________ how proud this hard-working mom is of her son’s incredible progress, and how grateful Ding Ding must be to his greatest __________.

4 . When I was young, my understanding of life was simple. This made it _______ for me to deal with the world around me. As I grew up, things seemed more _______, which made life more challenging. Now, middle-aged, I find my _______ of the world is returning to the simple.

When I try to teach my daughter important _______ about life, I will break complicated things down into small pieces. One of those basics is _______ for yourself, and for others. I teach my daughter to _______ this. To fail feels bad, _______, but not to have tried it feels worse, because you can’t respect yourself for it. And as the saying _______, if you don’t respect yourself, no one else will.

When I was seven or eight, I played at my cousin’s house with his toys. There was one in particular that I’d always wanted, and I _______ it into my pocket. But a moment later, I ________, even at that age, that I would never enjoy playing with the toy. I would always know I had ________ that toy, and my opinion of myself would be ________. When his mother dropped me off later that day, I shamefacedly ________ the toy and gave it back. She knew, I’m sure, what had happened, but she thanked me and never spoke of it again.

I hope to help my daughter avoid similar ________. She first has to gain self-respect before she can start respecting others. I’m not ________ in this regard. But I try my best, and I respect others for trying their best in this changing world.

6 . More than I realized, Dad has helped me keep my balance.

When I was young, I didn’t want to be seen with my father. He was short and crippled (瘸), and when we_______together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would look at us. It was _______ to coordinate (协调) our steps, and we didn’t _______much as we went along, just keeping silent. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace. I will try to_______with you. ”

In my memory, my father went to work every day, rain or shine. He almost never _______ a day, even if others could not. Meanwhile he had to _______the unkind laughter from others. When I think of it now, I am surprised at how much_______it must have taken him to make a living under such_______. Although disabled, my father still tried to take part in activities in his own way. When a baseball team didn’t have a manager, he kept it _______. He was a knowledgeable baseball fan and often took me to the________. He also liked to go to parties, where he could have a good time________sitting and watching.

I now________that he took part in some things through me, his only son. He________me all the time. When I played ball, he “played” too. When I joined the Navy, he “joined” too. He was ________ to spend all his time staying with me.

He never talked about himself as an object of________, nor did he show any envy of the   more fortunate. What he________in others was a “good heart’’, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him. Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper rule by which to________people, even though I still don’t know exactly what a “good heart” is. Sometimes I wonder if he ________my unwillingness during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, and how I________it. At such times I would put my hand on his arm to get my________, and say, “You set the pace. I will try to stay with you. ”

7 . When my oldest son was in high school, he planned to _______ a concert with the youth group. To my _______, Aaron invited me to go along. I _______ accepted; however, by the time the date of the concert arrived,my youngest son had been ill,and I was concerned about him.I hesitated (犹豫).Then my husband _______ me to attend the concert, promising he would take care of our youngest. 

Finally, the _______ was made. Aaron was sixteen years old.How many opportunities would I have to do something fun with him _______ he went away to college? And how many youths actually would _______ their mothers to attend a concert with them that was clearly for teens? I would not miss this opportunity. 

At the concert,I sat with Aaron in the third row,putting cotton in my ears to block out the _______,ear-splitting music of the first performer.I stood when the kids stood,clapped when they clapped,and never let anyone know how _______ I was to feel the floor shaking beneath my feet.Aaron and his friends were ________ at my enthusiasm(热情). 

By the time we left the concert, my ears were ringing, but it quickly passed.________ did my son’s teenage years.In no time he was in college and away from home.I missed him more than I could say. Whenever I felt ________,I would think back to the concert we attended and be thankful once again that I didn’t ________ an opportunity to spend time with my son. 

Aaron is now grown and has a family of his own, but he often calls just to ________ and tell me about his day.I drop everything and ________ the moment.

8 . A car pulls into the McDonald’s drive-thru. The driver_______ the window and leans back. A(n) _______ sits on the front seat, _______ her head out of the driver’s side window. An employee makes the usual_______, “Welcome to McDonald’s! What can I get for you?”

“Two caramel frappés, please,” the teenager calls out. Then they are passed to the window. “Thank...you...” the driver says, _______ pronouncing every word in a special_______. The employee smiles back.

This is the routine my mother and I _______ every Sunday when we can _______ one drink and get another free always with a(n) _______ smile.

We didn’t see each other often because my parents ended their marriage years ago. Every time we met, we wanted to do something special together like going to buy my favorite drinks.________, soon the sales activity ended, and so did our routine.

Several months ago, my mother had a serious illness, which caused her a ________ barrier (障碍). I tried my best to help her practice speaking. Though she couldn’t speak clearly, I was able to understand what she was saying. But she was still in low ________. So we decided to ________ our routine again. That’s what I ________ at the beginning. I eventually saw her long-lost smile.

McDonald’s drinks aren’t the healthiest, but the memories I have had there are ________.

9 . Dad loved children. And he always wanted a_______ family. Eventually, he got what he wanted with twelve children in the family. Without fail, he would show us all to visitors.

Once, Dad_______ presented the first three children in the family, Ann, Mary and Ernestine, to some visitors. Then he picked up a fourth child, and said, “And this is our_______model, complete with all the improvements. And don’t think that this is all, we are _______ the 1953 model some time next month.”

But what he_______ most was taking us out for a drive. On one occasion a man in a village we were passing through shouted _______ that he had seen eleven people in our car, not_______Mum and Dad._______, Dad called out over his shoulder, “You _______ the second baby up from the front here, Mister.”

Another time, Dad told us this joke, though we were not sure whether he was telling us the________. Mum, who was a psychologist, once went to give a lecture and left Dad in charge of the ________. When Mum returned, she asked him if everything had been OK. He said everything was________ except that one of the children had been taught a lesson because he had been ________. When he pointed at the child that had been ________, Mum looked at him calmly and said, “That’s not one of ours, dear. He ________ next door.”

10 . Eleven days ago my brother was in an accident. We do not _________ know the full story, only knowing that he was on an electric scooter (电瓶车) and flew off. _________ on his face. He had a head injury and we had no idea if he was going to _________. Twenty years ago we lost our mom to a head injury so it was really _________ because I know what the worst can be.

My partner and I went to the hospital to _________ my stepmother at my brother’s bedside. My brother looked much better than I feared, so I started feeling _________. Then he _________ the nurses while they tried to clean him a little. So they sedated (打镇静剂) him in _________ of the recovery of his brain.

He was _________ the next day but his personality was off. __________ severe brain damage. But I __________ to wish for good luck and just thought of him living __________. I just worked on feeling gratitude for his health and __________.

He was __________ a few days later. Yesterday, he had a doctor’s __________ to do some routine examinations about two thirds of the way between our homes, so he took a bus the rest of the way and I __________ him up at the bus stop. He got to see my new home and play with my cat and we __________ old family pictures. His __________ was 100% back to normal!

He needs to rest and not __________ for a few months, but he is going to be fine. He has learned a few life lessons and the __________ of cherishing life.