As a sixth grader, I began noticing how other kids were separating into groups. I wasn’t sure where I belonged. I found it hard to fit in.

Our teacher had assigned “secret friends” for the coming week. She wrote each kid’s name on a piece of paper and threw them into a glass; then we each closed our eyes and catch one piece of paper from the glass on which was the name of a classmate who we were to secretly befriend and support each other over the next five school days. By the middle of the week, everyone, including me, had turned this assignment into a competition to see whose secret friend could leave the best gift. We left cards, pens and even money. It seemed that everyone was getting cool presents from their friend except me.

On the last morning of our assignment, I walked into my classroom and noticed there was a package. I opened the wrapping paper and inside was a box of powder (胭脂). The girls sitting near me laughed at the gift I had received. To make matters worse, the powder had already been opened.

I tried to forget about the embarrassing gift, but when I was in the bathroom during the break, the girls who had seen me open the powder started speaking ill of my secret friend. I quickly joined in: “How terrible”. I heard myself saying “What could my friend be thinking by giving me such a stupid gift? My grandmother wouldn’t even want it.” The girls laughed at my remarks and rushed out of the bathroom. I stayed to wash my hands and let the water run through my fingers as I thought about what I had just said. It wasn’t normal like me to say mean things like that about someone.

Then I saw my classmate Janet come out of a bathroom booth (厕所隔间), tears streaming down her face.

Along with my apologies, I explained the reason.

Alex was very excited because the New Year Eve’s party was coming and as usual it was going to be held in his Uncle Peter’s home. Suddenly, he saw his grandfather sitting alone looking very unhappy.

Alex went to him and asked, “Grandpa, why are you sitting alone? Is there anything wrong with you?”

His grandfather replied, “No, I am fine. I just feel like sitting alone.”

“Grandpa, you know the New Year party is near, so are you preparing for it?” asked Alex excitedly.

“No dear, I am not. With the passage of time, the world has completely changed and I don’t see any point in celebrating the world I see today,” answered his grandpa disappointedly.

“I know something is wrong with you and you are not telling me. Please tell me what the problem is.” Alex said.

“I feel I am a stranger in the world I am living in. It is not the same as I have known. Now everyone is busy with their own work. Your father is busy with business, your brother is busy on the computer, your sisters are busy watching dramas and your mum is busy with housework. I don’t know how to pass my days,” said his grandfather sadly.

“Grandpa, you have me!”said Alex.

His grandfather smiled and said, “Yeah, you are here, but what about others? In our days, we had a fixed (固定的) time each day when the whole family sat together and talked, shared problems and laughed together.”

That night Alex thought about what his grandfather had said and an idea flashed his mind. He decided to have a surprise. New Year party at his own home and make everyone come together that day. As New Year’s Eve got nearer, Alex got busy preparing for the party. He kept it a secret from his grandfather and asked everyone not to let him know about it in order to surprise him.

It was December 31 and everyone was busy with their own work.

Alex saw his grandfather looking very happy while talking with the family members.

3 . There is nothing more comforting than the sound of the Singer, a sewing (缝纫) machine. It ______so many memories of my grandmother and mother. The______of turning different materials into something fashionable always______me.

I began sewing as a child alongside my grandmother, a loving woman who taught me how to use a machine and how to sew my first______. It was a simple pullover blouse (衬衫) made from an old pink and white pillowcase. I wore that with such______because wearing something you______yourself just makes you smile. Then, one day I made a mistake, sewing the inside out, and had to start again. This taught me to be______and focused on details.

Later I received the old Singer from my mom, but it was left to gather dust in the corner.Once Covid-19______, I had too much time on my hands and in my head.I got the Singer ______ and began sewing again.

“Measure twice, cut once" is a Sewer’s proverb. We all hear it and I rarely use it, just like road maps, but it is______. It’s a way of life.

In a time when tomorrow is ______,I found a sense of hope and creativity through rediscovery. Relearning how to sew has______my boredom and made me more patient with myself. It also helps build an emotional______with my older generations through this one thing that we______.That brings me joy. And I’ll______that joy for as long as possible.

7 . It is a blue, cotton shirt. The shirt belonged to my _________ David. On his birthday before he left college, his mother bought him the shirt. _________ I gave him free use of my bike, he let me wear the shirt, occasionally.

We shared the shirt, and as days _________ , we shared more of our _________ . David was in school by scholarships and grants (助学金). He _________ to keep his scholarships, because without even one of them, he would have to   _________ and back on the farm. And in David's home, there was always only enough money to cover the expense. His father died when he was twelve.

At times David also talked about his father. Usually it was late at night, in the dormitory just before bed, and the   _________ always ended with tears that flowed from a river of memories and longings: memories of a father suffering from _________ when his son was just a teenager; longings for opportunities to cure his father's disease missed, because disease does not understand about the _________ between father and son. Nor does it care.

Time passed and we had to say goodbye to each other. After lots of hugging, and words of thanks, we eventually departed. It was on my ____________ trip upstairs to our dorm that I saw a package on my bed. I ____________ the wrapping paper. It was the blue cotton shirt in a box with a card ____________ to it, reading “Thomas, I can't thank you enough for your ____________ . This has been tough years and you have been ____________ a friend. Thank you for listening. Thanks for everything. — David”.

I put aside the note, with ____________ tears dropping on the shirt. I still have the shirt today, though it has faded and wrinkled with age.

9 . He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee She was surprised, but she went along.

As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too _________ to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. _________ he asked the waiter, “Could you please give me some salt? I’d like to put it in my coffee.” Everyone tuned to him and he turned red. _________, she asked, “Why put salt in the coffee?” He _________, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I could feel its taste salty like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are _________ there.”

She was deeply touched. A man who can _________ that he’s homesick must love his home and _________ his family. She talked too, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the star to their love story. They continued to _________. She found that he met all her _________. He was tolerant, kind, warm and careful. She would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee!

So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he __________ and left her a letter which said: My dearest, please __________ my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that I asked for salt instead of sugar. It was hard for me to ask for a(n) __________ so just went ahead. I never thought that we would be a perfect match. Many times, I tried to tell you the truth, but I was afraid that it would __________ everything.

Sweetheart, I don’t really like salty coffee. But as it __________ so much to you, I’ve learnt to enjoy it. Having you with me was my greatest happiness. If I could live a second time, I hope we can be together again, even if it __________ that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life.