When my sister, Dona, and I were little kids, my parents both joined the army. They stayed far away from our town and hardly returned home. My grandpa took on the big responsibility of taking care of us. Still, without our parents by our side, Dona and I sometimes felt lonely and sad, especially one winter.

One morning in that winter when Dona and I were sitting in our bedroom, dull and quiet, Grandpa said, “My dear, how about trying skating for fun?” Our faces immediately lit up and we answered together, “Great, we surely like it, Grandpa!”

He smiled and quickly set about building us a skating rink (溜冰场) in our yard. The process of building a skating rink was not easy. First, Grandpa laid out long wooden boards around the yard. Next, he made the base of the rink flat. Grandpa then began spraying the water, lightly at first, until the first layer of ice was established. He would then put some water onto the ice each night. And thus, the ice became thicker and thicker.

In the darkness of the night, from the kitchen window Dona and I watched Grandpa with great expectations. His back and shoulders rounded to protect him from the freezing wind. He stood alone, busying himself creating a perfect skating rink for us. The only light was from the moon and stars.

One night, Grandpa suddenly pressed his waist and the look on his face showed he was painful. Quite concerned, Dona and I rushed out and asked, “Grandpa! What’s wrong?” “My waist is painful. Don’t worry! I’ll be fine just after a little rest,” he smiled. Dona and I offered to help create the rink. But he said it was too cold outside at night and that building the rink needs much experience and lots of skills. Then, we gave up the idea of offering him a hand, but demanded he build the rink a few days later. Seeing we were determined, he walked into the room with us and had warm tea. Before long, Dona and I were tired and went to bed.

When we fell asleep, Grandpa quietly walked out into the yard.

Amazed, we hurriedly put on the skating equipment and rushed out._

4 . Sports play a large role in millions of lives. As parents, we want to find an activity that our children are passionate (热诚的) about. Let’s look at how to encourage kids to play sports.

Let them pick which sport they want to play. Don’t force kids to follow in your footsteps.     1     Sports could be a chance to explore those undiscovered passions.

    2    Once they decide to play a sport, take them to an event where that sport is played at a high level. We all remember the athletes we looked up to as a kid and trying to mimic (模仿) their every move.

Praise effort and be supportive. Not all kids are gifted athletes and that’s OK.     3    Recognize their hard work and achievements by treating them to enjoyable things like ice cream or a movie outing.

Make sports fun and let kids be kids. Keep in mind how a child’s mind works. Let them find the fun in sports and support them as they try new activities and explore their interests.    4    

Be present. The smallest action can have the largest impact (巨大影响).    5     Make it normal to show up for your kids. It’s an experience they

7 . Who are your friends? Are they all similar in age to you?     1     But you can widen your social circle and gain life-enriching benefits by becoming friends with someone younger or older than you. Having friends of different ages can greatly improve the quality of your life.

Having older friends can change your attitude towards life because they have already gone through the challenges you are facing. They have been young parents, have survived a job loss, and can help you get through these changes in your own life.     2     Then you’ll feel more ready for what’s coming in future stages.

When older people make friends with younger people, they get to share their experiences which can be very rewarding.     3     Giving your wisdom and attention makes you feel better. It gives you meaning and is good for your mental health. Having younger friends can also make you feel younger by including new ideas and energy in your life.

    4     While making new friends may seem frightening, it’s actually easier than you think. You can first think about your acquaintances or coworkers and see if any of them share your values and interests and would make a good friend. Then see if you can make a coffee date. Besides, you can consider joining in a class that your coworker or acquaintance participates in that you think you will enjoy.     5    

All in all making friends with people not your age can open your eyes to new ideas and new experiences that can be life-changing.

8 . The bell rang. Jacob smiled and he was glad his math class was _______. He grabbed his lunch bag out of his backpack and looked inside. He blinked. Beside his usual lunch, there was an envelope. Jacob opened it and slid out a (n) _______. It was of a suitcase. Jacob _______ what it meant.

The next day at lunchtime Jacob opened his bag. A new envelope peeked out. Inside was a tiny toy _______. Now he was _______! When he got home, he asked his mother, “Are we taking a plane somewhere?” She just _______ at him, her eyes sparkling. “I guess it’s a mystery(谜)” was the only _______ she gave him.

Over the next few days, Jacob _______ more: a small American flag, a leaf from a palm tree and _______ a juicy orange. Then one day, when he finally got to open his lunch bag, there was ________ in it except for his usual lunch. His heart sank. Maybe he had been wrong after all. Maybe there was no trip. He was very ________.

Just before the end of the day, the school secretary handed Jacob a small box. “This is for you and ________ your mother outside.” He opened the box. A smile slid across his face. He ________ and pulled out a small black hat with two round mouse ears.

He hurried down to the main school doors where his mother and father were waiting, with suitcases. “We’re going to Disney World, right?” Jacob couldn’t contain his excitement. “Mystery ________,” laughed his mother. “Come on, we’re headed to the ________!”