Everyone makes     1     mistake at some point, but when we hurt our parents     2     love us all their life, it’s especially heartbreaking. The good news is that their big hearts have room for forgiveness if we just ask. Anna, a senior high school student, argued with her parents, and she     3     (write) a letter to his parents for forgiveness yesterday.

I’m sorry about my argument with you. I haven’t been the girl as you are expecting. My behavior was impolite. All I have done was just so stupid. I haven’t been focusing     4     what is more important. The two of you are always working hard for my brother and me. I’m sorry to miss the understanding of how hard you have been working for our family, and I just didn’t value anything I have. I now realize how you want everything to be perfect for     5     (we). It is wrong of me     6     (take) advantage of you giving me the first, the second, and the     7     (three) chances. I know if I keep     8     (perform) badly like this, I will never be a winner in the future. I want to go to college, and I want to make you take     9     (proud) in me. I promise to do better from now on.

Yours,

Anna.

Such an apology(道歉) letter is a     10     (use) way to start a conversation, and Anna’s parents forgave her.

Linda went for a job interview at a firm that had several start-up businesses under its wing. She applied to be Executive Secretary of the CEO, but her chance of getting the job was slim because she came in late for the interview.

“I’m truly sorry I have come late, sir,” Linda apologized. “But I had an emergency to attend to earlier today and that is why I couldn’t make it on time. I hope you can give me a chance,” she added. “But the job is to be my secretary and being late for your interview is just not good,” George, the CEO, told her. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to hire you.” Depressed, Linda left.

When Linda got home, her son Jack found that something seemed to be bothering his mom. Then he asked, “What’s wrong, Mom? How did the job interview go?” “I didn’t get the job, son. I didn’t make it in time for the interview,” she sighed. Jack was almost crying upon hearing this, but Linda tired to comfort him. “It’s all right, son. There are many other jobs I can apply for. It’s no big deal,” she said, hugging him.

The following day, Jack copied the address from his mother’s notebook and came to George’s office without telling his mom. “Hi, sir, I’m Jack. My mom came for an interview yesterday, but you rejected her. Could you please give her a second interview, sir?” he said to the CEO.

“Why should I give her another chance?” George asked. “It was because of my fault that she didn’t make it on time. I accidentally dropped some food juice on my shirt. She had to wash it because it was the only uniform that I could wear in school. It took a while to remove the stain (污渍), so she was late,” Jack said.

“My mom works hard, sir. My parents once ran a cleaning supply and equipment business. Owing to something unexpected, the company was closed down. My parents had to start all over again,” Jack continued.

George listened thoughtfully and began to feel sorry for Linda. He thought the position of Marketing Director would better suit Linda since she had relevant experience. Then he told Jack that he would give his mom a second chance.

The next day, Linda received a call from George, who informed her that she could have a second chance.

Calming down, Linda asked George why he had changed his mind and had given her another chance.

Tim’s daughters, Hope and Hannah, have smartness, great humor, athletic abilities and beauty. His home is full of medals and many other awards his daughters have won over the years.

But the one thing they have never had in abundance (大量) is money. Having a single parent with a low-paid job, they never have pocket money. They wear hand-me-downs store clothing. But they never complain and never cry out for something Tim can’t afford.

Tim has many wonderful memories of his daughters. However, there is one that stands out.

When Hope was 10 years old and Hannah was 8 years old, they were looking for a gift to give Tim for Christmas. “Dad often gave us gifts. Now I think we should also give one to him,” Hope suggested. Hannah said it was a good idea. And they wondered what gift they should give their dad. After thinking for long, they thought of the National Geographic magazines. Their dad always loved the magazine. But because money was especially tight (紧的) that year, Tim had not been able to subscribe (订阅) to it. “The magazines sold in the bookstore aren’t that cheap. Well, at least, we can buy one and give it to Dad as a Christmas gift,” Hope said.

Not having any money of their own, Hope and Hannah then wondered how to solve the problem. Finally, they decided to find part-time jobs in the small neighborhood to make money. First, they needed to be permitted (允许) by their dad.

When they shared their decision one night, Tim thought they wanted to buy some toys, candy or something else for themselves. Since he couldn’t give them pocket money and thought part-time jobs could be helpful to a kid, he agreed. But he didn’t want them to be too tired, so he reminded them, “When you find you dislike the jobs, you can just give up.” Hope and Hannah smiled and nodded, and Tim thought they surely wouldn’t stick to their part-time jobs for long.

The next morning, Hope and Hannah walked around the neighborhood to look for possible part-time jobs.

With the money, Hope and Hannah rushed to a nearby bookstore.

4 . My dad is easy-going and has a gift for chatting. He ________ a fast food restaurant called Queenie’s Weenies, which is specialized in hot dogs. I work with my dad at the ________ on weekends.

One Saturday, we went ________. As we got into the checkout line, I ________ something: our cashier (收银员) was very ________! She ________ no smiles, no greetings and no small talk. Her “anger aura (光环)” was obvious and kind of ________ to me. When we ________ to check out, I was thinking that we should just pay for our things and leave quickly. My dad had a different ________. When it was our turn, he started ________ her.

Dad said, “Hi, how are you today? This is my son. I have a restaurant, and we ________ together. It’s called Queenie’s Weenies. Drop by my restaurant sometime and I will ________ you to my hot dogs. I’m good at cooking them.” By the time we ________ checking out, the cashier was smiling. She said, “Thanks, umm… I hope you and your son have a very nice day.”

Back in the car, Dad said to me, “The cashier was obviously ________ today. It happens to everyone. Smile ________ or give a few kind words, which is all it takes to make one a little more delighted.”

Green Thumb

All I did was show my little sister how to grow plants. Dig a hole. Put in a seed. Cover it with dirt. Water it. Wait. “See, Laynie,” I explained, “a whole plant will grow from this tiny seed. All we have to do is water it.”

Laynie had her own watering can so she could “help” me in the garden. One day, after everything was watered, she ran to the fence and started sprinkling water on another spot. I walked over and saw a fresh patch of dirt near the fence.

“Did you plant something there?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m growing a pencil. My purple pencil got too small, so I planted it.”

“What? But, Laynie—”

I should have explained things right then, but I just muttered, “Uh…I never grew one before.”

Later I got what seemed like a great idea. I dug up Laynie’s pencil and “planted” a brand-new purple pencil. Laynie was really excited when she saw it. “My pencil grew!” she shouted.

A few days later, Laynie was watering on the same spot. Two days later, new crayons sticking their pointy little heads out, thanks to me. Laynie jumped up and down and yelled, “They look like flowers!” She “picked” them and ran into the house.

Next, Laynie grew an adult bear doll from a tiny one, a soup spoon from a teaspoon, and a hand mirror from a piece of glass. When she claimed that she had grown these things, I just kept my mouth shut! Actually, it was fun trying to think of what should grow from Laynie’s seeds. And it was cool to see her get excited.

One day I saw her patting down some dirt near the fence again, so I knew she’d just planted something. My heart dropped to my feet when she asked, “How long does it take to grow a goldfish, Brad?” I couldn’t speak.

“Not long, I bet!” said Laynie. She knelt down to whisper “Grow, Molly. Grow!” before she skipped back to the house.

I sat down with my back to the fence and thought for a long time.

Later I found Laynie sitting by the spot where Molly was buried.

7 . Last summer, my family and I went on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. It was our first family vacation in years, and we were all ______ to spend some quality time together. We ______ our car with snacks, water, and a lot of sunscreen, and then ______ the road.

The trip was long, but we kept ourselves ______ with card games and singing along to our favourite songs. When we finally arrived at the Grand Canyon, we were ______ by the breathtaking views. We spent the next few days hiking, taking pictures, and ______ the area.

One of the highlights of the trip was when we went on a helicopter ______ of the Grand Canyon. It was a great ______, and we all felt like we were on top of the world. We took a lot of pictures and videos, and we still ______ them to this day.

As the trip came to an end, we all felt a sense of ______. We didn’t want to go back to our busy ______. We wanted to stay together and keep exploring. ______, we knew that we had to go back home.

Looking back on the trip, I realized how important it is to spend time with ______. In our busy life, we often forget to slow down and enjoy the little moments. The trip ______ me of the importance of ______ memories and cherishing (珍惜) the time we have with our loved ones.

The MP3 has become a new fashion on campus. I had long dreamed of owning a MP3. The more MP3 owners were on campus, the stronger my desire (渴望) became. Finally, during one of my monthly visits home, I begged my parents to let me buy one, “Dad, Mom, I ... I want to buy a MP3 ... , the one for …”

I swallowed (吞咽) the rest of my words. Did I really need to explain what a MP3 was? Surely everybody knew!

At first there was no response from my parents. But my little brother replied eagerly, “Me too!”

Then finally my dad spoke, “What! What is it for? This little stuff breaks down soon after you get it! It’s an absolutely useless expense (花费) …”

Then, I had an idea. When the summer vacation came, I lied to my parents that I couldn’t stay at home, because the school had supplementary (附加的) programs. As a result, I earned my money for a new MP3 through my part-time job.

I was at home the night before my new school when Mom came into my room. She sat on my bed, and patted me on the shoulder. Then she handed me a small box. “Take this. Don’t tell your father ... Now, study hard, okay?” she said softly.

“Mom, how did you ... ?” I asked.

“It’s from my own savings. Your father doesn’t know.” I sat alone for a long time with my new MP3, weeping (哭泣) silently.

When I went back to school, I decided to give up my part-time job so that I could study harder for my parents, for my dream. My motivation (动机) to study has never been so strong.

One afternoon, I was in my dorm when a classmate told me that my father was waiting for me downstairs.

I sat down and unwrapped (打开) the box.

Grandmother Bonnie called out to Amy as she finished setting the table and served them dinner. When Amy didn’t respond, Bonnie went to the young girl’s room and pushed the door open. Amy sat at her desk with her headphones on, drawing a picture.

“Are you drawing those strange pictures again?” Bonnie yelled. “Have you finished your homework? Your teacher called me today and told me you’ve been ignoring her homework!” she shouted angrily.

Minutes later, Amy walked into the kitchen and quietly sat at the table. They began eating dinner in silence. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Bonnie answered the door to see a man in his early 40s standing outside. It turned out to be Mr. Henderson, a famous New York-based cartoonist. He explained to Amy he received a letter with some pieces of her artwork and was so impressed with her talent. In fact, he wrote Amy letters, but never got an answer.

Amy noticed Bonnie moving nervously in her seat, and realized why the letters had never reached her. Her grandmother kept them hidden from her.

“I’ m here with an offer for Amy,” Mr. Henderson continued. “We are accepting applications for our arts training program this summer. I would personally teach the students the art of cartoons and everything related. For that, Amy needs to pass a test, and then she’ll have to spend her summer in New York learning under me. If everything goes well, she will be able to join my team later and seek her dream of art.”

“Really?!” Amy was so excited. But Bonnie refused because she promised Amy’s late parents to raise their child well and make her an educated person. Mr. Henderson sighed and pulled out a file from his bag, “It’s a test. I know your Granny is against it, kid. But if you manage to finish it and hand it over to me by 10 a.m. the day after tomorrow, I can take it to my manager,” he added as he gave Amy an encouraging smile and left the house. Amy decided to finish the test after school the next day.

The next evening, Amy found her drawing tools were gone.

Entering the house, Amy found Bonnie holding her drawing tools, crying.