2 . I took a job as a receptionist for a pet doctor almost five decades ago. As an animal lover, I accepted the _________ on condition that I wouldn’t have to help any wounded animals. I couldn’t bear to see any creature in _________.

At the end of my first week, we were closing the office for the day _________ a young man ran up to us. Holding a severely _________ Doberman pinscher puppy (杜宾犬) in his arms, he _________ us to save his life. The two-month-old puppy had been hit by a car. The doctor and I ran back into the _________ room. The doctor worked _________ for what seemed like hours stitching (缝合) him back together again. That was the easy part. The puppy had _________ many bones, including his backbone. Even if he _________ the next few days, we were quite sure he would never walk again.

That day forever __________ my life. The doctor guided me, and I became his __________ in all things medical. One of my first jobs was to give that Doberman puppy daily physical treatment. I remember moving his __________ legs to try to keep his muscles from weakening. Weeks went by until one day, I felt this little __________ push back ever so slightly. And he continued to push back till he could finally use his legs.

Fast-forward about a year, I walked into the clinic’s crowded waiting room and called the name of the next client. __________, a huge Doberman standing quietly on the opposite side of the room broke away from its owner and rushed toward me. I found myself __________ against the wall with this huge dog __________ on his back legs, his front paws on my shoulders, washing my face with countless and joyful kisses!

I am still in amazement at the show of love and __________ the dog had for me that day all those years ago. I went on to be a pet doctor for the following years until __________. In all the time that has __________ and all the experiences I have had, I’ve __________ met a dog who didn’t know it had been rescued in one way or another.

3 . Although Grace, a little girl, felt happy and loved, there was something disappointing her. Everyone seemed to know exactly what they ________ to be. They heard from adults about many different ________ , but Grace had no inspiration.

One evening Grace seemed ________ . Her Mom was worried and asked why. Grace began to cry and poured her heart out to her mother about her ________ and career. Grace has always dreamed of becoming a(n) ________ , helping others and being a hero to families in situations of despair. Grace’s Mom smiled, ________ her, and ran a quick search. As Grace looked up with tears ________ her face, she saw the screen. There was a beautiful, smiling female firefighter ________ a medal from the Mayor for her bravery during a terrible ________ accident last year. In the photo, she is ________ one of the little girls freed from the school bus, Grace couldn’t believe it.

Then Grace’s mother ________ the firefighter on a workplace social platform. Grace sat and waited ________ for a reply! They couldn’t contain their excitement when a reply flashed up a few ________ later. Constance Baker, the firefighter, became her   ________ .

That Summer Grace ________ her birthday with all her friends. When it was time to bring out the cake, Grace was told to close her eyes. ________ they heard loud sirens(汽笛) coming closer and louder. When she opened her eyes, Constance was in her full ________ and wore helmet(头盔), holding her cake. The rest of the crew were ________ around the fire truck. Wearing the helmets, Grace's friends and family were lining up to get onto the fire truck and take some ________ . This was the best birthday Grace could ever have.

From then on, Grace was so ________ of her future dreams and truly believed anything is possible.

6 . Maggie, a girl of thirteen years old, lived on the west coast of the United States. She had never experienced an earthquake before; she only prepared for it. As long as she could remember, preparing for an earthquake was common at her school. Her family had made plans as well in case of a natural disaster.

One day, Maggie arrived home from school at the usual time. However, it was not the same as usual. She was home alone. Her mom would be driving home on the busy freeway and her dad was to arrive at the airport. He was coming home from a two-week business trip.

After finishing her homework, Maggie felt a little hungry, so she went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Just then she felt a shake, then the violent shaking. Maggie quickly ran under the large table in the dining room. The sounds of breaking glass and the crashing of many things were deafening, and Maggie hugged herself in fear.

After what seemed like a very long time, the earthquake appeared to be over. Maggie could hear the sound of water rushing below her in the basement. And there was the smell of natural gas in the air. Maggie knew where the main water valve (阀门) was and how to turn it off. Dad had ever shown her before.

Slowly and carefully she came out from under the table. The once tidy home was then almost unrecognizable. Walls had fallen down and many things in the room were in a mess. As Maggie approached the open basement door, she could see the steps. Carefully she made her way down into the dark basement.

While placing her feet firmly on the floor, Maggie felt a sudden pain as a large wood hit her head and shoulder. She fell unconscious onto a pile of boxes. An hour later, she woke up and found her parents beside her. She was happy that she was still alive!

7 . It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry for appointment（约会）at 9:30.

The nurse had him take a seat in the waiting area, telling him it would be at least 40 minutes ______ someone would be able to see him. I saw him ______ his watch and decided, since I was ______ busy—my patient didn’t ______ at the appointed hour, I would examine his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment.

The gentleman said no and told me that he   ______ to go to the nursing home on eat breakfast with his ______. He told me that she had been ______ for a while and that she had a special disease, I asked if she would be   ______ if he was a bit late. He replied that she ______knew who he was, that she had not been able to ______   him for five years now. I was ______ and asked him,“And you ______ go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”

He smiled and said.“She doesn’t know me, but I know who she is.”I had to hold back ______ as he left.

Now I ______ that in marriages, true love is acceptance of all that. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything；they just make the best of everything they have. ______ isn’t about how to live through the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

10 . When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother's Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing (令人相信的)，“This is Mrs. Tan. "

And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don't send me check already two week late. "

And then, in perfect English I said: "I'm getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived. "

Then she talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss. "And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can't tolerate (容忍) any more excuse. If I don't receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week. "

The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.

When I was a teenager, my mother’ s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.