1 . Our graduation is coming and of course we’ll have photos taken. The girls start to have a ________ about what they’ll wear and where to take the photos, while the boys by comparison seldom talk about it. As for me, I ________ for my photos to be taken by the sea.

When I arrived there, I met my photographer, Anna. She asked me to make some poses and I followed her advice. After that, I asked if she could make me look ________ by taking photos in a different way, ________ I’m less than 1.6 meters tall. To my amazement, she responded, “I will make no ________ to make you look like someone you’re not. You look good in your own way.” She ________ that she wouldn’t try to edit the photos either.

I was shocked by what she said. Girls always desire to look perfect by using ________ visual angles (视角). When you go to a photo studio, photographers always try to hide your ________ by telling you to stand in a certain way. And picture ________can easily change your look by making you appear any you want to. However, that’s not the case here. Seeing I was ________, Anna explained: “Everyone has his ________. You need to appreciate your own beauty. You cannot live in a world of artificial photos.”

It was the first time that I had met a photographer who doesn’t ________ photos at all. After the shoot, I saw the photos — they are ________ special and natural. But what’s even more special are Ada’s ________, which ________ and will always stay in my heart.

2 . My mom is about to have a spinal (脊柱的) operation. The operation is _________minor, but does carry a risk of paralysis (瘫痪). Friends and family have _________ to this news by talking in such pessimistic terms that Mom has come to _________ this kind of talk as “psychological theft”. It occurs when other people increase your anxiety _________ providing comfort.

Last week Mom _________ Geoff who works for the local school. “How are you?” he asked. “Not great,” she replied, “I have been having some trouble with my back and I’m going to need a(n)_________.”“Oh, the back the most _________ place to operate on! My mom had that and she was in terrible pain.” He responded. Geoff’s _________ had been kind. He’d given his own mother’s story to show sympathy,_________ Mom only heard danger and pain.

People could have __________ things that would be equally true, but more__________ to patients. “The specialists in our hospitals are among the best in the world.” — that’s a good one. “You’re going to feel much better__________.” — that’s another.

I’m not suggesting patients should be __________ from the reality of the risks they’re taking. But if the decision to have an operation can’t really be __________, what’s the purpose of stressing the __________? It’s just common sense to say, “Get well soon, and how can I help?”

3 . When he was 15, Owen Lima got behind the wheel of a car. Soon after, he rolled the car and suffered a serious head injury. When he finally woke, he discovered that the injury had brought _________ to his brain, which he has continued to _________ for the past 40 years.

Lima’s condition has made it difficult for him to understand others, especially when they speak quickly, and makes him _________ likely to be affected by anxiety attacks. Therefore, Lima is _________ by Blue, a service dog that helps keep him _________.

One of the biggest problems Lima has faced is finding employment. For years, he has _________ to find a steady job. He has gone to find jobs with his dog but has always been treated _________ or given unfair wages, making him feel like a(n) _________ citizen.

Lima’s _________ finally turned when he and Blue __________ a job at a Lowe’s home improvement store in Canada. When asked what the dog was for, Lima talked about the whole story. The store manager __________ to give him a chance of success.

Now, Lima and Blue both work in the store. During the store’s grand opening, the pair were there to __________ new customers when the door opened. Blue has even been dressed in his own custom-made vest to __________ other employees’ uniforms. Lima says he is __________ to his new employer, both for the chance to work and for letting Blue __________.

4 . I was 11 years old when I asked my mom for piano lessons in 2010. We were in the economic crisis. She said a polite “ no ”.

That didn’t stop me. I googled the measurements for a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click notes on an online keyboard and “ play” them back on my paper one—keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. I spent six months playing without touching a real piano. Once my mom saw that I was serious, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.

I still remember the first one. I was struck by how real the sound of the piano was. I sat my grade one after eight lessons. Once I started secondary school, we couldn’t afford lessons again. I passed grade three, and then grade five, practicing only on my piece of paper.

One evening, when I was about 13, my mom said she had a surprise for me; it was an electronic keyboard, bought with more borrowed money. It was the first time I’d played for her. She was in shock.

My school didn’t offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians. But I had to pass a difficult test. Some of the questions involved an evaluation of the composer or when some piece was written. I felt stressed. To my amazement, I was offered a place.

At Purcell, I spent two years working as hard as I could. I performed to raise money and save enough to buy my first piano. When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize and senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. I feel proud: it’s been 10 years since I drew my paper piano, and I’m at one of the world’s leading music schools.

The irony is that I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano---what we call mental practice. The paper piano helped arouse my curiosity about how music works, the building blocks that form the pieces.

Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of the 5th grade class on the very first day she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible because there in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. She paid no attention to Teddy.

However, when she read his file, she was in surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates. But he is troubled because his mother has a deadly illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tried to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.” By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She thought that she could make a difference.

She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with pretty ribbons, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson opened it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children stared to laugh when she found a stone bracelet(手镯)with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.

Mrs. Thompson, her voice choked up with tears, thanked her students for their presents.

Ten years later, Teddy invited Mrs. Thompson to attend his wedding as groom's mother.

8 . Last month I took my son Tom to see his grandparents in the countryside. When we arrived, his grandpa took him to the_________to play.

At lunch table, Tom said, “Dad, I saw a hen flying.” “_________!” I replied without thinking, “How can a hen fly?” “In the yard, the dog _________the hen. Finally the hen was forced to a corner. The _________ hen, finding no other way, suddenly flapped her _________ and flew up to the roof. I didn’t know that before. Why can a hen fly?” I thought for a while and said, “Maybe because of _________. The hen loves her life. It is the love that encouraged her inner _________ to fly !” Tom _________. He seemed to have understood.

Last weekend we visited Tom’s grandparents again. This time I heard Tom _________ from the yard, “Dad! The dog is chasing the hen again!”. The hen ran to a group of chicks __________by the dog and faced the dog __________, with her two wings sticking out to __________ her children. “Dad, why didn’t the hen__________away? She knows she can’t __________ the dog.” asked Tom. I thought for a while and said, “Maybe because of love, the love to her children more than her own __________.” Tom thought for a long time and nodded. He seemed to have understood.

9 . I’m standing in a class of wild 14-year-old girls as they throw paper and howl with laughter. They won’t listen to me. I never wanted to ________. I wanted to be a writer. But when I arrived in London, they were ________ of teachers.

My efforts at teaching were ________. When the bell finally rang, I ________ to the staff room, red with anger. The other teachers weren’t ________. “That’s 4B, the worst class in school.”

But I couldn’t give up. I ________ formal lessons. Instead, I brought topics for class discussion. One of the liveliest talks was about the arguments they had with their ________

They paid attention and were ________ to share about their family lives. Then I had them write about themselves. As time went on, their essays became a ________ between us. I ________their humor, toughness and eagerness, and I think they appreciated my interest in their lives.

The musical My Fair Lady was playing in the West End and I asked if they’d like to see the musical. They thought I was joking and did not take it ________ since no teacher had ever suggested taking them out. A few weeks later, 4B and I were ________ in theater. They loved the musical and the characters.

Near the end of the term, two most rebellious (叛逆的) girls with flowers were knocking on my door. I was ________ to know I had touched their hearts and made a difference to their lives, but they had also touched mine. I enjoyed teaching and getting along with ________

When I returned to Australia several years later, I still ________ to be a writer. Teaching wasn’t the end of my writing career; it was the beginning.

10 . This time we thought we would go trekking（徒步）. I was so excited that I could not sleep for days. I have only seen in movies and read in books how difficult it is and-how one does trekking. I couldn't believe I was going to do this myself one day, and not alone but with my family.

On the big day   we were so excited that we kids could not control it. With lots of instructions and warnings, we started our journey and the much awaited journey came to an end. When we reached our destination, It was real fun.

First we kids were allowed to climb for a small height. It was really adventurous. Stepping on the foot of a mountain to climb it is really exciting. We tried hard, but could not make it to a good height that we could. Then our parents went and they too had a tough time. Slipping and falling and then again retrying, it was all so much fun. We then took a break and tried climbing once again, this time getting better. We were told about the risks of climbing to great heights, and so we were not ready to take so much of the risk. This was truly an adventurous journey that I've had so far.

Lots of excitement, dangers involved fun and on the whole a great experience was what this journey gifted us. If given a chance, we would all go for a second time for this great expedition, with no second thoughts. For those who love adventures and challenges, trekking is a wonderful activity to be done.