1 . I was ready for bed. My eyes fell on the musical _________ on my bedside table. In it was a photo of Dad smiling, and once opened, it would play his _________ song recorded before his death. It was propped (支撑) open just enough so the recording wouldn’t play.

Dad was a _________ man. He was always singing me his little made-up songs to share joy although he was _________ off-key, not hitting every note.

Dad was a man with big heart. When my house burned down a few years ago, Dad _________ my family into his home. When we tried to offer some _________, he said with his characteristic voice, “Don’t be _________!”

With happy _________, I fell asleep.

“Beautiful and marvelous!”

Suddenly, I was awoken hours later by the _________ song. The card! I snapped it shut (啪的一声合上).

How did that card just start playing? I checked the windows, all tightly shut. But why couldn’t I __________ the feeling that something was wrong?

I decided to __________ downstairs. Opening the door to the laundry room, I was hit with a strong smell of __________. The heat lamp had fallen, and the carpet was burning.

The __________ wasn’t too bad. I let out a shaky breath with __________. What could have happened? Perhaps another house fire. But we were safe. All thanks to Dad’s one-of-a-kind __________.

2 . It was a busy morning, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s, came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

The nurse had him take a _________in the waiting area, _________ him it would be at least 40 minutes before someone could see him. I saw him _________ his watch and decided, since I was not busy — my patient didn’t _________ at point hours, I would exam his wound. While taking care of him, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment.

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

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

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

It was the first week of Lily’s middle school. The bell’s ringing brought her out of her daydreaming. She nervously gathered her books, preparing to reach another classroom for the next new class.

Lily followed the other kids and rushed into the hallway. Others walked in groups, chatted, and laughed, using the break to socialize. Lily, instead, walked alone along the wall of the hallway, with her head down. She was a shy girl, afraid to speak in front of other kids, and didn’t think others would like her.

Lily finally sat in Mr. Johnson’s Language Arts class nervously. “Welcome to Language Arts,” said Mr. Johnson. He told jokes as he talked about English. Lily forgot to daydream and laughed along with the rest of the class. “We’ll have some fun with language,” he said. “Just wait and see.”

Fun was far beyond what Lily desired. She just wanted to be like other kids—running with friends in the hallway, laughing and joking between classes. Reminded of her pimply (长粉刺的) face, she felt hopeless and disappointed.

“Take out a piece of paper,” the teacher continued, when pointing at words on the blackboard. “Write for the next thirty minutes on this topic.” Lily began writing crazily as idea after idea fought for recognition in her head. The final result was a short story about a beautiful beach house. As she wrote, she could smell the salty air, hear the crashing waves and feel the pull of the sand beneath her feet. For just a moment, she forgot where she was. She was lost in the story.

“OK, pass your papers forward,” said the teacher. “Let’s see what we have.” For the rest of the class time, the teacher read each individual work aloud. Lily originally thought it would be awkward. However, she was gradually attracted by the excitement in the teacher’s voice. “He’s actually enjoying this,” she thought. When the class would be soon over, there were still fifteen students’ papers not read, including Lily’s paper. Then, Mr. Johnson announced his decision, asking these students to read their work themselves in front of the class next class.

A week later, the bell rang and the Language Arts class began again.

After Lily finished her reading, the clapping from her classmates continued for a long time.

5 . It was the week before Christmas. The line at the post office ________   twice around the lobby (大厅). Then I came to the self-service machine where the line was much ________．

The woman in the front of the line was ________ away at the screen loudly. Any signs of hesitation on her part were ________ to the whole lobby. I felt sorry for her. The next person took a long time, too. I breathed ________.

It was my turn. Under the ________ from the people in line behind me, I felt a growing duty to ________ the seconds between clicks. Finally it was time to ________ a credit card. The machine didn’t take it.   “Try putting it in the other way,” the gentleman behind me suggested. No ________.

“I’ve got a different card,” I said, and ________ around my bag for that one, beginning to sweat. The machine wanted a PIN,   but not the one I suggested. I had to start ________ again.

“I’m sorry,” I said,   looking back,________.

“Don’t give up,” said the nice man behind me. “We’re all friends here, right?”

Smiles were ________ all down the line. I tried again, clicked with ________and introduced my credit card as though I were presenting it to the queen. Finally, I made it!

I couldn’t have been happier. Everyone burst into applause. ________and joy!

7 . At the age of nineteen, Amy Purdy, who was an eager snowboarder, experienced flu-like symptoms that were later diagnosed (诊断) as a ________ blood infection.

Amy was given less than a 2% chance of living. Losing both of her legs, hearing in her left ear, and her kidney, Amy was forced to ________ how she would embark on (开始) new adventures and achieve her dreams. Essentially, Amy had to decide how she wanted her life to go and how she would write the next ________ of her life.

While leaning into change is never ________, Amy embraced it as an opportunity. She ________ herself two things: one, she would get back on her snowboard. “I was so ________ about snowboarding, which really is what got me through my ________ days. I’m grateful that I was alive.” And two: something positive would be born out of this ________. That’s been her steadfast determination ever since.

Amy’s ________ back into daily life was hard, and she learned first-hand the countless ________ that people with disabilities face every day. What struck a real chord was the complete lack of ________ for engaging in active sports – which brought her the most happiness.

________ closing that chapter of enjoying and competing in snowboarding, Amy co-founded Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit organization ________ children and adults with disabilities who want to ________ active sports. “She ________ not only these athletes that are in a similar situation that she has gone through, but she helps everyone believe in themselves and believe anything they put their minds to,” says Morgan Whitehouse from the organization.

10 . A dozen children ran around laughing and playing in the yard, while we parents sat chatting. The barbecue had been cleared away when our host announced a(an) _________. A huge movable rock wall was loaded in with indented footholds (凹陷的立足点) that stretched straight up for what looked like at least a hundred feet. The_________kids rushed towards the wall. They swiftly_________to give it a try, and with the complete_________most children possess, scrambled to the top and rang the bell that hung at the highest point. There wasn’t really anything to be afraid of since they were_________into place.

“Come on, let’s go get in line,” my husband Neil_________, “No, you go ahead without me.” I had all sorts of good_________: I didn’t have the right shoes; I forgot my sunglasses. I have a unique talent for_________unthinkable danger in almost every situation, and this scene seemed _________ to me. I watched everyone else having fun, though, and finally__________myself to try it.

With all the__________I could gather,I started the climb. The belt wrapped around me so there was no way to__________. “Yes,” I thought, “this is safe!” I__________made my way up, concentrating on each foothold. I__________looking down to prevent any sudden panic, and finally I made it to the top and proudly rang the bell.

I enjoyed my success. It was such a relief that I__________my fear and reached the goal.