1 . At 91 years old and with Alzheimer’s disease, Gene McGehee was finding his golden years to be his loneliest. That all ______ one day when he heard the clear sound of children’s laughter right outside his home.

When Gene ______ outside, he couldn’t believe his good ______ to discover a group of lively young kids playing. The children, from the daycare center across the street, were more than ______ to include Gene in their fun. They ______ him Big Gene, and a special, long-lasting friendship was ______ between Gene, the kids and Megan Nunez, the daycare teacher.

Gene’s ______ Alzheimer’s disease means he now has only short-term memory. For the last three years, Gene has been ______ Megan and the kids every day for what he thinks is the ______ time. “Every day, I cross the street, and we stay together,” explained Megan. “I always tell the kids that his ______ is kind of sick, but his heart ______ us.”

Gene’s daughter, Cathy, said he ______ from loneliness until the kids came into his life and ______ his days. He now gets to just go outside and make new friends on a daily basis. “They have been such a ______ to Daddy, and he lights up,” Cathy ______ shared.

Gene and the kids enjoy their one-hour “playdate” every afternoon. They ______ jokes, stories, laughs and hugs. He sometimes even ______ their games. Even though the day’s cherished memories disappear as the sun _______, something remains in the depths of Gene’s mind. It is that ______ feeling that makes him go outside as soon as he hears the children’s _______once again.

2 . There’s no age limit on being an amazing model, and a great-grandmother in California is certainly proving that. Helene Simon, 99, was recently photographed as one of beauty brand Saie’s latest faces.

In the campaign images, she is seen wearing a crisp white blouse and a beaded necklace along with the cosmetic company’s newest products. She’s also seen showing a joyful smile and great model poses.

“I loved being on set (在片场) ,” Simon said. “The photographer was incredible and so fun. It definitely was a treat to get my hair and make-up done.”

Simon actually happens to be Saie’s founder Laney Crowell’s great-grandmother, and Laney decided to ask Simon to model after her Instagram community responded with an overwhelming “yes” when she asked if her great-grandmother should be Saie’s next model.

This was Simon’s first-ever modeling performance, and when initially approached she said “absolutely not”. “I think I laughed it off. Then my great-granddaughter persisted and encouraged me to show the world that 99-year-old women should still be represented.”

Since making her modeling debut (首次亮相) , Saie has received lots of feedback.   “Aw, this brought tears to my eyes!” “Hi Nanna, you are my goal,” someone commented. Another chimed in demanding, “More Nanna please!” another commenter said, “I love this post with all my heart. May she live to 120 !” Many others echoed the words with similar sentiments.

After receiving all the positive feedback from her first major make-up modeling performance, Simon said “It is such a thrill.” and she is so surprised by all of the people sending notes and messages that they have seen her images and are inspired by them. When asked if she would continue to do more modeling in the future, Simon happily responded, “Never say never!”

3 . Education has always been the key part of young Nikita’s life. However, the home-school _________ is a massive barrier, one that she was _________ to crossing on foot, by walking 14km every single day. _________ the struggle, her disadvantaged parents couldn’t _________ to provide her with an _________ means of transport. So Nikita had to _________ walking. Every day it would take her 2 hours to walk to school. Saturdays were _________ tiring for her, as school begins two hours earlier than usual. However, Nikita’s difficulties were about to _________ soon.

Deeply _________ by her story, Anirudhha Deshpande, the MD of City Corporation Ltd. , __________ an electric bicycle to her. He said, “I’m very impressed by Nikita’s __________ for study. Her determination to walk 14km daily and go through the forest to attend school is __________. I hope this electric bicycle will further increase her __________ and make her journey more __________.”

After receiving the gift, Nikita said, “While the wild animals in the forest do make me afraid, it is the __________ of my school that keeps me moving forward. This bicycle is a big __________ and a great encouragement to me. It will always remind me to __________ myself to pursuing my doctor dream.” According to her headmaster, Nikita is a __________ student. “From her grades to her love for study, all things are remarkable. She __________ lets her problems get in the way of her studies, and that __________ is something her classmates should learn from her.”

4 . It’s 6 p.m. on a Friday, and rather than heading home after a long workweek, Renee Dixon, a preschool director in Indianapolis, starts her second job as an Uber driver.

The money Dixon earns as a driver does not go into her own pocket. Instead, she uses it to buy holiday gifts and winter clothing for all 50 of her students. “So many families don’t have money to get Christmas presents this year. Some parents have lost their jobs, and others have had their wages cut back,” Dixon said. “A lot of them come from low-income families and are below the poverty line.”

The coronavirus pandemic, she said, has increased the need. “As far as presents go, a lot of these kids are likely to get nothing this year. I know how that feels,” said Dixon. “Being a driver in this special period, I have my own strict rules ,” she said. In her car, mask-wearing is required. Each passenger must sanitize (消毒) their hands upon entering the car, and she uses wipes to clean the back seat and door handles between each ride. Plus, she keeps the windows open a crack to circulate fresh air.

Not only will her efforts bring joy to the children, but the gifts will also lessen the great pressure parents feel at this time. Alongside the money Dixon has earned through driving, several people in the community have donated money or offered to buy gifts for the students, including Eva Cheung. She quickly decided to get involved after hearing about Dixon’s efforts through Dixon’s husband. She said, “You read about people like Renee, but when you are finally able to connect with somebody like that and help fulfill their vision, it’s an amazing feeling.”

“Everything I’m doing is for these kids right now,” Dixon said. “Their world has turned upside down, and it’s no fault of their own. They deserve this from me.”

6 . Hua Sheng and Lu Sheng, a retired Tibetan couple, have become trailblazers（开拓者）of grape growing and wine-making in their old ages.

Lu Sheng learned grape planting and winemaking from her grandmother’s sister. Since they retired, the couple have moved to Lhasa from the village of Yakhadi. Though the fact that the region’s capital, which is 3,600 meters above sea level, is considered unfit for growing grapes, Lu Sheng and Hua Sheng began an ambitious project in 2015, planting grapes in Tsalna, a town in the suburb of Lhasa.

They received support from the local government, which is committed to developing business and the economy. The couple’s project provides jobs for rural residents, and, as a result, the government has considered the project part of its poverty relief program.

“Lhasa is an ideal place for planting French grape varieties that are resistant to cold, drought and disease, and adaptable to high-altitude and open-air planting," Lu Sheng said.

“Thanks to the plateau’s sunshine and organic planting, our grapes grow very well here in Lhasa. The grapes are a bit sour and sweet, and they have a high anthocyanin（花青素）content,” she said. Anthocyanins, which are in grape cells and contribute rich color to wine, are water-soluble（水溶性的）.

In 2018, Hua Sheng and Lu Sheng expanded their project, planting on nearly 6.67 hectares. In order to familiarize Tibetan farmers with grape planting and winemaking, they taught the skills to local villagers.

“We have successfully taught the local farmers how to grow grapes and make wine over the three years. They now have a new source of income besides traditional farrming and herding,” Hua Sheng said.

Yudron, a resident of Nam, said she was grateful to the grape planting project in her village, which has contributed to her income and quality of life." After working in the vineyards for years, now we know how to make wine. We drink both barley and grape wine now. We love grape wine more, though, as it is healthier.

7 . Mr. Steven was a comic actor in his city, who was popular with audience. One day, he went home by subway. When he arrived home, Mr. Steven was surprised as he found somebody’s gold watch had _________appeared in his pocket.

He was puzzled, _________ to guess how this rather expensive thing could get into his pocket. Since Steven had no _________ , he couldn’t find the answer. So the actor made up his mind to take the watch to the police station. The next day the answer to this _________ was found. A postman _________ to Steven an anonymous (匿名的) letter.

“Dear Mr. Steven”, it said, “It is _________ that you wonder who is writing this letter. I am a professional _________ . Yesterday I managed to steal from somebody a _________ gold watch when I was in the subway. But then I _________ you in the subway, and instantly I decided to give it to you as a gift. So I __________ put the watch in your pocket.”

The policemen tried hard to find this elusive (神出鬼没的) pickpocket, but all their efforts were __________. The thievish Steven admirer __________ the thin air. The police didn’t succeed in returning the stolen property to the true owner of the gold watch as it couldn’t find him anywhere. They made a __________ to return that ill-fated watch to the comic actor.

The story was so __________ that it became popular in one day. It became known among the press and in no time __________ the headlines in the newspapers of the city. Soon after this sensation in mass media, Steven received another __________. There was no address and no names. It said “Dear Mr. Steven, about a year ago I was in the subway and someone stole my gold watch. I was very __________ about that, but now I have known that the thief had __________ it to you. I want you to __________ it. I am a big fan of yours, so that is why I’m also sending you a gold chain that would __________ the watch.”

8 . For my 8^th birthday my ________ was a shiny blue bike. My older sisters decided to teach me to ride. We lived on Edgewood Avenue at the top of a steep hill. My ________, Agnes and Christina, put me on my bike and ________ me hard, yelling instructions, “Peddle! Steer! Use the brakes!” Needless to say, I was rushing down the street ________ trying to hold on.

I bumped into the curb (路缘), ________ over the handlebars onto the sidewalk, skinning my knees, hurting my hands and crying loudly. Instead of offering ________, my sisters yelled at me ________ I hadn’t listened to their instructions. Weeks ________ before I tried again. This time I walked my bike to the ________ parking lot behind the schoolyard. I kept repeating the instructions to myself and after a few awkward ________ and even more painful spills I learned to ride a bike.

Learning life lesson is ________ like learning to ride a bike. Some life lessons are ________ to learn. We don’t always get to choose where we learn them; we don’t always have good teachers and we are not always ________. Sometimes we find ourselves madly trying to hold on.

But things are different now.

My husband, Rich, ________ my sons to ride a bike. First he raised their training wheels a little and they rode around the block getting used to the unstable ________. After he removed the training wheels he would run along the side of the bike holding on to the seat to ________ them. Up and down our street they would go with Rich calling out, “You ________ have it! You’re doing great!” until my son would call out “Let go”. Rich would let go but still run along, just ________. It was a happy day in the neighborhood.

When the life lessons come along in this New Year you may ________ them from a patient and kind teacher; you may have them surrounded by ________ and encouragement. And you may have someone stay by your side until you have found victory.

9 . It was the last day of the month-long summer camp. All the camp leaders and volunteers were preparing for the party that evening. Some were setting up chairs and tables outside, some were preparing water balloons for games we’d play later, and some were_________fruits.

A pastor（牧师）came to me,_________me a small broom and a dustpan, and asked me to sweep the gym. Alone. I had no_________. I was a team leader at camp, and this pastor was my employer. I put on as_________a face as I could and_________to sweep the floor. The whole situation felt so _________. I was angry.

During a_________between sweeps, I looked up. The same pastor who told me to sweep the gym was_________moving the speakers and cleaning the stage in the front of the gym. He worked alone, too. And I noticed the calmness and_________in his eyes as he worked.__________, my unhappiness left my heart, and in its place grew a sense of__________for what I saw in the pastor.

First, being a leader doesn’t mean doing all the fun things, all the time. It also means____________and hard work. To be a good leader, it means doing things one doesn’t really__________with a cheerful, genuine smile. Second, taking the time to think is________ to being a good leader. Without time for________, you might__________what’s more important. Third, however complex a task maybe, however long you have to work on it, you have to__________it. Cleaning the whole gym with a small broom seemed________. But I made it, one sweep at a time.

       I__________the pastor on my way to the garbage bin outside the gym. He looked up and smiled at me—and I smiled back. It was a tired smile, but it was a__________one.