1 . In her 102 years, Sally Lepis has been known for helping her family, friends and neighbors. So when the old lady couldn’t _______ to replace her decades-old hearing aids (助听器) and it became increasingly difficult to _______, a local non-profit was happy to give a _______. Last month, Lepis was presented (赠予) with hearing aids, worth about $7,500, through Senior Dreams Come True, a non-profit program _______ by a law firm.

“Mrs. Lepis has _______ so much of herself over the years to friends, family and those _______ in her community,” said Jennifer Cona, a managing partner at the law firm. Lepis has long been the _______ that’s kept her family together, her niece, Olivia Schmidt, 73, said. When Schmidt was a teenager, her mother, Lepis’ twin sister, died at age 42. Lepis _______ jumped in and raised Schmidt in her Westbury home.

“It’s _______ that she has done so much for so many people and thinks ________ of it,” said Schmidt, who ________ to recommend her aunt for Senior Dreams Come True over the summer.

In July, Schmidt and her cousins wrote letters to the non-profit, ________ Lepis for her lifetime of ________ deeds. Later that month, Lepis learned she would ________ new hearing aids, replacing the ones she had used for the past 25 years, and it is ________ that Lepis will again be a lively presence at her family’s Thanksgiving dinner.

5 . Charlie Villanueva, once an NBA player, is known for his ability to shoot hoops(篮筐). He says his success is largely due to what he has _______ since childhood.

Today Villanueva’s career may look successful, but life wasn’t always _______ for him. At 10,Villanueva got a skin disease alopecia. It caused his hair loss, which was not life-threatening but difficult for a kid to _______. Other kids called him hurtful names. In middle school, he was suspended(停学) for _______ a no-hats rule. _______ a note from his doctor allowed him to wear hats, they only _______ more unfriendly attention.

Through it all, Villanueva’s mother was there for him in good times and bad times. With his mother’s help and _______ , Villanueva turned his frustration (挫败) into _______ to play basketball well on the court. As he improved as an athlete , basketball helped him deal with his alopecia.

In fact, over six million Americans have alopecia like Villanueva. They have gifts, abilities and a need to feel _______ , Villanueva established the Charlie Villanueva Foundation to help families of kids with alopecia. Villanueva ________ kids to feel good about who they are, work hard toward their goals and ________ to others. Here’s his ________ for them.

“We’re all ________ in our own different ways. Embrace it and enjoy life ________ . Many didn’t think I’d make it. Thankfully they were ________ about me. Believe in yourself, and all dreams are possible.”

6 . There was a time when I thought my dad didn’t know a thing about being a good father. I couldn’t _________ him ever saying the words “I _________ you.” It seems to me his only purpose in life was to say “No” to anywhere I wanted to go and anything I wanted to do, including getting a car. Some parents bought their kids cars when they got their driver’s licenses. Not my dad—he said that I’d have to get a job and buy my own.

So that is what I did. I got a job at a very nice restaurant and _________ every penny I could and when I had enough to buy my car, I did! The day I brought that car home, my dad was the first one I wanted to show it off to. “Look, dad, a car of my own. If you ever want a ride, I’ll only _________ you five dollars.” I offered with a smile. “I see,” was all he said.

One day, there was something wrong with my father’s truck. So he needed a _________ to work. The sun wasn’t even up when we left the house, _________ it was already getting warm out. It was going to be a (n) _________ day. As I dropped my dad off, I watched him, dressed in his work clothes, getting his _________ from the truck(车尾箱)of my car. Watching his sun weathered face, and even from a distance I could tell there were _________ lines than I ever remembered being there before. I realized how hard my dad works for the family. My father is a cement finisher(水泥修整工).

In that instant, it __________ to me that he actually __________ on his hands and knees to sweat over hot concrete(混凝土)to make a living for his family. And he did this day in and day out, however hot it got. Never, not once, had I heard him __________ about it. To him we were “worth” it. And never once did he “charge” us for it.

When he closed the trunk, his tools set off to the side, he walked over to my window to __________ me five dollars. I rolled down the window and said “Good-bye, dad. Keep your five dollars. It’s my __________. Don’t work too hard. I love you.”

His __________ met mine, then glanced away in the direction of his waiting tools, he cleared his throat and said, “Oh, and... me, too.”

8 . It was New Year time, and it would be our first New Year away from Alabama. That winter, my mother and my stepfather moved our family to Southern California. My athletic little brother, Paul, was _______ about the climate that allowed him to go to the beach _______ he wanted. I, however, was a fat child with typical southern _______.

On my first day in the new class, I introduced myself in a low voice. All I said was my name and where I was from. The class burst into _______, “He talks funny.” I was so _______ that I went to place a call to Granny Smith after school, who was my biggest _______. But I didn’t _______.

On Sunday evening, the phone rang. It was Granny. She often took advantage of the discounted long-distance _______on Sundays. She said she’d _______ a New Year package. Sure enough, it arrived. Surprised at the box, large enough to hold a small refrigerator, we ________ it open. The smell of Granny’s house filled the room: a ________ of fried meat, sausages, furniture polish and decorations. While always filled with ________ holiday decorations and homemade food before New Year, Granny’s house, in my childhood eyes, was precious and fantastic.

There were countless tins and containers. We opened them to discover piles of holiday ________. She even included our traditional candy bars. The box was as bottomless as a magical box. There, ________ all these, was my familiar holiday.

Every New Year that we spent in California, the ________ service could call. Over the years, many treasures arrived in the box. For me, it’s always been the best part of the holiday.

9 . Agnes Lloyd’s 70th birthday came, but the day went normally. Her husband _______ many years ago. She had not heard from her children for a long time, which was _______.

The last bell of the day rang. She picked up her _______ and walked towards her car planning to buy herself a chocolate dessert although her doctors don’t _______ it for her age. But who cares? It was her birthday, and she _______ it.

The thought made her smile as she _______ her car when a sudden “MRS. LLOYD!” _______ her. Agnes dropped her purse onto the ground. She looked around and was _______ by what she saw.

Her students were standing there carrying birthday signs. She hadn’t _______ they had prepared such a surprise for her. Her student Christian came over, picking up her purse, and ________ her to the rest as they all started singing Happy Birthday.

As the song continued, tears ________ in her eyes. As they finished the song, small pieces of coloured paper began flying all over the place ________. But that wasn’t the best part.

Some of the students parted and her three children stepped out holding a birthday cake with two ________ that formed the number 70. “Happy birthday. Mom!” They exclaimed together, and that’s when Agnes lost her ________ for the first time.

Don’t forget your parents, ________ your life gets busy. We need to act and remind them that they are loved.

10 . Yesterday, a salesman called me to sell his phone plans. I was at work and as I usually don’t like spending time on those things, I _________ myself that I couldn’t talk yet and _________ that he call me back at 6 pm.

That’s what he did. So we talked about 20 minutes. He _________ to me his different phone plans. While listening to him, sometimes I was_________ in thought. I gave several “hmm hmm” as a sign of agreement and to_________ that I was still there. Sometimes, I felt a bit _________   . But I stayed calm and _________ until the end of the discussion.

Finally, he said the following to me: “Thank you, Olivier. You are the first person in a long time with whom I had an enjoyable conversation. _________, people shout at us and slam down the phone. Today, since 10 am, I haven’t had a phone _________ without arousing anger. I know you had a long day at work and you could have   __________ in front of your TV. But you listened so carefully to me. I am __________ and I sincerely thank you.”

It set me thinking. He had been the __________ of verbal violence (语言暴力) all through his working day. Physical __________ do not exist in this situation but dehumanization (去人性化) seems to happen. __________, he was only doing his job. I felt a sense of   __________ that I hadn’t treated him so rudely.