2 . Growing up, I understood one thing about my dad: He knew everything. This was our _________ I asked him questions and he told me the answers.

In my teen years, he taught me things I’d need to know to _________ in the real world. When I moved out on my own, I _________ him at least once a week, usually when something broke in my apartment and I needed to know how to _________ it. But then, eventually, I needed him _________ . I got married, and my husband had most of the _________ I lacked. For everything else, we had Google.

I don’t know when it happened, but our _________ when I called changed into six words. “Hi, Dad, sweets. Here’s Mom.” (Because I still needed her. ) I loved my dad, of course, but I _________ at times if maybe he had already shared _________ I needed to know. Maybe, after knowing a man for 40 years, there’s nothing left to say.

Then, this summer, my family and I __________ in with my parents for three weeks while our house was being renovated (翻新). One day, Dad asked me to help him __________ the board at their dock. As we put the new board together piece by piece, my dad knowing __________ what went where, I looked at him. “How do you know how to build it?” The heavy hammer he was __________ paused in midair. “I spent a summer in college building them on the Jersey Shore.” I thought I knew everything about my dad — his __________ jobs. But I never knew this. I __________ that maybe it’s not that there’s nothing left to say.

A few __________ later, after my family moved back into our house, I called my parents. Dad __________. “Hi, sweets,” he said. “Here’s Mom.” “Wait, Dad,” I said. “How are you?” We __________talking about what he was working on. To anyone else, it would sound like a __________ conversation between a dad and his daughter. But to me, it was__________ , a new beginning. I spent the first part of my life needing to talk to my dad. Now I talk to him because I want to.

3 . Last July I got a job at a theater I admire. I was feeling lucky. But something wasn’t ________ .

My daughter was going to leave for university in the fall and I wasn’t ________ for her to go. Our household is small and tight-knit（关系亲密的）. It’s just the two of us. I was excited for my daughter and I felt I had ________ her well. But no one had prepared me for this. I was ________. I felt as though I were drowning（溺亡）.

Somehow, this feeling of drowning was what ________ me. One day as I was walking home, I ________ the university pool. I must have walked past it a million times. Swimming wasn’t something I usually did. And yet something ________ me to take it up.

The next morning I ________ the pool. I headed over to the shallow end, the area reserved for ________ like me. I walked down the cold steps into the poll and all of a sudden, I was in. I could touch the floor, and that was reassuring（安心的）. I looked around to make sure the other people weren’t watching my awkward strokes. “No one is watching,” I ________ to myself. No one cares if you look like a baby elephant swimming for the first time. No one cares if your heart ________ when my daughter packs up her things and ________. Somehow, in that moment, this was ________.

I swam slowly from one end to the other, feeling a ________. I found myself crying. Thankfully, no one could tell my ________ from the water running down my face. Afterward, I headed for the changing room, smiling and feeling proud that I faced this ________. When I got home, my daughter said that I looked ________.

The next day, I was up early, swimming bag in hand I was ________ afraid of drowning. I was breathing easier. I was feeling better.

Having “an empty nest” is an easy catchphrase（口头禅）for something that is impossible to describe. It is not just an empty room. It is a ________ part of who you are. And for me, swimming ________ a part of that hole.

4 . As the daughter of a successful businessman, I've learned that hard work will bring positive results. With that in mind, I started a clothing company in 2008. Then it _________ to include 12 brands with more than 1,000 _________.

In 2015, after selling my business, a(n) _________ immediately arose in my mind. I wanted to prove that my personal success was not _________ to business achievements, but I didn't know how to do that. To search for the _________, I went to Nepal, where I _________, reflected, and connected with nature.

Once when I went past a temple, I_________a monk drawing a design. The design, which was complex but balanced, inspired me to think about my_________in a different way.

I learned the design _________ that all things in the world are interconnected and __________ I bought 10 of them, gave most away as gifts, and kept three for myself. __________ I looked at their interlocking circles, I would expect a better, __________ lifestyle.

After recalling the fashion industry I worked in. I realized how wasteful the clothing business is and felt the need to __________ it. In 2019, drawing __________ from the design, I established a carbon neutral women's clothing brand. We produce everything using sustainable and __________materials, and we set up a take-back program to make a __________ circular product.

Now I'm living a busy life, but with my three drawings at hand. I am __________ to find moments of calm, develop ideas, and find a clear path to __________ my goals They encourage me to follow my inner voice when I'm getting through __________ things, like building a responsible company. And I __________ that good things come from focus, dedication, and concentration.

5 . David Deutchman has been a volunteer with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta since he retired.

12 years ago, he was coming to the hospital for a________after a injury when he first________some patients' mothers. From conversations with them, he________that he wanted to make more connection with parents and children being treated. Therefore, he started________at the hospital.

He holds babies and sometimes he________gets peed (小便)on, but he is determined to________. "It's wonderful ________   it gives me something meaningful to do. Every day I drive here, I don't know which kids and parents I'll ________and how I can help, but I enjoy it. You just can't imagine the ________that I can get from holding a baby and________with parents", he said.

In the ICU, there are always new admits every night, so he will visit the parents whose kids have been ________recently. "Usually they needed a________after a whole night. And I make sure they can go down for breakfast and I'll stay with the children until they get back," he said.

Mary Beth, a mother of a premature baby, returned to the hospital to find her baby in Deutchman's room. She said, “Knowing this man________donates his time to these babies is such a________.”

Elizabeth Mittiga, an ICU nurse, said Deutchman was a really________ person to the staff and that they appreciated Deutchman's calming presence and his ________to the cause. “We’re so ________for him to be a part of our unit.” she said.

"Right now, I'm still________it a lot," he said."________they need me, I'll be there." Truly, Mr.Deutchman is the typical example of a selfless man making his life________by helping others.

6 . A businesswoman got into a taxi in midtown. As it was the rush hour and she was in a ________ to catch a train, she ________ a quick way to reach it. “I have been a taxi driver for 15 years! ” the driver said ________. “You don’t think I know the best way to go?”

The woman tried to explain that she hadn't ________ to annoy him, but the driver kept________. She finally realized that he was too annoyed to be________, so she changed her ________. “You know, you are right,” she told him. “It must seem ________for me not to think you know the best way________the city.”

________, the driver glanced at his________in the real-view mirror, turned down the street she wanted and got her to the train on time. “He didn’t say another word the rest of the ride,” she said. “________I got out and paid him. Then he thanked me.”

When you find yourself________with people like the taxi driver, you will always try to________your idea. It can lead to longer arguments, lose job chances or________marriages. I have discovered one simple________extremely unlikely method that can prevent the disagreement or other difficult situations from________in a disaster.

The________is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and look for the________in what that person is saying. Find a way to________, and the result may surprise you.

7 . Lying in bed, I debated whether I should paint the wall at home or go for my scheduled medical check because of the occasional pain in the breast I _______ doing either, but both were overdue. I rolled over and over again, thinking about my _______ situation._________, I settled for the painting and decided to make another _______ for the medical check.

After breakfast, I got out and pulled into a mall. I _______ by the gift shop next to the paint store to pick up some cards. I ___________ a shelf with statues of angels（天使）.One dressed in pink caught my eye. As I _______ to get her down, a woman who was standing by my right side said, "She's a pretty breast-cancer angel.^”

“Yes, she is. But she's a little _________ , I can't afford it,“ I said. Putting the angel back on the shelf, I stopped and bent down as a sharp _______ ran from my shoulder down my arm. The woman came around to my left side, saying firmly, “Honey, get the angel and your medical check. You'll be ________ . " Then she left quickly.

All happened so fast and unexpectedly that I was__________   . I wanted to ask her how she knew I ________ a medical check, but she was ________ to be found. I took her ________ anyway. After ________ the pink angel, I drove to the ________ .

The ________was breast cancer, and I was scheduled for surgery a week later. After chemotherapy(化疗),I ________ recovered as the strange lady had said.

I was declared cancer-free nine years ago. Much as I ________ my pretty breast-cancer angel, I gave her to another breast-cancer patient with the ________ that she'd someday hear the voice of her own angel.

8 . I visited my mom in New York City—her job had taken her there for a year. Because of my birthday she had me fly there to spend a long weekend with her. No _________ with my mom would be complete without her _________ me to clothes shops. So it was no great _________ to find myself in a department store outside a _________ room.

At that time, a woman came out with a red sleeveless evening gown. She was a completely _________ woman, neither fat nor thin, who looked slightly _________ at the end of a long day.

As most women _________ to do, despite the fact that we were _________, I gave my opinion on the dress as she asked. The dress fitted her well and _________ her a nice shape, but she was worrying it showed too much of her upper arms. I __________ her that it was a comfortable formal dress __________ she looked wonderful on it. Just then her daughter and husband came. When they saw her, their eyes __________ with joy and her young daughter said she looked like a   __________, completely overjoyed by how beautiful her mother was. However, she still wasn’t quite __________ it suited her. I asked her to look at her family __________ and asked if she could see how beautiful they thought she was. When she finally saw her daughter so excited and that her husband was __________ her, tears came to her eyes.

She gave me a __________ hug and whispered “Thank you” a few times before releasing me to go to hug her family and graciously __________ their compliments. She finally paid for the dress and they happily walked __________. I stood there lost in thought — One's genuine and good __________ can really make a difference.

9 . If living well is the best revenge, then Bell may just be having the best life ever.

Afier________bullying at school, rather than internalizing the pain or trying to get________, the spirited 7-year-old decided to________his energy into something positive instead.

"After I was bullied and I felt a________inside me, I knew I didn't want other kids to feel the same way I felt," Bell explained, "So, I asked my mom to help me________love and positivity."

Before the bullying________, Bell was already doing his part to give back to his________during the COVID-19 pandemic.

________funded by his own savings, Bell stated out by________care packages for his elderly neighbors. Over time, the popular project________. With contributions________in, he and his mom launched a food storeroom.

In the face of negativity at school, Bell's ________remain positive only became stronger. Hoping to________his message of sympathy beyond his own community, Bell set out to find a place where resideats would________most from his message of hope. So they decided to help the people living on the resevstion.

With a steady stream of in person________, as well as contributions from his GoFundMe and Amazon Wish List pages, Bell and his mom have managed to store up enough________supplies to fill two trucks.

The first shipment that went out in July was________with food, cleaning supplies, shoes and clothing. With the cold weather________, the second shipment in September also included coats and blankets.

In addition to his humanitarian aid work, Bell has also________his own nonprofit, Cool & Dope. The organization`s________is to fight against bullying and spread positivity through acts of kindness.

10 . Our flat was struck by a "tornado". Every piece of furniture is _________ with paper chains scissors, tape and modeling clay. _________ I'm so exhausted tonight, recovering from a surgery.

The telephone has been ringing-for the sixth time in less than an hour. We know it is my mother, again. A stroke claimed her brain, but not her life. She is troubled by a severe mental _________ -she has no idea that she has _________ the things she is about to say a million times. Nor can she recall I had a _________.

Whenever she calls, I play a game with _________ called "How Good a Person Can I Be?" I've won five rounds of the game tonight; I am due fora _________ this time.

"Mom!" I _________. "You are not being removed from your home! And we visited you two days ago!" Silence.

"I was only calling to say hi." My mother continues, "Why are you yelling?" I sink into the couch, well aware that my daughter is _________. She hears me scold my mother and lose my __________. I have not only failed at being a good person; I have failed at being a good __________ to my daughter.

"Can I talk to Grandma Ellie?" My five-year-old __________ the phone. __________. I hand it over. Then, I hear my mother __________ through the receiver. "Sweetheart! How are you? Did you go to school today?"

What magic is this? All she says is "Hi, Grandma." Out of the phone comes a waterfall of good __________. My mother tells her how much she loves her and how lovely her voice sounds.

I am not exhausted or annoyed; I am __________ inside, watching my kindergartner __________ her fragile grandmother with such skillfulness. I'm fascinated by their __________.

The chaos in our apartment still settles around me. I listen to my daughter __________ with her grandmother, caring for her with extreme __________.