The driver, Zhang Sai, hesitated outside     1     apartment building in Wuhan, the central Chinese city at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak. He     2     (order) not to take food to customers’ doors in order to minimize the risk of     3     (infect).

But the woman on the phone was begging, he recalled. The food was for her mother,     4     couldn’t go down to meet him. Mr. Zhang finally agreed. He would drop off the order and rush away.     5     he placed the bag on the floor, Mr. Zhang said, the door opened.     6     (Frighten), he rushed away. Without thinking, he pressed the elevator button with his finger, touching a surface he feared could transmit the virus.

That was how Mr. Zhang, 32, found     7     (he) speeding back to his delivery station with one finger     8     (hold) high in the air, careful not to touch the rest of his hand.

For many people in China, delivery drivers like Mr. Zhang     9     (be) the only connection to the outside world. Once a common but invisible presence on the streets of nearly every Chinese city, the drivers are now being praised     10     heroes.