1 . To raise money for restaurant workers who had to stay at home during COVID-19, two brothers, Aiden and Louis Ardine, decided to walk 3,200 miles across America to raise money.

Having just arrived on the sands of the Pacific Ocean, Aiden and Louis Ardine have now completed their five-month walk which started on the Asbury Park boardwalk in New Jersey. They hoped to raise $30, 000 for some charities (慈善组织) that were helping restaurant workers waiting for lockdown (隔离) to end, but ended up making $70,000 — which they gave away to the COCO Fund and the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation.

“This would not have been possible without the help of a huge community of people, whether people were donating or helping us guide our way across the United States,” said Aiden Ardine. “This was surely an adventure full of hope, and it proved people are born good and want to help their neighbors.”

Just like cross-country trips in this nation, their journey was characterized by amazing views, long roads, and helpful strangers: like a man who passed them in the extreme heat of summertime Iowa, before doubling back and giving them a cold Gatorade; or a Nevada campground manager who left them stay for free.

In Utah they had what the naturalist John Muir would have described as an “interview” with a black bear, when rounding a corner in the path, they found themselves within a few feet of it.

When they reached San Francisco, their supporters were waiting for them on the beach. Afterwards they flew home along with their mom who had been there to meet them. After their adventurous stay away from home, we can only imagine she was really feeling proud of her sons.

2 . Katie Whetsell has been enjoying Disney movies from an early age and would often watch them with her mom, Karen. Confident about herself, Katie knew she _________ would be a performer in the future.

When Katie was nine years old, her family were shocked by an unexpected _________. Katie’s mother was diagnosed (诊断) with cancer. When the doctor told the Whetsell family that Karen’s disease was serious, and that she was _________ to get well again, they made a(n) _________. Disney World had been a longtime dream for Karen. So the family headed to Disney World for a trip that none of them would ever _________.

While they were watching a light show, a performer put her hands on Karen’s shoulder. They exchanged smiles and, to this day, Katie still remembers how _________ her mom looked. This was the day Katie decided she wanted to _________ for Disney. Sadly, Katie’s mom Karen lost her _________. Her family members _________ her every day and often think of that Disney vacation.

Katie went on to pursue (追求) performing for a living. She __________ for years, working as a waitress and trying to make it as a(n) __________. Her effort finally __________ when she was hired as a performer in Disney.

Katie says she could help other families get away from the __________ in their lives, whether it’s a battle with cancer or simply helping adults feel like kids again. “Everything we do at the parks __________. We give people an opportunity to __________ with their childhood.”

A funny thing happened to Arthur when he was on the way to work one day. As he walked along Park Avenue near the First National Bank, he heard the sound of someone trying to start a car. He tried again and again but couldn’t get the car moving. Arthur turned and looked inside at the face of a young man who looked worried.

Arthur stopped and said, “It looks like you’ve got a problem.”

“I’m afraid so. I’m in a big hurry but I can’t start my car.”

“Is there something I can do to help?” Arthur asked. The young man looked at the two suitcases in the back seat and then said, “Thanks. If you’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble, you could help me get these suitcases into a taxi.”

“No trouble at all. I’d be glad to help.”

The young man got out and took one of the suitcases from the back seat. After placing it on the ground, he turned to get the other one. Just as Arthur picked up the first suitcase and started walking, he heard the long loud noise of an alarm.

It was from the bank. There had been a robbery (抢劫)!

Park Avenue had been quiet a moment before. Now the air was filled with the sound of the alarm and the shouts of people running from all directions. Cars stopped and the passengers joined the crowd in front of the bank. People asked each other, “What happened?” But everyone had a different answer.

Arthur still carrying the suitcase, turned to look at the bank and walked right into a young woman in front of him.

She looked at the suitcase and then at him. Arthur was surprised. “Why is she looking at me like that?” he thought. “The suitcase! She thinks I’m the bank thief!”

Arthur looked around at the crowd of people. He became frightened, and without another thought, he started to run.

As he was running, Arthur heard the young man shouting behind, “Stop! Stop!” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The taxi stopped in front of the police station. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was summer, and my dad wanted to treat me to a vacation like never before. He decided to take me on a trip to the Wild West. We took a plane to Albuquerque, a big city in the state of New Mexico. We reached Albuquerque in the late afternoon. Upon Paul, my dad’s friend, picked us up from the airport and drove us up to his farm in Pecos.

His wife Tina cooked us a delicious dinner and we got to know his sons Ryan and Kyle. My dad and I spent the night in the guestroom of the farm house listening to the frogs and water rolling down the river nearby. Very early in the morning, Uncle Paul woke us up to have breakfast. “The day starts at dawn on my farm,” he said. After breakfast, I went to help Aunt Tina feed the chickens, while my dad went with Uncle Paul to take the sheep out to graze (吃草). I was impressed to see my dad and Uncle Paul riding horses. They looked really cool.

In the afternoon, I asked Uncle Paul if I could take a horse ride, and he said yes, as long as my dad went with me. I wasn’t going to take a horse ride by myself anyway. So, my dad and I put on our new cowboy hats, got on our horses, and headed slowly towards the mountains. “Don’t be late for supper,” Uncle Paul cried, “and keep to the track (足迹；踪迹) so that you don’t get lost!” “OK!” my dad cried back. After a while Uncle Paul and his farm house were out of sight. It was so peaceful and quiet and the colors of the brown rocks, the deep green pine (松树) trees, and the late afternoon sun mixed to create a magic scene. It looked like a beautiful woven (编织的) blanket spread out upon the ground just for us.

Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse.

We had no idea where we were and it was getting dark.

8 . My daughter Kelly is a cautious person. She needs to warm up to situations, and is________ to try new things. When with close friends, she becomes a________who laughs loudly and chants, “Girls rule, boys drool.” But when that comfort zone is not around her, she is shy and________.

This has been challenging for me________. “Shy” is not a word that I think has ever been used to describe me. But this has been a year of________for my girl that has filled her with a new sense of ________. This year she moved to lap lane in swimming where she was preparing for a swim team. This year she learned to ride a bike without training wheels. And this year she________her first kids’ triathlon (铁人三项运动).

On Saturday, with a thunderstorm coming soon and my son’s birthday party later in the day, we all went out in the dark of the morning for Kelly to________her first triathlon. We practiced transitions from swim to bike and to run with her. We got all the equipment she’d need and we kept talking about the________. But as we waited the two hours for the older kids to finish before her turn, she________my leg a little harder and told me she loved me too many times. She was nervous but trying to keep calm.

And then it was time for her to go. From the second she jumped into the water, my heart________quickly. My daughter ________ into the most confident human being I had ever seen. She dominated that swim, crushed that bike ride and ran to the ________with the biggest smile on her face.

I can honestly say that I never felt so________ of someone in my entire life. It wasn’t because she did a sport or anything like that. It was because she was afraid of something and ________that fear with confidence and a fire I hadn’t seen before.

10 . This morning I was walking with my husband when I noticed an elderly man was unstable (不稳固的) on his feet. So he was trying to_________himself by holding a tree, but then slowly_________to the sidewalk. My husband and I ran to his side._________, he didn’t hit his head on the sidewalk. A few more of us gathered around, discussing the_________. I gave my cellphone to my husband to call 911.

It seemed to have happened all at once, but there were at least 4 people by the man’s side. Someone took his pulse; another_________his own coat under his head to make him more_________Several minutes later, his wife_________— she had been walking their dog in the pet area. But she was too_________to do anything. Waiting for the rescue to get there, I held his hand and looked him in the eyes. I patted his face_________and touched his forehead: I wanted him to know that help was on its__________

Once the ambulance (救护车) got there, I talked to his. wife. His medical__________was very rough. He had a triple bypass heart operation (三重心脏搭桥手术) and__________from cancer. Their son had served in the army for many years. This was their last trip here to visit him, who always had no holidays to see them.

I gave her a paper dove and a huge hug and then before we all__________, I thanked everyone for their help and__________more doves. One young man, who had been so helpful, felt__________and asked if I was his family. “No.” I said, shrugging. “but then again, aren’t we all families?” He nodded and smiled in agreement.