Now that Emily was 12, she could walk to school without her parents. And even better, she could go with her best friend, Heidi, who lived on the same street as her.

The only problem was that Emily had to walk the long way round, which took them a good 15 minutes longer. She just could not take the shortcut through the park.

But Heidi never complained. They had been hanging out at each other’s houses for as long as they could remember. The best times were when they had sleepovers and could sit up late talking about anything and everything and everyone.

So if anyone understood why Emily could not walk through the park, it was Heidi.

Emily was a sweet girl except that she was frightened at dogs! So she had to avoid certain places where they might be. She was always conscious of where she went and got quite good at finding ways to avoid encountering any of them. She planned ahead good and proper before she headed outdoors or to a friend’s home. She could even spot one a mile away!

But the strange thing was, she didn’t dislike dogs. In fact she was quite fond of the idea of them. She was feeling that her fear was preventing her from living life to the full. She was starting to become tired of constantly avoiding her big fear. She wanted so badly to be able to pet a dog like “normal” people did. She tried to overcome her fear, but it usually ended in tears and a feeling of disappointment.

As her best friend, Heidi couldn’t stand by. She believed that power of friendship could help Emily overcome the fear.

One day Heidi got a dog.

After several restless nights, Emily went to Heidi’s house and rang the bell.

5 . I wrapped my hands around my coffee cup and sank into my sofa, trying to forget all about my troubles.________, my eyes landed on my nails. They were ugly and worn-out like my spirits. My disease had left me dependent on painkillers. I eventually conquered the________, but remained buried in debt and shame. I’d never felt so ________.

Maybe another manicure (指甲护理) would give me a little________. I went into a salon. Annie, the owner, chose a bottle of red polish, without asking me, “This is for you! Lucky Red!” She’s________my color for me? But maybe I could use some good luck for a(n)________.

While Annie was________her supplies, I found myself studying the saying on the wall Don’t look back. You’re not going that way. How I wanted to escape the prison of my ________! “But it’s hard not to look back”, I said. Annie nodded,________me to continue. Keeping my voice________, I told her all my troubles.

________lowering my fingers into the polish remover, she said, “Some things we are not meant to ________” I watched as the flecks (微粒) of the old polish floated away, imagining they were my ________.

An hour later, I________my fingers and found my nails shone. Exactly how I wanted to feel! You might owe it to Lucky Red. But I know it was Annie who________the way to my best life ever!

When Gloria Estefan started primary school, she could not read, write nor speak English. She felt lost, unhappy and completely frightened. However, someone changed her life—her English teacher, Mrs Collins. Her family had left Cuba in 1959 when she was only a year old in the hope of finding a better life in America. Initially they moved to Miami where the family settled in a set of apartments with other Cuban women and children who had immigrated.

The women were close-knit and supportive. While she felt safe, she was also isolated. They all spoke Spanish, and she rarely heard English. On her very first day in school, which she was looking forward to, she was completely shocked. She came home and told her mother that she had learnt her first English word “stupid”. It was the nickname a boy had given her.

In every way possible, she was set apart from her classmates. She was the only panic and non-white student. She also found it difficult to grasp the English language as it was her second language. The culture, her school friends and the food they ate were different from hers. As such, she was set apart from her classmates.

One person made that year bearable for her, Mrs Collins. She was young and African American, so she understood how Gloria felt as she was the only non-white student in class. Mrs Collins never doubted that Gloria could catch up with the other students in time.

Still, the teasing continued. The boy who called her stupid would not stop laughing at her for her accent. He was a good student and the proud holder of the class’s reading award. It was an honour given periodically to a student, based on excellence in schoolwork, participation and homework. Gloria wanted that long-waited award.

Mrs Collins encouraged her to compete for the reading award.

The award ceremony was coming up.

I visited Luanda for the first time this April as my parents were living there. Since my Mum volunteered at a foundation, she took me there to work with her for     1     few days. As I’m only 16, and have no younger siblings, I have never had any experience of working with children before. I had no idea     2     I could spend those days,     3     (especial) since I don’t speak Portuguese. However, I don’t think my experience could have been any better—from the moment I arrived     4     the day I left. I was constantly     5     (speak) to and hugged by all the children. Even though they knew I didn’t speak Portuguese, that didn’t stop them from     6     (talk) to me, and we were able to communicate without a problem. By the end of my trip, I could tell that I     7     (make) progress in my Portuguese thanks to them. The children were so     8     (friend), and kept me busy and having fun all day due to all the different     9     (activity) we organized, such as singing and dancing, and playing twister. I was sad to say goodbye. The staff at the foundation were also really welcoming—it’s safe     10     (say) I will definitely be coming back next time I visit!

8 . Emily had a life that anyone could hardly believe in. Before she was ______ leading roles on the stage and big screen, she could barely carry a(n) ______ together with her classmates. Between ages 7 and 14, Emily had a serious stutter (口吃). As she told W Magazine, she was a sensible kid and had tons to ______, but she just couldn’t say it, which could have been ______ her for a long time.

But that all ______ when one among her junior high school teachers encouraged her to ______ the school play—given the very fact that she had such a tough time ______. But the teacher kept ______ pressing and suggested she try character voices to assist getting the words out—and it ______. By the end of her teens, Emily had overcome her stutter and ______ to achieve the successful career she has now.

Just like her, there are millions of untold ______ of people who tackled the hardships and ______ something which once was just a dream It just takes a little ______ in yourself and in your dreams before you finally reach your goal. So, if you ever think you have a ______ life and you are trapped, stop thinking and start believing. One day you will have all you ______ of.

9 . Kyle Semrau came home on the morning of April 12 after an overnight shift feeling light-headed. He told his wife he would be laying low for the day, joined by his 6-year-old daughter, Macie.

On a normal day, Macie would have been at school, but that particular morning she had refused to even get dressed for school, so she stayed home. It turns out that her unexplained want to stay home was for the best.

Later in the day. Semrau collapsed from a medical event that caused him to slip in and out of consciousness. Macie learned her dad was in trouble when she heard him yelling. In a moment while Semrau was conscious, Macie asked her dad for his phone passcode so she could unlock the device. She logged in, opened the browser, and phoned the local police department.

Macie relayed the relevant information, including their address, to Judy Smith, the Eliot Police Department’s administrative assistant who answered the phone.

“That’s really lucky,” Semrau told Boston 25 News. “I still have it saved. If you open up my browser, that’s the way it is spelled, ‘Elliot poliz’. She pushed the call button, which actually goes right to the dispatcher (调度员) here in town.”

The police arrived two minutes after Macie called.

Semrau’s medical emergency was due to issues with his sinuses (鼻窦炎), which led to difficulty breathing, according to Seacoast Online. He is now home and doing well.

“If I can say anything about this whole experience, it’s for everyone to teach kids about awareness. If I hadn’t taught my daughter certain things she wouldn’t learn in school, this outcome could have been completely different,” Semrau told Boston. com. “She is, and will always be my hero.”

I knew this dreaded day would come sooner or later. It came too fast and there I was, in the waiting room of the dental clinic, miserable with butterflies in my stomach.

My parents told me to sit up, stop wringing(拧) my hands, and take deep breaths to keep calm. It worked. I was calm for maybe two seconds when I heard my name being called. I pretended to be deaf but my mother touched me to get up. I forced myself to step forward and immediately stumbled (绊) over a toy and the boy who was playing with it. My clumsiness got me the attention of everyone in the room. Being stared at by so many pairs of eyes was too much and I hurried to the consultation room as fast as I could, leaving the boy crying for his broken toy.

I had refused my parents’ offer to accompany me. I meant to show them that I was brave enough to face the treatment on my own. I regretted it right now. Thankfully, I forgot my anxiety as I looked around the dentist’s room. Tools of different sizes were arranged neatly in a plate on the tiny table which was connected to a chair with buttons and a light hanging right over it. I avoided looking at my dentist in the eye as I took my seat on the chair shakily.

I tried to calm myself down, imaging how brave I would be. After a while, I was taken by great surprise when all of a sudden the chair moved and I was lying down facing the bright yellow light. When I caught sight of the dental drill on the plate, panic related to a bad childhood experience involving the drill kicked into me.

I cried out and almost jumped out of the seat.

My parents were waiting at the door anxiously when I ran out excitedly.