1 . Once, during my summer holidays, my father was sick, but he worked in the rice field just the same, because there was so much to do. As I looked at his thin figure, crawling (缓慢移动) ahead of me, I thought of my own depressing future. I was tied to the land by job after backbreaking job, unlike other boys who had freedom to pursue happiness. Why were there people in the world who would never know what it was like to toil (苦干), and others, like me, who had been toiling ever since they were small boys, season after season, year after year? Why were some people sitting before electric fans or in air-conditioned rooms, while I was out of breath and sweating under the blazing sun? Why was there mud and more mud in front of me?

Only we farmers were willing to crawl, to assume the lowliest of positions in order to have a better harvest. Even a horse, when working for man, stands tall. I was suddenly consumed with great pity and great respect for poor farmers, and the focus of my attention began to extend beyond myself and my family. This was an important turning point in my life.

While resting beside a field one day, my brothers and I resolved to pursue useful knowledge and technology to help ourselves and other farmers improve our circumstances, and lighten our burden of labour. This resolve gave me strength so that when I went to university, lighten our burden of labour. This resolve gave me strength so that when I went to university, and later to the US on a scholarship, my spirit rose above personal hardships. Crawling in the mud had taught me to lake bleeding and sweating as part of my life, and not to be afraid in the face of difficulties. But what was more important was that I had learned the meaning of “You reap what you sow”.

Mother used to say, “Judge a man not by his face, but by his fields.” I appreciate more and more the meaning of these words. The land is dependable, as long as you are willing to toil on it. When the wind blew and the green rice plants moved like waves in a sea, stunningly beautiful, a deep sense of satisfaction swelled up (充满) in me.

I laboured hard in the simple, isolated countryside of my home, and I am proud of this. Although later I went into academic research, I shall always remember what working in the rice fields taught me: plant your feet firmly on the ground, work hard and you will be rewarded.

2 . American author Gary Hopkins tells us, “A suitable apology can be a wonderful thing, so long as it is from the heart.” However, an apology is ______ to make.

A few years ago, I was a guest ______ at a conference for professional trainers. I was well ______, knowledgeable about the topic, and I felt confident as I ______ my speech. But afterwards, an experienced female delegate ______ me. We exchanged a few greetings, and then she dropped something unexpected on me. She said, “Do you know how many times you ______, from the moment you ______ to the microphone until the moment you left the stage?” “Sorry, I don’t know,” I replied. “Nine times,” she said. “And all of them were unnecessary.” I was ______. It was the first time someone had ever made me ______ my “sorry habit.” So what was the first word out of my mouth ______? “Sorry!” We both burst out laughing.

Of course, apologies shouldn’t be ______ that way. This incident raised my awareness of how we routinely use apologies. I know ______ to apologize is a big mistake as we’ve made a mistake or wronged someone else. How to do it? First and foremost, we need to understand real apologies or wholeheartedly saying “sorry” is ______. It’s like a big ______ into a relationship account and there’s no alternative for it. Actually, there are ______ apologies, which are tools of dodges (搪塞). They are awful and we should stop them. ______, habitual apologies are an unnecessary automatic response, as I ever made at the conference.

Generally, over apologizing ______ to happen when there’s a lack of ______ in your position, which will make others ______ you or even get unhappy. So we need to use apologies ______ and our attitude must be sincere. Refusing to apologize is a big mistake, and so is over apologizing.

Monday started as an ordinary day for Shannon St. Onge, who lived in Pense, a town in Saskatchewan, Canada. She drove the approximately 25 kilometres east into Regina for work.

She kept an eye on highway conditions throughout the day. The weather network was warning of a blizzard. Expected start time was at around 7 pm, but she thought she could make it. “I bought a takeout for the kids, filled my gas tank, replaced my broken phone charger and then headed home around 5:30 before the storm hit,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

She took a dirt road because she thought it would be better for the winter driving conditions. Just as the pavement turned into gravel (碎石路), the wind picked up and visibility started to diminish (降低). She drove at a snail’s pace with her window rolled down, using the edge as her guide. After a while she realized she was lost. Whiteout conditions left her confused.

She could make out a sign that said “Bouvier Lane,” giving her some sense of where she was. Then she posted her location on the Pense community Facebook page in hopes that someone might be able to find her. That was when 80-year-old Andre Bouvier Sr. figured out her location. Despite his wife’s concern for his well-being, he decided to help her and headed out in the storm.

He bundled up (使穿得暖和), grabbed an LED flashlight and walked about half a kilometre into the raging storm to search for St. Onge’s car. To Bouvier’s surprise, he found two other cars with people who also needed help trapped alongside St. Onge. He led the seven lost people back to his home and welcomed them in for the evening.

Bouvier became a hero overnight. Bouvier didn’t want much credit for his efforts for a stranger in need. “Everybody would have done the same thing,” he said. “You don’t think about it; you just do it.”

5 . After I won my first race at five, life was about winning races. Two kids, Ray J and Gil,________that.

One day in our first NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) season, my teammate, Ray had to leave for home because his son Ray J suddenly developed cancer. He said something about________to miss work for even a day. “Forget it,” I interrupted. “Your________comes first.” The following months were________ for Ray J, chemotherapy (化疗) and long stays in the hospital. He was so________that he could barely play. However, the________boy had been fighting against illness. I always faced challenges by going________and pushing myself harder. But how could a stock-car driver like me make a difference to the kid? For the first time in my life the________didn’t seem so important.

Gil was a six-year-old boy with a rare bone disease. His bones were so easy to break that a hug might________one of them. That day he was sitting in a wheelchair, as small as a three-year-old child, and his legs were gnarled and atrophied (扭曲萎缩). However, he had a big________. For fear of breaking his bones into pieces, I didn’t ________his hand.________, I held up my hand. He touched it and then pulled his hand back. He smiled more brightly. I went down on my________and we talked. He was a huge NASCAR________. He couldn’t go outside and________, but watching the races and learning everything about the drivers distracted him from his ________ “I love it when you win, Jeff.”

Win. That word again. Had I ever thought much about what it ________? Winning is what I’m always aiming for. That’s my job, and it’s how I________my family. But winning is more than just crossing the________line first. The two kids are the true________.

9 . Years ago, my sixth grade teacher had us write letters to our heroes. ______ others wrote to Nelson Mandela or Hillary Clinton, I wrote to Jennifer Cihi, a popular singer. We didn’t actually ______ the letters, so mine was ______ in my drawer.

In that ______ letter, I promised to devote my first ______ to Jennifer. Years later, I did become a writer, and did keep my ______. Jennifer was the prototype (原型) of the character of my first novel. But she was just a passing thought that faded ______ about five years later. Then, at age thirty-one, a social media meeting allowed me to ______ her. Later I sent my first Facebook message, ______ to tell her about the “story” between us.

I didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. So I ______ said, “I want you to know that you ______ me to live the amazing life that I’ve led. I have written several books, been an actress, and now I am a ______. Thank you.” Without receiving an ______ reply, I soon forgot the matter. But two days later, my phone made a “ding” which ______ I got a new Facebook message.

It was from Jennifer. We ______ a few pleasantries(客套话)on Facebook. When I told her I was teaching at a unique school for kids with mental illness, Jennifer suddenly asked if we could talk ______ the phone.

During the conversation, we realized we ______ a passion for helping children with mental disorder. Later, we founded Mariposa, ______ support and education for kids with mental illness. And we were both ______ as presenters at the Mental Health America Annual Conference.

Jennifer Cihi, my early hero, ______ , acted as the person who encouraged me in my life.

10 . One day, a woman named Paula was in the bathroom _______ everything up, from the sink, to the floor, to the shower. She wanted to keep her family’s home clean and beautiful. She _______ her ring on that her husband, Michael, had bought for their 20-year anniversary.

After finishing _______the inside of the toilet with a brush, Paula felt something was not right, but she couldn’t think what it was.......

Paula’s heart skipped a _______ as soon as she noticed that her left ring finger felt a bit _______. She slowly _______ at her ring finger, hoping that her anniversary _______ was still on it. She was shocked to see that it was _______ .   

Paula didn’t _______ that it was gone. She searched the________of the bathroom and even the house, hoping that she had just dropped it somewhere and forgotten about it. But she failed to find it.

Paula had no idea how she was going to tell her husband about this. She saw him ________ on the bed, reading his favorite book.

Paula said that she had some bad news to tell him. Michael was worried, but listened. Paula ________ and told her husband everything that had happened. After finishing her________, Paula dried her tears and ________Michael to say something. She thought he was so________that he couldn’t say anything. However, his face didn’t show any anger. Suddenly, he interrupted the silence by ________ laughter.

Paula was completely shocked by Michael’s reaction to the ________. After he finished laughing, Michael made fun of Paula for her ________ and decided to buy her another wedding ring, exactly like the one she had ________ .

As suddenly as the ring disappeared, another ring suddenly reappeared on her finger, exactly the same, as if she had ________lost one in the first place.