1 . I was teaching in a primary school. In October, I told the class about my ______. “I’d like you to do extra (额外的) jobs around the house to make some money,” I said. “Then we’ll ______ food for a needy grandmother.”

A month later, the children arrived early in class bringing their ______. They had set tables and washed dishes. And now they couldn’t ______ to go shopping.

I watched while they were choosing meat and other food in the supermarket. ______ we headed toward the checkout. Then someone ______ a “necessity” that sent them racing back.

“Flowers!” Kristine cried. The group ran toward the holiday plants.

I advised being practical (务实的). It was ______ to buy things that could be made into meals.”

“But Mrs. Sherlock,” came the loud cry, “we ______ flowers.”

I finally ______ and the children chose some purple chrysanthemums (菊花).

We ______ in front of a small house. A woman with a tired face came to ______ us. The children hurried to get the food. When Kristine put the plant on the table, the woman seemed ______. She’s wishing it was a bag of flour (面粉), I thought.

As we were leaving, we could ______ the kitchen window. The woman inside walked past the meat, straight to the flowers. She smiled as she touched the flowers.

The children were quiet. At that moment, they had seen they could ______ another’s life. And I had sensed that sometimes a person ______ flowers on a dark November day.