1 . Gang (团伙) tensions were rising at Southwood High School. Some community activists held a(n) _______ meeting with parents and the principal. A group of the fathers _______ decided it was time to make their _______ known on campus.

That’s how Dads on Duty was born with its goal — make sure the kids are safe. Around 40 men organized into six-person shifts, with two shifts on campus every day. They _______ the day after the meeting. These people _______ their own schedules and commitments without complaint. Some of them are fathers of kids at the school, while others are not but expect the youth in their community to know they have an entire village behind them.

Now, anyone who wants to enter the school with _______ will have to avoid energetic papa bears, big smiles and many dad jokes. It’s hard to be a tough guy when somebody’s uncle has just _______ you into checking your shoelaces for countless times, only to find that they are not, in fact, untied.

Since Dads on Duty arrived on campus, gang battles have dramatically declined. “The school has been happy, you can feel it,” said one student. Another told the Washington Post, “They _______ all the kids like we’re their own children.”

The dads aren’t meant to _______ security guards. If they do see a fight may occur, they get security on the scene as soon as possible. Their presence is meant to be more ________ than reactionary.

Yours,

Li Hua

4 . During my second year in high school, I got sick and missed a few days. When I _________, I was greeted with two essays due, three days of math and history homework, plus several tests. _________ I went home from school that day tired, I had to stay up really late to finish them all.

The next day at school, I got a rude awakening: I’d totally forgotten to prepare for the _________ on Romeo and Juliet, which I’d take _________ my lunch hour! Worse still, I had _________ the in-class discussion and all the notes. When lunch came, I went to the English room to face my certain doom (厄运). All I could do was try to _________ on the questions I didn’t know.

As it turned out, I didn’t know the majority of the questions. I was just about to give _________ when my pencil accidentally fell and broke. Standing by the blackboard sharpening my pencil, I _________ down and there was the answer for the test! “What good fortune! I can kiss good-bye to all my _________ of failing the test!” My heart started beating, and my brain __________, “Yes! Read over the answers—quickly!” This was quickly followed by another voice, “No! You’ll get caught! My mind turning back and forth, Yes! No! Yes! No!...” This went on for ten of the __________ seconds in my entire life.

Finally, I decided to finish the test on my own, without __________! I was satisfied with my decision but pretty __________ I had failed the test.

The next day when I walked into the English room, my great joy of having been an __________ soul changed into a wave of doom as I saw my test paper lying face down on my desk. I knew what awaited me. I stared at it a few seconds before I got up the __________ to turn it over.

You can only imagine my __________ when I learned that I had passed the test! I have never in my whole life been so happy to see my __________ a C-.

My mom says the victories that __________ the most courage are won within. Now I know __________ what she means. Now not only can my conscience (良心) rest easy, but I don’t have to worry about getting caught and meeting a sad __________ like Romeo and Juliet.