(A)

Bags of Love

       Last year, I was assigned to work at an office near my mother's house, so I stayed with her for a month. During that time, I helped out with the housework and contributed to the groceries.

      After less than a week, I started noticing that the groceries were running out pretty quickly — we were always suddenly out of something.  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (wonder) how my mum could consume them so quickly, I began observing her daily routine for two weeks. To my surprise, I found that she would pack a paper bag full of canned goods and head out every morning at about nine. Eventually, I decided to follow her and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} happened truly amazed me. She was taking the food to the refugee camp, in {#blank#}3{#/blank#} she distributed it to children.

       I asked around and found out that my mum was very well known in the area. The kids were very friendly with her and even looked up to her as if she were their own mother. Then it hit me —why would she not want to tell me about what she {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (do)? Was she worried about how I would react or that I would stop {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (buy) the groceries if I found out?

     When she got home, I told her about my discovery. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} she could react, I gave her a big hug and told her she didn't need to keep it a secret {#blank#}7{#/blank#}me. She told me that some of the children lived with an older lady in a shelter while others slept on the streets. For years, my mum has been helping out by giving them whatever food she could spare. I was so impressed by {#blank#}8{#/blank#} selfless she was.

 to protect pandas. Otherwise, they are certain to die out.

    David was a normal boy, but he had been born deaf. He was well known to everyone in town, and they were all very fond {#blank#}1{#/blank#} him. Unfortunately, he always seemed to be treated {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (different) from everyone else.

    David didn't like this very much. But the person {#blank#}3{#/blank#} disliked this the most was his friend Michael, Michael decided that things had to change. So he managed to persuade other people in town {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (choose) one day of the festival for deaf people this year. During that whole day everyone in town would have to wear earplugs (耳塞). The day {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (call) The Day of Silence, and when it arrived everyone stuck plugs in their ears. As the hours passed, people began to realize {#blank#}6{#/blank#} difficult life was for the deaf. Soon no one was thinking of David as a deaf person. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (use) his usual gestures, David was the one who could communicate best with everyone. They were {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (surprise) at his ability to find solutions to almost any problem. They realized all David needed was a little {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (much) time than others to communicate. That was the only difference.

    It was on this day {#blank#}10{#/blank#} everyone realized they have to give people a chance to show how useful they are.

    We use flowers as messengers to say something we might have trouble {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (say) directly ourselves. Over time flowers have come to symbolize the most {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (power) human experiences: beauty, love, hope, and rebirth. Sweet flowers alone can say what one {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (fear) expressing. We've listed some of the most famous flowers that have an important meaning. In Mao Zedong's poem Ode to Plum Blossom《咏梅》, the plum blossom was used {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (praise) soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Chinese people. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} great Chinese poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty once compared Yang Yuhuan's beautiful face {#blank#}6{#/blank#} blooming peonies (牡丹). Flowering in May, peonies' large petals and strong colors are linked to prosperity (成功) and richness. The orchid (兰花) is well known because {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (it) delicate smell attracts lots of people. Beautiful articles and poems {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (call) “lanzhang” by Chinese people in traditional Chinese culture. Roses, of course, have the most colorful meaning among all the flowers. Red roses mean “I love you.” A red rose, rather than yellow roses, acts as the traditional romantic gift{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (give) to your love on Valentine's Day. Sending yellow roses can be risky, as they represent either friendship {#blank#}10{#/blank#} envy.

    I want to introduce my class to you. My class {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) very small and there {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (be) only 20 students in it. Some {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (be) boys and the others {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) girls. All of us {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (be) getting along well with each other. None of us {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (have) quarrelled with each other. Every boy and every girl {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (help) the others in every subject, so nobody {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (fail) in any exam. Our headmaster often {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (praise) us for our helping each other. Every weekend, there {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be) a meeting and our headmaster, with five of us, {#blank#}11{#/blank#} (attend) it, discussing how to make our class better.

    Such {#blank#}12{#/blank#} (be) our class, a happy and friendly family.