Most people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, their families place them in nursing homes. They {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (leave) in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown children visit them {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(occasion), but more often, they do not have any regular visitors. The truth is that the idea is an unfortunate myth — an {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (imagine) story. In fact, family members provide the most care {#blank#}4{#/blank#} elderly people need. Samuel Prestoon, a sociologist, has studied {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the American family is changing. He has reported that by the time the average American couple reach 40 years of age, they have more parents than children. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than before, family members must provide long-term care. More {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (psychology) have found that all caregivers believe that they are the best people for the job. Social workers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the responsibility of caring for {#blank#}8{#/blank#} elderly relative. Many caregivers thought they had obligation {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (help) their relatives, stating that helping others make them feel more useful. Most hoped that by helping someone, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent. Caring for the elderly and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (take) care of can be a mutually satisfying experience for everyone who might be involved.

    Everyone has a childhood. And childhood {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (experience) are often very funny. Children often make us laugh. It's true that children brighten up a home. They never turn off the lights.

    I often recall my childhood, the years {#blank#}2{#/blank#} many interesting things happened. When I was a two-year-old child, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} my parents were always very busy with their work. My mother worked {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a sales manager in a company {#blank#}5{#/blank#} my father served in the army. So I lived with my grandma in a village. I was always waiting for my parents at home. Once my father sent us a photo of his {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (dress) in a soldier's uniform {#blank#}7{#/blank#} was posted on the table reminding me of him.

    Once my mother came to see me and we went {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(shop) together. On the way we saw a group of soldiers. And when I saw them, I became{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (excite). I said in a ringing voice pointing to {#blank#}10{#/blank#}, “This is my father, and this is my father, and that is my father, too!”

    My mother said she would remember that moment all her life.

    Humans like to live and work in groups. Language is the “cement(胶合剂)”{#blank#}1{#/blank#}holds these groups together. Language is part of culture. Culture, in this sense,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (mean) all those customs, skills, and attitudes that are part of the behavior of a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (particularly) group. What you think {#blank#}4{#/blank#} what you want in life are all affected by the culture of the group in which you {#blank#}5{#/blank#}( raise). Groups of people live in different ways. They may have different skills, organizations, and art forms. Their family life may be completely different from yours.

    Human beings are inventive animals. They can decide to change their cultures in order to meet various {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(situation). Of all living things, human beings are the {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(clever). They can choose {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(live) in many environments and in a wide variety of ways. Only human beings can choose where and how they want to live and then improve the physical environment to help {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(they)realize these choices.

    Acquiring the wisdom to make wise choices {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be)the lasting challenge of being human.

    I can well remember that I was once asked to give a speech titled “A Real Test in My Life” before the whole class at the age of 9! You can imagine how {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (terrible) shy I was the moment I thought of that—with so many eyes {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (look) at me. I had no{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (choose) but to prepare for it, though. First of all, I was to draft(草拟) the speech, which was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (lie) in my oral presentation from my memory, for to read from the paper was not allowed. The real moment began {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. But my listeners {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (wait) patiently without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found myself back, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(give) my speech with difficulty. After what seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding—I made it! From then on, my fear of talking before a big audience disappeared. Actually, with my {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(confident) building up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way {#blank#}9{#/blank#} success is our fear. Overcome(克服) it , and we will be able to achieve our {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(goal).

    One sentence from the news in Washington has remained in my mind since a trip last summer: "When you see people run against the crowd escaping{#blank#}1{#/blank#}the danger, they are {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(probable) firefighters, police or journalists.

    I think this is most true for the firefighters. Whenever and wherever {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (disaster) happen — 911 Attacks in New York 14 years ago or the explosion in Tianjin on Wednesday night — it is always the firefighters{#blank#}4{#/blank#}take the lead to run to the very center, saving lives by{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (risk) their own. I cried today near the explosion site, not because of the smoke from the ongoing fire {#blank#}6{#/blank#} because of a short message a firefighter sent to a trusted friend that went viral online. It reads, "If I cannot make it, my father is {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(you); and please remember{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(sweep) my mother's tomb." I was thrilled later to learn that he did make it.

    “Everyone knows it's {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (danger) to be a firefighter. But he has always liked it and has done it for 12 years," his father said. "He survived this time, but no one knows what{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (happen) next time.”