Being a veterinarian(兽医), I had to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their boy Shane, loved Belker very much.

    I examined Belker and found him {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (die) of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do {#blank#}2{#/blank#} for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia(安乐死) procedure in their home.

    As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} would be good for six-year-old Shane to watch. They felt Shane might learn something.

    The next day, Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting(拍) the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood {#blank#}4{#/blank#} was happening. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (peaceful) away.

    The little boy seemed to accept it without any difficulty. We sat together after Belker's death, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(wonder) why animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, having listened quietly, said, “I know {#blank#}7{#/blank#}.”

    {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (surprise), we all turned to him. What he said next amazed me. It has changed my life.

    He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live {#blank#}9{#/blank#} good life—like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

    The six-year-old boy continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} they don't have to stay as long.”

    It was a windy night. I had just turned {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the TV, brushed my teeth and was reading my favorite book, Wuthering Heights (呼啸山庄)by Emily Bronte. I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (absorb) in the book when Cathy's ghost(幽灵) appeared.

    As I looked through my book, some strange noises were coming from the window. I walked towards the window {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (see) what was going on there. All I observed were {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (branch) of trees waving wildly. All of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} sudden, I heard the noises again. They sounded like someone was knocking at the window. But I knew that was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (possible) because my room is on the second floor of the house.

    My heart was beating {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (violent) as I quickly opened the window. At that moment, a cold, white hand caught my arm {#blank#}8{#/blank#} tried to pull me out of the window. I screamed and tried to free {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (I) but in vain.

    Suddenly, I heard a gentle voice saying, “Tommy, wake up.” Then, I opened my eyes and saw my mother was standing by my bed, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hold) my book in her hand. I was so glad that Cathy's ghost hadn't been real!

    My doorbell rings at 11 am. On the step, I find an elderly Chinese lady holding the hand of a little boy. In her other hand {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) a paper bag. She is the little boy's grandmother, and her daughter, Nicole, bought {#blank#}2{#/blank#} house next door last October. Nicole has {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (obvious) told her mother that I am having a heart operation shortly, and the result is that her mother has decided {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (supply) me with meals.

    I know what is inside the paper bag——a bottle of hot soup and a {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (contain) with a meal of rice, vegetables and meat. It's become a daily occurrence.

    Communication {#blank#}6{#/blank#} us is somewhat difficult because she doesn't speak English and all I can say in Chinese is hello. Once, she brought an Ipad as well as the food. She pointed to the screen, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} showed a message from her daughter telling me that her mother wanted to know {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the food was all right for me.

So here we are, two grandmothers, neither of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (we) able to speak the other's language but communicating one way or another (with some help from technology). The doorbell keeps {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (ring) and there is the familiar brown paper bag, handed smilingly to me.