The journey my daughter Cathy has had with her swimming is as long as it is beautiful.

    Cathy suffered some terrible 1her early childhood. After years of regular treatment, she 2 became healthy.

    Two years ago, while Cathy was watching the Olympics, a dream came into her sweet little head—to be a swimmer. Last summer,she wanted to3 out local swim team. She practiced hard and finally 4 it. The team practice, 5 was a rough start. She coughed and choked and could hardly 6 her first few weeks. Hearing her coughing bitterly one night, I decided to7 her from it all. But Cathy woke me up early next morning, wearing her swim suit 8 to go! I told her she shouldn't swim after a whole night's coughing, but she refused to 9 and insisted she go.

From that day on, Cathy kept swimming and didn't 10 a single practice. She had a 11 intention within herself to be the best she could be. My ten-year-old was growing and changing right before my eyes, into this 12 human being with a passion and a mission. There were moments of 13 of course: often she would be the last swimmer in the race. It was difficult for Cathy to accept that she wasn't a 14—ever. But that didn't stop her from trying.

      Then came the final awards ceremony at the end of the year. Cathy didn't expect any award but was still there to  15 her friends and praise their accomplishments. As the ceremony was nearing the end, I suddenly heard the head coach 16, “The highest honor goes to Cathy!” Looking around, he continued, “Cathy has inspired us with her  17 and enthusiasm.  18 skills and talents bring great success, the most valuable asset(财富)one can hold is the heart.”

     It was the greatest  19 of my daughter's life. With all she had been 20 in her ten years, this was the hour of true triumph(成功).

    Years ago, I was on a long flight, during which a voice from the speaker said, “ We won't 1 drinks or the meal because we are facing a storm ahead. Please make your safe belts fastened.” Many passengers became 2 , talking about it with each other. At once it became 3 in the plane.

    Soon, lighting 4 the darkening skies, and within moments the 5 was like a boat on waves in the storm. One moment it was 6 up by the storm; the next, it was thrown as if it were to 7 onto the ground. All the passengers were 8 . Some cried. Some prayed (祈祷). The 9 seemed hopeless. I wondered if we could 10 it through the storm.

    Then I noticed the little girl next to me. Surprisingly, the storm seemed to mean 11 to her. She was 12 , looking through a picture book. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would 13 again, but she never showed a (n)14  of worry or fear. The little girl wasn't afraid at all 15 all the adults were scared to death. Finding me watching her, the girl smiled at me and said, “ Don't worry. My father is the pilot. He is taking me home. Take it easy. He will take us home safely.”

    When the plane was out of 16 , I smiled at the girl and she gave me a big smile in 17 . “I said my father would take us home safely.”

        Many kinds of storms may 18 us: diseases, difficulties… They can easily darken our skies and 19 our planes into hard times. Let us 20 : Love is the pilot. It will help us out of trouble. So take it easy.

    When I was 12, I really liked snowmobiles. My brother Cody and I 1 together all the time. One 2 day, my cousin, Brittany, was here, and we decided to ride our really old, yet fun snowmobile. My mom was 3 about it at first but thought that we were4careful. So we went out just as usual and my brother carefully checked everything we 5before we rode. We got on: my brother in front,6 then my cousin Brittany and I in the 7 We were riding around in the back of the woods on the edge (边缘) of the field. Our faces were 8and became red,9we didn't care .We were having tons of 10! We had gone around the woods three times when we were coming to the edge that 11 the gravel road (碎石路). There was a driveway there and then a field across the road.

    I 12 my cousin shouting, “Faster! Faster! Cody! Go faster!” As she was shouting. I was 13 the gravel road in front of us. It was coming closer and closer but we still moved with a 14 speed. Just then. I knew something was 15 I looked up at my brother and could feel he was 16 starting to worry. We went through the driveway and I watched as we sped across the road. Then, BOOM! We hit the ditch (沟) and flew through the17for a short second and then hit the ground like a18 that had just fallen from the sky. At this point, there was nothing we could do. The snowmobile tipped and we all 19. We all felt frightened.20 we didn't have any serious problems.

    One of the most important events in the modern Olympic Games is the Marathon(马拉松)race. The race 1 one of the great events in Greek history.

    In 490 B C. about 10,000 Greeks 2 against the Persian army at a place called Marathon. It is 3 that the Persians were ten times as4 as the Greeks. However, where there is a will, there is a way.5 the brave attack of the Greeks, the Persians were badly beaten and6away from the plain of Marathon. When the Persians had run away, a soldier, who was the most famous7in Athens, was 8 to carry the good news to the city and he was also asked to march at full speed.

    Although he had fought through the battle and 9many wounds, the soldier at once started off toward the 10 city 11 was twenty-six and a quarter miles from the plain of Marathon to the Marketplace of Athens, 12 there the elders of Athens had gathered 13 for news. He ran and ran over 14 and across plains. As he went on, his lips became 15 and his breathing hard, but when he thought of the 16 of the people of Athens on hearing the news, he 17 harder than ever.

    At last the elders of Athens heard a great shout and saw a soldier staggering(蹒跚) toward them.” Rejoice! Rejoice! We won!” said the soldier, and fell down 18.

    In19of this noble soldier and athlete, we have in the modern Olympic Games the Marathon race,20 the athletes run this same distance.

    For the past two years I have been travelling and living abroad. I has become more of a feeling than a place.1 feel at home 2 I am with my family in London, but I 3 feel at home in Italy with friends I 4 , or in Spain with my partner. Home is no longer a picture of a 5 with a front door and some windows. It is more 6 than that.

    This is one of the reasons that 7 the New Year has become very important for me. New Year's Eve has become my time to reconnect with the 8 that make me feel at home. Every year we try to reunite, no matter where the world has 9 us, and remember a time when we knew each other so 10 that we felt like a family. It is a moment to reconnect and get to 11 each other again. Last year, we 12 to a cottage( 舍)in Ireland 13 we had no Internet and no neighbours.

    In the middle of the 14, away from our big and constantly changing lives, we were able to become like a little 15 again.

    This year, we went to Barcelona. It was a very big change. We were 16 by culture and joy. There were bars and parties. It was 17 , but one thing stayed much the same—I felt at home and we felt like a family18.

    Two hours into 2019, I realized that I was 19 enough to be with people who didn't mind and just wanted to 20 the first day of the New Year with me even if it was on a sofa watching TV!

    It was a snowy day. I 1 the friend who sat with me on winter evenings, talking about our experiences and thoughts—a true 2.

    I had almost given up hope of finding another 3 like that after I 4 to this city. I wanted to invite a woman I'd met only twice to come share my dinner, 5 she lived an hour away, and it was snowing. I was sure she wouldn't 6 to come. However, I decided to have a try. So I made the 7.

    "Don't feel you have to come if you don t want to."

    "Is it snowing? I have a 8, and I'm in bed. I'll think about it later, if that's OK with you"

    "Of course it is. And here are your 9, if you decide to come. I've just been shopping, so I can 10 you macaroni and cheese or fresh vegetable salad."

    There was a 11 for a moment. She was thinking

    "Since I'm sick, not the macaroni and cheese. Too rich for a cold. I 12 the vegetables," she said, "Vegetables. If it's not snowing too hard."

    An hour before dinner, the phone rang.

    "I've 13. I've been in bed all day. Looking forward to the 14."

    I was 15.

    An hour later, she 16, holding a piece of chocolate.

    We sat by the fireplace, eating and chatting. The smell of the vegetables filled the house. And we 17 love, art and travels. Everything was warm and good.

    As she left, she said. "Those vegetables were delicious. They kept me from 18 I didn't choose macaroni and cheese."

    "Next time," I promised. And I went inside, quite 19 , because I knew there would be a next time, and I didn't feel 20 anymore."