I felt upset when I was {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (tell) that I would have to leave the company. In order to find {#blank#}2{#/blank#} new job to support the family, I read almost all the newspapers {#blank#}3{#/blank#} set down almost all the telephone numbers in ads {#blank#}4{#/blank#} my notebook and tried to call almost all the companies that needed new clerks. Not until I{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (find) a job in a small town near Townsville did I calm down. My new boss, Mr. Brown, was one of my schoolmates {#blank#}6{#/blank#} I was getting along well with at school. Both of us were {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (excite) to see each other and we spent the whole afternoon {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (talk) about things and persons that we remembered at school. He asked me to give {#blank#}9{#/blank#} some advice on how to enlarge his present business and he was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (entire) happy about my advice.

    Is there such a thing as being “over-protective”?

    I can honestly say that my answer{#blank#}1{#/blank#}that question has changed dramatically（戏剧性地）since I became a parent.

    Before the birth of my daughter,I taught at a private school,often{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(view) my students as over-protected, worrying{#blank#}3{#/blank#}would happen to them when they went on to middle schools.

    Some did fine,and some did not.Some needed constant pats on the back,words of encouragement and extra support,which I{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(happy) gave.Others{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(satisfy) with themselves,needing little or no interaction（互动）with their teacher.{#blank#}6{#/blank#}for the most part,graduates would go on for higher schooling.

    I'd always taken it for granted{#blank#}7{#/blank#}their parents were over-protective,for they were the ones that still walked their{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(five) graders into the classroom and met them at the school gate.

    Admittedly,I laughed at those parents,thinking their children would never learn to be{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(dependent) if they didn't let go just a little.Then I had my own daughter. The moment I looked at her little face,I knew I'd do everything in my power{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(protect) her and make sure she always felt safe!

    In our daily life, we often meet with difficulties. Some people do nothing but wait, while others try hard to conquer{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Personally, we should face with difficulties positively and make every effort to overcome them.

    My memory drew me back to five years ago when I was{#blank#}2{#/blank#}middle school student. At that time, I had great trouble studying English. First of all, I felt it hard to memorize English{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(word). Besides I didn't dare to say anything in class when{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(ask) questions. What annoyed me most was that I failed exams{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(constant). I was about to give up{#blank#}6{#/blank#}my English teacher found my problems. He encouraged me and gave me some good advice. So{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(inspire) by him, I decided to settle my problems. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(follow) his advice, I made progress gradually. I owe my achievement{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the teacher whose encouragement was of great {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(important).

    In 1608, Thomas Coryate, an Englishman, visited Italy. He liked the country and noted down every interesting thing {#blank#}1{#/blank#} he had found. But there was one thing he found {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (interesting) than the others. In his diary, Thomas wrote, “When the Italians eat meat, they use small forks instead of their hands. As they say, people don't always have clean hands”

    Before {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (leave) for England, Thomas bought a few forks. At home he gave a dinner party to show the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (invent) to his friends. When the servants brought the steak, he took out a fork and began to eat {#blank#}5{#/blank#} people did in Italy.

    Everybody looked at him in surprise. When he told his friends what it was, they all wanted {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (take) a good look at the strange thing. They said that the Italians were very strange people, for the fork was not very convenient.

    Thomas tried to prove the opposite. He said it was not nice to eat meat {#blank#}7{#/blank#} one's fingers because they were not always clean. He wanted to show how easy {#blank#}8{#/blank#} was to use the fork. But the first piece of meat he took with the fork {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (fall) to the floor. His friends began to laugh and he had to take the fork away.

    Only fifty years later {#blank#}10{#/blank#} people in England begin to use forks.

    Are you facing a situation that {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) impossible to fix?

    In 1969, the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River Cleveland, Ohio. It was unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up. The river was so polluted that it {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(actual) caught fire and burned. Now, years later, this river is one of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} most outstanding examples of environmental cleanup.

    But the river wasn't changed in a few days {#blank#}4{#/blank#} even a few months. It took years of work {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(reduce) the industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally, that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(clean) than ever.

    Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you have a habit {#blank#}7{#/blank#}is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don't know how to control your credit card use. When you face such an impossible situation, don't you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

    While there are {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(amaze) stories of instant transformation, for most of us the {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(patience).