I quit my office job in 2012. At that time, a strong sense of 1bothered me. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. So I committed myself to2. I took acting classes, traveled, volunteered on farms, and so forth. After a period of time, I realized my problem had 3changed. My idea bank was full of4. I had countless ideas for what I could perform to 5 a meaningful life. However, the number of the choices I had made me 6. Being passionate about so many things, I didn't know what I should 7to find a way forward.

    By chance, I read a book written by Stephen Covey, in which he 8that people “begin with the end in mind” when they need to make choices. The idea means knowing your final goal 9, and then you can more10 make the choices and take the steps 11to reach your goal. Thanks to Covey, I knew what I should 12. I showed an interest in 13 at an early age, and hoped to make a difference some day. So my interest14my final goal. And fortunately, after about two years of effort, now I have devoted myself to this15work—a professional dancer.

    In daily life, a large number of people may have the same 16— not knowing which to choose when they have lots of 17 for many things. According to my own experience, I have realized that in order to 18the uncertainty about choosing, knowing the final goal first really matters. Not only did it help me know 19 what I should pursue, but it also functioned as a firm belief that 20me to take action to make it.

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

    One day, my father drove his employer to another city for a business meeting. On the outskirts (郊区) of town, they 1for a sandwich lunch. While they ate, several boys playing in the street passed by their2 . One of the boys limped (跛行). Looking more closely, my father's boss 3that the boy had a clubfoot (畸形足). He stepped out of the car and 4 the boy, saying that he was able to help get that foot fixed. The young boy was 5. The businessman wrote down the boy's name before the boy joined his friends down the street.

    The man 6 and said to my father, “Woody, the boy's name is Jimmy. Find out where he 7 and do your best to get his parents' 8 to let him have his foot operated on. I'll pay all the costs.” They finished their sandwiches and went on their 9.

    It didn't take long for my father to 10 Jimmy's house, a small one that needed paint and repair. For almost an hour, my father 11 explained the plan to Jimmy's parents. 12, they looked at each other. When my father 13 they still weren't quite sure about the generous offer from an unknown benefactor (捐助者).

    Later, my father's employer got in touch with the local government with a 14 to send someone to Jimmy's home to 15 the family that this was a lawful offer. Soon, with permission papers signed, my father took Jimmy to an excellent16 in another state. After five operations, his limp disappeared.

    His parents watched in17 as the returned boy stepped lightly toward them. They still could not 18 that a man they had never seen would pay a large sum of money to have a foot corrected for their son.

    The 19 benefactor was Mr. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company. He always said it's more fun to do something for people 20 they don't know who did it.

    America is a fast-paced society, which may seem very troubling to foreign visitors. One's first 1is likely to be that everyone is in a rush. City people always seem to be 2 and are very impatient if they are delayed even for a brief moment.

    3 this may seem unfriendly to you4 drivers will rush you; storekeepers will be in a hurry as they 5you; people will push you 6 walking along the street. You will7 brief conversations with people when you shop or dine there as people seem to be on the go.

    Do not8 that because Americans are in such a hurry they are 9. To them, that is just part of their 10 of life. Americans who live in cities often think that everyone is11in a hurry to get things done so they naturally 12 others to behave similarly13 when they discover that you are a stranger, most Americans become quite kind and will take great 14 to help you. Many of them first came to the city 15 strangers and they remember how frightening a new city can be. If you need help,16a friendly-looking person and say, “I am a stranger here. Can you help me?”

    Most people will stop17 you, and help you find your way. But you must let them know that you need help. Otherwise they are18 to pass you by, not noticing that you are new the city and 19 help. If, occasionally, you find someone too rushed to give you help, don't be20just ask someone else. Most Americans enjoy helping a stranger.

    Experts say boredom is good for kids. It forces them to be creative, 1their imaginations and helps them discover new things. A (n)2in point is 13-year-old Luke Thill from Dubuque, Iowa.

    Luke was3of playing video games and riding his bike, so he decided to build a tiny house in his backyard instead. He made money from cutting lawns(草坪)and4exchanged some services, such as gaining the help of an electrical engineer5sweeping his garage. Luke also6spare materials from his grandmother's house and other7materials from his neighbors for some of the windows and the door.

    The 89-square—foot home cost $1,500 to build and 818 months. Inside there's a kitchenette, a back sitting room, a table and a mounted(镶嵌的)TV, and an upstairs bedroom can be easily9by stairway.

    Although Luke did the10and learned how to do all the work, he had his father's11throughout the project. Greg Thill was very happy that his son learned to stay on12and deal with grown-ups.13 ， he had some simple rules when Luke14the house: “You 15the money. You build it. And you own it."

    Luke is now in love with 16. He has a YouTube channel and hopes to 17other kids to start building.18, he wants to build a bigger tiny house to live in, but for now, he19in his new home a few nights a week, does homework there, and uses it to take a20from his twin brother.

A Doll from Santa

    Alice's mother died when she was five years old. That year was 1925, and life was hard. Alice, who grew up to be my mother, told me that her family was too 1to even afford to give her a doll.

    One afternoon in December 1982, I was decorating the tree to prepare for the Christmas season. A young lady 2me with a sample of her handiwork: beautiful handmade 3. She was taking orders for Christmas. I decided to get one for my daughter, Katie, who was almost five years old. Then I had an idea. I asked the lady if she could make me a 4doll for my mother — one with gray hair and a pair of glasses: a grandmother doll.

    The doll maker felt that this idea was certainly 5and took it on as a creative challenge. So I placed my Christmas 6: two dolls, one blonde and one gray-haired for Christmas morning! Things really started to fall into place 7a friend had told me that his dad, who played Santa Claus in my area, would be willing to make a visit on Christmas morning to our home to 8my Katie her presents!

    Christmas Day arrived and at the planned time, 9did Santa Claus. Katie was delighted that Santa had come to see her at her 10house, the happiest I had ever seen her in her young life. My mother was enjoying watching her granddaughter's 11to the visit from this special guest. As Santa turned to leave, he looked once more into his bag and took out one more 12. As he asked who Alice was, my mother, surprised by her name being called, 13that she in fact was Alice. Santa handed her the gift, which was accompanied by a message card that read: For Alice,

    I was cleaning out my sleigh before my 14this year and came across this package that was supposed to be delivered on December 25, 1925. The present inside has 15, but I felt that you might 16wish to have it. Many apologies for the17of the gift.

    Love, Santa Claus

    My mother's reaction was one of the greatest deeply 18scenes I have ever witnessed. She couldn't speak but only gazed at the doll she had 19fifty-seven years as tears of joy running down her cheeks. That doll, given by “Santa”, made my mother the happiest “20” alive.

My Perfect Imperfect Life

    A few years ago, I was standing at the barre (扶手杠) waiting for my adult ballet class when I heard a voice behind me. "So, do you have this perfect life?"

    My first reaction was to1who was being asked such an odd question. Then I remembered there were only two of us in the room. When I turned2, the other woman was looking straight at me.

    I had no idea how to answer it. Was she3? Who has a perfect life? Sure, occasionally I did find the perfect dress or the perfect pair of shoes,4never would I use that word to describe anything about me or my life. I felt a twinge of guilt for somehow giving her that5.

    She watched me. I finally6to whisper a quick "No".

    By then, the teacher had entered the room and turned on the music to start class. With a sigh of7, I moved my feet into the best position. But as soon as my knees bent for our first pose, I realized my8had been disturbed. This woman's words wouldn't9echoing in my thoughts.

    I wanted to know how she came up with her very mistaken10. If she knew anything about my life, she never would have had the11to ask me that question.

    I did my best to do our floor exercises in front of the mirror. For a few moments, I didn't see the usual12of my older self attempting to use a beautiful art form to 13my gracefulness. I only saw the little girl whose father died when she was two, the child who walked home from elementary school every day to an empty house, who learned to sew her own clothes to14money.

    Perfect. My life had been far from it.

    When those memories15, I was left with a vision of the woman I had become, the woman16by all those things I considered imperfect. I now saw the woman who had learned to be self-reliant, who17her family and her friends, who didn't take life for granted. Was that the "perfect" this woman had detected?

    I still don't know, but I no longer feel18or feel like I must keep track of all the difficult times to prove my life isn't19. If ever again asked whether my life is perfect, I would have a different20. Because now I see that, despite all its imperfection, it is.