I never saw my father home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a "night out with the boys". He had no{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (hobby) but just took care of his family.

    For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 am. He was always {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (interest)in my life—how my family as doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (English) or Florida.

    Nine years ago when I bought my {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (one) house, my father, 67 years old, painted my house himself. He worked eight hours a day. He would not allow me {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (pay) someone to have it done. All he asked was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father.

Five years ago, my 71-year-old father {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (spend)five hours putting together a swing set(秋千)for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him. But again, I had laundry to do, and the house to clean.

    The morning on Sunday, January 16, 1996, my father telephoned me as {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (usually), this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short.

    The call came at 4:40 am. That day my father {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (send)to hospital in Florida, I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed(发誓)that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (real)get to know him.

    I arrived in Florida at 1:00 am, but my father had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.

    In the years since his {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (die) I have learnt much about my father, and even more about myself. As a father, he never asked me for anything but my time. Now he has all my attention, every single day.

    At the end of the term, our ethics(伦理学) professor gave us a test. He had told us {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (expect) one and had warned us it would be included in the final grade.

    The test began. Sure enough, I was {#blank#}2{#/blank#} confident that I finished all the questions after forty{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (minute) except the very last one: What is the name of the woman who cleans the lecture hall?

    I thought it was {#blank#}4{#/blank#} joke. I'd seen the woman many times. She'd been working in the building for at least a year. She is short {#blank#}5{#/blank#} dark hair, in her fifties, and we'd even smiled at each other once or twice. But I didn't know {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (she) name because I'd never thought of asking her. I handed in my test paper and the last question {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (leave) unanswered-hoping the final result wouldn't be influenced too {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (bad) because of it. But then one student put up his hand. He hadn't finished the test, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} "I'm just wondering," he said, "will it really change my grade if I don't complete the last question?" "Certainly," our professor {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (smile).

    "In your future jobs ..."

    I've never forgotten that lesson, I also learned that the cleaner's name was Sherry.