完形填空

        About 15 years ago I was studying at a University in Münster, Germany. The people I spent most of my1 with were a group of friends. Sometimes we went out together for parties, 2most of the time we did our own3back at someone's home. First we sat and talked and at some point during the night we4the chairs and tables and started dancing. It may not 5that special, but what was special to me was the 6we shared for each other.7, when someone had to find a new8, moving from one flat to the other, these friends were there.In the eyes you saw support, you saw9, making jokes, teasing and laughing about 10and weak points from each other, but always there was this11no one is better or worse. You felt there was always a shoulder you could 12on.

       Time passed by and we all went our own ways, following our own 13. I made my way passing Ireland and India for several 14so far. Now just a few days ago I met one of my old friends again. We sat and talked and after 15 years we shared our 15again from that time. On my way back home from our16it made me think. The last days were full of 17for me and my thoughts and feelings were just 18around them. Now I came back from this meeting and the memories we19were like a crystal(水晶) ball. All my 20feelings from the last days couldn't touch what was inside this ball. These memories spread like a virus through my thoughts and feelings and left me safe and warm and happy.

Notes：

①spread v ． 漫延，传播 ②strength n ． 力量；长处

    There was my mother, standing in a fuzzy (毛绒绒的) pink bunny(兔子）costume. This can't be, 1 I thought to myself. Being ten was 2 enough.

    Our class was taking a trip to a convalescent home（疗养院) that day.I had 3 to stay at home pretending I'd caught some rare disease. My mother who's a(n) 4, sent me to school anyway.

    When we got there, I 5 wished for that 6. I'd fall to the ground and be 7the humiliation (耻笑) of anyone ever knowing that I 8every day after school there, dressed as a bunny.

“Hi, Shelly!” The residents waved at me, “ Do you know them?” someone asked. “No! They 9 me for someone else. I'm Machille,” I responded. I didn't look up 10 I might make eye contact with them. Then, Mrs. Deist, our teacher, handed us tulips (郁金香) to give to the residents. I quickly went to the back of the 11. My mother just went along her way— hopping（单足跳跃）. Last year, we hopped together. 12, “I'm too old for that now”, I thought.

    I hid behind my class. “ Shelly, how about a game of Fish?” Lou asked. My class and teacher 13 and stared. “ Machille, do you know these people?” Mrs.Deist asked me.

“Um….yes！”  

    “Well you should 14 the way,” she said, smiling. So I stepped forward, handed a tulip to Rose, waved to Frank and gave Mr. Blusso a high-five.

    “My mother is in a convalescent home. I wish she could have someone like you to 15 her.” Mrs Deist said. My mother hopped over then. “This is my mom. Every day she looks after these special people who need nurses' care.” I stood straight as I 16 the information. My mother then explained a program where kids can 17 after school. The residents cheered at the18, and my class seemed excited, too.

    I realized how 19 it made me to make other people smile and feel good. I should never be 20 of that.

    The LEGO story started in a Danish woodworking shop. At the time, Ole Kirk Christiansen was just a(n)1 carpenter working in a local shop. But he always had big dreams. As a young man, Christiansen turned　his love of playing with wood into a 2 and, in 1916, he opened his own shop.

    At first, his shop produced furniture like ladders, stools and ironing boards. But in 1924, his sons 3set a pile of wood chips in the shop on fire, 4 the entire building and the family's home.

    Despite a total 5, Christiansen saw the fire as an excuse to simply 6 a larger workshop. Tragedy (悲剧) continued to 7, however. In 1929, the American economic depression broke out, and his wife died in 1932. Affected by 8 and financial disaster, Christiansen unemployed many of his workers　and 9 to make ends meet. 10 did he know that those tragedies would be of importance for his business to 11.

    Since times were so 12, Christiansen made the hard decision to use his wood to create 13goods that might actually sell. The decision didn't pay off at first. But his love of toys pushed the company ahead, even when it was 14 the toughest times.

    It turned out he was a brilliant toymaker. Soon, his wonderful models of cars and animals and his adorable pull toys gained a national popularity. His bestseller, a wooden duck15 mouth opens and closes when pulled, is now still a hot hit. By 1949, his company created a plastic product called the Automatic Binding Brick. And their toys became more and more popular as the years passed.

    A boy guarded the barrel(桶) in his father's winery. Every morning he1up every barrel with a piece of cloth, and then put them in2row upon row. To his 3, the wind blew the barrels here and there4. The boy was so angry that he wrote a letter to the wind, "Please don't blow down my barrels." After5that, his father asked the boy with a smile, "Can the wind read your6?" The little boy said, "I don't know, but I have no way of dealing with the wind."

    The next morning, when the little boy ran to look at the barrels, he found that the wind had7his request, still blowing the barrels here and there. The little boy felt8and burst into tears. His father stroked his head gently and said, "Son, don't be sad. We can't deal with the wind, but we can think of our own methods to 9the barrels.

    Then the little boy10his tears and sat near the barrels to think over and over. After thinking half a day, he finally11a way. He12some water from the well and poured it into those13barrels. At14, the little boy got up in a rush, ran out and saw the barrels still15in good order. He smiled happily and told his father, "We do have a way to16the barrels from blowing down. It's a very17way, that is, to add weights to the barrels." The little boy's father smiled 18.

    We can't change many things, but we can add the weight of our own19, so that we can stand20in the world not to be knocked over.

    When we finished eating, I quickly grabbed (抓住)the check and 1 to pay. Before I could get to the counter(结账处)a man 2 me over to his table, saying "I know you saw 3 at you and I'm sorry if it made you4. It's just because you look like my old classmate 40 years ago." Then he asked if we would be with them for a few minutes.5, Danielle and I sat down. We talked for about 10-15 minutes and then I 6 I had something 7 to do. As I stood up to leave, the man 8 across the table and took my 9 out of my hand. Before I could explain, he said "I would really like to 10 this meal for you." He continued," The only thing I ask 11 is that some day when you can help others, please pass on the 12."

    As I walked to my car 13 what just happened, Danielle started jumping up and down with 14 , saying, "Mama, now we can get a Christmas tree!" 15 , we bought a Christmas tree for $8.97, which I still have today. I never put an angel (天使)on the top because it has a 16 one! Although I never met that man again 17 the years, there's hardly a day that goes by that I don't think of his 18 .He was right. I have been able to pass it on. I became a speaker and passed on his 19 to as many people as I could reach.

    Whether he's divine (神圣的)or not doesn't 20. I still think of him as a guardian angel.

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my1wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local3center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't 4. Four more "hero-types" were already lying back in donor chairs with lines5to their veins, and machines quietly pumping away to6their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a difference in the life of someone I would never7.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just do it. But a few months ago, during one of my8donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center9ever since.

    My wife Karen is a10, too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髄) list for fifteen years, ever since she signed up to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia (白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her,11Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential12for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. "Yes," she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race13time.

    I wish I could say that this14was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd15on the donor list. "Of course," Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll16an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may17. Most likely it will be a18, but on any day the person needing a blood product could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to19our time to donate.

    I really do feel20every time I donate. And I like the feeling.