On Christmas Eve despite the fun and laughter from relative reunions, 13-year-old Frank Wilson did not cheer up. It was true that he had1all the presents he wanted. And he also2the big Christmas dinner with family members.3 ， Frank was not happy because this was his first Christmas without his brother, Steve, who was killed in a car accident. Frank4his brother and the close companionship they had together.

    Frank said good-bye to his parents and relatives, saying he was leaving early to see a friend. Since it was cold outside, Frank5his new jacket, his favorite gift from Grandma. He placed the other6on his new sled (雪横）and then headed out.

    As Frank went down the street toward home, through one front window, he saw a room with old7hanging over an empty fireplace. A woman was seated nearby, crying. The stockings8him of the way he and his brother always9theirs side by side. The next morning they would find presents.

    A sudden 10struck Frank. He knocked on the door. “Yes? The 11voice of the woman answered. “May I come in?” asked Frank. “You are very welcome,” she said, seeing his 12full of gifts and thinking he was making a13of gifts. “But I have no food or gifts for you. I have 14for my own children.” “That's why I am here.” Frank said. “Please 15whatever presents you would like for your children from the sled.” “Why? God bless you!” the 16woman answered. She took some candies, a toy plane and a doll. Finally, the stockings were 17  The woman thanked Frank and he left.

    Frank's18was full of happiness. Later he gave his jacket to a poor boy. At last, he 19all his presents. Now Frank was wondering how he could 20to his parents where his presents had gone.

    Maureen stood by the lake. Suddenly the children came running through the trees with sharp cries of 1 They rushed up to the 2leaning over the clear water, watching the crowds of tiny fish. Some children demanded loudly to go to the boats, but 3those who had been left behind at the ice-cream stall(小摊) came running up to make some announcement or other, and they all4the water and dashed back the 5 they had come. With growing excitement, Maureen6them.

    When she7what had been running for, she stopped running. They were 8things again. The toy stall was9and they were crowded around it. Behind the 10 a calm middle-aged woman was selling a great variety of small rubbish. She took 11from the forest of small hands in exchanging for little boats, plastic dolls, yellow pencils, anything. Maureen leaned against a 12 looking on. The idea of13 washed against her face like a strong current(流), trying to draw her in.

    Nona Parker pushed out to the edge of the group and14what she had bought on the ground so that she could see what money she had left in her white purse. Under Maureen's 15 lay a boat, a mouth organ(口琴) and a brown load of bread. Maureen was so full of the16for the things like that she couldn't bear to look at it. She turned her17sharply. Her face was against the tree. She shut her eyes and 18 eagerly for some money, for the price of a set of toy plates. In a moment, she opened her eyes,19she didn't turn back to the stall. It was too 20to see the others buying whatever they wanted. She rubbed almost round the tree, her eyes on the ground.

    At the age of 53, Dr. Holden, a college president, decided to escape from university life for some time. “After being the president for too long,” he later explained, “you begin to 1 yourself and assume you have the power that you don't.” He especially wanted to learn about people who do 2 work. “I wanted to relearn things I'd forgotten.”

    Dr. Holden started his leave on a farm, 3 thirteen hours a day. After that, he planted trees in Atlanta, washed dishes in a restaurant and during the last ten days 4 a garbage collector. This unusual leave was conducted 5. Holden only telephoned his family once a week, informing them that he was healthy.

    He did have trouble seeking 6, though. He had been on the job washing dishes at the restaurant exactly one hour7 the boss came over and said, “I'm afraid you won't do. It's not your work. Sorry”. Then he 8 him two dollars. That was the first time in more than thirty years as a job 9 that Holden had heard such words. It helped him understand how a man of his age might feel when he suddenly 10 he had lost his job.

    Holden had some things to say. “A lot of my co-workers would complain when the work was too heavy,” he said, “but they'd complain 11 when there was nothing to do.” He found pride and satisfaction came 12 in the form of praise from co-workers. While pay 13, what brought the greatest satisfaction was knowing that your effort had been noticed.

    Dr. Holden returned to his post after two months of working with his hands, 14 that every young person should be required to spend at least half a year in the world of 15 before starting university studies.

    When my sister Diane began playing the violin, she was seven. How did she sound? Terrible. But she didn't 1. At twelve, she asked our parents if she could 2 a full-time music school. They said no. Actually, everyone agreed that my sister 3talent.

    I was better at my 4. My teacher had told my parents that I had great potential. So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to 5me. But the only time he was 6was Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m. Back then, I was 7about the British TV shows "The Avengers", which was aired every Saturday at 3 p.m. I let nothing take up my "Avengers" hour. So I 8 this amazing opportunity. Today, I don't even have a 9 in my house.

    My sister became an engineer, but she 10 stopped making music. When she was in her 40s, she switched careers. She went back to college, got a(n)11in music education, and became a music teacher. She starts kids out on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never12.

    Recently, she and a pianist pal put on a recital. A big crowd of friends and family13for her. As she played, I looked around at the audience. Everyone was 14enjoying the music. It occurred to me that I was the only person who remembered that 7 -year-old kid making those perfectly15sounds and knew how far she had come, despite everything.

    Talent is important. But enthusiasm is even more important.

    The back door of the ambulance (救护车) was suddenly shut and the driver ran to the front, jumped into his seat, and started the engine. Inside were the 1parents, Mr. and Mrs. Green, the mother holding their baby daughter Ally. The little girl had 2 food stuck in her throat(喉咙) and could hardly breathe.

    The driver, Mr. White, 3 his siren (报警器) and flashing light, and started speeding towards the nearest hospital, fighting against 4. The cars ahead of him pulled out of the way as he drove through the 5. From the back of the 6the parents were shouting at him to 7, since Ally had almost 8 breathing. In front of him he saw some traffic lights, with the red "STOP" light shining. Mr. White knew that he had no time to 9, so he drove straight past the traffic lights, looking 10 his left and right as he did so.

    Coming towards him from his right was a taxi. The driver had the windows 11, since the car was air-conditioned(空调开放的), and he was playing his radio. He did not 12the ambulance. The lights were green, so he drove straight 13 into the path of the ambulance.  Mr. White tried to stop his ambulance but it was too late. It hit the taxi. Everybody was shaken but no one was hurt. Mr. White looked to see 14Ally was. He was astonished to see relief (宽慰) instead of 15on the faces of the parents.

    "Look!" cried Mrs. Green. "She is 16 again."

    "It must have been the 17" said her husband. "It 18 the food out of her throat." The baby's color was turning to normal(正常的), and she was crying in a loud but healthy 19 . They were all joyful, and quite forgot about the accident, the taxi, and the lines of 20all around them.

    2014-2015 weren't great years for me. My face hung low and my emotion even 1 after each passing day in public high 2 .My wonderful parents noticed how 3 I was feeling. A few weeks later, my 4 took a visit to Florida. This is when the call that changed my world 5: “I found the place for Gabe.”

    Little did I 6, the tears of 2015 would be overtaken many times over by the 7of 2016 and beyond. The school is 8 in the Old City. When I first arrived, I was overtaken by the 9 of the live oaks that lined the stoned streets. I was also overtaken by the 10 of the school. The buildings seemed to11 for miles, complete with a healthcare center, football field, greenhouse, and much more. This school 12 like a foreignland.

    In the 13 , the teachers tried their best to keep them up to date on the best teaching14 for our conditions. Smartboards relayed the writing of the 15 to our CCTV (闭路电视)screens so we could 16 the information in a way that was 17 for our eyes This was the first time I witnessed the world adapting to me in such a 18 way.

    With my first school day 19 , I realized I wouldn11 be going home that afternoon. This was the best decision my parents have ever made for me. This school made me feel like a “normal” high school kid. The school gave me a20 of belonging and of home.