阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A，B，C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

    I was a single parent of four small children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a 1 over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, and if not a lot, always 2. Not knowing we were poor, my kids(孩子们) just thought I was 3. I've always been glad about that.

    It was Christmas time, and although there wasn't 4 for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party. But the big 5 for the kids was the fun of Christmas 6.

    They planned weeks ahead of time, asking 7 what they wanted for Christmas. Fortunately, I had saved $120 for 8 to share by all five of us.

    The big 9 arrived. I gave each kid a twenty-dollar bill and 10 them to look for gifts of about four dollars each. Then everyone scattered(散开). We had two hours to shop; then we would 11 back at the “Santa's Workshop”.

    Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, 12 my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually 13. She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies—fifty-cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn't say anything 14 we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door,15 to be angry again. This is what she told me.

     “I was looking 16 thinking of what to buy, and I 17 to read the little cards on the ‘Giving Trees.' One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll. So I took the card off the tree and 19 the doll for her. We have so much and she doesn't have anything.”

    I never felt so 20 as I did that day.

    Everyone admires somebody, perhaps for something they do, say or believe. My 1is a person I've followed almost my entire life. Troy Aikman is a legend in the National Football League, and a2for me to learn from.

    I became interested in Troy when I 3a football game between his team and another famous team. Although I was too young to understand what the 4were doing, I admired how Troy5himself on and off the 6When it came to his chances, his accurate passes were amazing, making others easy to catch, and when he took7his helmet on the sidelines(旁观), he always seemed to be in a good mood. The more I learn about Troy, the more my 8in him grows.

    To build a children's 9in Irving, Texas, Troy10much of his own money. It11children in poor families to get free health care. I was not 12of his charitable side until I went to look for more about him.

    I 13Troy's football career until 2000, when he had to quit football because of all the blows he had taken to the14I was disappointed, but 15he hadn't suffered any more brain damage. Fox TV asked him to be a sports announcer, and Troy accepted as a way to16part of the game. Troy has been asked to play again by many teams, but he always.17and focuses on his hospital instead.

    Heroes are everywhere, helping worthy causes and influencing kids18 Not only was Troy an amazing football player, he's also a19and happy gentleman off the field. All these 20my eye, and that's why I'm proud Troy Aikman is my hero.

    It was my first day to Miss Hargrove's seventh grade. Past “newcomer experiences” had been difficult, so I was very1to fit in. After being introduced to the class, I bravely put on a smile and2my seat.

    Lunchtime was a(n)3surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. They were friendly, so I began to4. My new classmates told me about the school, the teachers and the other kids. They5out the class nerd（书呆子）to me: Mary Lou. She was a pretty girl with dark eyes and olive-skin,6she wore a long woolen skirt and an old-fashioned blouse. She looked stupid. The girls whispered and laughed7Mary Lou walked by. She ate alone.

    After school, the girls invited me to8them in front of the school. I was9to be a member of the club. We waited. For what, I didn't know. Then Mary Lou came down the school steps. The girls started10her, shouting rudely, biting comments. I11, and then joined right in. Mean remarks12from my lips. No one could tell I'd never done this before. The other girls stepped back and started cheering for me. Feeling13, I pulled on her backpack and then pushed her. Her backpack broke. Mary Lou fell and I backed off. Everyone was laughing. I14in. I was a leader.

    I was not proud. Something inside me hurt. If you've ever picked a wing off a butterfly, you know how I felt. Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and left without a tear or saying anything. She held her head15as blood ran down from her knee. I16her struggle away down the street.

    I turned to leave with my17friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. He must have been Mary Lou's father—he had the same olive skin, dark hair and handsome look. He remained still and watched the18girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both sadness and pride—followed. As I passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that reminded me of my19.

    Mary Lou's father's eyes taught me a good lesson that day. I never again hurt someone for my own20.

    Once upon a time there lived an old man in a nice cottage with a large garden. The old man was seen 1 for his flowers all the time. They were so well-tended that every passer-by could not but 2 for a glance.

    One day a young man went by the garden. He gazed at the splendid garden,  3 in admiration at the beauty of these views. Then, suddenly he 4 the old gardener was blind. 5, the young man asked, "Why are you busy tending these flowers every day which you can't 6 in fact?" The old man smiled and answered, "I can tell you 7 reasons. First I was a 8  when I was young, and I really like this job. Second, although I can't see these flowers, yet I can 9 them. Third, I can smell sweetness of them. As to the last one, that's 10."

    "Me? But you don't know me," responded the young man 11.

    "Yeah, it's 12 that I don't know you. But I know everyone loves flowers and would never 13. I know the beauty of my garden will get many people into a good 14. In the meantime, it also 15 a chance to me to have a word with you here and to enjoy the happiness these flowers have brought us."

    The old man's 16 astonished me. The blind man grows flowers and 17  them as a link of minds so as to make 18 enjoy the sunshine in spring. Isn't it one kind of happiness？

    I believe every flower has 19 with which they can see the kindness of the man's heart. The blind man grows flowers in his heart. Though 20 to see the beauty of blossoming, he surely can hear the voice of it, I suppose.

    A few years ago, I was working in a small office. I noticed that even though the organization was not 1, we often worked in separate teams, and while everyone was friendly, we were not very close to each other and not very 2.

    One particular week, I decided to make people 3, but I wanted to do it secretly, perhaps with the slight 4 that it'd invite a sense of trust or playfulness in the work culture. So one evening, I wrote a few 5 with quotes which I felt have 6 me over the years. The next morning, I went to work a bit early and 7 posted them up by the sinks and mirrors in the office restrooms. Maybe people would 8 the quotes and perhaps it might just help 9 someone's day.

    For the next few months, some of the quotes got taken down, but a couple 10. So perhaps others liked them, too.

    Finally, I 11that organization and went to work for another company. A couple of years passed during which time I'd still get emails 12 from my old boss and teammates every so often.

    A few months ago, I was 13 to a reunion with them to hear how the project I had 14 was going. I had really enjoyed working with my team, and was 15 to see them all again. Towards the end of the event, I went to the 16 and noticed the quote I had written three years ago was still up in the 17 spot by the mirror! It read:

    The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but seeing with new eyes.

    -Marcel Proust

    Maybe the quote simply blended into (融合) the background for the employees, or perhaps it still 18 as a shining reminder of something important.

    It was such a 19 reminder. We never know how long a seed(种子) will take to come out and give fruit, but we should simply keep 20 seeds of kindness in our hearts.

    I'm not a person who loves collecting, but the TV room of my house is full of things. In it are things that there's no other place to put, and things I can't decide1to throw away, such as a lot of old bottles and boxes, some books and out-of-date magazines and a wood stove (炉子) I2use. The TV itself could actually work, but I only turn it3every four years to watch the presidential election.

    The other night, scratching (抓) sounds from the TV room4me up. Quietly, I entered the room,5the stove and opened its front door. There it was, a trembling squirrel,6me desperately.

    I decided to give it a(n)7escape way. Therefore, I opened the outside door, stepped back and8. The squirrel jumped out of the9, but didn't head outside.10, it run through my magazine pile and then struggled among the bottles.

    "Why didn't it11?" I wondered for a while until I12 that I probably put13into that small squirrel's heart. So I quickly14myself in the kitchen and watched the uninvited guest through the window. In my15, the squirrel became16enough to look around and assess the situation. Suddenly, it17merrily.

    The animal actually did a great18: I couldn't stand my19TV room for so long, so after the unexpected guest's leaving I spent half a day cleaning and throwing. I eventually got a tidy TV room and some20space.