Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers.

    Some years later, they got together again. While having dinner, they 1 for along time. They discussed the 2 they had given their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, "I had a 3 house built for Mama." The second said, "I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer (经销商) send a 4 to her.” The third said, "I built a beautiful 5 for Mama." The fourth said, "You know 6 Mama loved reading poems and you know she can't read anymore because she can't 7 very well. I met a businessman who had a parrot (鹦鹉) that can recite many 8. It took him 20 years to 9 it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years, 10 it is worth it." On hearing that, the other brothers were 11 by his good thought.

    After the holidays their mother 12 her thank-you notes. She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to 13 the whole house. It's a tiring job. Thanks anyway."

    "Marvin, I am too old to 14. I stay home and have my foods delivered, so I'll 15 use the car.  The 16 was good, although not practical. Thanks."

    "Michael, you gave me an expensive building for 50 people to 17 plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I've almost 18 my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I won't use it. Thank you all the same."

    "Dearest Melvin, you are the 19 son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so 20. I liked it very much. Thank you.”

About the movie

    It is the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (finally) part of the Hobbit movie trilogy, and it came out in the US on Dec 17. The main character Bilbo Baggins is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} of fantasy's most famous heroes. In the movie, he helps the dwarves to get their kingdom back from the dragon Smaug, and also fights an {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(expect) group of enemies. He shows that true heroics are not the absence of fear, but {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(have) that fear and doing something anyway.

Difficulties Freeman once had

    He {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(use) be overshadowed (使逊色) by Benedict Cumberbatch, his co-star in Sherlock. He seemed to be unable to take the role in the Hobbit trilogy because of his role in Sherlock.

His personality and habits

    He is known {#blank#}6{#/blank#} being outspoken and {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(describe) as “direct and mean”. He is so old {#blank#}8{#/blank#} he doesn't use computers much, so he prefers his scripts to be mailed to him rather than e-mailed. He doesn't drive, and he's not interested in {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(hang) out with celebrities at clubs. He said he always saw the world in a funny way and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(learn) not to care about being criticized.

    My husband, Tom, has always been good with animals, but I was still amazed when he befriended a female grouse (松鸡). It's 1for a grouse to have any contact (接触)with people. In fact, they're hard to spot, 2they usually fly off when they hear humans approaching

    This grouse came into our lives in 3Tom was working out in the field when he 4her walking around at the edge of the field. She was 5unafraid and seemed to be6about what he was doing,

    Tom saw the 7bird several times, and site got more comfortable around him. We quickly grew8of the bird and decided to call her Mildred.

    One day, as Tom was working, Mildred came within a few feet of him to watch. Tom 9he didn't see her and kept working to see what she would do next.

    Apparently, she didn't like to be 10 She'd run up and peck (啄) at Tom's hands, then 11off to see what he would do. This went on for about 20 minutes, until Mildred became tired of the 12and left.

    As spring went and summer came, Mildred started to 13_more and more often. 14Mildred felt comfortable enough to jump up on Tom's leg and stay long enough for me to get a 15of the two of them together. This friendly grouse soon felt16no just with our family, but with anybody who walked or drove by.

    When hunting season opened, we put a17at the end of our driveway asking18not to shoot our pet grouse. My father, who lived down the road,19warned people not to shoot her.20 hunters would stop and take pictures, because they had never seen anything like her.

    27- year - old Ross OC Jennings has become an online celebrity for his bagpipe-playing (演奏风笛) photos across the globe. He calls 1 the First Piper.

    The seed for the world traveling idea 2 him when he attended a travel expo in London, where he met adventurers who shared their 3from across the globe. Ross was attracted by their stories.

    The 4 began on a night in Tunisia in May 2014 by chance. Ross 5 his bags without knowing much about the North African country. 6Tunisia, he traveled across Western Europe, the mountains of China, played in front of the Taj Mahal in India and Cambodians ancient temples. But his greatest 7was in Kenya.

    On the way to Nairobi, Ross arrived at a famous 8 sanctuary (禁猎区) and hotel in Kenya. He begged the hotel owners to ask if he could play the bagpipes there. They answered9, "Of course the house was built by a Scotsman." "the minute I started playing all these giraffes started 10 towards me, rocking. It was the most 11 audience I've ever had.

    Ross has three 12 when traveling. First, pipe in a school to interact with students; second, challenge himself to play in a dramatic place; and last, play in public. His Facebook is filled with 13 taken from around the world.

    Ross's journey is all 14 thanks to his unique music career, which started at the 15 of thirteen when he was offered the chance to play bagpipes at school. After leaving university, he 16 "the last thing I wanted to do was work behind a desk". Inspired by the travel expo and equipped with his bagpipes, he made his wish to17a real desk.

    18 planning what to do in the countries Ross visits, the plans seem to find him. He said, "Chance is a big part of it. That's why I partly, intentionally, don't try to plan too much." The music connects people in uncommon and wonderful 19. "Without having this dripping in clichés（陈词滥调）, it is amazing how20 does connect people and how it makes people smile," Ross said.

    Several months ago, Greece suffered from the refugee (难民) disaster. I hadn't been 1 of the Scale (规模) of it until I actually got to Greece. I2as manager of the Oinofyta Camp. This work is like being a 3, And I realized that I had met my 4, which was to take care of them and show them that they were loved and cared about, not5.

    All of the Greek islands are 6. I have a camp that within three or four days could 7500 people.

    When your life is spent getting handouts (救济的) from everyone all day, you lose your 8. I had this 9 idea that it would be great to start a business, sewing bags from leftover 10 material. Those people were the 11 people in the camp because they had a purpose. We have 12 in America who want to buy these bags now.

    Learning to say 13 has been one of the harder things here at the camp; the constant 14of residents. I was so happy for them when they got their family 15, and so sad because I knew that the16 of me being able to 17 see them again was pretty slim.

    My 18 kids are all asking me the same question now: “Mom, when are you coming home?” I don't know. I hope that my legacy (遗赠) here is that the refugees will always remember that I cared about them, that they were special and 19, and that they were worthy of that 20.

I'd say I quarrel with my parents a lot.Throughout high school,I was always jealous(羡慕的) of some of my friends who didn't seem to have those problems at home,but I've come to see over the years that no one's situation is perfect.

Part of the reason I work all week during my break,in addition to the money,of course,is to be out of the house to avoid continuing quarrels.At work,I eat lunch with my friend Krysta every day,but the best days are when our favourite workmate,Lucy,is on her lunch break at the same time as us.Her funny way of storytelling always has us laughing happily,and although she is almost old enough to be our mom,she feels more like a best friend.

A few weeks ago,however,there was a change in our lunch conversation,and the story she told had us in real tears instead of our usual tears of laughter.A more serious topic had come up,and she sat us down to explain the importance of forgiveness(宽恕),especially when it came to our parents.Telling stories of her troubled relationship with her mother,she changed my whole outlook on life and my feelings towards my parents.She reminded(提醒) us that no matter how much resentment(怨恨) we're feeling in a moment of anger,we have to be thankful for the support they provide and learn to forgive everything else.

This week I've spent my break at home,having very small quarrels and lots of quality time together with my parents.Sometimes you need a reminder to make you realize how important it is to let go of past resentment and work to repair broken relationships.My workmate's moving stories not only brought me to tears in the break room at work that day but served as that wake-up call as well.