After reading the
passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically
correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper
form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each
blank.
To
any soldier
I served as a second lieutenant
(少尉) in a war thirty years ago. Married
for only a year and a half, I missed my wife and baby daughter a lot. In the
years before cell phones and Wi-Fi, we had limited opportunities {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (communicate) with loved ones.
One night while sitting by myself, I investigated the "Any
Soldier" mailbox, a cardboard box with letters and packages from
Americans. I chose one shoebox-size package. Inside I found about 20 greeting
cards {#blank#}2{#/blank#} children. At the bottom was a letter written
by their teacher {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (explain) how her kids had put the box
together and how they supported our efforts in the war. Truly touched at that
very moment by this gesture, I decided to write a letter of gratitude. I
thanked the teacher for {#blank#}4{#/blank#} her children had done—its impact on my
patriotism, my morale, and, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (significantly), my uplifted faith. For
security reasons, I was able to sign only my name.
Around 2013, I received a Facebook friend request from a
woman with {#blank#}6{#/blank#} I shared no contacts. I replied that {#blank#}7{#/blank#} we were friends, I could not accept her
request. She responded with one question: "Are you Second Lieutenant
Bartholomew?" I replied that I had been at one time.
"Dear sir," she wrote. "We have never met,
but thirty years ago I was a second-grade teacher at a school in Ohio and our
classroom sent a care package {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (address)
to Any Service Member.' The thank-you letter you composed was framed and
it {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (post) on the wall of the school for more than
20 years. I wanted to again thank you for your service to our country."
We never spoke again, but this gracious teacher strengthened
my belief in doing what my mother always taught me: Write thank-you notes— {#blank#}10{#/blank#} never know how many people your kindness can
touch.
