I have written a poem called Flying Kites, in which a man 1 his son to fly a kite. After a few minutes, the child2 drops the string and lets the kite soar(高飞). With joy in his eyes, he watches it climb until it disappears 3.The father realizes that 4 he'll have to loosen the string that ties him to his son. And he 5 ,“Will I release the tie as unselfishly as that?”

    Many years later my son, Gary,6 he wouldn't finish his college career. I tried to talk him out of it. But none of my reasoning made any 7 . At the end of the semester Gary moved back home.

    Gary managed to find a job at a nursery and went at it with 8enthusiasm. I,9, was deeply disappointed. What was a college professor's 10  doing at a job that any high school dropout could perform? Then I tried to11 him. “Look,” I said, “In a few years you'll be at your high school reunion with 12 classmates who became doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Do you think you'll be able to 13 that?”

    “Yes, Dad,” he replied without 14. Then he fixed his eyes on mine and said, “But the real question is: Can you?”

    Shame suddenly 15 me. I wasn't thinking about my son; I was thinking about myself and what my friends would think. The problem wasn't Gary's pride; it was mine. All at once I remembered my  16  and the question it asked “ Will I release the 17 as unselfishly as that?”. At that moment I knew I had to let go. Gary was  18 enough to make his own choices.

    Today Gary has a successful career working for the city. I am very 19 of who he has become.20I let go of my pride, I've been able to sit back and enjoy watching him soar.

    I sat down at my desk and started writing a letter of thankfulness, but when it came to actually putting the letter into the mailbox... I 1 ...I couldn't do it. I suddenly felt a sense of 2and insecurity (不安).

    The letter was to an old teacher with whom I kept in 3 on Facebook. For months, I read about what she 4 on her Facebook page, which helped me to live my life differently. Her volunteer (志愿者) work wasn't huge. 5, she was doing small, local good deeds.6 , she changed my views on the world and for some reason, I felt I should let her know how her example7 influenced me.

    I could have easily sent her an email, but that seemed not enough for such an important thank-you. That's why I ended up8 the letter. But now here I was, standing before the mailbox, unable to put the envelope inside. What was stopping me? It suddenly hit me that I was 9 of being too nice. I guess I felt strange 10 it wasn't like she was my best friend or a relative. Maybe my 11 was too heartfelt. Thinking this over, I put the envelope in the mailbox 12.

    Weeks later I received a message from her. It turned out she was 13 a hard time and my note 14 a lot to her. She said she had no idea she was playing such a big 15in others' life.

    Not only did this letter make her happier, but her response to it brightened my world and 16my level of happiness as well. I was so 17 that it had such a great influence on her that I decided to write a(n) 18 letter to someone each month. Now it's easier for me to19 the goodness in others and be more20 for this beautiful life I'm living.

    Seven years ago, our daughter, Alle Shea, was born. All of our family were excited with the new arrival. After she was given to me by a nurse from the delivery room, I 1 her cautiously, wondering how 2 life was.

    However, our joy 3 for just several seconds. We noticed that she was crying weakly and refused to 4. We went to have the doctor check on her health. After the 5 , the doctor told us our daughter was 6 with the rare bone disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta （成骨不全症）. At birth Alle Shea's skull looked like a(n) 7 egg on the x-rays.

    Watching my daughter 8 was the greatest pain. After being terribly tortured （折磨）for a long time, my wife and I 9 take our five-week-old daughter off life support, by far the most 10 decision of our life. The day Alle was leaving us, we were able to take her outside on the hospital deck and hold her in our arms until she 11 .

    We had two 12 that day: we could have let the sadness overtake us, or we could turn it into a 13 Since that day, my wife and I have worked 14 volunteering our time hosting special events, and talking to others about OI. We even 15 hospitals to join us - and this is the battle we are still 16 . Over the seven years, we have 17 thousands of hours. In February of 2015 we18.

    OI Care for You program. Ever since, we have been sending stuffed animals to children with OI. Each present brings them a smile and 19 . Many OI families thank us for doing what we do and giving them another way to show 20 for a family member with OI.

Geraniums of Love

    As the fifth of seven children, I went to the same public school as my three elder sisters and brother. Every year, my mother went to the same ceremony and had parent-child interviews（亲子交流会）with the same teachers. The only thing different was the child. And every child 1 an old

    Geraniums school tradition—the annual plant sale（拍卖会）held in early May, just in time for 2 Day.

    Third grade was the first time that I was allowed to take part in the plant sale. I wanted to surprise my mother. 3, I didn't have any money. I went to my eldest sister and 4 the secret, and she gave me some money. When I arrived at the plant sale, I carefully made my 5. I agonized（苦苦思索）over that decision, 6 each plant to ensure that I had indeed found the best geranium. The moment I had smuggled it home, with the help of my sister, I 7 it on the upstairs neighbor's porch. I was very afraid my mother would find it before Mother's Day, but my sister assured me that she wouldn't, and 8 she did not.

    When Mother's Day arrived, I was bursting with pride when I gave her that geranium. I remember how bright her eyes were, and how delighted she was with my 9.

    The year I was fifteen, my younger sister reached third grade. In early May, she came to me full of wonder and secrecy and told me that there was going to be a plant sale at school and she wanted to 10 our mother. Like my 11 sister did for me, I gave her some money and off she went. She arrived at home full of 12 excitement, the geranium hidden in a paper bag 13 her sweater. "I looked at every plant," she explained, "and I know I got the 14 one!"

    I helped my little 15 hide that geranium on the upstairs neighbor's porch, assuring that our mother wouldn't find it before Mother's Day. I was there when she gave my mother the geranium, and I watched them both bursting with pride and 16. It was like being in a dream I had already dreamed. My mother noticed me 17, and she gave me a soft secret smile. Shocked and puzzled, I 18 back. I had been wondering how my mother could 19 to be surprised at this gift from her sixth child. But as I watched her eyes light up with delight as she was 20 with that most precious gift, I knew she was not pretending.

    This is a simple T-shirt, but it has taught me the significance of 1. Looking at it, I go back into the past.

    It was a warm day when I 2my elementary school. It made me quite 3. I lay in my front yard in the warm sun. As I fell into sleep, I vaguely heard my mother's steps approaching. Then, I sat up, 4 lemonade or some apples. But she was carrying 5, and her face was just as 6. There must be something wrong. "Simon is in 7," she said.

    Simon was my stepfather's nephew. 8 we were not related by blood, Simon in some way meant more to me than any blood relative. Being both 9, we always went hiking and surfing together. I really enjoyed his 10 I wished to attend middle school with him, too.

    "He has cancer," my mom added. When I heard that, my stomach got heavier. "But he will 11, right?" I asked. "Because he has a rare case, it's not clear whether he can defeat it." My mom replied.

    Day by day, Simon seemed to be getting weaker and his 12 was bad, making him lack nutrition (营养). Throughout his 13, Simon suffered allergic shock (过敏) due to the medicine's side effects. Somehow, Simon was having a (an) 14 later. The whole family were thrilled. 15, Simon's improvement turned out to be a flash in a pan (昙花一现).

    It was around then that I 16 the "Simon Says…" T-shirt, which was designed with letters, "Simon Says… Cancer is a detour (绕行), instead of a stop sign." I proudly wore Simon's present in the summer vacation and 17 wearing it when later attending middle school. That sentence taught me however that challenge fought against us, we shouldn't 18.

    At last, Simon didn't 19it. But his T-shirt would have a lasting positive impact on the world. Simon 20and inspired countless people with his spirits.

When I lived in Boston, I taught English as a second language to adult students from around the world. On the last day, they threw a nice party. I was amazed they had learned enough English {#blank#}1{#/blank#} （arganize） such an event altogether. At the end of the party, they proudly handed me a gift box. After the box {#blank#}2{#/blank#} （open）, I gently lifted a beautiful coat from it. "We went shopping for a new coat!" they all shouted {#blank#}3{#/blank#} wonderfully perfect English.