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 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 big9 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(情绪), 12 my younger daughter, Ginger, who was unusually 13. She had only one small, flat(瘪的) 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 in the ‘Giving Trees.' One was for a little girl, four years old, and all she 18 for Christmas was a doll(玩具娃娃). 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 20as I did that day.

    From my second grade on, there was one event I feared every year: the piano recital(独奏演唱会). A recital 1I had to practice a boring piece of music and perform before strangers. Each year I 2ask my father if I could skip the recital “just this once”. And each year he would shake his head, muttering(嘀咕)3about build self-confidence and working toward a 4.

    So it was with really great5that I stood in church one recent Sunday, video camera in hand, and 6my 68-year-old father sweating in his shirt 7rising to play the piano in his very first recital.

    My father had longed to play music since childhood, but his family was poor and couldn't 8lessons. He could have gone on regretting it,9too many of us do. But though he was rooted in his past, he wasn't 10there. When he retired three years ago, he 11 his church music director to take him as a student.

    For a moment after my father sat down at the keyboard, he 12stared down at his fingers. Has he forgotten the 13? I worried, remembering those split seconds14ago when my mind would go blank and my fingers would 15. But then came the beautiful melody(旋律)，from the 16fingers that once baited(装饵于) my fishing lines. And I17he had been doing what music teachers always stress:18the music and pretend the others aren't there.

     “I'm 19of him for starting something new at his age,” I said to my son Jeff.

    “Yeah, and doing it so20,” Jeff added.

    With his first recital, my father taught me more about courage and determination than all the words he used those 30-plus years ago.

    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.

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.

    Paul looked out of the window of the classroom and sighed. The driveway was still 1 and it was getting dark. His dad had said that he would 2 him up by 5:30, but it was almost seven and Paul hadn't heard a word from him. Paul 3 to do some of his reading homework. 4, he couldn't help thinking of his dad. He knew that his dad had a 5 and a life, but he couldn't 6 why he was always breaking his 7.

    The next day at school, Paul didn't 8 his math homework. Paul's teacher noticed his unusually 9 performance and asked him why. Paul didn't want to 10 him. He knew that if he started talking a flood of 11 would pour out. He just wanted to be alone with his 12, so he sat there 13, not even looking at the teacher. "Well Paul, you can't have this thing 14 you up. The sooner you get it off your 15, the sooner you can heal."

    As Paul walked home from school, he 16 the things the teacher had told him. Paul knew that he hadn't 17 himself recently. Maybe he stopped doing his work because he was looking for 18 from his father. He realized that he wasn't just letting his dad 19 his plans, but he was letting him spoil his 20. He decided to take the teacher's advice.

    I work with Volunteers for Wildlife, a rescue and education organization at Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. Trying to help 1, displaced or sick creatures can be heartbreaking; 2 is never certain. However, when it works, it is 3 beautiful.

    I got a rescue call from a woman in Muttontown. She had found a young owl(猫头 鹰)on the ground. When I arrived, I saw a 2-to-3-week-old owl. It had already been placed in a carrier for 4.

    I 5 the chick(雏鸟)and it seemed tine. If I could 6 the nest, I might have been able to put it 7, but no luck. My next work was to construct a nest and 8 it in a tree.

    The homeowner was very 9. A wire basket was found. I put some pine 10into the basket to make this nest safe and comfortable. I placed the chick in the nest, and it quickly 11 down.

    Now all that was needed were the 12 but they were absent. I gave the homeowner a recording of the 13 screams of owl chicks. These 14 the presence of chicks to adults; they might also encourage our chick to start calling 15I gave the owner as much information as possible and headed home to see what news the night might bring.

    A 16 night to be sure, but sometimes the spirits of nature 17 on us all! The homeowner called to say that the parents had 18 to the recordings. I drove over and saw the chick in the nest looking healthy and active. And it was 19 by the greatest sight of all — LUNCH! The parents had done their 20 and would probably continue to do so.