People from every corner flooded into the streets that Christmas Eve. "Frosty the Snowman," and "Jingle Bells" 1 in stores; on the pavements, the street singers performed happily. Everyone was 2 by someone else, delighted and cheerful. I was alone.

    As one of 8 kids of a Brazilian family, brought up in America's crowded apartment, I'd spent several years searching for aloneness. Now,3, at 27, a college student after the 4 with my girlfriend, every cell inside me wanted to be alone,5  not at Christmas. My family had 6to Brazil and my friends were 7with their own lives. Dusk was approaching, and the fact that I had to return to my 8 home made me sad. Lights from windows blinked (闪烁), and I hoped someone would 9 from one of those homes to invite me inside with a Christmas tree decorated with shiny fake snow and 10 presents.

    At a market, I felt more 11 when people were buying lots of goods, which12 the gifts we received as children in my mind. I missed my family and wanted to cry for wanting to be alone and for having achieved it.

    Outside the church, a manger (小耶稣) had been set 13. I stood with others watching the scene, some of them 14 themselves, praying. As I walked home, I realized that leaving Brazil was still a painful experience as I struggled with 15 I had become in 15 years in America. I'd mourned (悲叹) the 16, but for the first time, I recognized what I'd gained. I was independent, 17 and healthy. My life was still ahead, full of 18.

    Sometimes the best gift is the one that you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself 19 for what I'd obtained up to now and promise to go forward. It is the best gift I've ever got, the one that I most 20.

    I never thought I'd be a “runner”. I was the girl who 1 slowest in the PE class. A few years ago, I was walking with a group of2 in the Race for the Cure, a 5KM race designed to 3 money for the fight against breast cancer4 one lady caught my 5.

    She was one of the weakest-looking women I've ever seen. She must have been close to seventy years old,6a T-shirt with the word “Survivor.” She was so small that it seemed as if she could even be  7by a swift wind. But she was running. And she was 8 me my group of friends. She ran slowly, but 9—as if each step pushed her cancer further into her past. Right at that moment, I 10that in the next Race for the Cure, I'd be running along with her.

    A week later, I found myself in the11, running on the treadmill (跑步机). Three minutes after I started, my face was bright red. I felt like my lungs were going to12. I had to slow down to a walk. I thought of the 13at the race. I kept it up. I was able to go a little  14 each time. Three and a half minutes. Four minutes. Five.

    A year later, I was 15 at the Race for the Cure, but this time, I 16 with the runners. When the race started, the other runners passed me by. I ran forward. I wondered if I'd be 17 to do it. But then, I remembered the brave woman. I ran as fast as I could until I finally crossed that finish line. I had just 18 my first race! I looked down at my legs, 19. They had done something I'd never thought 20. I have never felt stronger than at that moment. And, I knew that I wanted to do it again.

    I believe in my mother very much, and my belief began when I was just a kid. I dreamed of becoming a 1 then.

    My mother was a servant. Through her work, she 2 that reliable people spent a lot of time 3 than they did watching TV. So she 4 my brother and I could only watch two TV programs every week. We had to read two books each week and 5 our book reports to her, 6 she would mark them. Years later we realized her marks were a 7 --she was illiterate (不认识字的).

    When I entered high school I was an A-student. But I wanted the fancy 8 and to hang out with other guys. I went from being an A-student to a B-student then a C-student. One night my mother came home from work and I 9 about not having an Italian shirt. She said, "I'll give you all the money I 10 this week, and you can buy the family food and pay the bills.11 there is some money left, you can have all you want."

    I was very 12 with that arrangement but once I allocated (分配)the money, there was 13 left. I realized my mother was a financial genius and was able to have a(n)14 over our heads. I also realized that 15satisfaction wasn't going to get me anywhere.

    I went back to my 16 and became an A-student again, and eventually I17 my dream and became a doctor.

    My mother is a woman with 18education who can only take her position as a parent to 19 the lives of us. There is no job more 20 than parenting(养育) and it's just what I believe.

    Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to 1 how much I wanted to see France; evidently, my excitement really came through in my words. Once I 2 that I was going, all I could think about was the fun of foreign travel and making all sorts of new and 3 friends. While traveling was inspiring and meeting people was 4, nothing about my term in France was what I 5.

    The moment I arrived in Paris, I was 6 by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. My entire experience was joyous and exciting 7 I received some shocking news from my program-coordinator (协调人): there had been a death in my host parents' extended family. They had to travel outside France for several weeks. That afternoon, I had to 8 out of one family's house and into another. The exchange coordinator told me I'd have a 9 this time and asked whether I could share a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid the temptation to 10 my native language, I asked not to be 11 with an English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I 12 myself to my new roommate Paolo, a 13, the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of the 14.

    I left France with many 15, so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they are always 16 to hear me talk about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the scores of weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends 17 France we enjoyed together. I love how people can seem so different, but end up being so 18. The most valuable lesson I gained from studying in France wasn't just to respect the French people 19 to respect all people, for your next best friend could be just a continent away. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful 20.

    It was our first Thanksgiving in the new house and I wanted everything to be perfect. But my plan for everyone to do some preparation work had been1by my husband's business trip. Even worse, a project for me that week had2two days of planned vacation. By Wednesday, my task of a table with fresh flowers,3drinking glasses and various homemade desserts had already4, I just hoped that I'd find a clean tablecloth and eight5forks.

    In my perfect Thanksgiving, there wouldn't be any orange in my salad because It hadn't made the grocery list. There would be no perfect family photos to record that day because I hadn't got the broken camera6. Someone had brought home the wrong toilet paper, which was the last straw that made me7.

    I don't remember what my son asked me as he was doing some cleaning,8I do remember twisting into that mean-and-tight mom-face before making an9. This combination of noise and anger is a universal signal to kids everywhere that they might as well10me. But he didn't.

    Instead of disappearing from view, my second-grader turned11the cleaning machine and walked across the room to12me. He never said a word. He just13his arms around me, making me feel14of myself until today.

It turned out a(n)15Thanksgiving. The people I loved gathered around my table and dined just one choice of the pie. My dad used a mismatched fork without16. My daughter drew a picture of us where everyone smiled.

    My son took a(n)17to teach me that sometimes we need a hug most when we are18huggable. This is the best gift you can give: One size19all and no one ever minds if you20.

Once,in a lovely garden,lived the most beautiful butterfly in the world.She was so pretty,and had won so many beauty contests {#blank#}1{#/blank#} she had become very proud.One day,the naughty cockroach(蟑螂)got fed up with her showing off,and decided {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(teach)her a lesson.

She went to see the butterfly,and in front of everyone she said that the butterfly wasn't really that {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(beauty),and that the butterfly only won the competitions because the judges had been paid.In {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(real),the cockroach was the most beautiful.

The butterfly was {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(anger) and said to the cockroach,"I will beat you in a beauty contest,with whichever judges you yourself choose."

"OK,I accept.See you on Saturday," answered the cockroach,and left without {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(wait) for a reply.

That Saturday everyone went to the beauty contest.The butterfly {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(arrive) completely confident of victory until she saw {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the judges were:cockroaches,worms and beetles.All of {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(they) preferred the ugliness and bad smell of the cockroach.

The butterfly was left {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(cry)and disappointed,wanting never to enter another beauty contest in her life.Fortunately,the cockroach forgave the butterfly for her pride and they became friends.