Mom had lived in a nursing home for the past three and a half years, suffering the increasing effects of dementia(老年癡呆). They were tough years, actually   21  for us family members than for her, I believe. She suffered very little __22__ in those final years, less than she __23__ when living in her own home. This was because other people took better care of her than she did herself.
All dementia is not alike. Mom’s form   24  her short-term memory more than her long-term memory. By the time she went to the nursing home, her short-term memory was _25__ non-existent. We learned to _26___ our conversations with her to old things of the past. Usually, she could connect with these __27__ and seem to enjoy us __28___ about them. I noticed in her last year that her long-term memory was __29___., too. And it became ever more __30_ to engage her. In her last six months, we had very little __31___ of her responding, though a few times she __32__us. So, when we called her, we would just __33___ to tell her about our lives, things we were doing, things our children and grandchildren were doing. The __34__ would be short. We would tell her we loved her; she would either be __35__ or make some grunting(咕噥) sounds.
__36__ I expected Mom’s death, it was still bad news to hear. She is __37___. Even one-way conversations were more __38__ than no conversations.
So now, all we have are __39__ and a few physical items that were hers or gifts from her. On Mother’s Day this year we will send no __40__, no gift, make no call. But we will remember her.

When I was in my early twenties, I moved away from my home state of Wisconsin to attend graduate school. I chose to go to the University Of Arizona in Tucson and   36   there. Upon landing in early June, I was shocked by the lack of   37  and the burning desert heat. After less than two days in that  38 I called my parent to question whether I had made the  39  choice and to announce that I was   40  considering coming home. My father, in a calm and  41   voice, indicated that I always had a  42 . I could always come home and be welcome there. But in fact, we both   43  I wouldn’t come home at the time. Needless to say, I chose to   44 .
Many years have passed. My father’s    45  words remain with me. Knowing that I can always   46 , I’ve been able to   47  several challenging situations -unemployment, divorce and even the    48   of my only son. I have also used these words in many cases where others need to know that someone   49  and that they do have a choice.
Whether  50 is earthly, spiritual, or some sense of calm, knowing that we can come home will be just enough to  51 us on our way.
It  52 me, in a way, of the prodigal son（回頭的浪子） who found  53 and love upon returning home. While we don’t have to be like him and hit bottom in life, it is good to know that we can wander and experience pains and  54 in life but we still have a home where love, support and comfort  55 .

For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!
Lydia M. Child
When I was a little girl, my father had a time-honored tradition. Following my bedtime story, he would give me a nose  36  , and whisper the most wonderful words into my ear. “Michelle, of all the little girls in the whole wide world . . .” he would pause.
“ Yes, Daddy?”
“ How did your mommy and I get so  37  to get the best one?”
 38  he had time to finish, I would say, “You got me!” And then he would continue , “The best little girl in the whole wide world, and we got you.” He would end with a bear hug and  39  kiss to my forehead.
Years passed and my father never missed a night, even when I thought he should have. After my basketball team was  40  , he came into my room.
“ Michelle, of all the basketball players in the whole wide world,” he paused.
“ Yes, Daddy?” I stared at the floor.
“ How did your mom and I get so lucky to get the best one?”
“ You didn’t.”
“ Of course we did, Michelle. We have you.”
After I  41  from college, I became engaged. My father never missed a night to call or leave a message  42  me how special I was to him. I even wondered if he would continue calling after I got  43  , but he didn’t. The daily calls I had taken for granted all my life ended the day he died from cancer, only weeks before my wedding. I deeply missed  44  the days with my father.
Standing behind the white church doors, I waited for the wedding march to begin. Before we walking down the aisle, my brother  45  inside his pocket and handed me an ivory napkin. Inscribed (題寫) were the words:
Of all the precious  46  in the whole wide world, how did Mark get so lucky to marry the best one? He married you, Michelle, and he is so lucky! I am so proud of you, my little girl.
Love,
Dad
Without doubt , it was the best wedding gift I  47 , One I would never forget. My father showered me with his gifts every day of his life. How did I get so lucky?

Roy died at an old age with many memories. His life was full of both good and bad memories, but he  26  to remember mostly the good. The bad memories that broke his heart and that he  27 with friends, involved the big war－World War II. So many things about his war experience he remembered  28 great detail.

Roy survived the attack on Normandy－h(huán)e was part of the second wave that landed. He 29 with him the memories of water mixed with the blood of fallen soldiers. He experienced 30 , sweat, blood, fire and salt water just to get to the beach. In terror-filled moments that would forever change his life and the history of our world, his life was robbed of innocence（天真）  31  the realities of war engulfed（吞噬）him.
Not too many months later, he found himself cold and  32 . Close to being completely 33 from air supplies（供給）because of the weather, Roy and his fellows hung on to what little hope they could have. Then Christmas morning came, the weather cleared long enough for supplies to be  34 and word to spread that other troops would soon be there.
Many of the young men who began with Roy did not make it home  35 . They gave their lives to fighting against the Nazi. Those who did survive would never be the same. Many of them were the most patriotic（愛國的）people you would  36 meet, but most of them  37 war. They had experienced it. They knew its final realities－things got blown up while people were killed, and robbed of their beloved ones.
It is Memorial Day in the United States today. We all pray for an end for the world’s need for young men and young women to be placed in harm’s way. We also need to remember those who paid the huge  38 of wars－costs not counted in dollars, but in lost lives, broken hearts, forgotten innocence, broken families, and terrible memories. And as we remember to  39 those who paid this awful price, we also remember in hopes to see an end to war itself.
Please, in their honor, don’t forget their sacrifices（犧牲）. Please, for our world’s sake, don’t forget to pray for  40 .

The first event of my life to be printed into my memory occurred when I was three. My mother stands, working in the  41  and then glances at me with a  42  smile. Two feet down the table, I knock on a chair with a bowl and a spoon,  43  my own invisible (無形的) powder. We wear  44  dresses, mine the leftover  45   from hers, sky blue — mommy’s favorite color. I am her shadow.
However, by 14 I could not  46  my mother. All that I heard every day was NO. I wanted to dye my hair and she said no. I wanted to  47  late with my friends and she said no. I didn’t understand why she said no. She was trying to  48  me from aches and pains and mistakes  49  in her teens. Several years later, I finally understood her, but it was too late. She became ill. I cried and  50 , “Don’t take her, God, please! She is my mother, my mommy, ma, the woman who gave me life. All my years,  51  the hard times and the good, she has been there,  52  to me forever by an invisible umbilical cord (臍帶) that lasts longer after birth.”But this cord, this love could do nothing to stop the cancer from  53 .
A few years later  54  I myself lay in the hospital bed, my newly born daughter was  55  in my arms. I cried and smiled and prayed. Please help me to  56  her into a wonderful girl. And looking down  57  her eyes, I could see the message they held, “Your  58  would be proud.”
I stand in the kitchen now, and these thoughts flashed through my mind. I glance at my young daughter. A  59  feeling rushes through my soul as I take in the familiar  60 .
I am my mother’s shadow.

"Everything happens for the best, "my mother said whenever I faced disappointment, "If you 1 on, something good will happen some day." Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college. I had   2  myself for a sports announcer. So I went to Chicago to knock on the door of every station and was  3 every time. In one station, a kind lady told me that  4 stations wouldn't employ a person without   5   since I had just graduated. "Go out in the town and find a small station that might give you a chance, "she said.
I returned to Dixon, where I had finished my high school education and had   6  in the school football team. My father said that our town had built a store and wanted a man to manage its sports department. The job sounded just  7 for me but I wasn't hired.
My disappointment had  8 as if by design. "Everything happens for the best," Mum  9 me. Dad lent me his car to look for a job. I tried WOC Radio Davenport. The program director told me they had already hired an announcer.  10 I left his office,! asked aloud,"  11 can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?" Suddenly, I heard the director  12  . "Do you know anything about football? " Then he asked me to  13 an imaginary game. It was easy, and I did it without difficulty. The director was  14 and told me I would be broadcasting a game on the   15   Saturday.

Even though it was only October，my students were already whispering about Christmas plans. With each passing day everyone became more_36__ waiting for the final school bell. Upon its__37__ everyone would run for their coats and go home，everyone except David.
David was a small boy in ragged clothes. I had often__38__ what kind of home life David had，and what kind of mother could send her son to school dressed so__39__for the cold winter months without a coat，boots，or gloves. But something made David__40__.I can still remember he was always__41__a smile and willing to help. He always__42__ after school to straighten chairs and mop the floor. We never talked much. He__43__ just simply smile and ask what else he could do，then thank me for letting him stay and slowly__44__ home.
Weeks passed and the__45__ over the coming Christmas grew into restlessness until the last day of__46__ before the holiday break. I smiled in__47__ as the last of them hurried out of the door. Turning around I saw David__48__ standing by my desk.
“I have something for you，”he said and__49__ from behind his back a small box.__50__  it to me，he said anxiously，“Open it.” I took the box from him，thanked him and slowly unwrapped it. I lifted the lid and to my__51__ I saw nothing. I looked at David’s smiling face and back into the box and said，“The box is nice，David，but it’s__52__.”
“Oh，no. It isn’t.” said David. “It’s full of love. My mum told me before she died that love was something you couldn’t see or touch unless you know it’s there.”
Tears filled my eyes___53__I looked at the proud dirty face that I had rarely given__54__ to. After that Christmas，David and I became good friends and I never forgot the meaning__55__the little empty box set on my desk.

How can you make a million dollars in one month? I’m sure I am going to get the ____41____ of many readers with the question. The ____42____ news is that you are not going to make a million dollars in one month ____43____ you win the lottery (彩票) or some other prize.
We all want to be millionaires. However, if you try to ____44____ how they became that rich, you will learn that they worked very ____45____ for the money. That is what most ____46____ have had to do, including Bill Gates and Andrew Carnegie, and they often went ____47____ hardships before they succeeded ____48____.
There are many reasons why the millionaires have made it ____49____ for themselves. In this article, I am going to ____50____ passion (熱情) which I think is the most ____51____ quality to have in order to succeed. I am sure that if one were to ____52____ the people who made millions in their lifetime, this would be found in all of them.
Take J.K. Rowling for ____53____. Her first Harry Potter book was sent to twelve publishing houses, all of which ____54____ to publish it. A year later, she was finally given the chance by a small ____55____, which paid ￡1,500. And the ____56____ from that company was that she should get herself a job since she had little ____57____ of making a living by writing children’s books.
If you want to make a million dollars, find something that ____58____ you really passionate and work hard at it. It doesn’t ____59____ what it is. Let me know how you ____60____.

While I was looking out of the window, I saw an old homeless man crossing the street, carrying a suitcase.
Many times I looked on far away, feeling  36  for the homeless, but did nothing. I did  37 some money to homeless people when I walked by, but never really interacted (互動) with them.
Though we  38  doing something, yet we push it into the deep corners of our heart because we’re too busy, too  39  , or too afraid of strangers.
Today I did what I  40  thought I could. I walked out and ran after the old man. When I  41 him, I asked him if I could buy him  42 . He looked surprised, but accepted it  43 , warning me that he had a good appetite！
I was  44  and excited at the same time. We went to a 45  nearby. I told the waiter to give him whatever he wanted and I would  46  it.
I sat down for a moment asking the old man where he 47 . He told me he was sleeping behind the court house  48  it was warm there. I promised to give him a few jackets to keep him warm. To my surprise, he 49  some inexpensive jewelry on the table and chose a glass necklace for me,  50 someone else had given it to him.
I told him I bought him lunch not to get something  51 . But he insisted on my having it.
When it was time to go back to work, I  52 for not being able to stay with him and promised to sit down with him for lunch next time and  53  more.

Years ago I had the opportunity to meet a girl who reinforced my understanding of the power of belief. She was   36  the most powerful person I had ever met. I met Chris for the first time while taking the Dale Carnegie   37  in California.
Our class had already been going for quite some time when   38 , supported by metal crutches（拐杖）,   39   herself in. Chris had cerebral palsy（大腦性麻痹）. She had many   40  in communicating with others. This was not due to   41  of desire, but because most of her twenty-one years of life she had been kept in a room with no more than Elvis records and tapes to   42  her. No one had taken the time to assist her in developing the ability to   43 . It was Bonnie, her current caretaker, who   44  there was much more to Chris than anyone else gave her credit for.
When asked by the instructor what her goal   45  the twelve-week course was, Chris struggled to respond and became frustrated and   46  in the process. For most of her   47 nobody would listen to her. The only way she knew to get someone to   48  was through temper outbursts. With Bonnie as her interpreter, Chris conveyed that her   49  was to be able to stand by herself in front of forty-five people and tell us about herself.
On the twelfth week, Chris stood in front of the room and   50  with us, in her own words, what her life had been like. It was one of the most beautiful and enlightening experiences I had ever   51 . Though as a girl who had in many ways been   52 , she believed that she could __53__ more in her life and she did. And she also had the love and support of forty-five friends, who, just weeks before, had been   54  strangers.
What we all witnessed through Chris’ courage is that life is   55  moment by moment, based on our beliefs, which are relevant to both our personal and professional direction and have the power to make our wildest dreams come true.