I went out to breakfast this morning to meet a friend. It was lovely. But what wasnˈt so lovely was the lady who took our_(1)__.She spoke in a way that was frustrated, unhappy, _(2)__not friendly, and sort of rude.

When it came to my___(3)___to approach her and order, I thought to myself, “What can I do here to make her day, to__(4)___her, and to make her smile？”

I had nothing. Surely there must be something I can__(5)__praise her. Then there it was and I knew immediately. It was her__(6)__.She had the most extremely well spoken and clear voice. It was so good. Professionally good. I had it. That was it. That was what I would__(7)___her up.

So after she took my order and gave me the same unfriendly___(8)_, I told her, “I must say you have the most___(9)__voice. Itˈs so clear, well spoken and sounds so___(10)__.”I told her how she honestly had one of those voices that would be perfect for announcements or__(11)___radio broadcasts.

I saw her whole face__(12)__, she smiled(the first time I had seen her do so)and as I__(13)__and walked away, I noticed her whole attitude change.The__(14)__behind me received a totally___(15)__kind of service. A happier one. And all was ___(16)___ what I did. Something so simple!

There was a time when this sort of thing would have__(17)__me. Or Iˈd have been shy and___(18)_to say such a thing. Not now. Now I must！Why？Because I have the power. The power to___(19)_change someoneˈs day by something as simple as a few kind__(20)__and being kind. And you have this power too. We all do.

Life in the Slow Lane

I always seemed to be rushing through my life. I’d  (1)   my seat belt and slam(猛踩)the accelerator to get where I wanted to go. Or, at the mall, I’d  (2)  the stores like a runner in the hundred-meter dash. There just weren’t enough hours in the day and I was afraid I might  (3)  something if I didn’t hurry up.

And then one day, as fate would have it, I ran out of  (4)  . As my car coasted off the road, I looked at my watch and hit the steering wheel  (5)  . I had a meeting in fifteen minutes and I hadn’t even finished  (6)  for it.

But as I got out of my car, a(n)  (7)  thing happened. I looked out towards the east, and the  (8)  was just beginning to shine over the horizon. There was a low misty  (9)  hanging over the river, and some ducks were cutting thick, smooth trails(痕迹)across the otherwise glass-like surface of the water. A few sailboats  (10)  at anchor, their mirror images extending out before them.

I was shocked. This  (11)  scene had been going on right outside my car every morning and I had never  (12)  time appreciating it. I had been rushing around in such a  (13)  that I had been missing everything!

I was quietly,   (14)  ， patiently watching as the sun painted a brand new day when a co-worker finally  (15)  my car and stopped for me. I had somehow been transformed. Life went from a fast break dance into a slow waltz. I began taking long, slow walks  (16)  my yard and neighborhood, noticing for the first time all the neighbors, mysteries and wonders  (17)  were right there for me to see all the time. Not only were there sights that I had been missing, but I began to hear entire  (18)  all around me：birds singing, wind blowing and leaves rustling.

  (19)  one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass，it becomes a mysterious, beautiful and indescribably magnificent  (20)  in itself.

The alarm clock was ringing! I got out of bed, walked over to my desk and   (1)   it off. It was 6：30 in the morning, and I was very tired. It was very   (2)   outside, and I couldnˈt see anything! I walked over to the ​  (3)  ，took a shower and then I came out, grabbed my towel and dried myself. Then I put all my   (4)   in my backpack so I wouldnˈt forget them when I went to school.

I went into the kitchen and ate the food my mother had cooked for me. But when I had finished, my   (5)   still wasnˈt downstairs to drop me off at the school bus, so where was she? I went to my parentsˈ bedroom and saw my mother   (6)  ！She must have gone back to bed! I woke her up and said,“Iˈm going to be late for   (7)  ！”She looked at me and said,“Go and look   (8)  ．”

I felt   (9)   so I immediately went to the window and opened the   (10)  . It was lighter now and I could see outside. But I didnˈt see the green grass or the black road. Instead, I saw white   (11)  . I couldnˈt believe it when I   (12)   that my mother had tricked me! She wasnˈt   (13)   sleeping just now; she was just pretending(假装)．

It was a snowy day,   (14)  there was no school! I ran up to my mother and   (15)   her because I was so happy. She   (16)   me a jacket, boots, and a pair of gloves and told me to play in the snow for a little while. It was really   (17)   but really cold, and I came inside after an hour.

My dad was sitting at the table with two cups of hot   (18) ，and one was for me! I drank my hot chocolate (19)   so that it would last longer, and I felt warm again. It was a wonderful day!  (20)   the weather when you think there could be some snow, because you never know what could happen!

A Toronto man is offering a free round-the-world air to the right woman. But __(1)_ apply. You must be named Elizabeth Gallahgher and have a Candian ___(2)___ .

Jordan Axani, 28, said he and his then girlfriend, Elizabeth Gallagher, booked heavily discounted round-the-world air tickets in May, but their   (1)   ended and he did not want her ticket to   (2)  . The ticket had a strict no-transfer（不可转让）  (3)  , but since passport information was not required when   (4)   , any Canadian Elizabeth Gallagher can

  (5)   it.

“I just want to see the ticket go to good use and for someone to   (6)   a lot of joy,” said Axani. He posted his   (7)   on a social networking website, and received thousands of e-mails, including thirty from actual Elizabeth Gallagbers with the   (8)   passports, “More   (9)   , there are hundreds of Canadians who are interested in   (10)   their name to Elizabeth Gallagher,” Axani said. “It was absolutely out of   (11)   , thousands of e-mails, people around the world   (12)   their stories of travel.”

Axani wrote in his post that he is not   (13)   anything in return and that the woman who uses the    (14)  ticket can choose to either travel with him or   (15)   the ticket and travel on her own.

The   (16)   is scheduled to start on December 21 in New York City and continue on to Milan, Prague, Paris, Bangkok and New Delhi before   (17)   in Toronto on January 8. He said the   (18)   woman will be announced on the website and the trip will be shared online.

On the night of October 16^th, coming up at ten o’clock, my mother prepared what would be my father’s last meal. That week he worked   (1)  shifts(轮班). He started at midnight.

Just after 2 am, the group went for coffee. There was a   (2)   that always had to be operated and he said, “It’s okay. You guys all   (3)   and I’ll work it.”

The machine would   (4)   quickly, occasionally, for one moment Dad made a   (5)  —he didn’t pay attention, and his head was stuck in the machine. In panic, the workers   (6)  back and cut the base of the machine and transported it with him in the ambulance.

Mother was   (7)   that there was an accident and to meet at the   (8)  . My oldest brother Ken, then sixteen,   (9)   mother there, and my other brother Bob, then fourteen, stayed with me at home. Father died on the road.

When we were overcome with the   (10)  , a spokesperson for the hospital   (11)   my mother if they could take one of my father’s eyes—they had a person   (12)   it. My mother replied , “Yes!”

Years later, in the late summer, I was at the Woodlawn Cemetery(公墓) where my father’s body rests. As I finished   (13)   and stood, a man from behind me said, “How are you now, Frank?”

Knowing only the   (14)   , and his friends and co-workers called him “Frank”, I   (15)   thought that this man must have   (16)  him. As I turned to face him, I replied, “He’s my father.”

This man, Bazylak, as I would learn later, replied, “I   (17)  with your father for a short time, just over a year, but he made an impact on my life. He was so powerful, so   (18)  and so giving. You know, he wasn’t meant to be there that day. But that was Frank.”

Almost four decades later and from a   (19)  , there in the cemetery, I’d heard   (20)  stories about my father.

  When I was young, I had a friend named Mark who loved to make friends. He always   (1)   how many friends he had at school. One day his grandfather said to him, “Mark, I bet you a big bag of popcorn that you don’t have as many friends as you   (2)  . I’m definitely sure many of them are   (3)   but companions.” Mark accepted the   (4)   without hesitation. However, he wasn’t sure how to test   (5)   his schoolmates were real friends or not, so he asked his grandpa. The old man   (6)  , “Wait a minute.” Then the old man left, returning soon as though   (7)   something in his hands. Mark could see nothing there   (8)  .

“Take it. It’s a most special chair, which is rather hard to sit on,   (9)   it is invisible to the eyes, but if you take it to school and   (10)   to be seated on it, you will make its magic happen and you’ll be able to   (11)   who your real friends are.”

Mark, brave and   (12)  , took the chair and set off for school. At break time he asked   everyone to   (13)   a circle, and he put himself in the middle, with his chair. Having difficulty seeing it, Mark tried to sit on it and fell straight onto his   (14)  . Everyone surrounding him had pretty good laugh.

“Wait! Let me try again,” Mark said. But again, he   (15)   the seat, causing more surprised looks and a few catcalls. Mark didn’t give up and kept trying to sit on the   (16)   chair. Yet he kept falling on the ground… until, all at once, he tried again but didn’t fall. Looking around, Mark saw three of his best friends holding him up. Meanwhile, many others he had viewed   (17)   friends had done nothing but made fun of him.

And there, the show came to an end. Mark   (18)   that true friends were those who   (19)   him, and not just the companions that happened to be passing by. And someone who took   (20)   in his misfortunes was even less of a friend.

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。

   A group of adults, highly succeeded in their jobs, went to visit their old professor. Soon they began to ____  (1)  ____ the stress in work and life.

   The professor went to the kitchen and returned ____  (2)  ____ a pot of coffee and all kinds of cups—crystal (水晶的) , glass, plastic, some nice looking, some plain looking, some ____（3）____, some cheap. And he told them to help ____  (3)  ___ to the coffee.

   When all the students had a cup of coffee in band, the professor said, "I've noticed that all the nice looking expensive cups were ____  (4)  ____, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is ____  (5)  ____ for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your ____  (6)  ____ and stress.

   You know that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. ____  (7)  ____ you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, ____  (8)  ____ you consciously went for the best cups.

   Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and ____  (9)  ____ in society are the cups. They are just ___（11）____ to hold and contain life, and the type of cup does not change the quality of our life. Sometimes, by concentrating only ____（12）____ the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has ____  (10)  ____ us. God gave us the coffee, not the cups. Please enjoy your coffee!

   The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the ____  (11)  ____ of everything.

   Live simply. Love whole-heartedly. Care deeply. Speak ____  (12)  ____. And leave the rest to God.

The power of encouragement is great. You may draw some inspiration from the following story.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, a famous 19th-century poet and artist, was once   (1)   by an elderly man. The old man had some sketches (素描) and drawings that he   (2)   Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good, or if they   (3)   showed potential (潜在的) talent.

Rossetti looked them   (4)   carefully.After the first few, he knewthat they were worthless, showing not the least   (5)   of artistic talent. But Rossetti was a   (6)   man, and he told the elderly man as gently as possible that the pictures were of little   (7)   and showed little talent. He was sorry, but he could not   (8)   to the man.

The visitor was   (9)  , but seemed to expect Rossetti’s   (10)  . He then apologized for   (11)  Rossetti’s time, but would he just   (12)   a few more drawings — these done by a(n)   (13)   art student? Rossetti looked over the   (14)   batch (一批) of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they   (15)  . “These,” he said, “oh, these are good. This young student has great talent. He should be given   (16)   and encouragement in his career as an artist. He has a(an)   (17)   future if he will work and stick to it.” 

Rossetti could see that the old man was   (18)   moved. “Who is this fine young artist?” he asked. “Your son?” “No.” said the old man sadly. “It was I who painted the pictures 40 years ago. If only I had heard your   (19)   then! For you see, I got discouraged and   (20)   drawing — too soon.”

No one knows who was the first one to think of riding bikes in the mountains. The   (1)   just seemed fun. The first mountain bikers were from Colorado and Northern California. They had   (2)   done their riding on main roads. Then some of the cyclists   (3)   the mountains nearby. Why not   (4)   on the paths there, too?

The   (5)   was that racing bikes weren’t strong enough. For   (6)   riding, you need a   (7)   bike. It has to have wide tires to hold onto dirt roads, and the bike itself has to be higher off the ground. Stores didn’t   (8)   that kind of bike then, so the cyclists   (9)   their own. The cyclists found   (10)   bikes that had once been popular by   (11)   second-hand markets. They cleaned them up, added strong handlebars(把手), put on heavy-duty tires and made other  (12)   .

Cyclists in different areas heard about mountain biking, and the movement     (13)   . Soon the mountain bikers were teaching themselves tricky   (14)   , such as jumping their bikes over rocks and stones.

In a short time, mountain bikers raced each other down mountain passes. Sometimes they took it   (15)   and just enjoyed the views---- as if they were doing a hike on a bike. To   (16)   injuries, they began wearing safety equipment.

One winter when there was no snow, mountain bikers in Crested Butte, Colorado,   (17)    a “Fat Tire Festival!” Bicycle companies guessed the sports would become very   (18)  . Almost as soon as the companies began producing them in large numbers, mountain bikes became America’s   (19)   type of bike. They’re comfortable and fun to ride,   (20)    you never ride them off-road, away from main roads.

God wants you to be happy. It’s a simple idea, but a complicated reality.

When traveling to Rwanda to find out the   (1)   of a new orphanage (孤儿院)，I found children who had been injured physically and   (2)   from their families. But I also found something   (3)  : children who seemed to be truly happy. No   (4)   they had shed (流) many tears,   (5)   most of them were not sad or angry. They played, sang, and   (6)   the company of their fellow orphans.

I also met Fred Nkunda, a Ugandan man who was   (7)   with joy despite his poverty, and long hours of working for a small salary. A few years later, he   (8)   cancer, but while he lived, he wore a big   (9)   as he selflessly gave himself to others. The same was true for a young Canadian couple who   (10)   their lives to the mission work (布道).

When I came home, I noticed a sharp   (11)  . Most Americans lacked the   (12)   that those Rwandan children and mission workers owned. Despite great wealth, modern conveniences and other endless material blessings, people here were   (13)   to each other, exhibited impatience, and expressed their   (14)  . How could this be?

Somewhere along the way, many of us in America have   (15)   something. We have   (16)  experience happiness—real happiness that comes from within and flows to others. And it’s not just missing in “the world”. It’s in short   (17)   in our homes, businesses, and churches.

    (18)   is actually a personal character. We understand the   (19)   of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But happiness? It is   (20)   ignored or considered as unachievable in this life.