It was a few days before Christmas many years ago and it looked like it would be a hard one for my family. I lost my job so we didn't have much _______ . My wife and I had saved to buy our young children  some toys , _______ an unexpected car repair took most  of our cash. We decided then that we could only _______ to get one small gift for each of our children.

We arrived at the store and walked past people loading gifts into their cars. I _______ them a bit,because it sure didn't feel like Christmas to me. We hurried into the store past the Salvation Army bell ringer with our heads _______ . I had always enjoyed putting something in his _______ before but wasn't _______ if I could afford this time. We _______ all through the store hoping to find one thing each of our small children would like. _______ , we were able to get them each something sweet. We headed for the ________ ，bought the toys, and were amazed that we even had a few dollars ________ . As we walked out of the store, I stopped and ________ those dollars into the bell ringer's kettle. I didn't have a coin left but that didn't matter. ________ , it felt like Christmas.

I think the wonderful actress, Dale Evans ________ it best when she said,“Christmas is love ________ . Every time we love, every time we ________ ，it's Christmas. ” It doesn't ________ have to be a gift of money either. When we give our time, it's Christmas. When we share our ________ ,it's Christmas. When we give others our ________ and compassion , it's Christmas. When we do ________ at any time to help another, it's Christmas.

Last Sunday, my family went for walk in a nearby park. We wanted to breathe the fresh air and having fun there. However, when gone out, we found it was cloudy and smoggy (烟雾弥漫的). Only a few people were walking quick on the streets wearing their masks. I was wondering what was the matter when my little brother begins to cough loudly. Suddenly I realized that it was air pollution. So we had to go back to home that day. Smoke from cars, buses, and factories make the air dirty, that is harmful to our health. I think they all should do some thing to keep the air clean.

In our life, everyone is surely to have difficulties. It is the same with me. I still remember how worried I am about my English learning three years ago. I had difficulty follow my teacher in the English class. With my classmates often laughing at me because of my poor English, I decided to do anything. Firstly, I took a part in the English Corner that I met many friends. They shared their methods of learning English with me. Beside, I also found it useful keep English diaries. What’s more, I talked with friends on the Internet and exchanged emails with English. As a result, I made great progresses in learning English.

   Cancer treatments left 5-year-old Isabella Harvey nearly bald (秃顶的). She felt _____ for not feeling as “beautiful” as her favourite Disney princesses, ______ a magical photo shoot lifted her _____ and moved many of her supporters to tears.

D’ Antoni, who is a member of Gianna Nicole’s Heart of Hope, a foundation that _____ cancer patients and their families, had known the Harvey family for years. She _____ to organize a photo shoot activity in a (n) _____ to cheer up Isabella. The photo shoot was held at the Oakes ide Bloomfield Cultural Center in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Dressed _____ a beautiful princess gown (女裙) , Isabella remained _____ about her bald head, and didn’t want to take off her hat. But all that changed when a famous performer Chelsea Knutson _____ as Cinderella, a Disney princess with a ______ head.

Isabella was excited to see Knutson in character. She took her hat off ______ and said, “ Wow, she looks just like me!” And in a moment she ______ from a shy little girl into a confident and brave princess!

“I didn’t ______ her in advance that Cinderella was going to be bald,” Pina Harvey, her mother said. “I wanted to ______ her. When Knutson came down the stairs as Cinderella, her face ______ She looked very cheerful.” D’ Antoni was equally ______. “When Isabella saw that Cinderella had no hair, she had a ______ from ear to ear. She knew that she wasn’t ______ ,” she said.

Isabella continues to fight cancer, going to the ______ every week. She hopes her fight can help ______ other kids to be brave and feel beautiful, too.

   36-year-old Victoria Murden McClure is a real adventurer. She has been on many mountaineering expeditions（探险）. She was also the youngest person in a team that skied 1，200 kilometers across Antarctica to the South Pole in 1989，and became one of only two women ever to travel to the Pole by land.

The journey across the Atlantic was her third attempt. The first time she failed because of illness，and during her second attempt，in 1998，she nearly died. She had rowed nearly 5，000 kilometers when her boat was hit by Hurricane Danielle. McClure was suddenly in the middle of 80 mph wind，and surrounded by waves that were 20 meters high.

Her little boat turned over five times. McClure was sure that she was going to die —she took the video recorder that she had brought with her and recorded a goodbye message to her family and friends. The hurricane continued into night，and The Pearl turned over five more times.

McClure was determined not to send a signal asking to be rescued-she didn't want other people to risk their lives. But after the eleventh capsizing（倾袭）of her boat，she finally sent it and a large ship came and found her. However，they couldn't get her boat out of the rough sea—it was found months later near the coast of Portugal.

Victoria Murden McClure had concussion（脑震荡）and a dislocated shoulder when she got home. Many people might have given up after an experience like this，but one year later，McClure was back in her repaired boat and tried again. This time she was successful，and although she again met a hurricane on the journey，which stopped her from breaking the record for the fastest transatlantic rowing crossing，she only overturned once！