A couple of years ago I graduated from art school. After graduation I was unsure of what to do with my degree. I had majored in Illustration（插画专业）and loved it，but didn't really feel interested in doing illustrations for any companies. This left me with few options other than freelance（自由职业的）jobs and nannying.

I spent two years working as a nanny doing freelance illustrations on the side. It just wasn't quite enough to pay rent, but I loved it, so I worked well over 50 hours a week, trying to keep up with both.

Just under a year ago I went to a friend's wedding. I couldn't think of a gift for them and really didn't have a lot of money to spare so I used my talents to create a portrait for them. It wasn't much, but I hoped it would be a good gift. When I handed the portrait to them and they unwrapped it, the looks on their faces were something I did not expect. There were joyful tears in their eyes as they cried, "That's us! This is so beautiful!"

It's funny because when I was in art school portraits were always my least favourite assignment. I hated drawing people and was always so much more interested in drawing little furry creatures. Once I saw the looks on my friends' faces after giving them their portrait, it was all over. I suddenly loved portraits and wanted to do more.

I now take portraits to every wedding I go to and have given them as gifts to the families I nannied for. Every time the reaction makes all of the hard work and time I put into them so worth it.

I' ve just started offering couple, family and pet portraits as an item on my Etsy shop.

Back when I was still in elementary school，my parents were always talking about a 【小题1】（compete）of some sort called the Model United Nations（MUN）.It was supposed to be awesome，and only those whose English was really good could have the ability 【小题2】（join）in.

As for me，I always wanted to be a representative of a country and fight 【小题3】 its rights and benefits. It would be so cool to sit in a huge hall and to fight a battle without smoke. 【小题4】（fortunate），I had to wait till I got in middle school to attend it，【小题5】 there was no MUN in my elementary school. So that kind of enthusiasm【小题6】（explain）why the first thing I did when I got in middle school was to sign up for the MUN. The preparation of the meeting was long and 【小题7】（bore）.I had to sit there listening to a fellow chairman's speech about the MUN，【小题8】 wasted my homework time. I didn't learn anything at all，mainly because I was busy denying him rather than listening.

Anyway，this morning，I was supposed to go to my first MUN meeting as the representative of the Republic of Ireland. But I forgot where it happens. So my dad and I ran around my school for an hour before finally knowing that we had come to 【小题9】 wrong place. What was awkward（令人尴尬的）was that a bunch of junior 【小题10】（pupil）were having their Adulthood Ceremony.

Having lost my job, I was feeling a little blue. While walking on the street one day, I heard piano music and singing 【小题1】 ( rise) above the noise of the people. I walked up the street to find out 【小题2】 it was coming from. Then I saw a young lady sitting at a piano.

She was singing songs about love, having 【小题3】 (confident) and keeping on trying,【小题4】 made me a little comfortable. I stood there 【小题5】 ( quiet), watching her playing at such a crowded square. I thought she must be brave enough 【小题6】 ( perform) before so many people. I walked over and told her how good her music sounded. “ I’ve gone through a hard time recently, but you’ve made me 【小题7】 ( hope) again. Thank you,” I said to her. She replied, “ I’m glad that I could help you. I’ve seen lots of unhappy people around and I wish to cheer 【小题8】 (they) up by playing music. You should smile more and lift your head up.” She added, “ Opportunity 【小题9】 (come) in different ways and if your head is down, you might not see it.”

I smiled at her, realizing that no difficulties could keep me 【小题10】 going on.

   At 14，my life was filled with school，homework，boy scouts（男童子军），friends，and occasional work for local farmers. I was always_____ ，but I didn’t have much direction. Then，something_____ ：a new master was assigned to our scout. Jerry brought excitement and adventure into my life. Every week I _____ something new. He brought_____ into my life and taught me what was the most important.

A few years later，after_____ home from a two-year service mission，I found myself searching for a_____. I was twenty-one and I had no idea what I wanted to do.

On a spring afternoon，I drove to one of my favorite hiking trails and_____ up to a rock. It was there that I prayed for guidance on what _____ I should take in my life and I knew that everything would turn out _____ .

When I arrived home later that evening，there was a(n)______ by the phone with a message for me to call Jerry；it was______ .I immediately dialed the number and was very delighted to hear Jerry’s familiar______ . Wonderful memories of exciting scout camps______ into my mind.

“Do you know computers?”Jerry asked.

“Yes，I’ve______ one before,”I replied.

“Well，I need you to come to work for me in my new______ company,”he stated.“When can you start?”

I knew this was the answer to my prayer. “I can start tomorrow!”I exclaimed.

The next five years of my life passed so______ . Jerry again took me under his wing， but this time he______ me in business. He taught me how to sell，how to market，how to______ people，and how to grow a business from almost nothing to a nationwide______ .

Jerry’s patience and example ______ a foundation of learning and confidence that I needed in the career that I have now been in for twenty years. Jerry is that person in my life.