When I was 17, I paid a long visit to Iowa to see a college I was thinking of attending. While the _______ was fun for the most part, I was feeling depressed and _______. I was realizing that I wouldn't be seeing my family _______ if I went to school here. I was also _______ the forests in Appalachian mountains of my home. I loved how the leaves turned a thousand _______ of green in spring and then became a sea of colors in autumn. I loved the _______ of the forget-me-nots and countless wild flowers that grew on the hillsides.

Here in Iowa everything was _______. The grass looked brown and _______. All that I could smell was a_______ of corn, mud, and pigs. One day I lay down on the ground. Eyes closed, I ________ being back home over and over again. When I ________ opened them, however, I saw something that ________ my soul: a prairie (草原) sunset. It seemed to fill the whole sky from the________. Gold, red, purple and pink clouds all flowed together and________ an amazing picture. It was so huge that I was________. In comparison with it, our mountain sunsets ________. I was filled with wonder and a sense of ________. I realized too that I had been picky and________. This place too had its own special ________

Over the years to come I learned something else. Each of us has a special beauty too —everyone has their own________talents and abilities to share.

After we moved to a newly country，my three-year-old daughter and I was often alone in our house. Although we lived in the countryside with no close neighbors，I needed to prepare for some possible emergencies. For example，I wanted make sure my daughter would be able to call 911 in case of that something happened to me. After instruct her，I decided to test her. I asked her，"Okay，what will you do if you found me on the floor and you couldn't wake me up？" I could see his little brain working. Then to my surprises，she said，"I would go into the kitchen and eat anything I want." What the naughty girl！

   In April 2014 I had a major surgery（外科手术）. The day after the _______ the nurse told me that I had to get out of bed and walk a little. I felt very _______ and every movement caused me a lot of pain. _______ ，even with the pain and discomfort I could get up and I just _______to sit on a chair by the bed. I was short of _______ and the pain worsened after the great effort I made.

While I was there I was _______ that I had to get up and walk a little when an old lady came into the ward（病房）. She walked directly towards me. Her hair was _______ white and very neat，her weak，white face glowed more _______ the bright，red and long coat she wore，and I could see that under her coat she was wearing a（n）_______gown.

She ________ me and said "You are very pretty." Her kind comment took me by ________as in those moments the ________ I believed was that I looked pretty. However，I replied，"Thank you very much. You are a very kind lady. "Immediately she took my hand and said "I am going to pray for you"，and a very warm and comforting sensation invaded（侵入）me. I really ________ those words in those moments. This complete  ________ lady made me feel safe and ________ .

I thanked her for her ________ and I asked her name. "My name is Pat，"she replied，"and I am in the next ward. "And then she left，leaving me a bit ________ but feeling much better and I even ________ the pain for a little while.

Finally the day came when I had to ________ the hospital. I never saw Pat again but that special and brief moment I met her ________ in my mind and my heart.

   My daughter is a single parent. She works hard to_____ for herself and her three young sons. She carefully controlled how much money they spent and_____ to plan for the little luxuries（奢侈品）. When her eldest son，David，wanted a_____ so that he could do an after-school newspaper delivery job，she_____ and soon，he was the proud_____ of a good second-hand bike.

One afternoon，my_____ asked David to go to a local shop. He rode his bicycle，but foolishly left it outside the shop_____ locking it up. When David came out of the shop，it was_____. He walked home in_____ and then，together with his frustrated mother，went to the local police station to report the______ .

Imagine their______ when they arrived at the station：David’s bike was in a car’s boot（行李箱）.The_____ told them how he’d seen a group of kids______ the bike once my grandson went inside the shop.

The driver—in his late teens himself-called out to them to“leave that bike______”. Despite this，one member of the group______ on the bicycle and rode it away while the others followed. Not to be ______，the teen got in his car，drove after them and______ that they give the stolen bike back.

He was______ to be able to return it to my grandson together with a lecture about the bad result of______ to use the bike lock. ______，in all the excitement，he slipped away，without even giving them his name or telephone number.