完形填空
My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the 1 or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2 Christmas after all.
3, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.
There was a 4on the door one evening. It was Jeff's new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to 5 us with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a 6 on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn't working in the cold snowy weather and we had 7 a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.
The 8 feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.
As Jeff and I were9 pre-Christmas snow from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10 us to dig out.
Then, we received an invitation to 11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their 12—a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.
Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our 13. Our Christmas morning 14 was special, thanks to the Smiths' gift of bread. I was so 15 for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.
This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16 and work schedules just made things too difficult. 17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were 18 in the holidays.
Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19 notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest 20 gesture can make a world of difference.
