I used to travel to make myself relaxed. Two years ago, I was rather busy with my business and under a lot of _____, so I went to Las Vegas for a holiday. I just wanted to get away and _____ for a while.

When I was on holiday, a(n) _____ suddenly came to me. I had long wished to pay a visit to the Greek island of Santorini. Therefore, the idea of a two-week European _____ alone was born.

I’d driven _____ across the US before, but traveling to other countries whose languages aren’t the same as mine frightened me. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to _____ with anyone.

But I soon _____ that if I wanted to follow my dreams, I had to _____ out of my comfort area. If I let _____ take control of me, I’d get nowhere.

As I was in search of more places to visit on my trip, I found Mykonos, Greece, which I ______ just as much as I liked Santorini. When I arrived in Europe, it was like I was in a dream.

What I appreciated best was the bus ride to Venice. As I rode the bus and enjoyed every new thing I saw, I was completely ______ from the pressure of my work. How ______ it was to see people riding their bikes to the ______they’d like to go to!

Some people might say, “It’s not a big ______; it’s just Venice. Thousands of people go there every day.” But it was more than that to me. It was about having a ______ and when it was time for it to come true, don’t let it go.

Since first grade, I had always done well on tests. When it came to fifth grade science, however, I was _________. I couldn’t seem to understand or _________ it no matter how hard I tried.

My mom and dad had always been so _________ of my grades, and I didn’t want to let them down. So just before the test I had written several _________ from the textbook on my desk in pencil. The writing was so light that it could hardly be seen. I went _________ as the teacher started to hand out the test paper. I didn’t want to be caught, but I didn’t want to _________ either.

As the teacher was starting down my row, suddenly the _________ went off. We all _________ the door and stood together, waiting to be allowed back into the building.

As I stood outside in the warm sunshine, I realized what a fool I had been. I knew my mom and dad would still love me no matter what my _________ were. As soon as we came into the classroom, I walked to my desk and __________ the notes away. I had been given a second chance, and I wasn’t going to __________ it. I took the test, did my best and felt __________. I don’t remember what my grade was, but what happened that day has stayed in my mind ever since.

Life is full of second chances, but you have to be willing to __________ them. You have to be willing to accept your __________ and grow from them. When you are given a second chance in life, cherish it! And use it __________!

It was a very cold Friday. When I observed the _______ falling onto my car, I really began to wonder if I was going to _______ it on lime. Of course I must, because I have no _______.

About two weeks ago, what my _______ Ellen bad talked about was her Christmas concert to be held in her school and some rumors about it. “Mom, Rachel was _______ to sing alone, but she’s not! Linda will replace her to do it.” “Mom, you won’t believe it, _______ Lexie’s whole family is coming to the concert, even from another _______!” Making a long way out of state to see third graders sing Christmas carol (圣诞颂歌) seemed to be a pretty big deal (待遇) for her.

When I sat in traffic, I thought about all the school _______ I had attended alone. Ellen never mentioned it, but I wonder _______ she fell about me being the only one who ever came to her events. My own family lived out of town, and her father and his family __________ quite succeeded in filling those things into their schedules. I __________ if it bothered her.

At eight o'clock the __________ was scheduled to begin. With only a few minutes to __________, I found myself running: first, though the snow-drifted parking lot, then through the school passage. I entered the __________ hall and found a vacant seal near the front. From her place onstage, Ellen saw me __________ for the chair, and she smiled. 1 was __________ enough to hear the loud conversation of the children onstage.

“Look, Ellen, there is my uncle and my cousin. They came all the way from West Virginia. I can’t believe my whole family is here!” Ellen __________ at Lexie and said, “My whole family is here, too! Look, there she is!” Ellen gave me a big smile. I smile back at her, never once __________ the melting snow dripping off my head. It __________ occurred to me that while we tried to teach our children all about __________, they actually taught us what life was all about.