Our girls had performed well all day at the Bedford North Lawrence Cheerleading Clinic, and Abby and I were happy. As cheer coaches of the Shawswick Elementary 2018-2019 Cheerleaders, my daughter and I couldn’t wait for the _________ ceremony of the day to begin.

Three of our seven cheerleaders won _________ awards – Kennedy won a best jumper award; Ally won a spirit ribbon; and Chelsea earned a best gymnast medal. As we took _________ of our girls with their group and individual awards, I _________ one of our 4^th graders, Trista, wasn’t as “spirited” as usual. In fact, she seemed quite _______.

I was just about to ask her about it _________ Chelsea, one of our individual award winners and a 5th grade squad (小队) member, _________ her arm around Trista’s shoulder and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I just wish I could have won an award,” Trista said, with big _________ in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Chelsea _________ Trista the “Best Gymnast” award and said, “You can __________ this one. I have others at home because I compete with an All Star squad.”

Trista __________ Chelsea and then literally bounced away to __________ her mom the award, and I stood there in amazement at the __________ act I’d just witnessed. At that moment, I __________ I had had an extra-special award to give Chelsea for her kind heart.

I’m not sure if anyone else saw what Chelsea did that afternoon, but I saw and it __________ me. Later, I told Chelsea how __________ I was of her, and she smiled and sort of brushed it off, not wanting me to make a big __________ of it.

How long has it been since you’ve done something selfless, without wanting any __________, just to bless another person? Like Chelsea, you may think it’s a small gesture of __________, but it might make a big influence.

So, go ahead. Make someone’s __________ today.

His palms were sweating. He needed a towel to dry his palms. The sun was as hot as the _______ he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The bar (横竿) was set at 17 feet. That was three inches higher than his personal best. Michael Stone faced the most _______ day of his pole-vaulting (撑竿跳高) career.

You couldn’t tell whether Michael Stone was surprised, excited or vain about clearing the bar at 17 feet. As soon as he _______ on the inflated (充了气的) landing mat, Michael immediately began _______ for his next attempt at flight. He seemed _______ the fact that he had just beaten his personal best _______ three inches and that he was one of the first two competitors in the pole-vaulting _______ at the National Junior Olympics.

When Michael _______ the bar at 17 feet 2 inches and 17 feet 4 inches, again he showed no _______. At the same time, he ________ the people sigh (叹气), he knew the other vaulter had missed his final jump. He knew it was time for his ________ jump. Since the other vaulter had fewer misses, Michael needed to clear this vault to win. A ________ would get him second place. It was nothing to be ashamed of, ________ Michael would not ________ himself to have the thought of not winning first place.

He rolled over and found his pole, stood and stepped on the runway that ________ the most challenging event of his 17-year-old life.

As he sprinted (冲刺) down the runway, something felt wonderfully different, yet familiar. When he took a deep breath, it happened. He began to ________ like an eagle.

He later went on that day to clear 17 feet 6 inches: a new National and International Junior Olympics record.

With all the media attention and sponsorship possibilities, Michael’s life would never be ________ again. It wasn’t just because he won the National Junior Olympics and ________ a new world record. And it wasn’t because he had just increased his personal best by 9 inches. It was simply because Michael Stone is blind.

A challenge can sometimes make a ________ to the life, and bring ________ the best in us.

When I was 24, I moved into an apartment and the couple next door were loud all the time. After putting up with it for a couple of weeks, I decided to ___________ them and politely ask them to be ___________ after noon, as I had to work at midnight, so I ___________ went to bed around noon.

I went next door and knocked on the door and an old woman answered. I ___________ myself and she asked if I came over to complain about the ___________, and I said yes. She ___________ both she and her husband were going ___________ and that they needed to speak loudly to hear each other. She ___________ me in and offered me a coffee and we started talking. ___________, we heard a loud bang in the kitchen. Then we found her husband had fallen onto the ground. Immediately, we rushed him to the ________________.

When I came home from work the next day, there was a ________________ on the door from the lady asking me to come over. When I reached her ________________, she asked if I'd drive her, to the hospital, to which I said no ________________. When we got to the hospital, I ________________ her to his room, where he thanked me. Soon I ended up being friends with this couple ________________ they moved away a year later.

One day after ten years, I got a ________________ from a lawyer. I was ________________ what was going on, so I went down and when I arrived at his office, the lawyer asked me if i knew a ________________by their names and I said yes. He told me that the couple had died and he was ________________ by their children to find me. They wanted to thank me personally. I________________ the family and then we became friends!

You can never know when, where or how you are next going to make new friends. Life is full of surprises. Whatever happens, try to treat others exactly as you would like to be treated.