I was excited when Mr. Dudley at the newspaper office said I could have Nina's paper route. Nina's family was moving to Texas. When I told my parents the news, they were pleased but_______ .

Dad said, “Nina has had two years' _______handling that paper route. Do you think you can _______ it?”

I told him I was sure I could learn. My primary purpose was to make more money, but I also looked forward to the_______of a larger route. I would work hard at it. My parents finally said that I could try. Mom added, “Try it_______ an experiment, Marlene.”

I began the experiment by working with Nina for two weeks. The first morning, Nina didn't _______to think I could handle the route. She acted as if it were a lot of trouble to show me_______she rolled and packed the papers.

That weekend when the carrying bag was _______of Sunday papers, Nina watched me riding _______down the street on my bicycle. As I changed gears, I lost my________ . I fell, spilling papers all over Travis Street.

Nina and I both burst out laughing, and she told me that the ________ thing had happened to her. ________ my little accident, Nina gave me all the help I needed.

During the next few weeks, I learned to balance a________bicycle. I improved my throwing arm and got used to ________dogs and changing weather. I also learned how to ________vacations, new customers, and collections. The experiment was working out just fine.

About six years ago I started having panic attacks (恐慌症). I began my journey to____ them with traditional tools, all of which were a great help. ______, a year later treatment was no longer needed.

Frustratingly, about a year after that, I started to develop_____and began to have panic at once again. I tried what I knew best and went back to my previous____, but I was still ___and far from feeling well again ___ I got some new advice.

I loved to sing when I was young. My childhood had been____with creativity, yet for most of my adult life it was ____ . A therapist told me that mental health issues are common among the____regain it, I decided to get back into ____. Then I joined a group called Sound, a pop choir. Much better. I found the____to audition (试音). I was amazed that I managed to ___ such a risky situation and not have a panic attack. The audition itself was a___for me, never mind how I did.

I have now been a ___of the choir for three years. I love the community and the performances. It ___me of who I was at school. My path back then was always “do what you love”. My entire____was filled with fond memories because of that, and I was starting to build that back into my ____life.

Now, I am feeling a lot better. When I am ______, distraction (分散注意力) is key and singing does ___. It sends me into a state in which my body works with pure passion and joy. More importantly, I will have exercised my creativity and ___my anxiety.

I was at the post office early that morning, hoping to be in and out in a short while. Yet, I_____myself standing in a queue that went all the way into the hallway. I had never seen so many people there on a weekday. It seemed someone might have made an announcement,_____customers to carry as many packages as they could and bring them in when I needed to have my own package_____. The queue moved very slowly. My patience ran out and I got_____. The longer it took, the angrier I became. When I got to the counter finally, I finished my_____quickly and briefly, and then walked past the queue that was then extending past the front door.

“Excuse me,” I said, trying not to be too pushy. Several people had to move_____to make room for me to get to the_____.

I stepped out, complaining about the_____conditions. Thinking I was going to be late for my dentist appointment, I headed into the parking lot.

A woman was coming across the parking lot in my direction. She was walking with determination, and each step sounded very heavy. I_____that she looked as if she breathed fire. It stopped me in my tracks. I______myself and it wasn’t pretty. Had I looked like that? Her body language said that she was having a______day. My anger melted away. I wished I could wrap her in a hug but I was a______. So I did what I could in a minute______she hurried past me — I smiled. In a second everything changed. She was astonished, then somewhat______. Then her face softened and her shoulders______. I saw her take a deep breath. Her pace slowed and she______back at me as we passed each other.

I continued to smile all the way to my______. Wow, it’s amazing what a simple smile can do.

From then on, I became aware of people’s______and my own, the way we show our feelings. Now I use that______every day to make me______that when facing the world, I can try a smile.