The year my dad turned 80, my brother and I decided to throw a surprise party for him. The night before, I stayed over at Dad’s house. He was looking forward to the party, but seemed ________. I knew why. One person couldn’t be at the party—Mom. She had________ a few years before, and we all missed her so much. God, I prayed, please give Dad a ________ that Mom is watching over him.

Mom and Dad were ________ for each other. He loved her so much; he ________ to save enough money for a ________ before they got married. But it wasn’t until their 40th wedding anniversary(纪念日) that Dad finally could ________ to buy a diamond ring. Mom wore it so________ for so many years—at least until the day she ________ it.

That day she was making jellies(果胶) and didn’t want her ring to get ________. She removed the ring and________ it on the windows. When she had finished, she looked________ it everywhere but couldn’t find it. At last Mom cried, ________ Dad said the ring wasn’t important and the ________ they had for each other was the most important.

Before going to the ________ I looked around for something to clean my shoes, and found an old cloth bag. Dad saw it. “I meant to throw that old thing ________ a week ago,” he said. I held it in my hand and ________ there’s something there. I reached in. “Dad, look!” I shouted, ________ my find —Mom’s ring.

Dad was very ________ and he took the ring and held it tight (紧紧地). It shone all ________ the party. “Mom’s here with us,” he said.

In 2012, I had just recovered from a serious illness when I received an invitation to a writer’s conference in Orlando, Florida. My family persuaded me that a(n)_______might be just what the doctor ordered, so off I_______.

I gratefully sat down with the_______lady and we had a happy lunch together. As the________drew to a close she asked how long I would be in Orlando. I had already told her that I hadn't________a car, and   hadn't   realized   how________taking taxis would he. After a while she said, "My dear, don't use any more taxis. I'm retired and it would be my pleasure to________you wherever you wish." I told her that I couldn't put her to that________,but she brushed aside my protests(反对). She asked me where I was________and the next morning she was waiting at my apartment at the________time to take me to Disney World. She spent some time with me before leaving me to________alone. At the end of the day, she________to take me back to my accommodation. I________her money but she refused to take any.

I'll never forget that wonderful lady who, through her________, filled my brief holiday in Florida with wonderful memories.

When Sheppard began to go blind in her 40s, she cried. Hadn’t she suffered too much since she became partly deaf as a child? That ________ had made her strong and determined.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispered. The doctors said she’d never regain her ________. Since childhood, Sheppard has always been a dancer. But she was so scared that she ________ left her apartment. She ________ about her appearance. She wondered, “What if people ________ me differently?”

However, several months later, Sheppard wanted to show her work still ________. As hard as it was, Sheppard forced herself to ________. She attended a party for people with sight problems, and was ________ to find they all sat, still and physically ________. “No!” she told herself. “That’s not the way I want to live!” She pushed herself not to be ________.

Sheppard continued to work until her vision further ________ in her 50s. She kept dancing, just as her ________ since childhood had instructed her. Sheppard was 61 when she ________ a summer camp for the blind, where she taught line ________. Then, she was ________ to teach at a community center. Her classes proved to be so ________ that she was hired soon.

Sheppard taught over thirty students, most of whom were ________ whose eyesight had worsened. With ________, she equipped them with confidence and independence. These days, Sheppard ________ a light exercise class for those blind elders via conference call. As Sheppard says, “We may be blind, but we can make a ________.