On the first day of the new year, when I went into the bank, the bank person, an elderly gentleman with a white beard, as usual greeted to me politely “Happy New Year”. He nodded and I sat in front of him.

Minutes passed and _______ happened. Then very _______I put my form in front of him. He was very busy. After a few minutes he took my form and _______ filling it. After waiting for a few more minutes, I began to show all signs of being_______. I asked him if my work was done. The_______ I uttered the words, I felt as if a bomb had fallen on him. He_______,“Nothing is done, it will take time！” Just then I saw his morning cup of tea, which had been _______ there for the last ten minutes, untouched. The tea had turned almost_______while he was doing his work. Suddenly I felt what this man must be feeling when customers like me come _______ to get their work done. But we do not even feel the need to________ them for being there.

Very softly I told him, “Sir, please have your ________,I am not in a hurry.” This man, whom I had been seeing for the last few years, ________ looked up at me and for the first time we had ________ contact. I saw a ________ person there，another human being who was as hard­pressed for time as I always am. He was also ________ the small things in life like a hot cup of tea or lying in a warm bed for a few more minutes like me.

He gave me a rare smile and said, “It is a ________ affair with me; you are not in a hurry but somebody else will be in a hurry.”

He really ________ my heart with his words. I felt ________ that all this time I thought of him as a robot，someone who was there for my ________. I promised to be more________ of people who help me with my work and be thankful that they are there for me.

An aged man lived in a nice cottage with a garden in a town. He is seen _____ looking after his flowers all the time.

One day a young painter _____ his garden. He was deeply _______ by the beautiful flowers,_____ how happy he could be if he lived there. Then, ______ he found the old gardener was _______The painter was very surprised to ask, “ Why are you busy __ these flowers which you can't see?”

The blind gardener smiled, answering, “I can tell you four ______. First, I was a gardener whenI was young, and I really like this ______ . Second , ______ I can't see these flowers, I can touch them. Third, I can __ the sweetness of them. As to the last one, that's for _______“Me? But you don't know me.” ______ the painter.

“Yeah, it is true that I don't know you. But I know flowers are ____ angels which everyone knows and would never turn them ______   I know many people who show ___ in life would stop by and the beauty of my garden will get them into a good ___ In the meantime, it also _____ a chance to me to have a word with you here and to enjoy the happiness these flowers have brought us.”

I believe every flower has eyes, with which they can see the kindness of the old man's heart and the sweetness of his soul. He grows flowers in his ___I suppose although failing the _____ of the beauty of blossoming, he surely can hear the voice of it.

Grandpa Hodge was the wisest man in the village. He was so philosophic (贤明的) in speaking and doing things that everyone _______ him as “Grandpa Wisdom”.

One day, a man   _______ to Grandpa Wisdom, out of breath, saying with excitement, “Grandpa, I have a piece of _______ to tell you…”

“Wait a moment,” Grandpa Hodge _______ his beard gently and cut the man _______, “Have you carefully _______ the news you will tell me with three sieves (筛子)?”

“Three sieves? Which three sieves?” the man asked with _______.

“The first sieve is the truth. Is the news you will tell me _______?” Grandpa Hodge asked, narrowing his _______.

“I don’t know because I ________ it from the street.”

“Now let’s check it with the second sieve,” Grandpa Hodge ________ , “If the news you will tell me is not true, it should be friendly.”

The man ________ answered, “No…just the other way round…”

Grandpa Hodge once again ________ him, “So let’s ________ the third sieve. Can you tell me if the news that is ________ you is very important?”

“It is not so important,” the man answered with ________.

Grandpa Hodge patted (轻拍) the ________ of the man and said significantly (意味深长地), “Now that the news you will tell me is not true, friendly or important, please don’t tell me. Then it won’t ________ you and me either.”

The man realized his ________ and never ________ the overheard news from then on.