As a ski instructor for children, I work with all sorts of behavior challenges. Kids seem to mask _________ less effectively than adults, so it’s _________ to see when they are cold, scared, or just not having fun. On one occasion, I was working with a group of _________ when one of them started to act out. He began spitting rude remarks and _________ instructions. After five years of working in this environment, I recognized that his _________ were not being met. Did he deserve _________ if he was not being kind himself? Maybe. So, I took him aside and tried a(n)_________.

I showered him with every ounce of _________ I could. I reassured (使安心) him and smiled when his skis responded effectively to his movements. I _________ him when he fell. As the class weaved through trees, I saw his __________ grow. By the bottom, he was smiling as well. He quietly apologized for being __________ and thanked me for being his teacher.

Although this is an oversimplified example of kindness and behavioral psychology I know little about, I learned something that day: Kindness __________. I often think that we are still like kids as adults. We’re just better at __________ our unpleasant feelings. But our inner child needs healing and security. And when someone offers a hug after a long day, souls can be __________. So, whether they __________ it or not, be kind.

A few weeks ago, my 3-year-old granddaughter Frances asked, ‘‘Why don’t cardinals (红雀) migrate?” Frances’s question _______ me, not only because I had no idea what the _______ was but also because she knew enough to ask it. When I still _______ to find correct explanations after I had thought for a moment, Frances got bored with me and _______, intending to ask others.

Preschoolers love thinking about possible _______ of interesting things. They feel _______ to wonder about anything, and they do so with _______. However, after entering primary school, discouraged by most adults, including teachers, most children _______ asking how or why questions.

Fortunately, there’s no reason why we can’t all be lifelong learners. I’m 69, but I still experienced the same thrill of _______ I had as a child when I tried to ________ information on the Internet to answer Frances’s question about cardinals. I learned that Cardinals don’t migrate ________ they have enough food, and that they choose to stay together in winter months to keep them ________. After I learned about this, I was eager to see Frances again to ________ the knowledge with her while also ________ her further investigations.

By embracing children’s acts of wondering, you become their ________ in finding answers. Joining in the learning process, you will find countless opportunities to explore the colorful world all around you.