I come from one of those families where you have to yell at the dinner table to get in a word. Everyone has a________opinion and talks at the same time, and no one has a________leading to heated arguments. We often talk or even debate with each other on different topics.________a family like mine has made me more curious about the world around me, making me tend to________anything anyone tells me. But it has also made me realize that I’m not a good listener. And when I say “listening”, I’m not referring to the nodding-your-head -and-________- answering- Ooh-I-see variety. I mean the kind of listening where you find yourself deeply________with the person you’re speaking with, when his story becomes so vivid that your world becomes________about you and more about him. No, I was never very good at that.

I spent summer in South Africa two years ago. I worked for a good non-profit school called Noah, which works________on behalf of children affected by AIDS. But if you asked me what I really did in South Africa, I’d tell you one thing: I listened, and I listened. Sometimes I________, but mostly listened.

And if I had not spent two months________, I might have missed the________moment when a quiet little girl at one of Noah’s community centers, orphaned（孤儿）at the age of three, whispered after a long________, “I love you.”

Before that summer, I knew how to hear. I could sit down with anyone and hear their stories and nod and respond at the ________time—but most of the time I was thinking about the next words out of my own________. Ever since my summer in South Africa, I have noticed that it’s in those moments when my mouth is closed and my________is wide open that I’ve learned the most about other people, and perhaps about myself.

Our family enjoyed a beautiful house plant for over thirty years. It had stayed with us through ________ years and good times, pain and joy. I had never thought of ________ it.

However, two weeks ago, we ________ some changes of its leaves, which began to lose its color. We watered and looked after it even to the point of ________ it, like a child. But it just showed no sign of ________. We finally picked a few almost dead leaves and ________ replanting them in another small pot.

What ________ us was that these leaves which had been planted in the new pot grew strong. In order to know the reason ________ the house plant died, we dug the dead plant out of the pot Then, it became ________ to us—its roots (树根) were in disorder, completely tangling up (绞在一起). They had grown so massive (大量的) that they ________ the sides of the pot. Our once-beautiful plant ________ because it grew out of its environment—it became root-bound (根满盆的).

People can become root-bound, too. Those who ________ personal growth or development often want to make ________ that can lead to greater achievements (成就) or much more happiness. However, they more often ________ they outgrow their environment and want to ________. Their views become larger and they need ________ environment to live in. They need people who will make ________ for their growth. If they cannot be ________, some problems are sure to appear.

So if your new-found growth ________ you to push against the old ways, you may need to ________ you are bigger now.

People tend to seek happiness.______I've finished with many books, I come to the______that happiness is a choice. We can feel happy or unhappy just by______our thoughts!

I think most people are unhappy because they pay______attention to what's happening outside—they might think they’re too fat or they______their jobs. These______thoughts can put their personalities under pressure. Another important reason may be that they lack the______attitude towards others. If they think they______everything others do for them, they'll never feel happy.

Actually, we all have a sense of happiness inside waiting to______.What we have to do is let it out. Surprisingly, many of us place such a low______on ourselves that we lower the______of everything we do.______we should make the decision today to value ourselves. When someone_______for help, don't refuse Just make sure they know the value of your help.

_____yourself that you can decide whether to be happy on your own. Don't worry about genetics(遗传). ____ your dad is not the happiest man, it doesn't mean you are unhappy. If you choose to be happy, you can _____look on the bright side of life. Take______and be proud of the choices you have made.

Try giving some of your time to a______career. For example, the more time you spend volunteering, the happier you'll be. This is an opportunity to______new experiences, meet new people and learn new______.?