Marshall Helm, 【小题1】 80-year-old Air Force ex-soldier from Salem, Illinois, had been walking his granddaughter to the bus stop early in the morning when the bus driver drew his attention to the smoke and flames 【小题2】 (arise) from the house next door.

Helm ran over to the endangered home and threw open the garage door only 【小题3】 (find) flames climbing up one of the building 【小题4】 (wall). Though the Vietnam ex-soldier has been battling cancer, he did not hesitate to charge past the flames and into the house so he could make sure his neighbors 【小题5】 (be) safe.

Gary and Kathy Benjamin had been sleeping upstairs when they 【小题6】 (awake) to hear Helm shouting about the fire. Although they were 【小题7】 (confuse) by the noise, they managed to run into the hallway and escape with Helm 【小题8】 the backdoor just as the flames were filling the garage door 【小题9】 he had come in only a minute before.

Thanks to Helm’s quick actions, the Benjamins suffered only minor smoke intake—and even though they lost their home in the fire, they are 【小题10】 (simple) grateful to Helm for saving their lives.

“Lifesaver—lifesaver is all I can say,” Mr. Benjamin told KMOV. His wife added, “Hero, he’s our angel.”

Strange things happened before Tangshan Earthquake happened. The well walls had deep cracks. Some 【小题1】(smell) gas came out of them. Chickens and even pigs were too nervous 【小题2】(eat). At 3:42, 【小题3】the morning of July 28,1976, everything began to shake. 【小题4】seemed as if the world were coming to an end. Steam burst from holes in the ground and hard hills of rock became rivers of dirt. In less than one minute, the whole city lay in 【小题5】(ruin). Two thirds of people died or were injured. Everything in the city was 【小题6】(destroy). People were 【小题7】(shock) at this and wondered how long the disaster would last. The army organized teams to dig out those【小题8】were trapped and to bury the dead. Workers built shelters for 【小题9】(survive). Fresh water was taken to the city. Slowly, the city began to breathe again. With strong support from the government and the tireless efforts of the city’s people, a new Tangshan 【小题10】(build) upon the earthquake ruins.

The people living in Wenchuan county will never forget the day 12 May, 2008. Now, more than 10 years on, the people in Wenchuan are living a new life. Many live in new towns 【小题1】 people can live safely. The people will never forget those who 【小题2】 (rescue) them and helped them rebuild their home. Out of gratitude, many young adults have chosen to study medicine or join the army in a wish 【小题3】 (help) more people. Wenchuan has become a symbol of the Chinese spirit of never giving up.