The most affectionate memory of my childhood is about a round table. When I was still little, my entire family would ______ on almost every traditional festival to have dinner. While the ______ were discussing something beyond our comprehension, we kids would play hide-and-seek.

The round table is a ______ of a reunion of our families and an ______ to our families. But as a matter of fact, in China, almost everything can be solved over a ______ table. The marriage bells between a loving couple and the ______ between business partners can all happen on the same round table. ______ , I start to wonder what this round table is to us, and its true significance starts to ______ in front of me.

The food on the table may ______ with time. The reasons why we come together may be ______ , but the sensation behind it remains the same. And that is our tolerance of different people or willingness to ______ different cultures.

In less than two months before the Spring Festival, a(n) ______ epic migration: would take place in China. The power that ______ us to do so has been sustaining Chinese civilization for thousands of years, and even the history of our nation has been the stories of ______ or running to the round table to which we ______ . The round table is and will always be a symbol of the Chinese sensation.

The first time I met my father-in-law, Bill, I realized we had different opinions about many things. But he had a quick smile and wit (机智) I ________ in his son, who had told his family how they should treat me with respect ahead of time. So from the very start, we had a great ________, one that would expand as I got to know him over the years.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Bill was his playfulness. He had a ________ of golfing with his sons whenever they got together. And he loved doing art projects with my daughters.

When Bill’s ________ started to fade this summer, we all became ________. Instead of dancing around with the kids, he just watched them. We all ________ that something was wrong, and we were waiting for test results.

When he returned home, we got the worst ________. Bill had untreatable stage 4 cancer. He could barely get out of bed but he never ________. As always, his main concern was about his ________. He wanted to see his sons, and ________ about his grandchildren smilingly, who didn’t visit him at the hospital. Although his body language ________ what he was going through, his words remained as ________ as ever, and he even joked sometimes.

After his ________ Bill only lasted a few days. ________, the family was planning a funeral. That day, people from across all areas of Bill’s life came. Bill meant a lot to me. He always ________ me to live life to the fullest, and be true to myself.

Peter,a 5-year-old boy,showed such great interest in sea shells that he often picked them up with his 3-year-old sister, Shirley. For Peter, sea shells lay shinning on the _________beach, waiting for him, just like stars twinkling in the sky.

One day,the two were hanging about in a _________ when Peter found his younger sister was not _________ . He looked back and found Shirley _________ in front of a toy shop,with her eyes fastened on a beautiful doll.

Holding his younger sister's tiny hand, Peter entered the shop. He tiptoed(踮起脚尖）to _________ the doll and handed it to Shirley. The sister was very happy to hold tightly the doll.

Peter went to the _________ and asked the shopkeeper, “How much does this doll cost,Sir?”

The shopkeeper looked at the boy with interest, asking,“Well, what can you _________?”

Peter took out the money that was _________ for their breakfast, gave it to the shopkeeper and asked, “Sir, is it enough?”

Shaking his head slightly,he replied, “My boy, I am afraid it seems not enough. ”

The kids were so disappointed. Watching his sister's smile _________ ，Peter frowned.

Without hesitation, he __________the shells out of his pocket on the counter, and asked the shopkeeper nervously , “Is it enough now?” Without even counting them, the shopkeeper replied, “These are __________the cost. ” Saying so, he kept only two and returned the __________ shells and the money.

Peter left the shop with Shirley very happily,leaving an assistant in that shop at a loss .

He asked the shopkeeper, “Sir! You only charged them for 2 shells? !” The shopkeeper said with a smile, “For us these are shells, but for the boy they are __________. His love for his sister is the most precious. When he grows up, he will remember he __________ a doll for his sister with the shells. He will cherish love and warmth in life-cherish every little __________ sea shell in his heart. ”