I always remember one Christmas when we _______ outside of town. My older brother had a job in a different city but he always made it home to _______ the holidays. During the few days before Christmas Day, we _______ a violent snowstorm with powerful winds. It was so bad that the country road was almost impassable.

The day before Christmas was more _______ than I had ever imagined. My older brother was stuck at a stranger’s home where he had been _______ to stay overnight because of the storm. The person was _______ enough to let him stay until morning. But, the _______ was that he couldn’t get his car to start and there was no assistance available.

So, my dad and I _______. We were lucky enough to make it to where my brother was _______. After his car warmed up, he thought it much wiser to head back to his place rather than try and make it home for Christmas. So we headed in ________ directions.

The drive back got even worse. We got stuck in a huge snowdrift. A(n) ________ had to be made. We placed a shovel(铲子) about ten feet behind the car to warn anyone else that there was an obstruction(障碍物) ahead.

We left the cars in the ________, wrapped(包裹) blankets around our heads and ________ on top of the snowdrifts. We made it about a mile up the road to a neighbour’s farmhouse where we ________ for the next mile walk home. We all made it safely home that night.

Christmas was very special that year. It didn’t matter if there were ________ or not under the tree the next morning. We each got our gift — the gift of life, home with our family safe and sound. What better gift is there? None.

When I was eight I was helping Dad fix up old furniture in the factory. He gave me a cent for every nail I ________ out of old boards.

I got my first ________ job. at a local restaurant in town at l6. My main responsibilities were ________ tables and washing dishes. Every day after school I would head to the ________ and work until ten, even on Sundays.

At that age it was difficult going to work and ________ my classmates run off to swim or play. I didn't necessarily like work, but I loved what working allowed me to have. Because of my ________ I was always the one buying when my classmates and I went to the local McDonald's. This made me ________.

Word that I was trustworthy and hard—working got around town. A local clothing store ________ me credit(赊账). I immediately ________ a $68 sports coat and a 22 pair of shoes. I was ________ only 65 cents an hour, and I   ________ owed the storekeeper $ 90! So I leaned early the ________ of easy credit. I paid it off as soon as I could.

My first job taught me self-control, responsibility and brought me a ________ of personal satisfaction few of my ________ had experienced. As my father once told me, “If you ________ responsibility, there are not many things in life you can't have.” How right he was.