When I was a little boy, I lived in my grandma’s old house. It was _________ by four huge vegetable gardens, and around the house were planted so many _________. On the back porch, Grandma had dozens of potted (盆栽的) plants hanging on hooks (挂钩). She _________ them, and talked to them. With a little water and a lot of _________ she kept them alive, green, and growing even during the coldest, darkest months.

As a little boy, I was confused by all the effort she _________ them. I understood the vegetable gardens for they helped to _________ the family all winter long. I _________ understood the flowers around the house as they were pretty and smelled so sweet in the summer months. The reason why she _________ to those potted plants with so much effort, however, made me feel _________ a lot. They didn’t give us any food and they __________ had any flowers on them. They remained an unknown to my mind as a(n) __________.

Now as I’ve grown older, I am beginning to __________ why my grandma had those potted plants. It is the same reason why I have so many pictures of sunrises and forests __________ in my home. They remind me of the dark cold winter months __________ of bare trees and yellow grass when light, love and growth still exist. But my greatest __________ of light and love was Grandma herself, who was light to my soul even in my darkest times.

It was a sunny day. A city man was driving along a country road with a new wagon (马车) and a beautiful pair of horses. He didn’t pay much _______ to where he’s going. Soon he realized that he was _______, but he continued to drive, _______ to re-find his way or to meet _______ who could tell him how to _______ to the town.

It was a long _______ road. The man kept on driving for many _______. When it’s almost dark, he saw a tall _______ ploughing (犁地) in the field. He then stopped his _______ team of horses near the fence and called out, “Hello, farmer.”

“Hello, yourself,” the farmer ________ , still ploughing.

“Where ________ does the horse go?” he asked without knowing his language mistakes.

“I haven’t seen it go anywhere. It ________ stays right where it is,” said the farmer, ________ stopping his work.

“How far is it to the next town?” said the city man, speaking a little ________ .

“Don’t know. I never________it,” replied the farmer. The city man was getting ________. “What do you know? You’re the biggest ________ I’ve ever seen.”

Finally ________, the farmer turned and looked for a long time ________ at the city man. Then he said, “Maybe I don’t know much and ________ I am a fool. But at least I’m not lost!”

A school is a place of learning for a child. It is a place to _______ academic knowledge and learn communicated skills between students.

I was _______ to a school at the age of five. It was basically a primary school. My _______ took me to the headmaster’s office and got me admitted in the school. I still _______ that the first day of my school was a Monday. My class teacher was very gentle (温和的). She encouraged me and treated me _______. I felt a bit nervous in the new environment. I had with me my English textbook and _______ my first lesson in alphabet (字母表)．

Soon the bell for the break rang. The boys rushed out of the _______. Some of them gathered round me. They _______ me and made fun of me. A few pitied me and made friends with me. I had a novel experience. The final _______ rang at one thirty in the afternoon. All the boys felt very happy. I also ________ my school bag and hurried back to my home with my mother who was waiting for me at the school gate.

The ________ of my first day at school is still clear in my mind. I feel proud when I ________ it to others. It gave me a ________ feeling of fear and anxiety as I went to school on the very first day with my mother.

Today, several years later, I feel ________ that I went to school. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to become a writer and ________ this text for young readers you.