From the time I was seven, I had a dream of becoming a member of the Students Union. I always ________my school leaders for taking responsibility for all of us. So I dreamed of being a leader.

Years flew by, and soon I was able to take part in the election(选举), _______I would win. But the reality proved that I hadn’t had a chance. I wasn’t pretty. Girls in the school hardly knew me. I just did not have what it _______to win a school election. I was_______

As I cried in my room that evening, I suddenly took a deep breath and decided I wouldn’t stop dreaming. I decided that I would _______ for elections again in my final year at school—and I would _______the election.

I recognized that my _______ had a lot of things in their favor. What were in ________favor? I had good grades, and I was friendly and helpful. And my biggest ________was the faith I had. I would not allow my plain appearance to hold me _________from my heading forward. That evening, I _________my election plans a whole year ahead of time.

I realized that girls would have to get to know me and recognize that I had the ability to ________ them. I loved making friends and I liked being helpful, _________I decided that perhaps I could use these qualities to win. In order to learn how to give a great election   ________, I also attended a course on effective public speaking.

The day after the election, when the headmaster announced I won the second highest number of votes, the students ________ . That joy on the faces of all my friends showed me that my victory was ________theirs.

Suddenly, I realized that I had ________ much more than I had dreamed of. I had made many new friends and had helped people along the way. I had won the ________and love of my schoolmates and they ________me as somebody who would stand by them. I was able to put a smile on their faces and ________their day.

I had a student today who got his finger stuck inside a test tube (试管) in science class. It was really quite stuck. This young man’s finger ________ to get whiter and whiter right before my eyes.

Remaining ________ , I suggested he carefully rotate (转动) the tube. It wouldn’t move a bit. He ________ soap and cold water. Still stuck. Meanwhile students were getting ________ in the class. Finally, I ________ the young man to our secretary, who was a miracle (奇迹) worker ________ three kids of her own. With her help, I was ________ that all would be OK.

To get the students back in order, I ________ my own story of getting my ________ stuck between the rails of a balcony (阳台). With same kind of curiosity, I remembered ________ then how far I could thrust (塞) my knee between the rails. Inch by inch, I kept ________ and before I knew it, my knee was stuck and swelling (肿) before my ________ and in front of lots of ________ at a popular Las Vegas hotel!

Hearing my story, many students followed with their own ________ of heads, arms, fingers stuck in places they shouldn’t be. A few minutes ________ , the young man came back, test tube unbroken and finger ________ to a lovely shade of pink.

I just couldn’t ________ this kid. He’s only twelve. I too got my knee unstuck, but not without great _________. The excuse for me, however, was not ________ but plain stupidity. I was ________ fifty years old when this happened.

Early spring can be a tough time in the Midwest. It can ________ both people and animals with its unexpected snowstorms.

Every spring, migratory(迁徙的) birds camp out in a large pond near my house on the way to their summer ________. This year, besides geese, scaups, a type of diving duck spent days hanging out ________ eats. Then a snowstorm hit, followed by a very ________ night.

The next morning, I was shocked to see that all birds had ________ overnight — except one lone female, who was diving ________ and dynamically in the circle of open water. Her movement and body heat had kept the ________ from coming close as I ________ her from my warm house.

However, as the temperature dropped, the open water got smaller, and her movements slowed. I watched with ________ as she eventually stopped moving, fearing that something might happen.

And then it happened: Two more ducks appeared, ________ next to her still body. More ducks came and the circle of water came alive with their splashing and diving. Slowly, the circle of water ________ in size. Within minutes, the lone female was revived by her friends’ presence.

This little duck wouldn’t have ________ another night without her friends. She, in turn, had kept that area of water ________, so her friends had a place to stop and ________ themselves. Sometimes, a tiny action — even our mere ________ — might brighten one’s day, and even save one’s life.