I’m now the chef and owner of a restaurant. Nothing in my early years led me to ______ my life would connect to food and cooking deeply. My family did eat together often; we had a ______ that my grandmother cooked the weekly big meal on weekends, but food was hardly the ______ of my family’s story. After I entered college, I was still ______ about what I wanted to do. Maybe I was supposed to ______ the crowd, getting a decent job, like in medicine or something similar.

When accepting the job assisting cooks after finishing college, I just ______ to pay my rent. That didn’t ______ any big life plans. However, as I worked longer, the food world showed me amazing ______ .

Too little salt, and a dish is ______ to be “tasteless‌”. A bit lemon juice helps prevent cut apples and peaches from turning brown and ______ their appealing colors. The lesson that small things matter reminds me to never ______ tiny stuff in all parts of life. Also, working with food teaches me to really taste, smell and touch. I learn to observe my ______, watching ways birds land, the growth of trees along roads... and ______ wonders in everyday life. ______ , I head down my own path, which is ______ from going to medical school as my parents did, but gives my life purpose and direction.

It was a dark night. Thick, dark, gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to _______ me as I walked out on my porch. Still, I kept the porch light off because I didn’t want to be _______ by bugs and moths on this _______ summer evening. I stood there for a while letting my eyes adjust to the lack of _______.

It was then, though, that I saw them. First one blink of light at the far end of the meadow followed by another and then another. I _______. I recognized them at once as my firefly(萤火虫) _______, my lightning bug buddies who always _______ this time of the year.

When I was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them _______ fly around blinking on and off. I never _______ and put one in a jar as some kids did because I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light. Their time on this earth was so ________ as it was. I tried to enjoy them each night they were here. It always ________ me when they disappeared in the fall and it always made my heart ________ when they reappeared the next summer.

We are like them in a lot of ways. Our ________ here on earth is brief. Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a ________ shine. Still, we do our best to share it and take ________ in knowing that others will be shining their light long after we are gone.

Once upon a time， there was a herd （兽群） of deer living in the forest. Among them was a wise and_______ teacher， who_______the tricks and skills of survival to the young deer. When facing danger， young deer can_______themselves by making use of them.

One day， the teacher’s younger sister_______him with her son， hoping he would learn what is so important for deer. She said， “Dear brother， please teach my child the______and skills of deer.”The teacher said to the young deer，“Very well， you can come at this time tomorrow for your______class.”

At first， the young deer came to the lessons as he was supposed to. But soon， he became more interested in______with the other young deer than his lessons. He didn’t realize how dangerous it could be for a_______who learned nothing but deer games. So he started______ classes. Soon he was absent from class all the time.

_____， one day the poor deer stepped in a trap and was______.Since he was missing， his mother was worried. She went to ask her________， “Have you taught your ____ the tricks and skills he needs in time of danger?”

The teacher_____， “My dear sister， your son was disobedient （不服从的） and_____ to learn. Out of_______for you， I tried my best to teach him.______he did not want to learn them. He was always absent from class! How could I possibly teach him? You are obedient and faithful， but he is not. There is no______ trying to teach him.”

Later they heard the________news. The stubborn young deer who missed classes had been trapped and________. by a hunter. He skinned him and took the meat home.

The moral of the story is： nothing can be learned from a teacher by one who misses classes.