The Unlikely Friendship

In the heart of the city stood an old library, a place where time seemed to slow down. Among its many visitors was a young girl named Lily, who _________ spent her afternoons there, lost in the pages of books. One day, she noticed a man sitting quietly in a corner, surrounded by stacks of books. His name was Mr. Thompson, a retired professor who had a passion for literature and history.

Lily was initially _________ by the man’s presence, but soon she found herself drawn to the same corner every day. Mr. Thompson, noticing her curiosity, began to share stories from the books he was reading. Lily listened intently, fascinated by the tales of ancient civilizations and heroic deeds. Their conversations became a _________ part of her visits, and before long, a friendship began to _________. Despite their age difference, they discovered that they shared a love for knowledge and a desire to understand the world. Mr. Thompson taught Lily about the importance of _________ and how it could open doors to new _________.

As weeks turned into months, Lily’s visits to the library became less frequent due to school comments. Feeling the absence of their friend, Mr. Thompson decided to write her letters, sharing interesting facts and insights he came across in his readings. These letters became a source of _________ for Lily during stressful times, reminding her of the joy that could be found in the pursuit of knowledge. When summer arrived, Lily returned to the library more _________. She was surprised to find Mr. Thompson waiting for her with a special gift — a first edition of one of her favorite books. Touched by the gesture, Lily realized that their friendship had grown _________ the walls of the library. She decided to ____________ Mr. Thompson to her family, introducing him to a world outside of books that was filled with laughter and warmth. Mr. Thompson, in turn, was delighted to be welcomed into Lily’s family. He began to accompany them on outings, sharing his vast knowledge and enriching their experiences with historical context and cultural insights. Their bond deepened, and they both found that ____________ wasn’t limited to the pages of books but could be found in the connections we make with others.

As years passed, Lily grew older and ____________ to pursue her dreams. But she never forgot the lessons she learned from her unlikely friend. Whenever she felt lost or uncertain, she would remember Mr. Thompson’s words of wisdom and find the strength to ____________. And whenever she ____________ her hometown, she would make sure to stop by the library, hoping to find Mr. Thompson sitting quietly in his corner, ready to share another story. Their friendship had ____________ a lifelong lesson: that the most meaningful connections can come from the most unexpected places.

One Tuesday evening in the beginning of the fall 1996 semester, sirens (警报) sounded. These sirens were not in celebration; they were a ______ to the university that something was wrong. A house, only one block away, was on fire. Nine of the university’s students lived there.

From the minute the ______ came that help was needed, it seemed like everyone ______. The victims of the fire were offered endless ______ for housing for the night. The very next day, everyone got down to doing their part in helping these students ______ the next couple of days. Boxes for donations and money jars were placed in every residence hall. ______ I knew that college students didn’t have much, I, as a residence director, asked them to do their best, “Every little bit will ______ .” I really didn’t think they could do much. However, I was ______ wrong.

Thursday evening we ______ over the loudspeaker that we were beginning the donations. Within minutes, the place seemed to ______. Soon the single large box that I had placed in the lobby was full. Then we quickly ______ more boxes, and watched ______ as donations mounted.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I had watched these students ______to action, work ______ and donate all that they could. I was touched and so very ______ of them.

Bill Sumiel was having a tough Friday. The 71-year-old, who was _________ kidney (肾) failure, found himself at a medical center 30 miles from home for the second time in 24 hours. Sumiel was on the transplant (移植) list, but no _________ had yet appeared. Without a taxi ride lined up for his _________, Sumiel took an Uber to and from his appointment.

Uber driver Timothy Letts took Sumiel as his _________ even though the trip was out of his way, sensing Sumiel might need help. During the 40-minute drive, Sumiel _________ his positive energy and the struggles of his treatments, revealing he was _________ a kidney donor.

As they neared Sumiel’s home, Letts _________ him by expressing interest in being a kidney donor. Shocked but _________, Sumiel exchanged contact information with Letts. _________, after the initial excitement, Sumiel started feeling a bit less optimistic. Although he was __________ by Letts’ offer, he wondered if it had just been an emotional moment. But Letts was true to his __________. He got in touch with Sumiel just a few __________ later, and by the next week, Letts had __________ the kidney transplant program. After a months-long screening process, the results were in: Letts and Sumiel were a __________ match.

On Dec 7, 2021, they had their surgeries. It was a __________. Letts and Sumiel still keep in touch to this day.