When Marco was a boy, he tried everything to get his father’s love and attention. He studied hard to get good ________ and tried to behave well. He was shy and shorter than the other boys. Besides, his father was ________ and had little time for him. Except for his ________ for housework after school, there was no communication. Marco felt very ________.

One day,his maths teacher called him that some young teenagers were ________ a public speaking contest. She thought he should give it a ________. She firmly believed he could perform on stage (舞台) like other kids. Feeling her strong trust, Marco agreed to ________ the contest.

All winter, he took a bus to ________ twice a week in another city, where the competition would take place. Marco was taken by a strong ________ he never felt before. Finally, the big day arrived. His father, and yes, his maths teacher, were present. When he stepped onto the stage and began to speak, he felt ________ at home. He was funny,and acted very natural. He won! He noticed his father’s eyes were ________— he was so proud. It was then that his father ________ he should pay more attention to the child.

As the winner, his name was ________ in the local papers. He knew this was the ________ of his new life. It all happened because of a phone call, from one who ________ him.

One day, I was walking with my daughter, and we saw a man picking bottles out of garbage cans(垃圾箱). He did not ask us for spare _______, like others had before him. My 10-year-old daughter asked _______ he was doing that, as he appeared to be unclean and possibly _______. I told her he had his dignity(尊严), and was doing what he could to help _______ . My daughter had a 2-dollar _______ I had given her, and she told me she _______to give her money to this man_______ she thought he needed it more than she _______. I agreed. We are on welfare(福利救济), _______we have a place to live, and food to eat. So we followed the man ________ the local store, where he sold his bottles and cans. My daughter walked up to him and gave him the coin. He ________ us loudly as we left the store, and asked God to bless us.

The kindness was repaid to my daughter. When she got to the ________ a couple of months later, she realized she had left her ________ at home and it happened that I had not taken my purse along, either. Then a lady noticed us and saw how ________ my daughter was. The lady gave her the money to go swimming. Surprisingly, it was two dollars, which was the ________ amount as that she had given to the man on the street.

Not being able to see someone you love for a long time is hard, but it does make a reunion（重逢）more special.

Owen and Stevie________several years ago at their school in Chicago. They became close friends and it seemed that nothing could________them. Unfortunately, their friendship was________three years ago when Owen and his family moved to Missouri. Owen and Stevie were________to keep their long-distance friendship.________, it wasn't easy not being able to see their best friend every day.

Recently, Owen's dad was________for a business trip to Chicago. The two families naturally took advantage of this amazing________for a reunion. Instead of telling Stevie the great news, they kept the________from him. When the big day arrived, Stevie was________kept in the dark.

That day, Stevie's mum________to pick him up early. Little did Stevie know that his best friend was________him in the back seat. When Stevie________his mum's car with a basketball in his hand, Owen was hiding in the car. Yet the moment the door opened wide, so did Stevie's________!

“What are you doing here?!” Stevie said with a big________.

"I'm________you in Chicago! That's what I'm doing here," Owen replied, then giving Stevie a huge hug.

“I feel like I'm dreaming,” Stevie said..