When I woke up on Aug 4,2016, there was only one thing on my mind: what to wear. A billion thoughts________through my brain in the closet. It was my first day of high school. I need to________the people who I would spend the next four years with. First impressions did________, which made me nervous.

After carefully searching my closet, I________came out in a dress from Target. I felt powerful as I headed toward room 1136. But as I entered class, my jaw________to the floor.

Sitting at her desk was Mrs Hutfilz, my English teacher, in the same________as me. I kept my head down and________to my seat. I made it through my brief________speech until Mrs Hutfilz rose to her feet, jokingly________that she liked my style. Although this was the________I had been afraid of, all my________surprisingly melted (融化) away, and the students paid attention as I shared my story. My smile grew as I laughed with the students.

________back four years later, the ten minutes I spent________of giving my speech were really not worth it. My first period of high school________made the day unforgettable in the best way and taught me that Mrs Hutfilz has an awesome sense of________!

The Bridge We Were Meant to Cross

My brother and I were driving home together, buried in a conversation. For lack of attention, my brother took a _______ turn towards a bridge and we had no way to turn back.

_______, he paid the bridge toll (费用) and _______. He was clearly frustrated by the mistake and the needless _______ of $ 4.

We eventually reached an exit and, as we took it, my brother _______ a black Mustang pulled over to the side of the road. A young guy was standing nearby trying to phone someone. I was busy _______ which way we went next but my brother pulled over and asked the guy if he needed any help. And he did. He had a _______ tire and needed a wrench (扳手) to get it _______.

My brother gave him a wrench, then _______ to help him change the flat. We started getting to know the young man who was from a rough neighborhood nearby. He said that this had been a ______________ week for him: earlier he had gotten into a minor car accident, and now this flat on his way home from work. But he called us “A ______________ of fresh air”, and kept thanking us because he would have been ______________ if we hadn’t ______________. After we had finished the job, he thanked us again and ______________ $ 20 and tried to give it to us. “No,” I said. “We were ______________ supposed to even get on that bridge. We took a wrong turn. But now we know why we did it. It was to help you. Thank you for turning our mistake into a(n) ______________ to serve.”

What I loved most was watching my brother throughout this ______________. He was able to turn his ______________ for the mistake into positive energy. He was able to see a chance to help (which I totally missed!) even in an otherwise ______________ situation, which can only come from a ______________ mind and an open heart.

A store owner was hanging a sign that read “Puppies For Sale.” Signs like that have a way of ______ small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared. “For how much are you going to sell the puppies?” he asked. “For ______ between $30-$50.” the store owner replied.

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some ______ . “I have $2.37,” he said. “May I please ______ them?” The store owner smiled and ______. Out of the kennel came five tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging ______ behind.

Immediately the little boy ______ the limping(跛) puppy. “That is the one I want to buy.” the boy said ______. The store owner said: “No, you don’t have to ______ that little dog. I can just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite ______. He looked into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger at him, and said, “That dog is ______ every bit of the full price. I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month ______ I have paid for him.” But the store owner objected. ______, the little boy rolled up the left part of his pants to reveal a twisted, crippled ______. “I don’t run so good myself, and the little puppy will need someone who ______!”