Rob made ends meet for his family as a handyman, doing odd jobs around the area. But due to a financial crisis, he was _________.

“I’m running _________ on money,” Rob said. So, the _________ handyman went to the streets with a sign that read “Handyman, 25 years’ _________, Need work.” Rob wasn’t asking for money but rather for an opportunity to earn his _________.

Rob stood on the side of the highway holding his _________ for a week. The temperatures were scorehing (灼热的) but he _________ the hot sun each day in the hopes of _________ work. Someone took a photo of him and _________ it on social media! Kyle, the owner of Greenstar Home Remodeling, saw Rob’s __________ online. And he decided to offer the handyman a chance to help him get back on his feet.

Kyle brought Rob on to help with some demolition (拆除的) work. Rob didn’t even ask how much the job __________. He just got down to it.

Rob __________ intends to put his all into working for Kyle as long as Kyle has __________ for him. After seeing Rob’s dedication and __________, Kyle is willing to do all he can to help the man build a brighter future.

Sometimes all someone needs is to be given a __________.

When I first met my new parrot, Chico, his wings had been cut short and he was stuck on the earth just like us humans. When the weather turned nice, I would take Chico outside. I _______ him on a branch of a tree, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused. He walked back and forth on the branch looking _______. He didn't even flap his wings in a(n) _______ to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable.

One day Chico got especially excited. He paced back and forth and made a(n)  _______ amount of noise. Then all of a sudden he stopped and let out an even louder scream. He started _______ flapping his wings for the first time ever — then he lifted off the _______ like a space shuttle! I was amazed and _______. Little did I know his feathers had been growing back, and Chico had been waiting until the moment was ripe for _______!

Two days later Chico returned. First I tried to _______ him back with food, but he would not come near me. Then I took his cage and __________ it away — still he would not come. Finally, I made him a firm promise that I would let him out every day if the weather was nice as long as he did come back. __________, he flew onto my shoulder.

From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him __________ early and he would fly around and be back before dark. The routine lasted for two months __________ suddenly Chico became __________. The __________ said that he had been infected with a disease from the pigeons in the neighborhood. Within a few days he died.

I was very sad. The __________ crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly, he would be still alive. But what __________ is there in being a bird if you can't fly?

Chico made his first __________ for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a __________ when the conditions are right, knowing you too, in your own way, were built to fly. If you don't set yourself free, what will be the __________ of your life.

Earlier this year the phone companies stopped supporting the software for my old 3G flip phone. So like the rest of the modern world I was ________ to buy a new smart phone. I didn’t use it much at first, only to get a ________ from my daughter or to play a game or two. Soon, however, I found it far ________ to surf the web on the smart phone than my computer. Even with my limited time I ________ found myself spending more and more of it on this phone. It happened almost without me ________ it.

Yesterday I was on it ________ the sea of stories, posts, news, and videos. Then suddenly a long, white, ________ nose pushed its way between me and my ________. I started to push it away but that only got me a lick (舔) from my chin to my glasses. ________, I put the phone down, took my glasses off and ________ my dog. Soon we were hugging, running around, and playing down the hallways of my home. And I ________ something too. There was a feeling in my heart: a ________ mixture of love, laughter, and joy. It was a feeling that I hadn’t gotten ________ during all that time I had spent on my phone.

Technology is here to stay. But we shouldn’t let it ________ us. We should use it only when it ________ us to do the important things like loving each other, making this world a better place.