From paper to piano

I was 11 years old when I asked my mom for piano lessons in 2010. We were poor, so she said a polite “no”.

That didn’t _______ me. I Googled the measurements for a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click notes on an online keyboard and “play” them back on my paper one—keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. I spent six months playing without touching a real piano. Once my mom saw that I was _______, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.

I still remember the first one. I was struck by how real the sound of the piano was. I _______ my grade one after eight lessons. Once I started secondary school, we couldn’t afford lessons again. I passed grade three, then grade five, practicing only on my _______.

One evening, when I was about 13, my mom said she had a surprise for me; it was an electronic keyboard bought with more borrowed money. It was the first time I’d _______ for her. She was in shock.

My school didn’t offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians, but the tryouts (选拔) were difficult. To my amazement, I was offered a place.

At Purcell, I spent two years working as _______ as I could. I performed to raise money and saved enough to buy my first piano.

When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize and senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School in London. I feel proud: it’s been 10 years since I _______ my paper piano, and I’m at one of the world’s leading music schools.

The paper piano helped spark my _______ about how music works, the building blocks that form the pieces.

Years ago, my mother asked me, “What is the most important part of the body?” Through the years I kept trying to give the correct answer.

When I was younger, I thought _____ was very important to us as humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy.” She said, “No. Many people are deaf. Keep thinking about it and I will ask you again.” Several years _____, she asked me again. This time I told her, “Mom, sight is very important to _____, so it must be our _____.” She told me, “You are learning fast, _____ the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.”

Over the next few years, she asked me a few more times, but I didn’t get the answer.

Then last year, my grandpa passed away. Everybody was hurt and crying. My mom asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?” I was greatly ______ when she asked me this at that moment. I always thought this was a ______ between her and me. She saw the confusion (困惑) on my face and told me, “This ______ is very important. It shows that you have ______ lived your life.” I saw her eyes full of tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder. It can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they _______.”

Then and there, I knew the most important body part is not a childish one. It is sympathetic (同情的) to the pain of others.

There once was a farmer who lost his watch in his barn (谷仓). The watch was cheap but it was very ______ to him because it was a gift from his father. After ______ the barn for a long time, he gave up and asked for ______ from a group of boys nearby. He ______ them that the person who found the watch would get a prize. Hearing this, the kids hurried inside the barn ______.

They searched everywhere but still could not find the ______. The kids left the barn with disappointment. Just when the farmer was going to give up, a little boy came back and asked to be given another ______. The farmer looked at him and thought, “Why not? After all, this kid looks honest.” So the farmer ______ the little boy back into the barn. After a while, the little boy came out with the watch in his hand. The surprised farmer asked the little boy how he ______ while the rest of the boys had failed. The boy replied, “I did nothing but sat quietly and listened for the sound of the watch.”

This shows us that sometimes a ______ mind can think better than an excited one.