4. I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the more wonderful thing in the world. Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she’d said again, “it’s for Elizabeth. ”I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface(表面)”.As years passed I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive(原谅) me. I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came. My hope turned to disappointment(失望), then little interest and, finally, peace— it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not. Now the present of her desk told, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside —a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times. Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words. What did mother do with her daughter’s letter asking forgiveness?

11. boxes | appreciate | off | baskets | tippedHats ____1____ to Volunteers Our library volunteers received various ____2____ of goodies, ____3____ of chocolates, flowers and plants, etc. The staff wore hats all week and ___4____ them toward the volunteers as we saw them. The volunteers here seemed to ___5____ the silent effort to recognize them.(Posted on 25 April, 2005 by Aimee Hepler)

10. sent out | staff | grateful | hold | part of Potlucks for ____1____ and Volunteers I like to ____2____ potlucks at the office and invite volunteers to make them feel like____3____ the team. The volunteers are asked to bring a big appetite. (Posted on 29 March, 2010 by Nazia Hossain) Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving This year I ___4____ Thanksgiving cards to the volunteers. It＇s a great way to show our thanks toward the end of the year, and this makes our volunteers know we＇re ___5____ to them for what they＇ve done in the busy year. (Posted on 14 February, 2008 by Traci Lato)

9. show | Thanksgiving | posted | offer | think of November in the United States brings the holiday of ____1____, and therefore it＇s in November that we tend to ____2____ a way in which we could ____3____ our thanks to volunteers. Here are some of the ways ___4____ online to thank volunteers who come to ___5____ help.

8. complaining about | hearty | pronounce | local | accurately Fun, isn’t it? And we don’t need to ____1____ those different local greeting words ____2____. With a ____3____ smile, it can be well understood and appreciated. The “Beautiful” greeting is like sunlight that melts the coldness between people. So instead of ___4____ a foreigner’s misunderstanding and unfriendliness, let’s learn to say “Beautiful” in the ___5____ language whenever and wherever you travel around the globe

7. lonely | beautiful | bring about | watering | hello A friend of mine who travels widely does not say “____1____”, but she tries to learn to say “____2____” in the local language. She can use it to “greet” a mother holding a baby, or to “greet” an old lady ____3____ her flowers, or to “greet” a ___4____ salesman showing a photo of his family. The ability has earned her friendship all over the world. So why not — when even one word can___5____ such pleasure?

6. amusing | cultures | worry | accepted | other Sounds hard to learn to say so many “Hellos”? Don’t ____1____! It seems that nowadays the English word “Hello” is getting ____2____ in more and more ____3____. Besides, you can find some ___4____ ways to greet people, too. Here is a simple, and ___5____, way to greet foreigners wherever you might travel around the world.

5. greet | around | think about | different | on the planet Have you ever stopped to ____1____ how many people are saying “Hello” to each other today, and in how many ____2____ languages? If you want to say “Hello” to everyone ____3____, you would have to learn at least 2796 languages and ___4____ at least 6 500 000 000 people. Here are some of the ways of saying “Hello” ___5____ the world. Hola in Spanish, Ciao in Italian, Nihao in Chinese or Bonjour / Salut in French, and many more!

4. ALWAYS | go-go | without | get caught in | tips “Never leave home ____1____ it ...” There are so many things we often have to remember in this ____2____ world we are living in … but your business cards should ____3____ be with you. Here are a few ___4_____ for you to go take care of this right now, so you don＇t ___5____ this situation:

3. happens to | other | reaching for | situation | out You, like most people, probably have been in such a ____1____ where you are being asked for a business card, and while ____2____ it ... and ... oops ... “I＇m sorry, I must be ____3____ at the moment” or “they must be in my ___4_____ bag” or “I left them at the office, I＇m sorry,” and the conversation continues on with some sort of story about how this “never ___5_____ me” or “I knew I was forgetting something this morning ...”

2. thinking | connections | contact | marketing tool | opportunities Missed ____1____ are missed ____2____ for business. Business cards are a useful ____3____, and an easy one to have with you at all times. Not having your cards can be seen as being unprepared to market yourself and your business. Don＇t start that new ___4_____ leaving them ___5_____ “that person is already unprepared”.