Ifeltverydepressedtheotherday.TheweatherhadbeendarkandrainyandIjustdidn'tfeelso 21 .

AsIwassittingatmydeskI 22 itwasthebirthdayofadearlong-timefriend—asinglemiddle-agedwomanwhohasdevotedthepast30yearstonursingandlovingher 23 .

Knowingthatshedidn'thavefamilyintownI 24 togiveheracall.Sureenoughshewasonhershift 25 toworklateintotheeveningandwouldn'thave 26 ofabirthdaythisyear.Asalwaysthoughshe 27 cheerfulandwashappythatI 28 .

AfterIhungupIcouldn't 29 thefeelingthatshewouldreallyappreciatealittleattentiononherspecialday. 30 feelingalittledepressedmyselfItriedtoputitoutofmymindbutasthedaypassedIcouldn'tshakethethought.I 31 gaveinandsetofftothehospitalwithacardacheesecakeandsomeballoonsthatevening.Myfriend'sgratefulsmileandjoyfulsurprise 32 methatI'ddonetherightthingandtheywereagenerous 33 forthelittleeffortithadtaken.

WhenIgothomeIrealizedthatnotonlyhadIcheeredupa 34 friendonherbirthdaybutmyownnegativefeelingshadalsodisappeared.Makingherdayhad 35 myown!Isn'tthatthewayitis 36 wetakethetimeandmakethe 37 todosomethingforsomeoneelse?It'sjustlikethesaying“Lovingkindnessistwiceblessed;itblesseshimwhogivesandhimwho 38.”

Cheeringuppeopleontheirbirthdaysisn'ttheonlythingwecandotomaketheirday.Lifeconstantlypresentsuswith 39 totakeanextrastepordoakinddeedthatwillmakeadifferenceto 40 .Andthewonderfulthingisthataswedoitchangesthingsforthebetterforustoo.

21.A.special B.positive C.nervous D.scared

22.A.explained B.complained C.remembered D.informed

23.A.family B.training C.work D.school

24.A.decided B.continued C.agreed D.refused

25.A.surprised B.disappointed C.bored D.prepared

26.A.much B.many C.little D.few

27.A.sounded B.looked C.grew D.found

28.A.admitted B.called C.succeeded D.apologized

29.A.experience