It came upon us suddenly--- my husband and I were facing his heart operation. He had never told me about the shortness of breath he had experienced a few months earlier. When he was alarmed by the state of his 　1 , he finally asked me to make an appointment with the 　2 .

　 When he was having the 　3 , I was praying every prayer I had learned. My best friend and my son were by my side. In the darkest moment, I felt deep inside that he would not 　4 the operation. Just when I had given up all the hope of a good outcome, I felt hugged and surrounded by 　5 as many people were praying for us.

　 Soon the doctor 　6 out, bringing the good news that the operation was 　7 . He shook my hand, and when I 　 8　 his warm and firm hand, I became 　 9 　 of what I was doing. I was holding a hand which, just a short while ago, had held my husband's 　10　 heart.

　 As part of recovery, my husband was given a red 　11 to grasp tightly to his chest. It could prevent any 　 12　 to the cut when he was moving, coughing or sneezing. Five days after the operation, we returned home. The red pillow kept us company as my husband gained strength and　 13　 .

　 That was four years ago. 　14　 , when I see the red pillow in our closet, I will always hold it close to my chest and remember the day when I realized the 　15　 of grace and goodness.

1. A. health　　　　　　　　　 B. breath　　　　　　　　　　 C. shape　　　　　　　　　　　 D. appearance

2. A. nurse　　　　　　　　　 B. doctor 　　　　　　　　　　 C. officer　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. milker

3. A. rest　　　　　　　 　 B. operation　　　　　　　　 C. organization　　　　　　 D. management

4. A. experience　　　　　 B. bear　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. pass　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. survive

5. A. pity　　　　　　　 　 B. love　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. mercy　　　　　　　 　　　 D. comfort

6. A. came　　　　　　　　　 B. took　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. turned　　　　　　　 　　　 D. set

7. A. lonely　　　　　　　　　 B. cruel　　　　　　　　　　　 C. fortunate　　　　　　　　 D. successful

8. A. sounded　　　 　　　 B. touched　　　　　　　　　 C. felt　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. applied

9. A. afraid 　　　　　　　 B. shocked　 　　　　　 C. aware　　 　　　　　 D. fond

10. A. sinking 　　　　　 B. beating　 　　　　　　 C. running　 　　　 　　　 D. warming

11. A. pillow　　　　　　　　 B. box　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. wallet　　　　　　　　　　　 D. gift

12. A. wound　　　　　　　 B. damage　　　　　　　　　 C. opening　　　　　　　　　 D. growth

13. A. confidence 　　　 B. beauty 　 　　　　　 C. friend　　　 　　　　 D. breath

14. A. Eventually B. Suddenly C. Unexpectedly 　　　 D. Occasionally

15. A. fact　　　　　　　　　 B. dream　　　　　　　 　　　 C. power　　　　　　　 　　　 D. truth

　　Each of us fails from time to time. If we are wise, we accept these failures as a __(1)__ part of the learning process. But all too often as parents and teachers we disallow this __(2)__ right to our children.

　　When I see a child __(3)__ to this kind of pressure, I think of Donnie.

　　Donnie was my youngest third grader. His __(4)__ of failure kept him from classroom games that other children enjoyed. He __(5)__ answered questions--he might be wrong. I tried my best to build his __(6)__ But nothing changed until midterm, when Mary Anne, a student teacher, was assigned（安排）to our classroom.　　She was young and pretty, and she loved children. My pupils, Donnie included, __(7)__ her.

　　One morning, we were working math problems at the chalkboard. Donnie had __(8)__ the problems with painstaking neatness. Pleased with his progress, I __(9)__ the children with Mary Anne and went for art materials. When I returned, Donnie was in __(10)__. He'd missed the third, problem.

　　My student teacher looked at me in despair. Suddenly her face __(11)__. From the desk we shared, she got a container filled with pencils.

　　“Look, Donnie.”she said, kneeling beside him and gently __(12)__ the tear stained face from his arms.“I've got something to __(13)__ you.”she removed the pencils, one at a time, and placed them on his desk.

　　“See these __(14)__, Donnie,”she continued.“They belong to Mrs. Lindstrom and me. See how the erasers are __(15)__? That's because we make mistakes too. But we erase the mistakes and try again. That's what you __(16)__ learn to do, too.”

　　She kissed him and stood up.“Here,”she said.“I'll leave one of these pencils on __(17)__ desk so you'll remember that everybody makes mistakes, __(18)__ teachers.”Donnie looked up with love in his eyes and a smile.

　　The pencil became Donnie's __(19)__ possession. That, together with Mary Anne's frequent encouragement, gradually __(20)__ him that it's all right to make mistakes--as long as you erase them and try again.