Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
When I was a senior in high school, I         knew I wanted to pursue writing as a career.
Writing had basically         me when I was only 7 years old,         since that time, I’d been bombarded by guidance counselors and career planners who all         me to have “a back-up plan” in case writing didn’t work out.
I’d never even         a different career path, so I was very         and worried. After much thought, I decided         would be my “back-up plan,” and I signed up for a class through my high school.
This         that every morning, I would serve as a teacher’s helper for my favorite 6th grade teacher, Mr. Ralston. Morning after morning, I showed up in Mr. Ralston’s classroom and    papers for him.
Sometimes, I even         a lesson or two. It was fun, and the students seemed to like me, so I was surprised when it came time for my        . Mr. Ralston looked me right in the eyes and asked, “Do you really want to teach?”
“Had I really been that        ?” I thought.
“Don’t misunderstand. You’ll do fine in teaching,” he continued. “But, is your        really in it?”
“Not really,” I       . “I want to write. I want to write news stories and fiction and poetry and so much more…but I’ve been told it’s tough to make it as a writer         I thought maybe I would teach and then use my summers         to pursue writing.”
As I shared with Mr. Ralston my hopes, dreams and carefully plotted-out back-up plan, he smiled and said, “Why are you preparing to        with this back-up plan? If you want to be a writer, go for it! Pursue writing!”
Mr. Ralston’s         to follow my dreams was the little nudge I needed to help me push past my         of not making it as a writer and simply “Go for it!”
That’s what an encouraging word will do when spoken in love in         season. So, let’s try and be like Mr. Ralston and speak that word of encouragement at just the right time and make a difference in someone’s life today.

A．even B．never C．already D．also

A．reminded B．entertained C．accompanied D．chosen

A．or B．and C．for D．but

A．urged B．forced C．taught D．persuaded

A．created B．taken C．considered D．examined

A．embarrassed B．confused C．annoyed D．frightened

A．writing B．teaching C．studying D．compiling

A．meant B．indicated C．suggested D．revealed

A．read B．set C．graded D．composed

A．reviewed B．skipped C．took D．presented

A．application B．evaluation C．instruction D．qualification

A．transparent B．shallow C．superior D．ambitious

A．eye B．mind C．heart D．focus

A．interrupted B．joked C．admitted D．apologized

A．unless B．if C．because D．so

A．up B．apart C．along D．off

A．fail B．follow C．depart D．compete

A．encouragement B．determination C．tendency D．attempt

A．dreams B．fears C．regrets D．mistakes

A．peak B．low C．due D．New