My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the1or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a 2istmas after all.
3, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陆续来临) in.
There was a4on the door one evening. It was Jeff's new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to5us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a6on the porch (门廊). Apparently the doorbell wasn't working in the cold snowy weather and we had7a visit from the Browns, our across-the-street neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies.
The8feelings brought by these thoughtful gestures lasted longer than the food.
As Jeff and I were clearing pre-Christmas9from our driveway, Ernie Guzman came over from next door to 10us to dig out.
Then, we received an invitation to11 a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their12 —a 90-year-old lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday.
Our Christmas Eve was quite merry, thanks to our13. Our Christmas morning14 was special, thanks to the Smiths' gift of bread. I was so15for these gestures of welcome, especially during the holidays.
This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The 16and work schedules just made things too difficult.17 that sense of Christmas isolation (孤立) all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were18in the holidays.
Lonely people are all around us, but most of us 19notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest20gesture can make a world of difference.
In many countries，people eat rice every day．1they eat it two or three times a day, for breakfast, lunch and supper．They can 2it, fry（煎）it or 3it into rice noodles．They usually eat it 4meat，fish and vegetables．
Some people do not eat some kind of 5 ． Muslins，for example，do not eat pork，and Hindus do not eat beef．
The Japanese eat a lot of fish．Japan is an island and its 6go all over the Pacific looking for fish to 7 ． The Japanese sometimes eat uncooked fish, and they also eat a lot of rice.
In8such as Britain，Australia and the United States，the most important food is 9 or potatoes．People there usually make their bread from wheat flour．They 10potatoes in different ways．They can boil them，fry them and roast（烤）them．
In Africa，maize（玉米）is the most important food．11 rice and wheat，maize is a kind of cereal（谷物）.African people make the maize12flour．From this flour they make 13.kinds of bread and cakes．Many Africans are very 14 and they can't afford to eat much 15with their cereal．
Cereals are a very important kind of food 16we also need plenty of vegetables and lots of fresh 17 ．
Some people eat 18fruit and vegetables．They do not eat meat or fish or 19that comes from animals．They eat only food from 20 ． Some people say that food from plants is better for us than meat．
