George's mother was very poor. Instead of having bright blazing(熊熊燃烧的)fires in winter, she had 1 to burn. George had to pick up dry 2 from under the trees.
One 3 day in July, she sent George to the woods. He was to stay there all day to get as much wood as he could. He worked very hard so that by the time the sun was high, he was hot, and wished for a 4 place where he might rest for a while and eat his dinner.
While he hunted around the bank of the stream, he saw among the moss(苔藓)some fine wild 5, which were a bright red with ripeness(成熟).
"How good these will be with my bread and butter!"thought George. Lining(垫在……里)his little cap with 6, he set to work eagerly(急切地)to gather all he could find. He felt happy and thought how much his mother would like to see him there, and to be there herself instead of in her dark 7.
George thought of all this and just as he was lifting the first strawberry to his mouth, he said to himself, "How much Mom would like these!" He stopped and 8 the strawberry again.
"Shall I save them for her?"said George, thinking how much they would refresh her, yet 9 looking at them with a longing eye. "I will eat half and take the other half to her, "said he at last and he 10 them into two piles. But each pile looked so small that he put them together again.
"I will keep them all for Mom, "said he and he 11 them up nicely till he should go home.
When the sun was beginning to sink. George set out for home. How happy he felt then, that he had all his strawberries for his 12 mother. The nearer he ca me to his home, the 13 he wished to taste them.
Just as he had thrown down his wood, he heard his mother's weak voice from her bedroom. "I am 14, and longing for some tea. "
George ran in to her and joyfully offered the strawberries. "You 15 them for me, did you? " said Mom, laying her hand gently on his head, while tears stood in her eyes.
Could the eating of the strawberries have given George half the happiness he felt at the moment?