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It was a cold night in Washington, D£®C., and I was heading back to the hotel when a man approached me. He __1__ if I would give him some __2__ so he could get something to eat. I'd read the signs: “Don't give money to beggars as most of them are __3__.” So I shook my head and kept __4__.

I wasn't prepared for a reply, but with no __5__£¬ he followed me and said, “I really am homeless and I really am __6__£¡ You can come with me and watch me eat£¡” But I kept on walking.

The incident kept __7__ me for the rest of the week. I had money in my pocket and it wouldn't have __8__ me to hand over a dollar or two even if he hadn't been a real beggar. On a freezing cold night, I assumed the __9__ of a fellow human being.

Flying back to Anchorage, I couldn't help __10__ of him. I tried to reason my __11__ to help by supposing government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. __12__£¬ you're not supposed to give money to beggars.

Somewhere over Seattle, I started to write my weekly garden column for The Anchorage Daily News. Out of the blue, I __13__ up with an idea. Bean's Cafe, a local charity service kitchen, feeds hundreds of hungry local people every day. Why not try to get all my __14__ to plant one row of vegetables or flowers in their __15__ for Bean's Cafe? It's clean __16__ simple.

We didn't keep records back then, but the idea began to take __17__. Folks would fax me or call when they took something in. It's food for the spirit and comfort for my __18__.¡¡

__19__ more and more people participated, new variations cropped up. Many companies gave free seeds to customers and displayed the logo for the programme. Donations poured in. It was then that I could really stop feeling __20__.

1. A. asked B. doubted

C. told D. said

2. A. note B. bill

C. cash D. money

3. A. strangers B. sufferers