A.closer B. daily C. emotional D. enhance E. enormous F. especially G. hinder H. mission I. painful J. performance K. profession L. remarkably M. require N. sensitive O. urge Every year in the first week of my English class, some students inform me that writing is too hard. They never write, unless assignments __1__it. They fine the writing process __2__ and difficult. How awful to be able to speak in a language but not to write in it __3__English, with its rich vocabulary. Being able to speak but not write is like living in an__4__mansion and never leaving one small room. When I meet students who think they can’t write, I know as a teacher my_5__ is to show them the rest of the rooms. My task is to build fluency while providing the opportunity inherent in any writing activity to __6__ the moral and emotional development of my students. One great way to do this is by having students write in a journal in class every day. Writing ability is like strength training. Writing needs to be done __7__, just like exercise; just as muscles grow stronger with exercise, writing skills improve quickly with writing practice. I often see a rise in student confidence and __8__ after only a few weeks of journal writing. Expressing oneself in writing is one of the most important skills I teach to strengthen the whole student. When my students practice journal writing, they are practicing for their future academic, political, and __9__ lives. They build skills so that some day they might write a great novel, a piece of sorely needed legislation, or the perfect love better. Every day that they write in their journals puts them a step __10__ to fluency, eloquence, and command of language.