Colored rice poured out of Manju's paper cup and showered across the floor. "I'm sorry," he told his grandmother. He rushed to 1 the rice. Would Grandmother still let him help with the rangoli?
The rangoli was a traditional good-luck 2 on the ground. Grandmother made one every start of the new year. This year, Manju was ten years old and he was 3 enough to help. But so far he'd only made a mess. Grandmother smiled at him and said, "Don't be 4 . It takes practice." Manju tried again more 5 . "It works!"
After a while, Manju saw over at Grandmother and said, "You've 6 a lot, but I've done a little." Grandmother said. "Breaks bring bad luck, but your side looks 7 . You're doing a good job." Manju kept working. Sometimes his rice ran outside the drawing. Sometimes he used the wrong color, 8 Grandmother had to redraw it. But slowly, the bright rice changed into a beautiful peacock (孔雀).
Manju admired the peacock when Grandmother left to answer the phone. Then he noticed a 9 on Grandmother's side. Should he fix it? "I'll surprise Grandmother!" 10 decided to help!
Suddenly, Manju fell down onto the rangoli. He pushed the rice back, but the colors were 11 . When Grandmother came back, Manju looked down. He said, "I'm so sorry. I should have waited for you." Grandmother shook her head. "You saw a 12 and tried to fix it. I'm proud of you." "But the rangoli is broken," Manju said. "Not if you 13 me." Grandmother said. Manju picked up the rice at once, dividing each grain (米粒) by color. Just before nightfall, they finished 14 the rangoli together.
"We did it! The peacock seemed alive." Manju smiled. "We make a good 15 ." Grandmother said. The new year felt full of good luck, thanks to grandmother and him.
