There is no doubt that a mother plays an important leading role in the lives of their children. But what about a ①  ① ? Fathers play just as important a role as mothers.
Fathers give us support. They are the shore（岸）we swim to when our arms and legs feel tired. ②They are the strength we rely on （依靠）as we take our first steps into the world. Fathers can be gentle and powerful, but they probably have the simplest love we ever know.
For sons, the father is their first hero and possibly the only man they will ever feel comfortable loving.
For daughters, the father is the first man they admire and the first man whose eyes shine with happiness when they look at them. He is the first man to fall in love with them.
For mothers, the father of our children is the person we can believe in to watch over the babies as closely as we would. We are protectedin the knowledge of their love. A father is the person on the planet with whom we can do whatever we want ... one who will be just as interested and never feel bored in the face of our devotion.
Without fathers, we wouldn't be mums. I would like to thank them from all our hearts for this honor and for being our partners in the business of raising children.
在①处填上适当的词，使文章完整。                    
将②译成中文。
在文中找出下列句子的同义句：If there are no fathers, we wouldn’t be mums.
根据短文回答问题：  For sons, what does the father mean?
找出文章的中心句。