mylist = []
  for x in range(0, rep):
    mylist.append('!')
  length = len(str)
  slicechar = 0
  if length <= 1: 
    return "".join(str)+" "+"".join(mylist) 
  if length % 2 == 0:
    slicechar = length / 2
  slicechar = (length - length % 2) / 2
  return "".join(str[slicechar])+" "+"".join(mylist)