There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(quick). So he sent them each to go and look at a pear tree that was far{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the{#blank#}3{#/blank#}in the summer, and the youngest son went in the autumn. When they had all{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(go) and came back, he called them together to describe what they{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(see)．

The first son said that the tree was ugly. The second son said no—it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

    The third son{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(agree). He said it was full of flowers that looked very beautiful.

    The last son said it was full of fruit.

    The man then explained to his sons that they were all wrong，{#blank#}7{#/blank#}they had each seen just one season in the tree's life.

    He told them that you cannot judge what a tree is, or how a person is，{#blank#}8{#/blank#}only one season. The{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(please), joy and love come from that life can only be measured at the end.

    If you give up when it's winter, you{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(miss)the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer and the fruit of your fall.

    In much of Asia, especially the so-called"rice bowl" cultures of China, Japan, Korea{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine various hardwoods and metal{#blank#}3{#/blank#}create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(use) twigs(树枝) to remove it. Over time,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which {#blank#}6{#/blank#}( gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius{#blank#}7{#/blank#}lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C. ,influenced the {#blank#}8{#/blank#}develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(be) too violent for use at the table.

    Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat{#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    Over the years I have been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept —— the ant philosophy ( 哲学 ), an {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (amaze) four part Philosophy.

    First, ants never quit. If they are heading somewhere and you try to stop them, they will climb over. They will climb under or climb around. They never quit {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(look) for a way to get where they {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(suppose) to go! Second, ants think about winter and summer. They are always gathering their winter food in the middle of summer and they are making{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(prepare) for the long cold winter. So you have to think about storms in summer and think about rocks{#blank#}5{#/blank#} you enjoy the sand and sun. Third, ants think about summer all winter. During the winter, they remind{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (they),” This won't last long and we will soon be out of here.” On {#blank#}7{#/blank#}first warm day, the ants are out. If it {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(turn) cold again, they will dive back down .But they come out again if it is warm. Last, how much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that it {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(possible) can. {#blank#}10{#/blank#}you can learn from the ant philosophy is: Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can!

    It is reported that next year, Singapore will treat sugary drinks in the way that other countries treat cigarettes — no advertisements. The plan aims {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (reduce) the high rate of sugar which may cause diabetes (糖尿病)and heart diseases. Thanks to its economic {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. (develop) and income growth, Asians have access to more and {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (good) food than ever. However, Asian eaters, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} have become richer, gradually begin to change their traditional diets to the food rich in fat and sugar. As {#blank#}5{#/blank#}result, extra calories make them heavier. The effects of {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (eat) unhealthily are serious. In the past twenty years, countries in the region {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (see) the world's largest increases in premature deaths because {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the diseases related to sugar. Faced with {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (it) serious situation, Singapore^'s plan is {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (certain) reasonable.