Now more than 40 million {#blank#}1{#/blank#} around the world are learning Chinese, according to a report. The relationship {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the United States and China is becoming more and more important in the world. This has really {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the growth of Chinese language learning in U.S.

    I am Chris from the United States. I am one of the many people {#blank#}4{#/blank#} are learning Chinese. I am studying at a Confucius Institute(孔子学院)in New York. There are 10 students in our class. Some are over thirty years old. Some are middle school students. Our teacher comes from Beijing. He is fun and often tells us interesting things in China.

    I think Chinese is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} to learn. The biggest challenge for American learners is the writing. Chinese is {#blank#}6{#/blank#} different from any other language in the world. It will take me a lot of time to learn enough Chinese characters(汉字). But I think there are many benefits (益处) of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} time in learning Chinese. One important benefit is that it makes me see things from a {#blank#}8{#/blank#} point of view, because Chinese is {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a different language from English. I think for American the students most important benefit is that {#blank#}10{#/blank#} a challenging language can open up their eyes.

    Life in the future will be {#blank#}1{#/blank#} from life today. Between then and now many changes will happen. But what will the changes be?

    The population is growing fast. There will be many people in the world and most of them will live longer than people live now.

    Computers will be much {#blank#}2{#/blank#} and more useful，and there will be at least one in every home. And computer studies will be one of the important {#blank#}3{#/blank#} in schools then. People will work fewer hours {#blank#}4{#/blank#} they do now and they will have more free time for sports，watching TV and traveling. Traveling will be much cheaper and {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. And many more people will go to other countries for {#blank#}6{#/blank#}.

    There will be changes in our food，too. More land will be used for building new towns and houses for all the people. Then there will be less room for cows and sheep，so {#blank#}7{#/blank#} will be more expensive. Maybe no one will eat it every day. Instead，they will eat more fruits and {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. Maybe people will be healthier. Work in the future will be different，too. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} will do dangerous and hard work. Because of this，many people will not have enough work to do. This will be a {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

Hi Jake,

    How's it going? Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while, but couldn't use my computer for a few days. You'll never guess what happened to me!

    A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take up yoga. Yoga is a combination of physical and breathing exercises. It's supposed to be good for relaxation and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. I've been feeling a bit stressed about my school work recently and I thought yoga might help.

    My dad couldn't give me a lift to the first lesson, so I decided to {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The lesson was great and I felt really relaxed afterwards. On the way home, though, it started raining and I got very wet! The next day, I woke up with a bad cold. I couldn't stop {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    I couldn't go to school {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I also had a high temperature. We were having a math test that day so it was great that I could stay at home. I didn't really {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, though. I felt awful and stayed in bed. Mum brought me cups of hot tea for my sore throat(and you know how much I hate tea! ). She {#blank#}6{#/blank#}went to the chemist's and got me some vitamin pills. I have to keep taking these for a while {#blank#}7{#/blank#}I can get stronger.

    That afternoon Robbie came to visit me. He said he'd got something to {#blank#}8{#/blank#}and pretended it was the math test that I'd missed "Mr Bank says you can do it at home instead,” he said, but I knew he was joking. I didn't think it was very {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, but he did!

    The next day, I was still a bit pale and didn't have much energy, but I was feeling better. The day after that, I was able to go back to school.

    Can you believe my luck? I went to the yoga class to feel {#blank#}10{#/blank#}and instead I caught a cold!

    Anyway, I hope you're OK. Write and let me know what you've been up to!

    Bye for now!

Kate