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 hard woods 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 removeit. 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#} livedfrom 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 notused everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    You may like at least some kind of music. But the problem is that, in lots of places, you're made {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(hear) somebody else's choice of music. Say you've just landed at an airport, where the background (背景) music may be played loudly. When you are {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the way to you hotel, there may be another kind of music {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (switch) on by the taxi driver. Then you go out to dinner and end up in a restaurant,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}owner thinks music will help make you eat more and spend more. Then a person {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(play) the violin comes around. This is called the “music wallpaper” and its purpose is to make you consume more. In a word, you find {#blank#}6{#/blank#} hard to find a quiet public place without music.

    Noise pollution may be {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(harm) to our hearing. It's also bad for some of our daily {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (activity).

    The fact {#blank#}9{#/blank#} you can't see, taste or smell noise may help explain why it has not received as much attention as other kinds of pollution, such as air pollution or water pollution. Many of us fail to realize we {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (surround) by too much noise. As a result, harm is done to our health without us being aware of it.

—Why me ? Mike is sitting there doing nothing.

    A few years ago, famous writer and editor Tom became very ill. His body ached and he felt constantly tired. It was difficult for him to even move around. His doctor told him that he would lose the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(able) to move and eventually die from the disease. He {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(tell) he had only a one in 500 chance of survival.

    Despite the diagnosis(诊断), Tom was determined to overcome {#blank#}3{#/blank#} disease and survive. He was always getting help from medicine books and some doctors {#blank#}4{#/blank#} gave the ideas of curing his disease. The ideas made Tom {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(think) about the possible benefit of several positive {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(emotion).

    He decided {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(concentrate) on positive emotions as a way to treat some of the symptoms of his disease. “Laugh therapy” became part of his treatment. He arranged time each day {#blank#}8{#/blank#} watching comedy films, reading humorous books, and {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(do) other activities that would draw out positive emotions. Within eight days of starting his ''laugh therapy” program, his pain began to decrease and he was able to sleep more {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(easy). He was able to return to work in a few months' time and actually reached complete recovery after a few years.

    London is the capital city of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (unite) Kingdom which is off the northwest coast of the continental Europe. London is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom. Many government departments are based close to the Palace of Westminster.

    The history of London {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (go) back to its founding by the Romans, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} named it Londinium. London has a wide range of peoples and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken within Greater London. London is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} leading global city with strengths in arts, education, entertainment, fashion, tourism and transport. It is one of the world's most-visitedcities and has the world's largest city airport system. London has many universities, making {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the largest centre of higher education in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(host) the modern Summer Olympic Games three times. London is a world {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (culture) capital and is home {#blank#}8{#/blank#} many museums, galleries, libraries, and sporting events, including the British Museum which always symbolizes London. The London Underground is the {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(old) underground railway network in the world.

    London is{#blank#}10{#/blank#} a wonderful city that travelling there will be an exciting experience.

    Mochi (年糕) is a traditional food popular in Chinese and Japanese cooking, made from {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (special) treated rice. It is often presented in the form of a round cake, and is traditionally exchanged at the New Year.

Mochi is made by {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (put) sticky rice into water overnight, cooking it and pounding it into a sticky paste. The paste is made into shapes ranging from simple to complex rounds, some of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} are stuffed with sweet fillings. Mochi is often decorated with {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (flower) or fruits, especially when it is exchanged as {#blank#}5{#/blank#} gift at celebrations like birthdays and the New Year.

    Traditionally, wooden mortars (臼) and pestles (杵) {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (use) to pound mochi rice. Fresh mochi is usually cooked and served warm {#blank#}7{#/blank#} a variety of sauces. Steaming and boiling are both popular preparations in Japan, along with cooking. Fresh mochi is soft but it{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (hard) quickly. Prepacked mochi blocks, flattened and cut into square pieces or shaped into rounds, are available at grocery stores. Mochi can go bad easily, so it's {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good) to cook soon than to keep it in your fridge.

    Hard mochi pieces can be cooked, deep-fried, boiled, and more. Cooked mochi is very sticky, so be careful not {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (choke) on it.