Last Friday, my friend David called me and invited me and our friend Tom to a party in his university. Tom and I are in{#blank#}1{#/blank#} same class. We both wanted to go to the party, but there was a problem--we'd have a final exam on the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (come) Monday.

    “Don't worry. We can come back on Sunday and won't miss the exam,” really{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (want) to go to the party, Tom said. So I decided to go{#blank#}4{#/blank#} him.

    The party was great and we{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (true) enjoyed ourselves there. However, we stayed up late on Saturday night and slept all day on Sunday and didn't make it back to our university until Monday morning. We missed the exam. Then we went to our professor's office and explained{#blank#}6{#/blank#} we missed the exam. We lied that there was a flat tire（车胎漏气）on our way back to the university. Our professor {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (agree) that we could take the exam the following day.

    When it was time to take the exam, Tom and I{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (take )to different rooms. After we opened the test paper, we saw only one question, “Which tire?”

    Neither Tom nor I answered the question. Instead we told our professor the truth. Luckily, he later gave {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (we) the real test paper. And both Tom and I made a{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (decide): never to lie again.

    Yuan Longping, born and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (bring) up in China, is a leading figure in the rice-growing world. When he was a boy, he {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (educate) in many schools, and was given the nickname, “the student {#blank#}3{#/blank#}asks questions.”

    He was interested in plants from an early age, and he studied agriculture in college. As a young teacher, he began {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(experiment) in crop breeding. He thought there was only one way {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (have) more rice quickly. That was to cross different species of rice plant. Then he began his search for a {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (specially) type of rice plant. It had to be male and sterile. When the naturally sterile male rice plant was discovered in 1970, it was {#blank#}7{#/blank#} breakthrough. As a result, China's rice production rose{#blank#}8{#/blank#} 47.5% in the 1990's. And 50 thousand square kilometers of rice fields were converted to {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (grow) vegetables and other cash crops. {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(follow) this, Yuan Longping's rice was exported to some other countries.

    China is a big old country and it has a history of more than five thousand years. We are proud of{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (it) culture and part of the culture even influences the world {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (great), for example, the thought of Confucius. As Chinese economy develops very fast and plays {#blank#}3{#/blank#} important role in the world, more and more {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (foreign) learn Mandarin (普通话) in Confucius institutions. The Chinese traditional culture can be tested by the time. It unites the whole nation and no matter {#blank#}5{#/blank#} kind of disaster comes, we will fight together for the country's future. Today, many young people lose {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (faithful) in traditional culture and they are crazy {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the western culture. They follow the western fashion, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (think) we are the old style. But someday, they {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (realize) they are wrong {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (abandon) traditional culture.

    China has always been famous for being a “State of Etiquettes (礼仪)”. According to {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (history) documents, as early as 2,600 years ago, this nation has already established a thorough set {#blank#}2{#/blank#} dining etiquettes. A famous 19th century Russian writer, Anton Chekhov, once invited a Chinese man {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (have) a drink in a bar. Chekhov said, “Before drinking from his cup, he held {#blank#}4{#/blank#} with his hands and presented to me and the bar owner and bar tenders, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (say) “qing (please).” This is the custom of China. They are not like us to finish it in one drink, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} prefer to drink by taking a small amount at a time. With every sip (一小口), he {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (eat) some food. Afterwards he handed me some Chinese coins to show {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (grateful). This is a rather interestingly polite nationality. This was the most valuable opinion of a Chinese person {#blank#}9{#/blank#} was given by a foreigner two centuries ago. Chinese traditional dinner procedures used to be long and dealt seriously with. The {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (important) the occasion, the more complex the procedures were.

    Our world has seen {#blank#}1{#/blank#} increasing number of students pressuring their parents into buying luxuries (奢侈品) just to look good before their peers. Problem is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} is to blame, parents, students or society? Now, some schools have taken action.

    To avoid {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (show) off superiority among wealthy students, Woodchurch High School in northwestern England has recently made an {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (announce) to refuse quality designer coats, including Canada Goose, often worth hundreds of dollars. Such coats make poor students feel bad since these items lead to inequality. "They feel left out and inadequate," {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (say) The Independent in its last issue.

    The ban has aroused nationwide debate. Some argue that we shouldn't take away parents' right to buy anything {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (value) they like for their kids. However, most parents applaud, believing it decreases their worries on lower incomes.

    Just as Libby Purves, a UK reporter, put it, how you feel at school largely affects your whole life. Columnist Michelle Singletary wrote on The Washington Post that now comes the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (big) chance so far to teach students {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (understand) clothing in fact measures nothing.

    Not just this. In May St. Wilfrid's Primary School banned students {#blank#}9{#/blank#} using designer pencils in case poor students would feel {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (look) down upon.

    My computer was broken so I couldn't read your two {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (e-mail) until today. I'm so sorry {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (hear) about your problem, but I'm glad you're feeling better and are recovering.

    You are right. We shouldn't be embarrassed about our weight. I think you look great as you are, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} you're a wonderful person. I know that the pressure to stay slim is a problem, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (especial) for an actress. However, your mother {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (know) best: nothing is more important {#blank#}6{#/blank#} health.

    It's the same in China-many people, some of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} are not overweight at all, are always going on a diet or {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (take) weight-loss pills, which are often {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(danger). I hope they can learn {#blank#}10{#/blank#} your story.

Love

Zhou Ling