Have you ever asked yourself why children go to school? You will {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (probable) say that they go to school to learn languages, mathematics, history, science and some other knowledge. That is quite true,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}why do they learn these things?

    We send our children to school in order {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (prepare) them for the time when they really grow up and will have to work for {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (they)．Nearly everything they study at school has some practical use in their life. But is that {#blank#}5{#/blank#} only reason why they go to school? There is more in education {#blank#}6{#/blank#} just learning facts. We go to school to learn how to learn, so that when we have left school we can continue to learn.

    A man {#blank#}7{#/blank#} really knows how to learn will always be {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (succeed), because when he has to do something new, he will not only be able to do it well himself, but he will also be able to teach others how to do it in the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good) way. The person with poor education, on the other hand, either finds himself unable to do something new, or just {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (do) it badly. The main purpose of schools is not to teach those subjects, but to teach pupils the way to learn.

    The Silk Road is in fact {#blank#}1{#/blank#} relatively recent term. These ancient roads had no particular name until in the mid-nineteenth century; Baron Ferdinand von Richth often named the trade and communication network the Silk Road. Since then the term {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（accept）globally.

    In the nineteenth century, a new type of travelers stepped onto the Silk Road: archaeologists and geographers, enthusiastic explorers who were eager {#blank#}3{#/blank#}（look）for adventure.

    Researchers who came from many countries traveled through the Taklamakan Desert, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} is now in Xinjiang, to explore ancient sites along the Silk Road, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（lead）to many discoveries and studies, and most of all, a renewed interest {#blank#}6{#/blank#}the history of these routes.

    Today, many historic {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（build） and monuments still stand, marking the passage of the Silk Road through hotels, ports and cities. What's more, the long - standing legacy （遗产） of this {#blank#}8{#/blank#} （remark）network is reflected in a large number of cultures, languages, customs and religions that have developed for many years along these routes. The passage of merchants and travelers of many different nationalities resulted not only in commercial exchange {#blank#}9{#/blank#} in a widespread and continual process of cultural interaction. {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（obvious）, it has become a driving force in the formation（形成）of diverse societies.

    I won't call myself the most accomplished person when it comes to {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (hold) chopsticks. In fact, I'm pretty sure that my technique looks clumsy at times. I tend to hold {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (I) in the middle, more like beginner than expert.

    Still, since I eat almost every meal with the eating utensil (器皿) of choice in China, it's not uncommon for a new friend or acquaintance to come to a simple {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (conclude) after observing me that my Chinese husband, Jun, must have shown me {#blank#}4{#/blank#} to use them before.

    They are wrong. I've used chopsticks ever since I was a teenager, a time when my sister and mother were both fond of Chinese cuisine and introduced me {#blank#}5{#/blank#} many new dishes, along with the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (prefer) utensils in China. We always kept bamboo chopsticks along with our {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (knife), forks and spoons, ready for whenever we happened to have Chinese food for dinner. It was my closest family {#blank#}8{#/blank#} observed my first mistakes I made in using chopsticks.

    Plus, I lived over two years in China before Jun and I started dating and I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (expect) to use chopsticks in almost every restaurant, stand and bar. Trust me, when you're hungry you figure out pretty fast what it takes to down (咽下) {#blank#}10{#/blank#} meal with these utensils.

    Senior citizens are the first to come to our mind when you think of hearing loss, but in a recent report, hearing professionals worry teenagers will soon outnumber aging adults {#blank#}1{#/blank#} it comes to living with hearing loss.

    The rise in popularity of personal audio devices from iPods to smart phones has had dangerous effect on the ears of those who use them most, teenagers! A research {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (conduct) by the World Health Organization finds that nearly 50% of teens {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (fall) into the habit of exposing themselves to unsafe levels of sound so far.

    A sound is considered unsafe when it goes beyond 85 decibels (分贝). At that level, it takes just 8 hours of listening over your lifetime to cause damage. The louder the sound is, the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (little) time it takes to cause damage. Because hearing loss is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (typical) considered a health problem for the elderly, it is difficult to convince already stubborn teenagers that they really are doing damage {#blank#}6{#/blank#} their ears.

    Young adults {#blank#}7{#/blank#} have been exposed to loud noise over a period of time may have some hearing loss symptoms. Their {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (able) to learn is compromised, and they may have difficulty developing social skills.

    In an effort to help teens better protect their hearing, we suggest {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (set) volume limits on personal audio devices. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is also good to limit the amount of time exposed to noise and to take listening breaks to give the ears a rest.

    Researchers examined the benefits of singing among people with mental health conditions {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (include) anxiety and depression.

    They found people who took part in a community singing group improved their mental health and that the combination of singing and socializing was an important part of {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (recover).

    The grassroots action runs weekly singing workshops for the people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} mental health conditions as well as the general public. It {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (original) began at a hospital in 2005, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} afterwards moved into the community. Around 120 people now attend four free workshops each week across Norfolk, two thirds of {#blank#}6{#/blank#} have had contact with mental health services.

    The research project followed the group for six months and {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (undertake) interviews and focus groups with participants, organizers, and workshop {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (leader).

    The report shows how singing and socializing gave participants {#blank#}9{#/blank#} feeling of belonging and wellbeing that often lasted a day or {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (many), as well as improved social skills and confidence.