As less people choose to make sugar paintings, the traditional Chinese folk craft might have become a {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(distance) memory in some ways. However, a 38-year-old craftsman, Li Jiangzhong, is committed to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (keep) the art of sugar painting alive.

    Li worked as a miner for more than ten years. After {#blank#}3{#/blank#} mine closed down, Li turned{#blank#}4{#/blank#} housing decoration, until he {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(force) to give that up due to a finger injury. Earlier this year, he discovered sugar painting, something he really had an interest in.

    Since there was no sugar painting craftsman in his village, he studied by{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(he) through large quantities of videos and information on the Internet. Li loved painting when he was young, and he found it easy to learn the skill in sugar painting. He soon mastered the skill and could make a {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(vary) of sugar paintings. A sugar painting is made with {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(melt) brown or white sugar. Craftsman {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(normal) paint animals and flowers on a stone board with the syrup(糖浆). When the sugar cools down, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} appears is a piece of sugar art.

    Today I went to a conference, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} two students had a debate about the strengths and weaknesses of the Internet.

    The first speaker talked about the positive {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (effect) of the Internet on our lives. The first is its value for people who {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (look) for information. For example, with the touch of a button {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the click of a mouse, a student will find abundant information at his or her command. The second is our ability {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (relate) to others through the Internet and it is especially important for disabled people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} can't leave their homes.

    The {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (two) speaker talked about the negative effects of the Internet on our lives. For example, some experts think that the outcome of spending too much time on the Internet ii difficulty in {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (form) social bonds. They were also quite explicit about how heavy Internet users spend {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (much) time with their Internet friends than their real-life friends from school and work.

    Both sides presented lots of statistics to support their arguments. My own judgment is that though the Internet is. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (benefit), we should use our intelligence and not be a slave to it!

    I have never had a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (frequently) trip to Sichuan before, but there was a time {#blank#}2{#/blank#} it kept me spellbound. Now this is the first time that I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (be) here. We were very {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (excite). The guide （导游）asked us {#blank#}5{#/blank#} we like hotpot and of course we said yes. He suggested that we {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (taste) it because Sichuan is famous {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it. He also said that it was not difficult {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (find) some {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (place) of interest here. I took some pictures of pandas and I had a good time. As far as I {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (concern), I will never forget the trip.

    In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining(请客) at home. They often invite friends over{#blank#}1{#/blank#}a meal, a party, or just for coffee and conversation.

    Here are the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (kind) of things people say when they invite someone to their home:

    "Would you like to come over for dinner Saturday night?" "Hey, we {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(have) a party on Friday. Can you come?" {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(reply) to an invitation, either say thank you and accept, or say you're sorry and give an excuse: "Thanks, I'd love to. What time would you like me to come?" {#blank#}5{#/blank#} "Oh, sorry. I've tickets for a movie."

    Sometimes, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, people use expressions that sound like invitations but which are not real invitations. For example: "Please come over for a drink sometime." "Why not get together for {#blank#}7{#/blank#} party sometime?" "Why don't you come over and see us sometime soon?"

    They are really just polite ways of {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (end) a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don't mention a specific(确定的) time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (friend). To reply to expressions like these, people just say "Sure, that would be great!" or "OK. Yes, thanks."

    So next time when you hear {#blank#}10{#/blank#} sounds like an invitation, listen carefully. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?

    An app aimed at {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (enable) people to learn more so they can make the country stronger has become popular recently.

    The app, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} focuses on promoting the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Bra and the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} platform that enables Party members and the public to raise their ideological (思想的) consciousness: sense of civic duty and scientific literacy.

    The learning platform, which includes several channels, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (provide) a huge amount of text and video material including news, periodicals, books, open courses, songs and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (movie) for the public to browse and study {#blank#}6{#/blank#} free.

    The learning platform was {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (official) opened to the public on Jan. 1 this year, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} it has become popular among the public within a short time. According to the media, till the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (begin) of April, the total amount of registered users of the learning platform has exceeded 100 million, and the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (day) active users account for as high as 40 to 60 percent of the total users.