As is known to us, the year 2016 has one extra day in it — February 29th. This is because it's {#blank#}1{#/blank#} we call “a leap year”. Every four years, the year has 366 days in {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  instead of 365.

    It is called a leap year because hundreds of years ago in England, the extra day wasn't{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (legal) recognized. There is a well-known tradition in the UK{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (associate) with February 29th, introduced many centuries ago. Women are allowed to break with tradition and propose(求婚) to their boyfriends on this day. This all started back in the{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (five) century, when a famous Irish saint made a{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (complain) that women had to wait too long for men to propose. According to the legend, Saint Patrick said any female dreaming of a proposal could ask her boyfriend to marry her on this additional day in February. This so-called tradition{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (write) in law in the thirteenth century. Scotland passed a law allowing women to propose to men in a leap year. It was said that if the men refused, they had to pay a fine!

    Now in 2016, there are calls{#blank#}8{#/blank#} February 29th to become a public holiday. Some people believe that it should be an{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (office) day off, because no one gets{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (many) payments for working an extra day in a leap year. For the moment though, the British still have to go to work on this day.

    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 hardwoods and metal {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) special design.

    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 remove it. 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#} lived from 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 not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    China is a big old country，{#blank#}1{#/blank#} has a history of more than five thousand years. We are proud of {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(it) culture and part of the culture even influences the world {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (great), for example, the thought of Confucius(孔子). As Chinese economy develops very fast and plays {#blank#}4{#/blank#} important role in the world, more and more {#blank#}5{#/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#}6{#/blank#} kind of disaster comes, we will fight together for the country's future. Today, many young people lose faith 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 some day, they {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(realize) they are wrong {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(ignore) traditional culture.

    Chinese high-speed railways are a very {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (comfort) way to travel. They are clean, quiet and efficient. China has led other developing countries and even some developed ones in this field since the first high-speed train {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (come) into use in 2008.

    The stations are {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (main) built outside the town center, but local transport has been lengthened {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (connect) the high-speed network. The facilities on the train are new and the staff are well trained. Even the second class {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (chair) provide plenty of space. The passages are so wide {#blank#}6{#/blank#} you can move without disturbing anyone. You can use your mobile phone, access {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Internet or work on your laptop. There is also a restaurant car, though the kinds of food {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) limited. The toilets arc large, clean and user-friendly too. The train almost doesn't rock. Even when the train brakes, you can hardly feel it shake.

    What's more, with a faster check-in, the high-speed train are also {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (little) affected by weather than planes. Seldom are {#blank#}10{#/blank#} delayed or cancelled for weather condition. Therefore, they have become the first choice for many passengers.

Coffee is probably world's least expensive success power tool to increase focus, drive and even the life span. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(fortunate) we may not be enjoying its benefits or pleasure too much longer. According to ecologists，there is a good chance {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the varieties of coffee that we drink today {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(be) extinct in 20 or 30 years. The problem, of course, is the pace of climate change.

Coffee is a crop that is only grown in a thin band {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(call) the "coffee belt" close to equator(赤道), which is extremely vulnerable(易受...伤害的) to climate change. If the air is too hot {#blank#}5{#/blank#} too cold, it prevents the growth of coffee plant. Climate change also creates {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(environment) stress, which spreads pests and plant diseases. Almost all the coffee grown in the world today is one of two species, arabica or robuasta, both of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} might be wiped out in this way. There are other species existing only in Ethiopia, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}country that climate change is happening. In other words, climate change is eating away the root source that we might turn to {#blank#}9{#/blank#}replacement species.

What to do? Well, take the time {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(enjoy) each cup of coffee you drink.