After eight months' delicate preparations, an evening gala（聚会）Sail to the Future for leaders and representatives attending the 9th BRICS Summit was held at the Banlam Grand Theater in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It consists of five chapters including Wind from the Sea, Sky and the Sea, Rhythm of the Sea, Tide and the Sea as well as the Dream from the Sea, highlighting the unique Fujian culture while introducing the strongest features of Xiamen.

    Taking advantage of “sea” element to promote cooperation. Sea was the central idea that ran through the whole gala{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is a city with three sides facing the sea.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In the second part, the popular Chinese song The Sea, My Sweet Home featured the life of the people living in this area, and their proud Fujian, or Minnan culture.

    “The unique geographic advantages of the costal city and the local lifestyle gave us much inspiration of the evening gala,” said Xie Nan, general director of the evening gala.

    “Many Minnan culture elements, including Fujian opera, fishing culture and Fujian Nanyin, are honored as a 'living fossil' of ancient Chinese music.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}”

    “A good performance requires close relationship between composing and dance rhythm. At first, we asked the composer and dancer to create their works on their own{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It was not a simple progress. They needed not just perfect time but inspiration and team work,” Zhang Dongxin, executive director of the evening gala, said.

A. The gala is based on the theme of “sea”

B. And they were taken into the stage performance

C. The gala is meant to be held beside the sea

D. That is the end of the whole wonderful performance

E. “Billowing waves” was performed as the opening dance

F. It is also one of the most distinctive characteristics of Xiamen

G. Then they had to discuss with each other again and again to find the balance

    If you are like most international students, you are probably comfortable reading and writing in English. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are some tips to help you to improve your conversational skills.

    Make friends with American students. Many international students end up making friends with a lot of—or only—other international students. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Hanging out with natives not only naturally pushes you to improve your spoken English, but also helps you pick up cultural and social information.

    Learn from American friends. Tell your American friends that you are trying to improve your listening and speaking skills, and would like them to help you. If you pronounce a word incorrectly, or misuse an idiom, you ask them to guide you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Increase your knowledge. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you are familiar with the topics that are likely to be discussed in conversation, you have a much better chance of understanding people when they talk, and of being able to express yourself well.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you have to explain something to someone, you have a strong motivation to pronounce everything as well as you can, and find other ways to explain yourself. Finally, this becomes a good habit. Many people have asked me how I learned to speak English fluently, and I owe most of it to my years of being a math teacher in college for years.

A. It is bad for them to do that.

B. You will make progress this way.

C. Become a teacher at your school, if possible.

D. It's a win－win opportunity for international students.

E. Keep up with news and watch popular shows and movies.

F. Explaining everything in a different way matters.

G. However, you may have trouble in listening and speaking in the language.

How to Survive High School

    High school can be a terrible phase if you get it all wrong. Find out how to survive high school with a few easy tips.

    ⒈Be Yourself.

    High school is a fun time to make new friends, meet new people, date and socialize. Make friends with all kinds of people and not just a group which you are comfortable with. Most peer pressure cases are because of the weak image created by freshmen. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Don't give in to anyone's wants.

    ⒉{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Choose your friends carefully and make sure you won't get influenced by anyone. Socialize, but by judging who you can connect to. You will find friends, but stay away from the ones who don't want to be your friends as a bad company is tempting, but the good one is true.

    ⒊Be Optimistic.

    There is nothing better than having a smile on your face whenever you can. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Don't be afraid to make friends, don't get aggressive or personal with anyone and treat others the way you want to be treated. Respect your teachers and classmates and try to be helpful if you want the same in return.

    ⒋Be Confident.

    When you believe in yourself, others believe in you. Talk, walk and address people confidently and this will create a strong image about you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be creative and unique and learn to set trends. Confidence is one quality you grow with, and people respect you for that.

    ⒌Love High School.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Make the most out of it, and you will never get those moments back. Come up with frank ideas, get a detention(留堂), top your class, make the best friends, drink, go to prom, party, but just make as many memories as you can!

    With these tips to survive high school, you will surely be proud of graduating as an all-round approaching adult carrying the best roots. So, when you throw those hats in the air, feel the freedom and remember every moment you spent in "High School".

A. And always wear your smile.

B. Keep Good Company.

C. Just be yourself and create a strong self-image.

D. Practice positive thinking.

E. Do your thing, and don't imitate others.

F. Fall in love with it.

G. Study as hard as you can in your spare time.

    If one thing on your wish-list is a stress-free holiday, then here are some shopping tips prepared for you, which will save both your time and money.

    Don't be tough on your brains. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Don't be afraid to look for clues and ask for ideas. First, see whether the folks on your to-buy-for list have already dropped some valuable hints of their dreamed items. If you strike out, encourage your lucky recipients to post items they wish someone would buy for them. You can also find inspiration in the many online gift guides. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} — Gifts for Dads, Gifts for Golfers and such. Then you'll get the idea.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You really can enlist your own personal helpers. Don't feel guilty about that—after all, Santa employs helpers too. Many stores have free professional shoppers who can pick out presents for you. We're not talking just high-end stores such as Blooming-dale's and Nordstrom. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They're all hungry to win your business away from online retailers. But you'll likely need an appointment, so call ahead or search stores' websites for “personal shopping”. You'll typically find a link on the home page under Contact Us or Services.

    Have gifts delivered. Time is money, and for not a lot of money you can save a lot of time by having your gifts delivered right to your door. Some mom-and-pop shops offer delivery service while chain stores tend to charge for that, but it still might be worth paying for the convenience. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} First go to postmates.com or download the free app and see whether it's available in your area. Then type the name of a store into the search bar, click on the store, and enter the item you want.

A. Make an appointment ahead.

B. Can't figure out what to buy?

C. Do you wish for a stress-free holiday?

D. Get someone else to do shopping for you.

E. They are typically organized by recipient, interest, and/or price range.

F. Others like Macy's and J. Crew will also let you leave the shopping to them.

G. For local stores that don't offer this convenience, try the Post-mates delivery service.

    One of the biggest reasons people drop an exercise program is lack of interest. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The good news is there are tons of different sports and activities to try to see which one inspires you.

    When picking the right type of exercise, it can help to consider your workout personality. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If so, solo sports like running, biking, or snowboarding could be for you. Or do you like the shared motivation and companionship that comes from being part of a team? School sports, intramural leagues, club teams, and pick-up games are great ways to stay active with others.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, whether your chosen activity is affordable and available to you (Activities like horseback riding may be harder for people who live in cities, for example.) You'll also want to think about how much time you can set aside for your sport.

    It's a good idea to talk to someone who understands the exercise, like a coach or fitness expert at a gym. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Doctors know that most people benefit from regular exercise, even those with disabilities. If you have a health problem or other concern (like being overweight or very out of shape), talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise plan.

    Considering the benefits to the heart, muscles, joints, and mind, it's easy to see why exercise is wise. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Even small things can count as exercise when you're starting out -like taking a short bike ride, walking the dog, or raking leaves.

A. Without fun, it is hard to keep it up.

B. You also need to plan around practical considerations.

C. You have to make a list of your favorite exercises, too.

D. He or she can get you started on a program that's right for you.

E. Different types of exercise can strengthen different muscle groups.

F. And the great thing about exercise is that it's never too late to start.

G. For example, you may like to work out alone and on your own schedule.

Avoid Internet Addiction

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many people suffer from addition to the Internet and have a hard time paying attention to the important things around them. How can we prevent ourselves from going online too much?

    Admit you have an addition. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Realize more and more people in the world are becoming addicted. You are not the only one with this problem. Do not be embarrassed; find others with the same problem and help each other beat it.

    Limit your computer time. Make sure not to turn it on too many times a week. Before using your computer, decide on a time limit such as 30 minutes. Set the clock and make sure that you get off the computer when the time is up. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Try using the computer at the library. You won't be as attracted to look at certain websites and they do have a limit on how long you can stay online. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. So you won't be as attracted to be on the Internet as at home.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Go for a run with a friend or get exercise some other way. Keep up with the local events in your neighborhood. There may be talks, films, concerts and sports events etc. Find some, as long as it is not on the Internet, and get involved.

A. You will be happier if you use the Internet less.

B. There is no use avoiding the truth.

C. Also, it is a good place to get some good books and magazines to read.

D. Get a hobby or an interest.

E. Internet addition affects a lot of people.

F. Get your family to remind you if you've been on a long time.

G. Try to reduce the amount of time by 5minutes each time.