—I have no idea. But just a minute, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(check) it for you.

    Once upon a time, there was a man from the State of Chu who loved his sword very much. One day, he was sitting in a boat   preparing to cross a river {#blank#}1{#/blank#} he accidentally dropped his sword into the water. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the ship moving fast on and the water running, the people on board reminded that he should go into the water to find his beloved sword back. The man felt in great {#blank#}3{#/blank#} ( anxious) too. However, he turned a deaf ear to that and instead, he {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  (immediate) took out a knife and made a notch（刻痕） on the side of the boat {#blank#}5{#/blank#} his dear sword fell. The people wondered why he did so. He said proudly the notch could help {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (get) his sword back. Shortly after the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (arrive) at the shore, he entered the water just beneath the notch he made. Though {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (spend) rather a long time, he returned empty-handed. Without doubt, he was laughed at in public and his story became {#blank#}9{#/blank#} well-known joke in China.

    Today the idiom {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (relate) to the story is used to describe a person who stick to rigid rules without considering a changing environment or describes an action made pointless by changing circumstances.

    Success never comes easy. How many of you have heard of successful people who haven't made any effort? People often have to overcome failures {#blank#}1{#/blank#} they can accomplish something great. They usually don't find success from the very beginning.

    Van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime, but this didn't stop him from completing over 800 painting. Thomas Edison {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(fire) from his first two jobs for lack of competence. Later, as an inventor, he tried 1,000 times {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) the light bulb, without success. He was confident in {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (he), and{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (eventual) he did success. When{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (ask), “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was {#blank#}7{#/blank#} invention with 1,000 steps.

    These successful people have set good{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (example) to us. They wouldn't have achieved their success if they{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (abandon)their dreams. Believe in yourself and try your best, and success will not be far {#blank#}10{#/blank#} you.

Pinky: Hello, Ann! This is Pinky. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} was your weekend?

Ann: Wonderful. We had a family dinner.

Pinky: Your whole family?

Ann: Yes, all of us. We went to our favorite restaurant, the Golden Crab.

Pinky: I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (not know) that was your favorite. It's mine, too.

Ann: The food was good as usual, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}we started dinner late. My brother Paul's car broke {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. He and Jennifer got there after nine. We were all feeling very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (hunger) by then.

Pinky: I thought his car was {#blank#}6{#/blank#}new one. What was the trouble?

Ann: I don't know. Paul says that new cars are not as good {#blank#}7{#/blank#} old ones. He says their steering wheels are not so good.

Pinky: By the {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, Ann. Can you do me the favor to lend me your computer? My computer doesn't work.

Ann: Sorry, Pinky, but I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (lend) it to Nancy. Why don't you ask Emily? I'm sure she'll lend you {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

    A recent study found that people who live in colder climates consume {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (much) alcohol than people who live in warm weather.

    "Alcohol is something that everyone thought harmful for {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (decade), but no one has scientifically demonstrated it," a professor wrote in a press release.

Why do people in Russia drink so much? Everybody {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (assume) that's because the weather is cold. But we couldn't find a single paper {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (link) climate to alcohol intake. Since alcohol could increase warm blood flow in the skin, last month, the researchers in a study {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (suggest) that people should reach for booze (豪饮) when it's cold outside. The researchers combed through data to compare climate factors and alcohol consumption per capita (每人的). {#blank#}6{#/blank#} study also found that as temperatures and sunlight hours decrease, alcohol consumption goes up. Shorter hours of sunlight and cooler temperatures also relate {#blank#}7{#/blank#} higher rates of depression, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} is linked to an increase in drinking.

    The professor hopes this data will help influence health policies on alcohol abuse. "Knowing that cold places have more drink-related problems can could be {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (help) to the efforts in these areas {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (determine) better places," he said.