The American think a lot about time. They learn {#blank#}1{#/blank#}time. As children , they are {#blank#}2{#/blank#}to be on time to go to school , to do work and to do everything by their parents. When they are having a good time , they say that time is {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If a person is dying, then he is living on borrowed time.

    Time is both money {#blank#}4{#/blank#}knowledge. Time is everything in America. A working American has to work hard for eight{#blank#}5{#/blank#} a day. This is working time. In his free time, he also works hard for {#blank#}6{#/blank#}money. Even Saturday and Sunday are filled {#blank#}7{#/blank#}activities. In the street you can hardly see a man {#blank#}8{#/blank#}walks slowly. They walk very fast. In fact, they are running. They love time {#blank#}9{#/blank#} time brings them money, comforts and progress. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} sometimes they also hate time, for they have become servants of the clock.

    Once upon a time, there lived a rich man. He had a servant (仆人). He and the servant loved wine and good food very much. The servant always drank the wine and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (eat) up all the nice food in the house every time the rich man left his home. The rich man knew what his servant did, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} he had never caught his servant doing that.

    One morning, when he left home, he said to the servant, "Here {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (be) two bottles of poisons (毒药) and some nice food in the house. Take care of them." After {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (say) these words, he went out.

    But the servant knew that the rich man lied to {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (he). After the rich man was away {#blank#}6{#/blank#} his home, he enjoyed a nice meal. Because he drank too much, he was drunk and fell to the ground. When the rich man came back, he couldn't {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(find) his food or his wine. He woke the servant up {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (angry). But the servant told his story very well. He said {#blank#}9{#/blank#} cat ate up everything. He was afraid to be punished (惩罚), so he drank the poisons {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (kill) himself.

    Nowadays we can see more and more electric bikes in the street. Electric bikes {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) easy to ride. They run fast and make no

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (pollute). They become very popular, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the electric .bikes also cause more traffic accidents. So China plans {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (make) a new rule for the electric bike riders. If an electric bike is heavier than 40 kilos and can go {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (fast) than 20 kilometres an hour, its rider must get a license. It means riders have to pass driving tests before they ride {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (they) electric bikes on the road.

    People have different ideas after {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (hear) the plan. Some welcome the plan. A bus driver said happily, "What {#blank#}8{#/blank#} good plan! I think it will make the street much safer."

    Some are not happy with the new rule at all. One rider said {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (sad), "I don't want to get a license. It's not convenient {#blank#}10{#/blank#} me to get one." Some don't care about it. A young rider said calmly, "I prefer to use shared bikes which are popular in many big cities of China now. I hope they can come to Loudi earlier!"