Sometimes your friends start to talk about a new video game or a new app they have downloaded. It sounds pretty cool, and your friends really seem to like it. You become so {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(interest) in it that you want to buy it too. Has this ever happened to you?

    In the US and in places around the world, there is a similar feeling of wanting the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(new), greatest tech gadgets (小玩意). There is a big {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(attract) to getting the latest technology even though people may not need it. But why is this?

    As to(关于) these technologies, there's {#blank#}4{#/blank#} initial （最初的） excitement that {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(get) people's attention, according to Richard Larson, a director at MIT, US. If there's a big group of people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} want these things, you want to be a part of the excitement too.

    One of the major US {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(company) that really take advantage of this is Apple. It comes out with a new iPhone with very small changes every year. But people still flock (涌入) to the stores even if they have just bought the previous phone.

    However,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} （buy）these things may not always be the best choice. You could be buying things that you don't really need and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (spend) too much money just for the right to show it off to your friends.

    Not only that, but our need to always be on your phones or playing video games takes {#blank#}10{#/blank#} a lot of time in our lives. So is this excitement over technology a good or a bad thing?

    The visit of President Xi Jinping to Britain shows the more frequent communication between China and Britain. The cultural differences between the two countries have caused a heated {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (discuss).

    Table manners are the important process in our daily life. We get used to using chopsticks {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Englishmen use knives and forks. It's impolite{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (laugh) when you are eating in Britain, which suggests you don't respect others{#blank#}4{#/blank#} the contrary, we laugh and talk during a meal. What's more, in Britain, people have to drive along the left side of the road, but traffic in our country{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (keep) to the right. Besides, for Chinese students, what they have experienced in studying is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}organized learning way. Students are asked to follow a clear plan.

    {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (compare) with Chinese education, British education is flexible and {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (imagine). Students there are encouraged to discuss the subject they want to learn. Last but not least, in China, “Thank you” is not frequently used between friends and family members. However, “Thank you” is{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(wide) used in Britain.

    There is no sense in debating{#blank#}10{#/blank#}is better. We owe these manners to the different history, but you should do as the Romans do.

    Overhead bridges are found in many parts of big cities, especially in place{#blank#}1{#/blank#} traffic is very heavy and crossing the road is dangerous. The purpose of these bridges{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(be) to enable pedestrians to cross roads{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(safe). Overhead bridges are used in very much the {#blank#}4{#/blank#}way as Zebra crossings. They are more efficient although{#blank#}5{#/blank#}little) convenient because people have to climb up a long flight of steps. This is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(convenient) especially to older people. When pedestrians use an overhead bridge, they do not hold up traffic. However, when they cross a busy road using a zebra crossing, traffic is held up. This is why the government has built many overhead bridges{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(help) pedestrians and to keep traffic moving at the same time. For their own safety, pedestrians should be encouraged to use them instead of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(risk) their lives by dashing across the road. Old people, however, may find it a little difficult climbing up and down the steps, but it is still much safer than walking across the road with all the danger of moving traffic. Overhead bridges serve a very useful purpose. Pedestrians, both old and young, should make{#blank#}9{#/blank#}a habit to use them. This will prevent unnecessary accidents and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(lose) of life.

    When we read a poem, we often imagine what the poets{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (think) when they wrote or what they were doing at the time. These thoughts let us connect with the words better, as if we'd created the poem{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (we). Will a poem still mean as much if a compute writes it?

    By{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (use) algorithms (算法) , computers can now create all kinds of text, including research papers, books, news, stories and even poems. Computer-generated poems might be correct in both grammar and style, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}some say they still lack {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (create) and true meaning.

    Australian researcher Oscar Schwartz created a website{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(call) "bot or not". On his site, you can read poems and guess whether they{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(write) by a human or a computer. Schwartz recently gave a speech at TedX Sydney, in {#blank#}8{#/blank#}he stated that some of the website's poems were able to{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(foolish) 65 percent of human readers.

    He said that on his website, he hoped people would question the difference between humans and machines—and be able to identify what it is {#blank#}10{#/blank#}makes us human.

    As the rain starts to pound on the windows, you may find your dog hiding under a low piece of furniture or in the corner of a dark room. It's not unusual for a dog to attempt {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (become) grounded during storms by seeking {#blank#}2{#/blank#} lowest place in the house or some place near the house's pipes.

    But why? As you might suspect, noise is one of the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (reason). Thunder-storms can frighten dogs with noise phobia, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} is a severe fear of loud noises. Noise phobias can start at any age and worsen over time if {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (leave)untreated.

    Another reason is static electricity(静电). During a thunderstorm, static electricity in the clouds builds up, eventually {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (burst) into lightning. Dogs can sense this static electricity, and often even before the storm reaches our own neighbourhood. Static electricity {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (feel) by dogs through their fur. It could be {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (help)to gently lead your dog to the bathroom and into the bathtub as the porcelain(瓷器)may {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (actual) help block static electricity.

    At the same time, try not to take care {#blank#}10{#/blank#} your dog too much. Otherwise, your dog may think that its behavior is something you'd like to see again.