A study shows that new technology is reducing children's ability {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(use) a pencil or pen. The study is from the National Health Service in the UK. Researchers said that nowadays, children spend so much time swiping iPads or mobile phone screens {#blank#}2{#/blank#}they cannot hold a pencil properly. Children are not using{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(pencil), so they now lack the muscle{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (strong) in their hands to be able to write {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(proper). Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: “Children are not coming into school with the strong hand and the ability they{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (have)

    10 years ago. Children {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (come) into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don't have the fundamental (基本的) movement skills.”

    The researchers said technology is changing the physical way that children write, draw or make things. Dr Payne explained why. She said: “It's{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(easy) to give a child an iPad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. One expert said {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a child isn't strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. She said it was better for children's physical development to climb trees {#blank#}10{#/blank#} to watch YouTube videos.

    I was nine years old when I leant to ride a bike. The bike was a birthday present from my uncle. You can imagine how excited I was when I saw the bike, and I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (beg) my uncle to teach me how to ride it right away. However, before I got on the bike, I felt{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(extreme) nervous and I was afraid that I would fall off and hurt myself. My uncle held onto the seat and helped me to get on the bike. While I was riding, he was running along beside me, holding the seat {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I would not fall over. I was so grateful to him for his help.

As I was practicing, I became more and more confident. Then, I heard my uncle {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (shout), "You are riding it by {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(you) now!" I was both excited and scared. I was really riding by myself, but what if I fell off? Could I use the brakes {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(stop)? As I was wondering about this, my uncle ran after me and got hold of the bike. I slowed down and came to{#blank#}7{#/blank#}stop. My heart was still beating fast when I got off the bike.{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (late) that day, having learnt how to get on the bike and get off it, I felt like I was walking on air! I am still{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(thank) to my uncle for teaching me to ride a bike{#blank#}10{#/blank#}my ninth birthday.

    Barbara Jordan was a lawyer, educator and member of Congress. As a politician, Barbara Jordan worked for social change. She {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (seek) to make a difference for all Americans using her {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (politics) influence.

    Barbara Jordan became the first African-American woman {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (elect) to the United States Congress to represent Texas. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} helped Barbara gain her national {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (recognize) was that she became a member of the congressional committee investigating President Richard Nixon in 1974.

    Barbara Jordan was born in the southern city of Houston, Texas in 1936. She was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (young) of the three daughters in her family. Her father was a Baptist minister. When she was a child, Barbara's parents pushed her to succeed. Barbara Jordan said her parents would criticize her for not {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (speak) correct English. They urged her to become a music teacher, because they said that was the only good job for a black woman at that time. Her sisters did become {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (teacher). Barbara Jordan, however, explained later that she wanted to do something unusual.

    At first she thought about being a pharmacist, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} scientist who is an expert in medicines. After she became the first African-American state senator(参议员), her career in politics took {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

    In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back as far as 7000 years. As early as the Shang Dynasty, bamboo was being used in ancient peopled dally lives. It was used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (music) instruments and even weapons.

    The {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (apply) of bamboo in science and technology is thrilling. In 251 BC, Li Bing, in Sichuan,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (lead) the local people in building the Dujiang Weirs, the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played {#blank#}4{#/blank#} important role. The world's oldest water piper was also {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (make) of bamboo. During the Han Dynasty, the people in Sichuan {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (success) sank a 1600-metre-deep well with thick bamboo ropes. This technology did not spread to Europe {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the 19th century, and it was by using the technology {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the Americans drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania in 1859.

    In Chinese culture, bamboo is well-known as {#blank#}9{#/blank#} of the "four gentlemen" in plants. To many distinguished men, bamboo is a symbol of goodness and honesty. It is always closely related to people of positive spirits. Bamboo culture contributes to encouraging People to hold on when {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (face) tough situations.