In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back to as far as 7000 years. As early as the Shang Dynasty, bamboo was being used in ancient people's daily 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(都江堰), the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played {#blank#}4{#/blank#} important role. The world's oldest water pipe 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 19^th 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. Influenced by bamboo culture, many people are taught to hold on when {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (face) tough situations.

    People often have trouble {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (get) used to a new culture because they need a long time to adapt to it. They are usually curious {#blank#}2{#/blank#} they first arrive in a foreign country and sometimes they may get confused about what to do. However, if they stay for {#blank#}3{#/blank#} long time, they may start to feel different {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (stage) of culture shock. They can feel lonely or sad because they can't deal with the local people. How {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (quick) people get used to culture differences may depend on the way they {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (learn). That's a problem if they can't speak the language. So the first important thing is to learn to speak the local language. On {#blank#}7{#/blank#} other hand, some can study the situation and make good guesses about the culture. When they finally begin {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (understand) some of the language and make some new {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (friend), they will gradually enjoy themselves and feel {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (comfort). Then they can live an easy life in a completely new culture.

    Josh Snow was a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} doctor in London—so {#blank#}2{#/blank#} , indeed, that he {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Queen Victoria as her personal {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. But he became {#blank#}5{#/blank#} when he thought about helping ordinary people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to cholera. This was the deadly disease of its day. Neither its cause nor its {#blank#}7{#/blank#} was understood. So many thousands of terrified people died every time there was an {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. John Snow wanted to face the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} and solve this problem. He knew that cholera would never be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} until its cause was found.

    Should naps(小睡) actually{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (take) during the day? Well, we certainly know from{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(evident) in the sleep center and that of many other scientists that naps can give you benefits for both your brain{#blank#}3{#/blank#} your body. But naps can actually be{#blank#}4{#/blank#} double-edged sword because while we're awake during the day, we're building up sleepiness or sleep pressure. So when you try to fall asleep at night, you'll fall asleep quickly and then you'll stay asleep. And when we sleep, we actually release that sleepiness so that we wake up the next morning feeling{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(refresh).

    So if you take a nap during the day, especially if you take it too late in the afternoon, you will actually release some of that sleepiness and it will make it much{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(hard) to fall asleep and stay asleep soundly throughout the night. So the advice would be if you don't struggle with your sleep and you can nap{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(regular), then naps are just fine.

    But if you do find it difficult{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (fall)asleep or stay asleep at night, then you should avoid naps and try to build up that healthy sleepiness in the evening.

    The ideal nap depends on{#blank#}9{#/blank#} you want from that nap. Different stages of sleep actually give you different types of brain and body{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (benefit).

    In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining(请客) at home. They often invite friends over{#blank#}1{#/blank#}a meal, a party, or just for coffee and conversation.

    Here are the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (kind) of things people say when they invite someone to their home:

    "Would you like to come over for dinner Saturday night?" "Hey, we {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(have) a party on Friday. Can you come?" {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(reply) to an invitation, either say thank you and accept, or say you're sorry and give an excuse: "Thanks, I'd love to. What time would you like me to come?" {#blank#}5{#/blank#} "Oh, sorry. I've tickets for a movie."

    Sometimes, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, people use expressions that sound like invitations but which are not real invitations. For example: "Please come over for a drink sometime." "Why not get together for {#blank#}7{#/blank#} party sometime?" "Why don't you come over and see us sometime soon?"

    They are really just polite ways of {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (end) a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don't mention a specific(确定的) time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (friend). To reply to expressions like these, people just say "Sure, that would be great!" or "OK. Yes, thanks."

    So next time when you hear {#blank#}10{#/blank#} sounds like an invitation, listen carefully. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?

    A 23-year-old British woman has invented a product made {#blank#}1{#/blank#} combining fishing waste and algae(海藻).It could be used to replace plastic bags, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} people use once and throw away. Lucy Hughes created the material, called MarinaTex. On November 13, Hughes {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (award) the international winner of the 2019 James Dyson Award for design.

    MarinaTex is stronger, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (safe) and much more sustainable than the plastic polyethylene(聚 乙烯).But unlike plastic, MarinaTex is also easier {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (break) down in four to six weeks in normal conditions and does not pollute the soil. Concerned about the growing amounts of plastics in ocean waters, she is investigating ways to reduce the amount of waste from the fishing industry, which produces {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(approximate) 50 million tons of waste worldwide each year.

    {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (examine) fish parts left over from processing helped to give her the idea for a material that was useful and did not harm the environment. After months of testing, Hughes {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(produce) a strong, flexible sheet that forms at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius.

    Hughes will receive about $41,000 in prize money as the first place {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (win) of the James Dyson Award. She plans to use the money to further develop the product and ways to mass produce {#blank#}10{#/blank#}