As a man {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (pass) the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (tie) to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from their bonds, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} for some reason, they did not.

    He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (get) away. "Well," the trainer said, "when they are very young and much {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (small) we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} is enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe {#blank#}7{#/blank#} rope can still hold them, so they never try."

    The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (stick) right where they were.

    Like the elephants, how many of us go through life {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (hang) onto a belief that we cannot do something, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (simple) because we failed at it once before?

    Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.

    When I left for the United States to study. I had butterflies in my stomach. I was nervous because I was going to {#blank#}1{#/blank#}new place with new people and new customs. I couldn't even understand {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(they)language. Everything was different {#blank#}3{#/blank#}my own country. There was nobody that I could talk to. I just had my husband, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}was a new person for me, too.

    It was a sad moment when I had to say goodbye to my family and friends. I didn't want {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(leave)my hometown because I {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(grow) up there and had wonderful {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(memory) of the place. So, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (think)about all these changes made me nervous and I was {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(worry)about my new life. But studying abroad was a decision that I made myself. I had to continue and accept the challenge. I looked forward to {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(visit)my family in the summer vacation.

—Why me ? Mike is sitting there doing nothing.

    While not everyone will have pondered (思索) the subject while staring out of the window during {#blank#}1{#/blank#} flight, the question as to why aeroplanes have circular windows rather than square ones is interesting.

    Over the years, aerospace engineering {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) huge leaps in aeroplane technology, meaning planes can carry {#blank#}3{#/blank#} passengers and go faster. The planes have also changed shape to increase safety — including the windows.

    In the 1950s, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} jetliners were starting to become mainstream, the De Havilland Comet came {#blank#}5{#/blank#} fashion. With a pressurised cabin, it was able to go higher and faster than other aircraft.

    {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, the plane had square windows and in 1953 two planes fell apart in the air, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (kill) 56 people in total.

    The reason for the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (crash)? The windows.

    {#blank#}9{#/blank#} there's a corner, there's a weak spot. Windows, having four corners, have four potential weak spots, making them likely to crash under stress — such as air pressure.

    By curving the window, the stress that would {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (eventual) crack the window corner is distributed and the likelihood of it breaking is reduced.