In much of Asia, especially the so-called “rice bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Singapore, Korea, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine（使……结合）different kinds of hardwoods and metal {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) twigs（树枝）to remove it. Over time, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced（影响）the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killing and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) too violent for use at the table.

    Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    Over the last few years, learning Chinese{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (become) popular among people all over the world. Last month, I received an email from my cousin Jack,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}lived in Canada. He said he was enthusiastic about Chinese and asked me to find him some books {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(special) intended for Chinese beginners{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (feel) very happy, I couldn't wait to find him some books. So I went from one bookstore to another to find something{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(suit) for him. Finally I selected a set of Chinese textbooks among{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (variety) of similar ones. Then I went to a post office to have {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(they) delivered by air without delay. Several days {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(late), I received Jack's email, in which he said that he really appreciated the books I had sent{#blank#}9{#/blank#} him. I'm very glad that Jack is beginning to learn Chinese just like many other foreigners abroad, but I know it may be{#blank#}10{#/blank#} enjoyable challenge for him.

Julie: Are you OK, Bill? You look tired.

Bill: Tm fine, Julie. I just {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (stay) up late last night to write an English article. It is time for me to improve my English writing.

Julie: Read as many things you're interested in as possible,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} soon you'll realise that there are many different ways of saying {#blank#}3{#/blank#} same thing. After all, having a variety of sentence {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (structure) in your writing makes your English appear better.

Bill: Reading can also broaden my vocabulary. What kind of books should I read?

Julie: You can choose books {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (write) by native speakers. They, often contain sentences {#blank#}6{#/blank#}differ from those commonly seen in English textbooks.

Bill: Good idea. But sometimes I don't know what to write about and find {#blank#}7{#/blank#} hard to write a long article.

Julie: I suggest you begin by writing short ones about topics you're interested in, such as movies and sports.

Bill: Yes, III write something every day.

Julie: Writing all the time is the key to improving your writing.

Bill: Quite right. Practice {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(make) perfect.

Julie: It's {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (easy)said than done. But in the end, it's worth the work you've put in.

Bill: Thank you for giving me such {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (value) advice.

    A few days ago some of the world's most famous musicians gathered in Paris and New Orleans to celebrate the first International Jazz Day. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recently set April 30 as a day {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (raise) awareness (认识) of jazz music and its importance across {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (culture).

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (actual) in America the jazz audience continues to decrease and grow older, and the music has failed to connect with younger generations.

    It's Jason Moran's job to help change that. As the Kennedy Center's artistic {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (advise) for jazz, Moran hopes to help more people appreciate jazz and preserve its history and culture.

    Moran says one of the problems {#blank#}5{#/blank#} jazz today is that the music can't entertain people. In his opinion, the music can't {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (present) today the way it was in 1908 or 1958. It has to continue to move, because the way the world works is not {#blank#}7{#/blank#} same.

    Last year, Moran {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (arrange) Fats Waller's music, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} was generally considered to be concert music, for a dance party. What he wants is that people understand how we humans talk about {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (we) through music and how music gets us into a dialog about our emotions and our thoughts.