Spreading an Infection

    I've made it a habit to smile at people as often as possible, saying some kind words, “hello, thank you, have a nice day”, whatever fits. I have the right situation as I am living in{#blank#}1{#/blank#}big city with many, many people.

    I'm doing this for quite a while now, so I've seen all{#blank#}2{#/blank#}（kind）of reactions, from people feeling{#blank#}3{#/blank#}（threaten） by a friendly word, reacting  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（angry） or even aggressively, to people{#blank#}5{#/blank#}faces lit up with a huge smile and gave me the{#blank#}6{#/blank#}（impress） that I've made this moment good for them.

    Today something happened that I hadn't yet experienced: Two people, complete strangers{#blank#}7{#/blank#}me, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, whom I passed on the street without {#blank#}8{#/blank#}（smile）at them,{#blank#}9{#/blank#} with a friendly face, looked up from their inner focus, looked at me, started to smile and greeted me friendly while they{#blank#}10{#/blank#}（pass）.

    Have I started a “kindness virus”? That would be great! It makes my day, and I'm still smiling. I hope you do too!

— Of course. After all, it has paid off.

Food from the air

    Everyone has seen plants growing, but have you ever thought {#blank#}1{#/blank#} they get their food? In the seventeenth century, a European scientist {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (call) Van Helmot asked this question. Like most people, he thought that plants must get their food from soil. However, Van Helmot decided {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (test) the theory with experiments.

    First, he dried some soil, put it into a pot and weighed it. Next, he weighed a small tree, planted it in the pot and added rain water. Then, he watered it {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (regular) with rain water.

    After five years, he removed the tree from the pot and weighed it again. He found that the tree had gained {#blank#}5{#/blank#} huge amount of weight. When he weighed the soil, however, it was almost exactly the same as it had been five years {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. So Van Helmot drew the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (conclude) that the tree grew by drinking water. Though it turned out to be wrong, he showed the importance of the use of scientific evidence to support ideas.

    We now know that plants and trees make their own food. Their leaves, when exposed {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the air and sun, are like factories {#blank#}9{#/blank#} can change the energy from the sun into chemical energy. During this process (过程), oxygen and sugar {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (produce). The oxygen is released back into the air, and the sugar is used by the plant as food.

    If {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (give) the choice, a great many people would change at least one aspect of their appearance. They would request a doctor to give them a straighter nose, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (big) lips, and so on.

    Firstly, one's appearance is{#blank#}3{#/blank#} or her parents' blessing. After breast enlargement surgery, many women look sexier than before. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, many of them are later diagnosed with mammary diseases. The more serious effect is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} they risk {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) unable to breast-feed. Secondly, the advocating {#blank#}7{#/blank#}such a practice will mislead people in the{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (judge) of beauty. The concept of beauty is quite rich in its content. It should include many virtues like honesty, diligence, and so on, which should form the real mainstream of our spiritual life. The practice and the debates about man-made beauty will confuse those who are to develop {#blank#}9{#/blank#} correct concept of beauty.

    Concerning the above possible {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (harm) the practice may bring about, I am strongly against it and advocate seeking true and natural beauty. Besides, people, especially women, should lay more attention on the cultivation of their inner hearts. The inner beauty outweighs the outside beauty in the long run.