Lesson 37 NCE Book 3

    When I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, I could not help noticing that a great many local people got on as well. At the time, this did not {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I reflected that there must be a great many people besides myself who wished to {#blank#}3{#/blank#} this excellent service. … But when the train dawdled at station after station, I began to wonder. It suddenly {#blank#}4{#/blank#} that this express was not roaring down the line at ninety miles an hour, but barely chugging along at thirty . One hour and seventeen minutes passed and we had not even covered half the distance. I asked a passenger if this was the Westhaven Express, but he had not even heard of it. I determined to {#blank#}5{#/blank#} as soon as we arrived.

    There are all kinds of festivals throughout the world. Festivals are held{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (satisfy) and please the ancestors, to honor some famous people or important{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(event), and to express people's gratitude to the God for bringing them a year of plenty. For example, in India, October 2 is {#blank#}3{#/blank#}national festival to honor  Mahandas Gandhi, the leader{#blank#}4{#/blank#}helped gain India's {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(depend) from Britain.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (tradition), in China the Spring Festival, which {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(celebrate) in January or February, is the most {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(energy) and important because it is a festival that looks forward{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the coming of spring. Why are all these festivals everywhere? Because during the festivals, people can get together to eat, drink and have fun with each other,{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (forget) all the daily struggle and demands for a while.

    “USA? Britain? Which country is{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(good) to study in?” We often hear such discussion. As China opens its door, it is a dream for many Chinese students to study abroad. They want to learn about the outside world.

    It's true that studying abroad can help students develop{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(they). Their foreign language skills will{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (improve) and it may be easier to find jobs.

    But there are problems{#blank#}4{#/blank#} should be considered. Language is the first. Students must spend a lot of time{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (learn) another language.

    Students must also learn{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (live) without parents' care and deal with all kinds of things they didn't have to do before, like looking after themselves. There are {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (report) about Chinese students abroad running into an ocean of difficulties{#blank#}8{#/blank#} giving up in the end. When they have to take care {#blank#}9{#/blank#} themselves, it is hard for students to study well.

    Finally, studying abroad brings a heavy burden to the family. For most Chinese parents, the cost of studying abroad{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be) very high. But is it worth it?

    China successfully landed the Chang'e 4 lunar probe(月球探测器)on the far side of the moon on January 3,2019, becoming the only country in history{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(touch) the lunar surface unseen by those on Earth. The far side of the moon has been seen and mapped{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(previous) by astronauts of the Apollo missions. But it is the first time that the moon's far side{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(set) foot on by any spacecraft, and the successful landing of Chang'e 4 is seen as a major milestone in space {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(explore).

    The Chang'e 4 spacecraft consists{#blank#}5{#/blank#}two parts:a lander and a rover(巡视器). Representing China's{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(new) step in the lunar probe project of all time, it landed at 10:26 am Beijing time. Then it sent back a photo of the landing place.{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(shoot) through cameras on the probe's lander, the photo marks the world's first image taken on the surface of the far side of the moon. One of the photos published by the China National Space Administration shows the place{#blank#}8{#/blank#}Chang'e 4's rover-named Yutu 2~will be heading hours later for{#blank#}9{#/blank#}purpose of conducting further research. The name Chang'e has its roots in the Chinese goddess of the moon. In the ancient tale, Chang'e{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(fly) to the heavens and landed on the moon as her final resting place.

    All through history, people from many different countries and cultures have lived together in Britain. The English language {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (consist) of the grammar and vocabulary these people brought to Britain. That is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} English has so many difficult rules that confuse people.

    The development of English experienced three periods—Old English, Middle English and Modern English. From the 5th to the 9th centuries, Britain was occupied by different groups from other countries, which led to Old English {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (replace) Celtic. Old English, a {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (mix) of different languages, differs {#blank#}5{#/blank#} today's English. Middle English is the name {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (give) to the English used from approximately the 12th to the 15th centuries. During this period, French, though it didn't replace English, still made many {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (contribution) to Middle English. Modern English appeared in the 16th century, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} went through many changes during this period. The question of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} English will keep on changing in the future is easy to answer. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is certain that this process will continue.