Visiting the city when you are six months pregnant and have a two-year-old girl can be really {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (challenge). One spring afternoon, we went to one of the grocery stores nearby to buy some food for dinner. There was no sign of rain, and the store was just around the comer, so we went there{#blank#}2{#/blank#} an umbrella. However, we were about to leave the store {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the rain came in full force. It seemed that the streets would be flooded {#blank#}4{#/blank#} water within minutes.

    I noticed a young Chinese couple staring at {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (we) when we came to a crossroads and were waiting for the light to change. I figured they were probably wondering {#blank#}6{#/blank#} a pregnant foreigner was dragging her little kid out through the rain. But as we crossed the street,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} woman offered me her umbrella. I told her I couldn't take it when it was clearly starting to storm. She insisted,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (hand) it to me and hurried off with her husband.

Though caught in the rain {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (expect), we still treasured the memory and will always recall the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (friend) and kindness of the Chinese couple.

    Alexander Graham Bell was an influential scientist, engineer and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(invent). He was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is widely credited with the invention of the first telephone. Bell's mother and wife{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(be)both deaf, which had an effect{#blank#}3{#/blank#}his work.

    When he was 23, Bell and his parents moved to Canada. Bell studied the human voice and worked with different schools for{#blank#}4{#/blank#}deaf. He experimented with sound, working with sound, working with equipment used to send different{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(message)and record sound. He worked on acoustic telegraphy(声报机)with an electrical designer {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(name)Thomas Watson.

    On February 14, 1876, Bell and Elisha Gray, an American electrical engineer, both filed patents(申请专利)covering the transmission (传送)of sounds telegraphically. Finally, Bel{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(give)the patent. A few days{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(late), he succeeded in{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(get)his telephone to work.

    Bell improved the design and by 1886 more than 150,000 people owned telephones in the United States. He once said, “The day will come when the man at the telephone will be able to see the distant person to {#blank#}10{#/blank#}he is speaking.”

    Mary and her husband Dimitri lived a tiny village of Perachora. One of Mary's prize {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (possess) was a little white lamb which her husband had given her, She kept it {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (tie) to a tree in a field. One evening, however, the lamb was missing. The rope had been cut, so it was obvious that the lamb had been stolen.

    When Dimitri came in from the fields, his wife told him {#blank#}3{#/blank#} had happened. Dimitri at once set out to find the thief. After telling several of his friends about the theft, Dimitri found out that his neighbour, A1eko, had suddenly acquired a new lamb. Dimitri {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (immediate) went to Aleko's house and angrily accused him {#blank#}5{#/blank#} stealing the lamb. He told him he had better return it or he would call the police. Aleko {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (deny) taking it and led Dimitri into his backyard. It was true that he had just bought a lamb, he explained, but his lamb was black. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (shame) of having acted so rashly, Dimitri apologized to A1eko for having accused him. While they were talking it began {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (rain) and Dimitri stayed in A1eko's house until the rain stopped. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} he went outside half an hour later, he was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (astonish) to find that the little black lamb was almost white. Its wool, which had been dyed black, had been washed clean by the rain!

    Do you sing karaoke and{#blank#}1{#/blank#} you are a famous singer like Song Zuying or Liu Huan? To be honest, a lot of people attach great importance to{#blank#}2{#/blank#} rich and famous.

    Sometimes they may play to{#blank#}3{#/blank#} in the street or subway so that they can earn some extra money for themselves or for their instruments.

Cai Zhengjun lost his hearing when he was just in eighteen months old, as a result of a high fever. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (fortunate), his parents loved him and supported him as much as possible. They were determined to see their son equipped with the necessary life {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(skill) needed to lead a normal life. Cai, however, didn't understand the support they provided. it was after many years that he realized what they were trying to do. Today. Cai's role has changed from a silent observer in life {#blank#}3{#/blank#}a source of empowerment for his fellow hearing impaired peers.