As is known to us, the year 2016 has one extra day in it — February 29th. This is because it's {#blank#}1{#/blank#} we call “a leap year”. Every four years, the year has 366 days in {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  instead of 365.

    It is called a leap year because hundreds of years ago in England, the extra day wasn't{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (legal) recognized. There is a well-known tradition in the UK{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (associate) with February 29th, introduced many centuries ago. Women are allowed to break with tradition and propose(求婚) to their boyfriends on this day. This all started back in the{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (five) century, when a famous Irish saint made a{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (complain) that women had to wait too long for men to propose. According to the legend, Saint Patrick said any female dreaming of a proposal could ask her boyfriend to marry her on this additional day in February. This so-called tradition{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (write) in law in the thirteenth century. Scotland passed a law allowing women to propose to men in a leap year. It was said that if the men refused, they had to pay a fine!

    Now in 2016, there are calls{#blank#}8{#/blank#} February 29th to become a public holiday. Some people believe that it should be an{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (office) day off, because no one gets{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (many) payments for working an extra day in a leap year. For the moment though, the British still have to go to work on this day.

    I seldom thought I had a passion. I would sit before the TV all day, thinking{#blank#}1{#/blank#} nothing but the next shadow. It was not long ago that I first learned how important having a passion is to life.

    One day I went with Mum to drop my sister off at the gym. Then,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Mum stopped at a red light, someone on the roadside caught my eyes. It was a man{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(dress) in rags, homeless. That didn't interest me, for I{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(see) many like him before.

    But he man wasn't sitting down with a sad{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(express). He had a radio in his hand and was dancing{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(merry) to the music. The radio seemed to be the most precious thing{#blank#}7{#/blank#} he had.

    “Mum, why does that man have a radio even though he's homeless?” I asked.

    “He bought{#blank#}8{#/blank#},” she replied.

    “But if he's homeless, why doesn't he use the money to buy food or clothes? He wasted it on something he doesn't need.”

    “Well, Sarah, sometimes food and clothes aren't{#blank#}9{#/blank#} only important things. We need happiness, too.”

    “I see.” The man must care too much about music, so he bought a radio instead of food and clothes. I realized that happiness is the key to life.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} it, there's nothing to look forward to. A passion gives a person the happiness they need to keep going!

    Li Qiang was transported safely into the year AD 3008 in {#blank#}1{#/blank#} time capsule. At first, he found his new surroundings were difficult {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (tolerate) and his head ached for a lack of fresh air. Just as he tried to make the necessary {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (adjust) to the new situation, Wang Ping, his friend and guide, appeared and handed him a mask. After putting on it, Li Qiang felt better {#blank#}4{#/blank#} no time. Soon he was back on {#blank#}5{#/blank#} feet again and following Wang Ping to collect a hovering carriage {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (drive) by computer. Then they flew it to the future of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} was still Li Qiang's hometown. Arriving at a strange-looking house, he {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (show) into a large, bright dean room, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} nearly everything would appear just by flashing a switch on a computer screen. After having a brief meal and a hot bath. Li Qiang slid into bed and fell sound {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (sleep).

    Polar bears are suffering in a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (warm) world than ever before. Polar bears live in environments too cold for most animals. During much of the year, they live and hunt on the{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (freeze) Arctic sea ice. Nature has prepared them for the cold conditions but nothing has prepared the bears for the danger that {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (threat) the only home they know. The scientists have drawn a {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (conclude) that the polar bears' world is melting. Studies show that the polar ice has reduced{#blank#}5{#/blank#}9.8% every 10 years since 1978. Now about 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live in the Arctic. Polar bears depend on the sea ice for their {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (survive). "The sea ice is more than just this platform that the bears walk over." As Andrew Derocher, a scientist who studies North American polar bear populations puts {#blank#}7{#/blank#}, "Only if polar ice melts quite slowly {#blank#}8{#/blank#}they survive on the earth." Some melting and refreezing of the polar ice is natural. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} in a warmer world, these cycles speed up, and bears have less time to hunt. Normally, they have three months in the spring when they gain more weight. The extra fat is used later, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the bears are not actively hunting.