I won't call myself the most accomplished person when it comes to {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (hold) chopsticks. In fact, I'm pretty sure that my technique looks clumsy at times. I tend to hold {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (I) in the middle, more beginner than expert.

    Still, since I eat almost every meal with the eating utensil（器皿）of choice in China it's not uncommon for a new friend or acquaintance to come to a simple {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (conclude) after observing me that my Chinese husband, Jun, must {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (show) me how to use them.

    They are wrong. I've used chopsticks ever since I was a teenager, a time when my sister and mother were both fond of Chinese cuisine and introduced me {#blank#}5{#/blank#} many new dishes, along with the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (prefer) utensils in China. We always kept bamboo chopsticks along with our {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (knife), forks and spoons, ready for whenever we happened to have Chinese food for dinner. It was my closest family {#blank#}8{#/blank#} observed my first mistakes I made in using chopsticks.

    Plus, I lived over two years in China before Jun and I started dating and I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (expect) to use chopsticks in almost every restaurant, stand and bar. Trust me, when you're hungry you figure out pretty fast what it takes to down（咽下）{#blank#}10{#/blank#} meal with these utensils.

    Li Hua and Wang Hai are two students of Senior Three.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} of them work hard but they have various learning methods.

    Li Hua listens to her teachers {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (attentive) and asks her teacher {#blank#}3{#/blank#}help as soon as possible if she has some problems. Because of this, she spends less time {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (do) her homework, so it is{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (certainly) that she can keep energetic in the day. However, Wang Hai has quite a {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (difference) way of learning {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (compare) to Li Hua. He likes to sit up late at night doing his homework, so he often feels sleepy in class. As a result, he misses lots of key points,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} makes it difficult for him{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (concentrate) on what he is doing.

    In my opinion, Li Hua learns more effectively in class and has more free time to enjoy herself. So I prefer {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (she) learning method.

    How are you getting along with your senior high school? It may be hard for you as this is the first time that you {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(leave) your parents. I know that you are now having trouble {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(communicate) with others, and you may often feel lonely. That's {#blank#}3{#/blank#}you are new here and people don't know about you. But I think you can overcome the difficulty if you can follow the advice below.

    First, you should attach great {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(important) to taking an active part in the discussions and show your own opinions about the matters, and at the same time, learn to listen to other people's views {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (careful). Second, you should learn about your classmates' likes and dislikes,{#blank#}6{#/blank#}can make you get familiar with them. Only in this way can you get to know more {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(difference) people and show them that you are just as friendly. Last but not least, I'm always here ready to help. We can take part in some {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(activity) together and I can introduce you to others.

    There's no need {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(worry) too much, people will know you more very soon and will like to make friends with you if you can do {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the above. Just remember, "God helps those who help themselves".

    At the beginning, written Chinese was a picture-based language. It dates back several thousand years to the use of animal bones and shells on which symbols {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (carve) by ancient Chinese people. Some of the ancient symbols can still be seen in today's hanzi.

    By the Shang Dynasty, these symbols {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (become) a well-developed writing system. Over the years, the system developed into different forms, as it was a time when people were divided geographically, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (lead) to many varieties of dialects characters. This, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, changed under the rule of Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty.

    Emperor Qinshihuang made the seven major states into one {#blank#}5{#/blank#}( unite) country where the Chinese writing system began to develop in one direction. That writing system was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} great importance in uniting the Chinese people and culture. Even today, no matter where Chinese people live or {#blank#}7{#/blank#} dialect they speak, they can all still communicate {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (easy) in writing.

    Written Chinese has also become an important means by {#blank#}9{#/blank#} China's present is connected with its past. People in modem times can read the classic {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (work) which were written by Chinese in ancient times. The high regard for the Chinese writing system can be seen in the development of Chinese characters as an art form, known as Chinese calligraphy, which has become an important part of Chinese culture.