When I was a child I thought a lot about what it means to love. I once asked my mother if she loved me or my father {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(many), certain that I knew the answer — me. Instead, she bent down and looked at me{#blank#}2{#/blank#} the eye, hands gently on each shoulder. She explained that she couldn't help{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(love) me and that the love of a mother for her baby was incredibly strong. But then she told me that the love she had for my daddy was a love of{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(choose), which made it special. Of all the people in the world, she chose {#blank#}5{#/blank#} and he chose her. Now that I'm married, I consider each day{#blank#}6{#/blank#} it takes to stay married as long as my parents have. It's not that I don't believe in romance.{#blank#}7{#/blank#} I believe more in the sacred of the ordinary. I believe in love that is sustained by deliberate {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(kind) and the choice to see little acts as testaments of love and commitment rather than indicators of a spark that has died of love communicated each time he cooks meals and I schedule his dental appointment. This picture of love is certainly less{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(excite), but decidedly real, and more romantic in its own way because of the weight of its {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(real).

    All China's major cities have good transport{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(network). There are the tour buses, mini buses, taxis, as well as public buses,

    Buses in Chinese towns are always{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(crowd). The fare depends on distance, and is payable to the{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(conduct) of buses.

    A taxi is often {#blank#}4{#/blank#}most convenient means of travel in the City. They are available at airports, railway stations and hotels and even in urban areas. The total fare depends on the starting meter price{#blank#}5{#/blank#}can range from 5 to 12 yuan, and the distance. Extra fees{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(charge) for waiting and low speed driving during traffic jams. If you take a taxi after 11 pm, a 20 percent surcharge applies over the basic fare.

    The minibus is a compromise between the{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (relative) expensive taxis and full public transport. Their charge is a little more than that of the bus, about 2 yuan or more{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (depend) on distance, but it is very convenient, because it can stop{#blank#}9{#/blank#} any point you want along the route.

    Tour buses, normally {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (equip) with air conditioning and TV, are managed by travel agencies, hotels and airports and provided for short tours, A tour guide is usually present on such buses.

    Observers say Americans want more choices and fresh food when {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (choose) where and what to eat.This trend is one reason why the fast food restaurant McDonald's has struggled financially.

    McDonald's is one of the best­known {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (restaurant) in the U．S.and even around the world, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} these days the company leaders are seeing numbers they probably do not like.In the last quarter of last year, McDonald's income dropped by about $300 million.The January earnings report brought more bad news.Worldwide sales dropped for the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (eight) month in a row and even more than expected.

    McDonald's is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (work) hard to get their customers back.In January, the company ran an advertisement during the Super Bowl.The football game is the most watched TV event every year in the U.S. McDonald's has wanted {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (reach) those viewers.

    Shake Shack is {#blank#}7{#/blank#} new kind of restaurant becoming popular in the U．S.The restaurants are not “fast food”．They are known as “fast casual”．When McDonald's is struggling to get their customers back, Shake Shack is doing well {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (financial)．The New York­based burger chain had a very {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (success) IPO, or Initial Public Offerings, of shares at the end of January.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} its first day of trading, Shake Shack went from $21 a share to just under $46 a share.

    Shake Shack's a quality hamburger.It's fast food, but not “fast food” food.Being part of the “fast casual” trend has helped Shake Shack.

    I was very happy when my friend Mary came to visit me from England. Her destination {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) Beijing and the architectural heritage of China. In {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (prepare) for her visit she had attended a series of seminars on the history of China. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (check) into the Holiday Inn, Mary settled in and began her tour of the capital city. Day in and day out she walked around the city, rejoicing in its abundant {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(culture) sites and experiencing the kindness of its people. However, after seeing the Ming Tombs, she was eager {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (make) a trip to Xi'an to see the terracotta warriors, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} is known as the eighth wonder of the world.

    Originally this had been an optional trip on her schedule, but unfortunately it was later cancelled {#blank#}7{#/blank#} some reason. She felt it was out of the question for her to visit China without {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (go) to see the terracotta warriors, so I helped her arrange a tour to Xi'an. It was {#blank#}9{#/blank#}outstanding success and Mary returned to England with wonderful {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (memory) of her holiday in China.

Gift from A Stranger

My local supermarket is always busy. The first parking space I found was convenient. but I'd noticed a woman in a blue car circling for a while. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I was in a good mood, I let her have it. On the edge of the car park I backed into the next available spot——it was a tight fit. Pretty soon I'd made my way through the supermarket and was back in the flesh air. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(feel)good, I emptied my purse change into the hands of a homeless man and{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(help)a struggling woman reverse park.

    Just as I approached my car, I saw the woman I'd let have my car spot earlier. She was giving me {#blank#}4{#/blank#}odd look——half intent(热切的), half puzzled. I smiled and wished her a pleasant day. As I squeezed back into my car, I saw the same lady{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(look)in at me. "Hello, "she said, hesitantly. "This {#blank#}6{#/blank#}sound crazy but I was on my way to drop some of my mother's things off at the charity bins. You are just so much {#blank#}7{#/blank#}her. You helped those people, I noticed, and you seemed so happy. "She looked at me{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(meaning)and passed a box in through the window. "I think she would like you to have it. "{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(shock), I took it from her automatically. She smiled and walked away.

    After a pause. I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful gold necklace with a large grey pearl. It was the {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(nice)gift I'd ever received, and it was from a complete stranger. The necklace was around my neck, a warm reminder of human kindness.

    Once there lived a rich man {#blank#}1{#/blank#}wanted to do something for the people of his town. But first he wanted {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (find) out whether they deserved his help.

    In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed{#blank#}3{#/blank#} very large stone. Then he {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(bury) himself behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

    "Who put this stone in the centre of the road?" said the old man, but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (slow) and continued on his way. Another man came along and did the same thing ; then another came, and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Late in the afternoon a young man came along . He saw the stone, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(say) to  himself ,"The night will be very dark. Some {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(neighbor) will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone."

    Then he began to move the stone. He pushed with all his {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(strong) to move it. How great his surprise was at last! He found a bag of money {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the stone.