Dear Tom，

    How time flies! You {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (study) in Beijing for nearly a month, during which you must have achieved a lot. Well, how's everything going? It is reported that the weather there is very hot and dry these days, which is very different from{#blank#}2{#/blank#} of your country. Have you adapted to it? In addition, you once complained that the food {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (serve) there was not {#blank#}4{#/blank#} your taste. I hope that should have been improved.

    I am glad to tell you that I will go to Beijing to take part in an English speech contest in July, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} is not only an honor, but also a great opportunity for me to improve {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. And now I try my best to make {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (prepare) for it. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, I have some trouble in collecting the materials relevant and using the language. I will appreciate {#blank#}9{#/blank#} if you give me a hand to solve the problems.

    After the contest, I am to drop {#blank#}10{#/blank#} at your school to visit you. Please wait for my phone.

Li Hua

    Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners {#blank#}2{#/blank#} come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap {#blank#}3{#/blank#}can be to eat out. I still remember{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(visit) a friend who'd lived here for five years and I{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(shock) when I learnt she hadn't cooked once in all that time.

    While regularly eating out seems to{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(become) common for many young people in recent years, it's not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(weigh) problems.

    If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum's home {#blank#}10{#/blank#}dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket.

—That's ________.