Last year, two days before Christmas, my friends called, telling me their kitchen caught fire, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (destroy) everything in it. I drove to their house, taking all the food I had. They were so happy to see me, but felt {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (embarrass) having nothing to give me in return.

    I went home, very upset. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (actual), I was also in a hard place financially and unable to do {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (much) for them. I called a friend of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} ( I ) about this, who responded, “These people mean a lot to you and I want to help them.” Since he had never met them, he requested me {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (go) to the grocery store, all on him. At the check-out, I noticed him lacking money, so that I had to have some items taken back.

    We were walking away {#blank#}7{#/blank#} I heard a voice behind me asking the clerk, “How much are those things? I decide to pay for them.” I turned around {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (thank) the kind man and told him everything. He explained that he understood that as he had lost his job the year before but now was working again. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} tears in our eyes, all of us went away. It was such {#blank#}10{#/blank#} wonderful feeling to see folks step up when someone needed help, even a total stranger.

    It is generally believed that obesity is a global epidemic and crisis. But people's view on weight is keeping us from doing things to help us get {#blank#}1{#/blank#} healthy body. Obesity researchers hate{#blank#}2{#/blank#} when I say this, but their own data shows that obesity is not going to kill us. Most obese people don't have {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(short) lifespans (寿命) than non-obese people and in fact it's the underweight people {#blank#}4{#/blank#} are at most at risk.

    So why does everybody think obesity is deadly? One reason is that obesity is associated with three different things that {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(be) deadly and lead to shorter lifespan: being sedentary (久坐);{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (have) lower income; and not getting enough medical care. Everyone, the medial the medical community operate from the firm {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (assume) that obesity is deadly. So any evidences contradicting that are ignored. It is true that obese people are more likely {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(get) diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But there are two things you need to realize. First of all, the obesity paradox. When obese people get the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (disease), they're less likely to die of them than non-obese people. Second, to reduce the risks that you may suffer from, you don't {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (actual) have to get thin. You just need to exercise.

    Agricultural experts say crop diversity is important to feed the{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(increase) population of our planet. They say having a large variety of plants also{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(help) to protect against possible crop diseases and future crises. But many experts say the number has decreased sharply during the past century.

    One of the world's {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(large) seed conservation projects has predicted further losses. The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership is warning that up to one hundred thousand plant species could {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (permanent) disappear. The rich collection of genes{#blank#}5{#/blank#} decide their qualities would disappear with them.

    Many experts blame climate change and loss of habitat, normal growth area, for damaging plant life. They say human{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(activity) and poorly planned, overly heavy use of land also are responsible. Modern business farming is responsible{#blank#}7{#/blank#}loss of farmers' traditional crop varieties. The "Green Revolution" of the twentieth century changed agriculture. Some experts say the use of modern commercial farming methods saved millions of people from{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(starve). Farmers planted, watered, and fertilized their crops with the help of machines. They treated their fields with chemicals{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(control) diseases and insects. Harvests grew larger and higher quality,{#blank#}10{#/blank#} another result was that some traditional crops were lost. Damage to the environment over the past century makes people believe that crop diversity also suffered.

    Does the name of the college you attend really matter? Research on the question {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (suggest) that, for most students, it doesn't. What students do at college seems to matter much more than {#blank#}2{#/blank#} they go. The students benefitting most from college are those {#blank#}3{#/blank#} are totally engaged (参与) in academic life. taking full advantage of the college's chances and resources (资源). Students should have a proper attitude towards college before thinking about which college to attend, and it's never too early to make necessary preparations for a healthy and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (meaning) college experience.