Mark was walking home from school one day {#blank#}1{#/blank#} he noticed that the boy ahead of him had tripped and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (drop) all of the books he was carrying. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (article). Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked, Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill, and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} he loved video games, baseball, history and so on. They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (invite) in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (pleasant) with a few laughs and some {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (share) small talks, and then Mark went home. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, and then both graduated from junior high school. They ended up {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the same high school {#blank#}10{#/blank#} they kept regular contacts over the years.

    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.

    Frederick William Ⅰ, the King of Prussia, could never have imagined {#blank#}1{#/blank#} his greatest gift to the Russian people would have such an {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(amaze) history. This gift was the Amber Room, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} was given this name because several tons of amber were used to make it. The amber which {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(select) had a beautiful yellow­brown color like honey. The design of the room was in the fancy style popular in those days. It was also a treasure {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(decorate) with gold and jewels, which took the country's best artists about ten years {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(make).

    In fact, the room was not made to be a gift. It was designed for the palace of Frederick Ⅰ. {#blank#}7{#/blank#}, the next King of Prussia, Frederick William I, to {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the amber room belonged, decided not to keep it. In 1716 he gave it to Peter the Great. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} return, the Czar sent him a troop of his best soldiers. So the Amber Room became part of the Czar's winter palace in St Petersburg. About four meters long, the room served as a small reception hall for important {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(visit).