The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(tradition) festival in China, which falls in late January or early February.

    The historical reason for beginning the New Year in such a time is{#blank#}2{#/blank#} it is the time between autumn harvest and spring plowing and planting. In other words, it is the time for rest, relaxation and celebration after a year's hard work.

    Except this practical reason for celebrating the Spring Festival, a popular Chinese legend offers another {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (explain), which is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (general) accepted in China. In ancient times, a devil called “Nian” that lived under the sea would attack people once a year on the eve of the New Year. It jumped out from the sea and attacked villages{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (eat) people, animals and plants. As they could no longer bear Nian's cruel persecution（迫害）, the villagers gathered {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (discuss) how to deal with Nian and some people suggested that the devil was afraid of loud noises, red color and flame. So people {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (light) firecrackers and fireworks, put up red couplets on{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (they) gates and beat drums to drive Nian away. The idea worked{#blank#}9{#/blank#}Nian ran away.

    Since ever, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival has formed and the practices of putting up red couplets on gates, setting {#blank#}10{#/blank#} firecrackers and fireworks, etc. have been passed down.

    Young sunflowers face the sun as it rises in the east and follow it across the sky until it sets in the west. Why does this happen? A team of scientists has finally been able to figure{#blank#}1{#/blank#} how and why young sunflowers move.

    Older sunflowers always face east. However, as it{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(turn) out, an internal（内部的）clock helps young sunflowers track the sun so that they can grow better. US biologist Stacey Harmer and her colleagues had it{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(explain) in a recent paper published in the journal Science on Aug. 5.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(depend) on the time of day, certain growth genes seem to work to different degrees on different{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(side) of young sunflowers' stems（茎）. The east side of their stems grows faster during{#blank#}6{#/blank#}day, causing the stems to {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(gradual) bend from east to west. The west side grows faster at night, preparing them for the next morning.

    All this move is highly{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(benefit) to sunflowers. The team found that flowers kept away from the sun had leaves{#blank#}9{#/blank#}were 10 percent smaller on average. According to Harmer, sunflowers which{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (face) with the sun receive more bees and other insects because they like warm flowers.

    The UN is an international organization which is made up of countries that want to promote world peace. Now I'm a Goodwill Ambassador for {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(they). My job with the UN is voluntary and I visit countries {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the UN has programmes to help people. When I visit these countries, I'm followed by the television and press and my visits {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (record), which will help people know better about the work of the UN.

    Recently, I traveled to South Africa because of my work with the UN. There I met some {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (woman) who have organized themselves into a group. They collect about 1.35 yuan per day {#blank#}5{#/blank#} each member and add it to some money {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(contribute) by the government. With the money, they can afford 3 {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(acquire) materials and make baskets to sell at the market. If they are lucky enough, their group will become {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(large) and maybe set up a shop.

    Such programmes can change people's lives. There are a lot of other worthwhile programmes like this under {#blank#}9{#/blank#} umbrella of the UN that have helped millions of people worldwide.

    Apart from the urgent problems caused by wars and conflicts, the UN helps countries with {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(vary) other problems. To learn more about the work of the UN, you can visit the UN websites.

    Marty is a disabled boy {#blank#}1{#/blank#} suffers from a muscle disease. Sometimes he is too weak {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(run) or climb stairs as quickly as other people. The doctors don't know {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (exact) what is wrong with him. Luckily, Marty has learned to adapt {#blank#}4{#/blank#} his disability. In order to make his life happy and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (satisfy), Marty keeps busy doing things that do not require physical strength. He has friends with {#blank#}6{#/blank#} he can go to movies and football matches and he has lots of pets. He used to dream of one day being a famous football player and {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(represent) his country in the World Cup. Even when he is made fun of, he doesn't get {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (annoy). Disabled {#blank#}9{#/blank#}he is, Marty has become stronger and more independent. He never feels sorry for himself and he enjoys as rich and full a life as everyone else.

    He suggests that we normal people should give the disabled {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (encourage) rather than laugh at them.