We think that life in Chinese high school is an adventure in which we have to survive mountains of homework and all kinds of exams. Yet would it be {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(surprise) if I tell you that high school life in the US is almost as stressful and demanding

 {#blank#}2{#/blank#}it is in China?

       In US high school, everything must {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(record) into your studying document, including your grades on quizzes, tests and final examinations. Failing

 {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(turn) in your homework on time will directly affect your grade for a certain course. Perhaps completely different from {#blank#}5{#/blank#}we used to think of theUS high school students, they pay great attention to {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(they) academic performance in order that they can get into a distinguished university.

       Like university students, US high school students have the {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(free) to choose the courses that most interest them. Even a ninth-grader can sit {#blank#}8{#/blank#}the same classroom as 12th-graders. But this also {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(mean) he orshe has to work very hard, because the teacher will not treat him or her {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (different).

    A 14-year-old Chinese boy overcame two of humankind's most dreaded fears—getting stuck in an elevator and getting homework {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (do), in a single night {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(owe) to his calm-witted character.

    Sun Yixiao was on his way up on Tuesday evening after school,  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the lift suddenly came to a stop. A moment of panic followed before the  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(teenage) could find a way out.

    Sun said he tried to open the elevator door, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(press) all the buttons in the hope to get the elevator to work again, but it didn't work.

    Without a cell phone at hand, Sun tried yelling to get attention of people outside, but no one responded as time passed by. He slipped a note through the door  {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the message "people stuck inside, please ask the property management for help," and hoped someone  {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(pick) it up and act on it.

    After exhausting all his options without knowing how long it would take before someone found him, he took out his textbooks and started to do his homework {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(patient).

    Soon after he finished his duties, Sun heard loud {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(voice) outside. A large crowd including his teachers and other parents had come to the rescue, by which time he {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(trap) in the elevator for over five hours.

    William Campbell, Satoshi Omura and Tu Youyou jointly won the 2015 Nobel Prize for medicine{#blank#}1{#/blank#} their work against parasitic diseases (寄生虫病). 85-year-old Tu was awarded this prize for her contribution to{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (reduce) the death rate of malaria (疟疾), minimizing patients' suffering and promoting mankind's health. This is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} science is all about.

    As a matter of fact, Tu has won some attention when she {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (get) the Lasker Award in 2011. But there is no way to compare her popularity back to the attention she is receiving today. As the first Chinese mainland Nobel Prize Winner of natural science award, Tu's winning {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (complete) surprised Chinese people, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} have long been wondering when the first Chinese Nobel Laureate in natural science would appear.

    Tu Youyou is the first Chinese scientist to win a Nobel Prize for work {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (carry) out within China. She has spent 40 years' time on scientific research. Although the Nobel Prize did not come to her until four decades later, it is definitely one of {#blank#}8{#/blank#} most privilege rewards that recognizes Tu's devotion and perseverance in discovering artemisinin (青蒿素). Her record-breaking winning  {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) a reminder that science is never about instant success. There is no way to measure how much you spend on scientific research and compare {#blank#}10{#/blank#} with how much reward you get.

    Glasgow is situated in southwest Scotland along both banks of the River Clyde and has{#blank#}1{#/blank#}population of over 590,000 people. It is the largest city in Scotland,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} has successful business, finance, tourism, call centre, and an excellent harbour as well.

    Glasgow is an{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(attract) city in Europe. It has world-famous art{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(collect), the best shopping in the United Kingdom outside London, and the most{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (enjoy) nightlife in Scotland. A must-see is the works of Scotland's best-known architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the unique style of whom {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(decorate) attractions such as the Lighthouse, Glasgow School of Art and House for an Art Lover.

    Art and culture are so important in Glasgow life {#blank#}7{#/blank#}galleries and museums are great in number. There's a choice of over 20{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(include) the world's first Museum of Religion and the outstanding McLellan Galleries.{#blank#}9{#/blank#}their credit, the Scots value traditional art and culture in Glasgow and have them well {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(preserve) through long time.

    When Joe was about to start school, all signs pointed to success. Yet things turned out  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) quite disappointing. The fourth grade even found him at the bottom of the class. Joe struggled day and night, but  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}made him upset was that it did not work—until one stormy afternoon.

    On that afternoon, the math teacher was introducing difficult concepts  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}dark clouds covered the sky, and the storm set in. Although she tried to make the kids concentrate, the thunder won the battle for their attention. No one grasped the concepts. Except for Joe. He understood{#blank#}4{#/blank#} and answered all the questions correctly. The teacher patted him on the back and told him to go around to the others and explain how he had managed it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(encourage) by his newfound success, Joe moved quickly throughout the room. Soon math time  {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(follow) by the time for art. All children  {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(natural) drew dark pictures on such a day. Except for Joe.

    Since then, Joe started to work even  {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(hard) than before. His math teacher was always curious about the  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(amaze) change: Why had that stormy day changed Joe?

    At the graduation ceremony, Joe presented the teacher with his most familiar  {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(possess) — the picture of bright yellow sun. On the picture Joe had written: This is the day I woke up to my brightness.

    For you, the "Clear and Bright" day that falls in every April might be no more than just another holiday — the fact that it comes with three days off school matters to most students {#blank#}1{#/blank#} more than the fact that it is part of the 24 solar terms.

But the UNESCO has recognized the importance of the 24 solar terms. This ancient system that Chinese people have used to keep track of the time of year {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (add) to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov 30.

For starters, you may have heard your mom say: "The sanfu days are almost over. The heat won't be here for long." The sanfu days are a period of time that {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (fall) in summer, somewhere {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Minor Heat (in July) and Autumn Equinox (in September). The coldest days, or the sanjiu days, are similar. They cover the 27 days {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (follow) Winter Solstice.

    In some places, solar terms guide people's lives through special foods, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (culture) events and healthy living tips. For example, people from northern China are in the habit of eating dumplings on the day of Winter Solstice. And on Start of Autumn, some people treat {#blank#}7{#/blank#} to a big feast, especially of meat, something they call "putting on autumn weight", or tieqiubiao.

    But no matter {#blank#}8{#/blank#} differently people celebrate the 24 solar terms, they have been here for a long time and could last forever.

    According to Chinese writer and academic Yu Shicun, unlike many other examples of intangible cultural heritage – Peking Opera and Chinese Zhusuan, for example – the solar terms are neither regional (地域的) nor a type of art or skill. Instead, the system is a philosophy of time, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} applies to everything. And this means they are {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (likely) to die out.