W: Hello! May I speak to Mr. White, please?

M: Mike White speaking.

W: Hello. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} is Alice Green, Tom's neighbor.

M: Hello. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} can I do for you?

W: Well, Tom said he's been taking piano lessons from you for two years, and I wonder if I can learn from you, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

M: I don't think that's a problem. Have you had any musical {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (experience) before?

W: Well, when I was a college student, I spent about half a year {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (learn) to play the guitar. But that was almost ten years ago.

M: Good. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} that case we don't have to start from the very {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (begin).

W: Then can I go with Tom to your next class?

M: I don't think {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. All the people in that class {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (study) with us for about two years, and they come on Sunday mornings. But you can come to another class, on Saturday evening {#blank#}10{#/blank#} Sunday afternoon.

W: Saturday evening is better for me. See you then.

    Robert, a great golf player, once won a tournament. After {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(receive) the check, he walked a lot to his car in the parking lot and {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(approach) by a young woman.

    She congratulated him{#blank#}3{#/blank#}his victory and then told him that her child was{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(serious) ill and near death. She did not know how she could pay the doctor's bills. Touched by {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(she) story, Robert gave the check to the woman.

    The next week he {#blank#}6{#/blank#}have) lunch in a restaurant when a Professional Golf Association official came to his table. “The guard in the parking lot told me you met a young woman there after you won that tournament.” Robert nodded. “Well,” said the official, “I have{#blank#}7{#/blank#} piece of bad news for you. She's a {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(lie). She has no sick baby and she's not even{#blank#}9{#/blank#}marry). She cheated you, my friend.”

    “You mean there is no baby{#blank#}10{#/blank#}is dying?” said Robert.

    “That's right,” said the official.

    “That's the best news I've heard all this week.” Robert said.

—No, it still remains {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    There are all kinds of festivals throughout the world. Festivals are held {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (satisfy) and please the ancestors, to honour some famous people or important events, and to express people's {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(grateful) to the God {#blank#}3{#/blank#} brings them a year of plenty. For example, Japanese observe Obon, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} people go to clean the graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors. In India, October 2 is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} national festival to honour Mohandas Gandhi who helped India become an {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(depend) country.

    And in China the Spring Festival, which {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(celebrate) in January or February, is the most {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(energy) and important because it is a festival that looks forward to the coming of spring. Why are all these festivals everywhere? Because {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the festivals, people can get together to eat, drink, have fun with each other {#blank#}10{#/blank#} forget all the daily struggle and demands for a while.

    The Silk Road is in fact a relatively recent term. These ancient roads had no particular name until in the mid-19th century, a European {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (name)the trade and communication network the Silk Road. Since then the term {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (accept)globally.

    In the nineteenth century, a new type of travelers stepped onto the Silk Road, who were eager {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (look)for adventure. Researchers who came from many countries traveled through the Taklamakan Desert, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} is now in Xinjiang, to explore ancient sites along the Silk Road {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (lead) to many discoveries and studies, and most of all, a renewed interest {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the history of these routes.

    Today, many historic {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (build) and monuments still stand, marking the passage of the Silk Road through hotels, ports and cities. What's more, the remarkable network is reflected in {#blank#}8{#/blank#} large number of cultures, languages, customs and religions that have developed for many years along these routes The passage of merchants and travelers of many {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (difference)nationalities resulted not only in commercial exchange, but in a widespread and continual process of cultural interaction. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (obvious),it has become a driving force in the formation(形式)of diverse societies.

    Letters as a way of communication have long given way to phone calls and WeChat messages. But a TV show, LettersAlive, is helping bring this old way to keep in touch back {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the present.

    LettersAlive took {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (it) idea from a UK program, LettersLive, released in 2013. Both {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (show) feature famous actors and actresses, but there {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) no eye-catching visual effects or any regular showbiz(娱乐圈) activities. Instead, it's just a live event {#blank#}5{#/blank#} remarkable letters selected from a wide time span and a diverse range of subjects are read. There is, for example, a passionate letter from Huang Yongyu to playwright Cao Yu 30 years ago to criticize his lack of {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (create).

    Every letter is like a small piece of history. By hearing them being read, it's as if we are being sent back in time {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (experience) a moment that we would otherwise never have had the chance to.

    Compared to{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (publish) texts, letters also {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (natural) come with a personal touch. As well as celebrating the pain, joy, wisdom and humor, LettersAlive{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (commit) to promoting Chinese literature since first run.