This Christmas, maybe different from previous years, a strong desire drives me to make my own Christmas gifts. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (honest) speaking, I've promised myself this more than once. As {#blank#}2{#/blank#} crafter (工匠), I've frequently thought I am {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (suppose) to turn it into action. However, this year I really plan to stick {#blank#}4{#/blank#} it. It's partly because I am short {#blank#}5{#/blank#} money. More importantly, recently I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (return) from an inspiring trip around Britain, collecting some information about crafting for BBC's Newsnight.

    I was really struck by people's increasing {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (enthusiastic) for making things. When I asked some people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they could sew(缝纫), only a few raised their hands. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hope) to learn something practical.

    n America hitching a ride(搭便车) is very common. Many people there love hitching a ride during{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(they) trips. I also once hitched a ride when I was traveling in America.

    I{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(drive) on the road when my car stopped. I was going to a town which was farther than I had expected. My tank(油箱) became empty{#blank#}3{#/blank#}I got there. Standing there, I didn't know what to do. I just knew that I needed help. But I could see nobody around. Who could I turn{#blank#}4{#/blank#}? Then I thought of scenes that I had seen in Hollywood{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(movie). I remembered that people in America loved hitching a ride. I told I myself that I could do that, too.

    So when a car was coming. I tried to hitch a ride. To my joy, the car really stopped in front of me. The driver was{#blank#}6{#/blank#}old man. After{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(know) my problem, he said he could help me out. He took me to the{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(near) gas station. But then he left as he had something important to do.

    I couldn't walk all the way back to my car. Therefore, I tried to hitch a ride again and I{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(help) out once again. I was{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(great) moved.

    Africa has been called the “dark continent” for a long time because {#blank#}1{#/blank#} lacks technology, electricity and other {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (achieve) of the modem world. However, it is beginning to change. Africa is starting to catch up with {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (industry) countries and the driving force behind this new development is the Internet and the World Wide Web.

    Now Africa is the fastest {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (grow) place on the earth. So far, governments, businesses and individuals {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (realize) that in order to develop quickly, modem technology is needed.

    Only ten years ago a SIM card used to cost about $100 in Niger. Today you can buy one for under $2 and phone calls have become much {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (cheap), too. As a result, 23% of its population are now mobile phone users.{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (equip) with this new service, people can connect to the Internet easily. Many Nigerians have access {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the World Wide Web now.

    In Ethiopia farmers can now get the prices of their farming products in real time. Until recently, most of the small farmers of the country did not know {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the prices of their products were at {#blank#}10{#/blank#} certain time. Today, they can phone in and get an up-to-the-minute report on prices.

    Wang Kun and his sister, Wang Wei, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(dream) about taking a great bike trip ever since middle school. Each of them bought a mountain bike. Wang Wei even got their cousins, Dai Wei and Yu Hang, interested in {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (cycle) when she visited them at their college in Kunming. After graduating {#blank#}3{#/blank#}college, Wang Kun and Wang Wei {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(final) got the chance to take a bike trip. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}was Wang Wei {#blank#}6{#/blank#}first got the idea to cycle along the Mekong River from where it begins to where it ends. Then Wang Wei planned the schedule for the trip. {#blank#}7{#/blank#}Wang Kun had some doubts, Wang Wei was determined and insisted that she organize the trip properly. Knowing that she was a stubborn girl, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}decision could not be changed once she had made {#blank#}9{#/blank#}her mind, Wang Kun had to give in. Before the trip they went to the library and found a large atlas with good maps {#blank#}10{#/blank#}helped them know more about the Mekong River.

    To celebrate the Lantern Festival the Palace Museum organized its first light show in the Forbidden City.

    The complex, home to Chinese emperors for five {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(century), was opened at night for the first time in 94 years. It was lit up with giant red lanterns and projections of ancient paintings. Masterpieces such as Along the River During the Qingming Festival were projected on the roofs, giving visitors a feeling like walking {#blank#}2{#/blank#} time. The design team smartly combined high technology{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(light) with the principles of cultural relic preservation.

    Only 3, 000 people {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(allow) in on that day: 500 people who booked their tickets online, and 2, 500{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(invite) guests including model workers, officers, soldiers, and ambassadors.

    With{#blank#}6{#/blank#} series of well-planned and tourist-friendly cultural activities, the Palace Museum is now on a campaign to make traditional Chinese culture more {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(access) to the general public. It has set an example to other museums in our country, most of {#blank#}8{#/blank#} seem to be still living in days gone by. Hopefully, the handsome turnover will be used{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(appropriate) to better protect the Forbidden City and improve {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(it)international image of being part of the world's cultural heritage.