Yangshuo, China

                It was raining lightly when I{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(arrive) in Yangshuo just before dawn. But I didn't care. A few hours{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, I'd been at home in Hong Kong, with {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (it) choking smog. Here, the air was clean and fresh, even with the rain.

              I'd skipped nearby Guilin, a dream place for tourists seeking the limestone mountain tops and dark waters of the Li River{#blank#}4{#/blank#}are pictured by artists in so many Chinese{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (painting). Instead, I'd headed straight for Yangshuo. For those who fly to Guilin, it's only an hour away{#blank#}6{#/blank#}car and offers all the scenery of the better-known city.

             Yangshuo{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (be) really beautiful. A study of travelers {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (conduct) by the website TripAdvisor names Yangshuo as one of the top 10 destinations in the world. And the town is fast becoming a popular weekend destination for people in Asia. Abercrombie & Kent, a travel company in Hong Kong, says it{#blank#}9{#/blank#}  (regular) arranges quick getaways here for people {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (live) in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

—I have no idea. But just a minute, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(check) it for you.

—Nothing new. Everything is going on {#blank#}1{#/blank#} it was years ago.

    It feels great when you make someone smile.

    My neighbors are a senior couple {#blank#}1{#/blank#}are always full of positive atmosphere. They have a little basil plant at their lobby（门廊）area, and it {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(water) by the husband, Mr Green,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (regular). He prays and takes care of it like a small baby. The weather is extremely hot now, so he spends so much time with it.

    Then Mr Green and his wife had to travel and leave{#blank#}4{#/blank#}about three to four {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(week) and was so worried about the basil plant. We overheard him discussing this with {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(we) grandmother. When he {#blank#}7{#/blank#}we decided to take care of the basil plant just like he would.

    This morning when they returned we were eagerly waiting for them, especially Mr Green, to see his{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(react). He smiled at the gate {#blank#}9{#/blank#}told his wife, “See, every plant of ours is still fresh and green.” My grandmother responded that it might have been because of all your love for it. It was such a great feeling {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(hear) that interaction.

    The ancient wisdom of Confucius is timeless. His thinking{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (lead) the Chinese for thousands of years. However, English teaching seems to be one place {#blank#}2{#/blank#} his wisdom is forgotten.

    I came to China 6 years ago, and quickly saw the plight (困境) of so many students {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (struggle) to learn English. They know a lot “about” English,{#blank#}4{#/blank#} they never master the language. They learned far more grammar than students in Western cultures and almost no oral training. They were made {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(recite) sentences and passages from their books. Their teachers were spending 90% of the class talking to them “about” English in Chinese.

    All effective language teaching in the world is built{#blank#}6{#/blank#} the basis of oral language. Students who excel in English are those that follow the wisdom of Confucius: they use language!

    They use it primarily by speaking and listening,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (eventual) supplemented (补充) by reading and writing. Every language is taught by gaining speaking competence long before grammar, reading and writing {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (introduce).

    Chinese students work so hard{#blank#}9{#/blank#} they learned English with correct spoken instructions and classroom practice, they would have the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (high) English scores in the world and they would conquer English.

    Graffiti (涂鸦) and street art are forms of art created on walls or public surfaces. This art is often considered illegal because it is done without the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (permit) of the building owners. These art forms {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (exist) since the times of ancient Greece. But the more modem style began forming in the 1960s in the cities of New York and Philadelphia. “Graffiti” often appears as words- {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (usual) the names of the artist or their art crew. Graffiti artists write the words in {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (create) ways and with colorful spray-paint.

    “Street art” is more based {#blank#}5{#/blank#}images. Artists try to communicate a message through these images. Graffiti and street art can be controversial. They sometimes damage someone's property. Washington has tried to increase its fines for illegal graffiti, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, however, is encouraging the creation of public art. America's capital city is trying hard {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (control) its illegal graffiti problem. At the same time, city officials recognize the value and importune or street art. There is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} high demand for more artists to make street art legally. But the city offers few {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (chance) for young D.C. street artists to develop their skills without {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (break) the law.