Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(real) prepared me for anything practical. I knew I felt like {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea{#blank#}3{#/blank#} to do that. That's when I learned about the Lighthouse Project.

    I started my journey {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(decide) to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} did my family.

    Eventually, however, I {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(win) the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application. After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among {#blank#}9{#/blank#} candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I finally received a call{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(ask) me to report for the duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria. Where? What? Nigeria? I had no idea. But I was about to find out.

    My most {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (embarrass) moment occurred last month. I was invited to attend {#blank#}2{#/blank#} interview for a job as a hotel receptionist. I arrived on time and was shown into the manager's office by m an {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (assist). I was {#blank#}4{#/blank#} nervous that I didn't catch the manager's name.

    The interview began, “Do you have any previous experience in hotels?” asked the manager. “No sir,” I said. The manager frowned (皱眉). “Are you good {#blank#}5{#/blank#} using computers?” “Yes, Sir, I am {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (family) with most popular kinds of software. The manager frowned again. He didn't look a friendly person- The interview continued. Every answer I gave {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (receive) by a frown from the manager, even though I told him about my communication skills, my knowledge of French and so on.{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (obvious), I was doing very badly. At last, the interview came to a close. “One final question,” said the manager. “How good is your eyesight?” “Excellent, sir,'' I replied. “Very well,'' said the manager, “Thank you for coming.” I stood up {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (shake) hands with him. When the manager stood up as well, I realized {#blank#}10{#/blank#} I had been doing wrong. The gentleman I had been calling “sir” during the whole interview was wearing a skirt! The manager was a woman! I didn't get the job.

    Most Americans think of New Year as a single day on January lst. However, Chinese-Americans and people from other{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(culture) that use different calendars each have another celebration as well. A good example of this is the Chinese New Year celebration in San Francisco, which is similar to{#blank#}2{#/blank#}we do in Shanghai.

    The most famous part of Chinese New Year in San Francisco is the parade, which{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(watch) by over three million people every year. Over a hundred entries take part in the parade{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(march) through downtown and Chinatown. In the course of the parade, cheering from the crowd is mixed {#blank#}5{#/blank#}music as local community groups wave banners, flags, and carry lanterns. Chinese themed floats will “float” by, including {#blank#}6{#/blank#}long Golden Dragon float that {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(take) one hundred people to operate. Local kung fu schools will perform lion dances when firecrackers explode around their feet.

    For many Americans, celebrating{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(they) ancestral culture is as {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (importance) as American culture, and they celebrate both. If you have a chance {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (visit) the United States, you may have the chance to see some of the celebrations yourself.

    When I was a little girl, every time my dad was repairing something, he {#blank#}1{#/blank#}ask me to hold the hammer, and meanwhile, have a conversation with me. I never saw my dad drinking or taking a night out. All he did after work was taking care of his family.

    I grew up and left home for college and since then, my dad had been calling me every Sunday morning, no matter what. Several years later I bought a house, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} my dad painted by himself for three days in the 80-degree summer heat. All he asked was for me to talk to him. But I was always busy, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(able) to find any time for conversation with him.

    One Sunday morning we had a telephone talk as usual. I noticed that my dad had {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(forget) some things we discussed {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(late). I was in a hurry, so our conversation was short. Later that day came a call {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (say) my father was in hospital. Immediately I bought a ticket for a flight and on my way I was thinking about all the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (miss) occasions to have{#blank#}8{#/blank#}talk with my dad.

    {#blank#}9{#/blank#}the time I got to hospital, my father had passed away. Now it was {#blank#}10{#/blank#}who did not have time for a conversation with me. I realized how little I know about my dad, his deepest thoughts and dreams. After his death I learned more about him, and even more about myself.

    When we mention the most famous Chinese painting of the Northern Song Dynasty, the image coming into people's mind{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) Qingming Shangle Tu or Along the River During the Qingming Festival.

    This painting is important {#blank#}2{#/blank#} several reasons. First, up till that time, almost all Chinese paintings were landscapes, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (contain) no or only a few images of people. Second, this is the first scroll（卷轴）painting {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (describe) both Chinese urban and suburban life during the period in the capital, Bianjing (now Kaifeng in Henan Province). Third, the painting is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (high) detailed and features shops of all kinds and different economic {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (activity) in and out of the city. People are able to see the Chinese technologies of the time, which helps them {#blank#}7{#/blank#} great deal in understanding {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the Chinese lived.

    The Beijing Palace Museum keeps the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (origin) Song painting and one of its famous copies-the Qing version {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hold) in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.

    There are about 100 million middle-aged women dancing in parks and on squares in China, and Deborah Roundy, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} U.S retired school teacher, is one of them. Mrs. Roundy is the only foreigner on the Shanghai dance team at Tongji University, where she is {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(current) teaching English.

    Mrs. Roundy ran upon a dozen or so middle-aged women dancing {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the tunes of Chinese songs in 2012. At the time, she didn't feel used to the new environment and wanted to have some fun in her life. She {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(invite) to join the dancing team.

    At first, Mrs. Roundy communicated with her teammates by {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(exchange) notes to help translate for her. Now she uses a translation app on her iPad.

    {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the Chinese language is not the most difficult thing for her, mastering Chinese dance is. Mrs. Roundy used to do ballet. She said {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(dance) in the U.S. always dance facing the audience. But in China, they change directions all the time, and it was very {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(confuse) for her at first.

    They have developed good personal relations. Mrs. Roundy says they also go out to eat and on field trips together, which are {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(forget) experiences for her.

    Square dancing opens a window for her {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(understand) China, Mrs. Roundy said: Besides dancing, she and her husband have been active in community life, teaching English, and helping elderly neighbors.