Humans like to live and work in groups. Language is the “cement(胶合剂)”{#blank#}1{#/blank#}holds these groups together. Language is part of culture. Culture, in this sense,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (mean) all those customs, skills, and attitudes that are part of the behavior of a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (particularly) group. What you think {#blank#}4{#/blank#} what you want in life are all affected by the culture of the group in which you {#blank#}5{#/blank#}( raise). Groups of people live in different ways. They may have different skills, organizations, and art forms. Their family life may be completely different from yours.

    Human beings are inventive animals. They can decide to change their cultures in order to meet various {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(situation). Of all living things, human beings are the {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(clever). They can choose {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(live) in many environments and in a wide variety of ways. Only human beings can choose where and how they want to live and then improve the physical environment to help {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(they)realize these choices.

    Acquiring the wisdom to make wise choices {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be)the lasting challenge of being human.

    Every year on the last weekend in August around 1.5 million people go to west London to take part in and enjoy one of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (large) street parties in Europe, Notting Hill Carnival.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} a colorful group of dancers, a wide range of music and {#blank#}3{#/blank#} atmosphere of fun and celebration, the carnival is not to be missed. The roots of the carnival date back to 1833 {#blank#}4{#/blank#} slavery was abolished. In that year the former slaves in Trinidad, a British colony in the Caribbean, took to the streets in celebration of their own carnival party with music, dance and costumes. Soon it {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (develop) into an important tradition throughout the Caribbean. In 1959 the first carnival took place in the St Pancras area of London. For the next few years, the Carnival _{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(celebrate) in different parts of London until it{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(final) came to Notting Hill in 1964. In 2003 the Notting Hill Carnival received royal {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(approve),when it joined the parade {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(mark) the Queen's 50th year on the throne(王位). The Carnival shows the {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(culture) diversity of modern London.

    In England the launch of the Christmas advert (广告) seems to signal the start of the Christmas period. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, I don't think it is seen as such a big event in France. Yes, of course they celebrate Christmas here, and there are obviously {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (display) in shops and Christmas markets, but there seem to be no signs of Christmas adverts. I'm sure they exist but they don't seem to have the same impact here, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}they do in the UK.

    Through the power of all kinds of {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (society) media, Christmas adverts in the UK are even starting to spread to other countries. Some of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (I) French friends seemed to know about the John Lewis Christmas adverts, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} is undoubtedly the one people are fond of each year.

    The main reason why I look forward {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the Christmas advert each year is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} it signals the approach of the festival period for me and is something that reminds me of home. I think it's always nice to have something {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (remind) you of home when living in {#blank#}10{#/blank#} foreign country.

    The story happened in ancient times. A king was so clever that he thought of a good way to test {#blank#}1{#/blank#} his men were reliable.

    One day, he had a huge rock {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (place) on a roadway at night. Then he hid {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (him) nearby and watched carefully to see if anyone would remove the big rock. Some {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (wealth) businessmen and high officials came by, but they simply walked around it. Many of them even loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them would bother {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (get) the big stone out of the way.

    Then a villager came along carrying a load of vegetables. On {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (approach) the big rock, he stopped and laid down his burden, trying hard to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing, he {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (final) succeeded. As the villager picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the rock {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be). The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king, saying that the gold was for the person {#blank#}9{#/blank#} removed the huge rock from the road.

    The villager learned a valuable lesson that many others would never understand: Every obstacle presents {#blank#}10{#/blank#} opportunity to improve one's condition.