The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(tradition) festival in China, which falls in late January or early February.

    The historical reason for beginning the New Year in such a time is{#blank#}2{#/blank#} it is the time between autumn harvest and spring plowing and planting. In other words, it is the time for rest, relaxation and celebration after a year's hard work.

    Except this practical reason for celebrating the Spring Festival, a popular Chinese legend offers another {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (explain), which is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (general) accepted in China. In ancient times, a devil called “Nian” that lived under the sea would attack people once a year on the eve of the New Year. It jumped out from the sea and attacked villages{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (eat) people, animals and plants. As they could no longer bear Nian's cruel persecution（迫害）, the villagers gathered {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (discuss) how to deal with Nian and some people suggested that the devil was afraid of loud noises, red color and flame. So people {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (light) firecrackers and fireworks, put up red couplets on{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (they) gates and beat drums to drive Nian away. The idea worked{#blank#}9{#/blank#}Nian ran away.

    Since ever, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival has formed and the practices of putting up red couplets on gates, setting {#blank#}10{#/blank#} firecrackers and fireworks, etc. have been passed down.

Julie: Are you OK, Bill? You look tired.

Bill: Tm fine, Julie. I just {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (stay) up late last night to write an English article. It is time for me to improve my English writing.

Julie: Read as many things you're interested in as possible,{#blank#}2{#/blank#} soon you'll realise that there are many different ways of saying {#blank#}3{#/blank#} same thing. After all, having a variety of sentence {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (structure) in your writing makes your English appear better.

Bill: Reading can also broaden my vocabulary. What kind of books should I read?

Julie: You can choose books {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (write) by native speakers. They, often contain sentences {#blank#}6{#/blank#}differ from those commonly seen in English textbooks.

Bill: Good idea. But sometimes I don't know what to write about and find {#blank#}7{#/blank#} hard to write a long article.

Julie: I suggest you begin by writing short ones about topics you're interested in, such as movies and sports.

Bill: Yes, III write something every day.

Julie: Writing all the time is the key to improving your writing.

Bill: Quite right. Practice {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(make) perfect.

Julie: It's {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (easy)said than done. But in the end, it's worth the work you've put in.

Bill: Thank you for giving me such {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (value) advice.

    I will never forget that at the age of nine I was asked to deliver a speech entitled A challenge in My Life before the whole class!

    You can imagine how{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(terrible)shy I was the moment I thought of that—with so many eyes{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(fix) upon me. I could do nothing but{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(prepare) for it, though. First, I was to draft the speech, which was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(lie)in my oral presentation from my memory, for to read from the paper was not allowed. The real moment began {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. But my {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (listen) were waiting patiently without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found myself back, giving out my speech tongue-tiedly. After {#blank#}7{#/blank#} seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding…I made it! From then on, my fear of talking before {#blank#}8{#/blank#} big audience disappeared. Actually with my confidence building up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way {#blank#}9{#/blank#} success is our fear. Overcome it, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} you will be able to achieve your goals.

    A young man and an old man were waiting for a bus. They sat next to each other. "What's that in your bag?" asked the young man. "Gold." answered the old man. The young man could not believe his own ears. Then he began to think about how {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (get) the money. The old man was very tired and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} seemed that he could hardly keep his eyes open. After a while the old man {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(lie) down on the chair and fell {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(sleep). The young man took {#blank#}5{#/blank#} big bag quietly. But when he was just about to run away, he found a corner of his fur coat was under the man's body. Several times he tried to pull it out, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} he couldn't make it. At last he took off his coat, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(think) that the gold in the bag must cost far more than his fur coat. Then the young man ran out of the station {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(quick), until he reached a place {#blank#}9{#/blank#} he thought the old man could not find him. He opened the bag but he just found many small stones in it. Then he ran back to the station only to find that the old man was {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(go).

    Chinese high-speed railways are a very. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (comfort) way to travel. They are clean, quiet and efficient. China has led other developing countries and even some developed ones in this field since the first high-speed train {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (come) into use in 2008.

    The stations are {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (main) built outside the town center, but local transport has been lengthened {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (connect) the high-speed network. The facilities on the train are new and the staff are well trained. Even the second class {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (chair) provide plenty of space. The passages are so wide {#blank#}6{#/blank#} you can move without disturbing anyone. You can use your mobile phone, access {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Internet or work on your laptop. There is also a restaurant car, though the kinds of food {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) limited. The toilets arc large, clean and user-friendly too. The train almost doesn't rock. Even when the train brakes, you can hardly feel it shake.

    What's more, with a faster check-in, the high-speed train are also {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (little) affected by weather than planes. Seldom are {#blank#}10{#/blank#} delayed or cancelled for weather condition. Therefore, they have become the first choice for many passengers.

    Lake Hillier is a saltwater lake on the edge of Middle Island, a large island off the south coast of Western Australia. It is pink in color, due {#blank#}1{#/blank#} a plant that causes the salt {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(produce) a red color. There's a long strip of land {#blank#}3{#/blank#} separates the lake from the ocean. It was first written about in 1802, when Matthew Flinders hiked one of the island * s highest {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(mountain). He named the lake after William Hillier, an {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (explore) who had previously visited Middle Island. In 1889, Edward Andrews moved to the island with his two sons. They began to mine the lake for salt, and soon other miners came. However, the mining was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (eventual) stopped, as the salt wasn't fit to eat or use in other products because it was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}( poison). In 2002, the lake was recognized as {#blank#}8{#/blank#} wetland, and in 2012, it became a {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(protect) area. A walking trail {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(build) around it for tourists to use. Even though the lake contains a lot of salt, it is still safe to swim in.