The way we cook is important. In many countries, the two choices are {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(nature) gas or electric ­powered stoves.

    The World Health Organization warns that millions of people {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(suffer) from indoor air pollution at present time, which results from the use of {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(danger) fuels and cook­ stoves in the home.

    WHO officials say nearly three billion people are {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(able) to use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting. As a result, more than seven million people die from exposure to indoor or outdoor air pollution each year. Most of the deaths are in {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(develop) countries, such as India, China and Latin American countries.

    WHO officials say opening a window or door {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(let) out the harmful air will not correct the situation. {#blank#}7{#/blank#}will only pollute the outdoors.

    Nigel Bruce, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} is a professor of Public Health at the University of Liverpool, says researchers are developing good cook­stoves and other equipment to burn fuels {#blank#}9{#/blank#} a more efficient way.

    But, this is just a start. It is urging developing countries to use {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(clean) fuels and increase access to cleaner and more modern cooking and heating appliances (用具).

    Did you know that what you think you like and don't like is often the result of false beliefs? As humans, we tend to be {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (easy) influenced when it comes to liking or disliking something, and we're happy to have our existing beliefs confirmed. But once these beliefs became fixed, we often lose our ability to be {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (object) and we don't like to have our ideas challenged.  Generally speaking, human beings are not good at taking a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (balance) view of things. For instance, we unconsciously start to listen for and select information that {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (match) our beliefs and turn a blind eye to information that doesn't, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (reject) it out of hand. We don't always like to accept new information that doesn't match up with what we already believe.

    As a result, we often don't even consider the reasons behind {#blank#}6{#/blank#} opposing point of view. Instead, we look for evidence that confirms {#blank#}7{#/blank#} we had already thought, and which conforms to our own point of view. We're more likely {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (give) meaning to information that matches the beliefs we already have. In other words, we are biased (偏见) towards certain information. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} can come as a shock when information we {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (trust) is actually exposed to be untrue.

    In recent years, learning Chinese{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(become) popular among people around the world. Last month, I received an email from my friend Jack in Canada. He said he was enthusiastic about China, and asked me to find him some books which {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (intend) for Chinese beginners, I was pleased to do such a favor. So I went from one bookstore to another,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (hope) to find something suitable for him. Finally I selected a set of Chinese textbooks among a variety of similar ones.

    A boy was born three months after the death of his father. When he was three years old, his mother married again and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(leave) him in the care of his grandmother. He began his schooling {#blank#}2{#/blank#}the village school. When he was 15 years old, his stepfather died and his mother came back with the purpose {#blank#}3{#/blank#} she wanted him to drop out of school and to be a farmer. But he didn't enjoy{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (do) farm work. One of his high school teachers found this and helped him go back to school to complete {#blank#}5{#/blank#}education.

    At the age of 19 he fell in love with a lovely girl and decided to marry her,{#blank#}6{#/blank#} he became so interested in his studies that he didn't have time to be with his girlfriend. Finally, his girlfriend left him and married {#blank#}7{#/blank#} else. He never married all his life. He faced challenges everywhere, from{#blank#}8{#/blank#} he learnt to think deeply all by himself!

    He made a{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (success) description of why apples fall down from trees to the ground. Later he became {#blank#}10{#/blank#}famous scientist worldwide. Yes, we are talking about Sir Isaac Newton.

    Today my topic is how {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (improve) our spoken English! Before we get {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (start), I would like very much to know how important you think spoken English {#blank#}3{#/blank#}! This is the basic question we have to figure {#blank#}4{#/blank#} before we solve our problems! Obviously, English is a language, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} makes it absolutely important to speak it out! As the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (say) goes, you learn to swim by swimming and you learn {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (drive) by driving. So, if you want your spoken English {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (improve), you have to catch every chance to speak {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (with) worrying about losing your face or making mistakes! You should always remember and tell yourself that "practice makes perfect"! With a little more confidence and hard work of practice, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} won't take you too much time to make progress in your spoken English!