When I was a university student, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(attract) by the Chinese. So I got a job as a teacher in Wuhan three years ago.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (think) back, I realize it was the students I met in the first year and Chinese university life in general {#blank#}3{#/blank#}gave me the deepest impression.

    During my school days, I would rarely give up my spare time to any activity {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(connect) with study. Unless exams were approaching, my weekends were devoted to having fun or perhaps a part-time job. My Chinese students,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} the other hand, seemed to spend their entire waking hours studying. I understand that competition in Chinese universities is extremely fierce. Nonetheless, their energy and motivation put {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(I) to shame.

    My first year in China was also my first year as a teacher. It was both challenging {#blank#}7{#/blank#}rewarding. One thing I know for certain is that my year in Wuhan changed me for the {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(good). Thanks to the politeness and {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(warm) of Chinese students, I overcame my fear of speaking in public and became more self-confident. Most {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(important), I met dozens of nice people and made many excellent friends.

New area to ease pressure

    On April 1,2017.China announced that it would build the Xiongan New Area in Hebei province. This will he {#blank#}1{#/blank#}the same importance as the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Pudong New Area,according to the State Council.

    The area, about 100 kilometers southwest of downtown Beijing,will cover three counties{#blank#}2{#/blank#}sit at the center of the triangular area formed by Beijing,Tianjin,and Shijiazhuang.

    The Xiongan New Area has great potential for growth,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (report) People's Daily. It has a broad space{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(develop) and will expand to cover 2,000 square kilometers.The transportation of the area is convenient, with only an {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(hour) drive to Beijing and Tianjin.

    The new area also has{#blank#}6{#/blank#}sound natural environment. It is home to Baiyangdian, one of the{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(large) freshwater wetlands in North China.{#blank#}8{#/blank#}more than 140 lakes, the wetland is known as the "pearl" of the North China Plain.

    Once{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(build),the area will reduce the heavy burdens on Beijing.For example,many companies,universities and scientific research centers will move from Beijing to the area.

    International experts and media also think highly of this new area, saying that it{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(set) an example to developing countries, noted Xinhua.

By the time Jill got to a little town, every hotel room {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（take）. “You've got to give me a room somewhere,” he said to the manager at the hotel, “{#blank#}2{#/blank#}just a bed — I don't care where.”

    “Well, I do have a double room with one guest,”{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (admit) the manager, “and he might be glad to split（分担）the cost. But to tell you {#blank#}4{#/blank#}truth, he snores {#blank#}5{#/blank#}loudly that people in the next room have complained {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(late). I'm not sure if it would be worth it to you.”

    “No problem.” Jill assured him, “I'll take {#blank#}7{#/blank#}”

The next morning Jill came down to breakfast bright-eyed.

    “How did you sleep” asked the manager.

    “Never better.”

    The manager was impressed. “No problem with the other guy snoring, then?”

    “No, I shut him up{#blank#}8{#/blank#}no time,” said Jill.

    “How did you manage that?” asked the manager. “Did you give him some medicine to stop the snoring?”

    “No, I didn't. But here is {#blank#}9{#/blank#}I did. He was already in bed when I went into the room,” Jill explained. “I went over, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and said, ‘Good night, beautiful,' and he sat up all night {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(watch) me.”

    Spring is coming. Everything is waking from its winter sleep. The fields {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(dress) in a fresh robe of green. The wild flowers begin to peep forth(隐隐露出). Birds sing among the trees, and begin to get their nests ready {#blank#}2{#/blank#} summer. Men are now sowing seeds in the fields. The days are {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(warm), for brighter sunshine has come again. Everything is full of life and joy.

    A 14-year-old Chinese boy overcame two of humankind's most dreaded fears—getting stuck in an elevator and getting homework {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(do) in a single night, owing to his calm-witted character.

    Sun Yixiao was on his way up on Tuesday evening after school {#blank#}2{#/blank#}the lift suddenly came to a stop. A moment of panic followed before the {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(teenage) could find a way out.

    Sun said he tried to open the elevator door, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(press) all the buttons in the hope to get the elevator to work again, but it didn't work.

    Without a cell phone at hand, Sun tried yelling to get attention of people outside, but no one responded as time passed by. He slipped a note through the door {#blank#}5{#/blank#}the message "people stuck inside, please ask the property management for help," and hoped someone {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(pick) it up and act on it.

    After exhausting all his options without knowing how long {#blank#}7{#/blank#}would take before someone found him, he took out his textbooks and started to do his homework {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(patient).

    Soon after he finished his duties, Sun heard loud {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(voice) outside. A large crowd including his teachers and other parents had come to the rescue, by which time he {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(trap) in the elevator for over five hours.

Body language is one of {#blank#}1{#/blank#} most powerful means of communication, often even more powerful than {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(speak) language. People around the world show all kinds of feelings, wishes and attitudes that they might never speak aloud. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} is possible to "read" others around us, even {#blank#}4{#/blank#}they do not want us {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(catch) their unspoken communication. Of course, body language can be misread, but many{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(gesture) and actions are universal. The most universal {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(face) expression is, of course, the smile—its function is to show happiness and put people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} ease. It does not always mean that we are {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(true) happy, however. Smiles around the world can be false, hiding other feelings like anger, fear or worry. There {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(be) unhappy smiles, such as when someone "loses face" and smiles to hide it. However, the general purpose of smiling is to show good feelings.