This Christmas, maybe different from previous years, a strong desire drives me to make my own Christmas gifts. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (honest) speaking, I've promised myself this more than once. As {#blank#}2{#/blank#} crafter (工匠), I've frequently thought I am {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (suppose) to turn it into action. However, this year I really plan to stick {#blank#}4{#/blank#} it. It's partly because I am short {#blank#}5{#/blank#} money. More importantly, recently I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (return) from an inspiring trip around Britain, collecting some information about crafting for BBC's Newsnight.

    I was really struck by people's increasing {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (enthusiastic) for making things. When I asked some people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they could sew(缝纫), only a few raised their hands. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hope) to learn something practical.

    Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?

    In 1969, the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River Cleveland, Ohio. It{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up.The river was so polluted that it{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(actual) caught fire and burned. Now,ears later,this river is one of{#blank#}3{#/blank#}most outstanding（杰出的）examples of environmental cleanup.

    But the river wasn't changed in a few days{#blank#}4{#/blank#}even a few months. It took years of work {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(reduce) the industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally,that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(clean) than ever.

    Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you leave a habit{#blank#}7{#/blank#}is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don't know how to control your credit card use.When you face such an impossible situation, don't you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

    While there are{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(amaze) stories of instant transformation, for most of us the{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(patience).

    When I was in Australia, I accompanied a friend on his driving test. I was {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (amaze) to learn that in Australia, people hardly go to driving schools. Instead, many people practice on the road with a licensed driver sitting next {#blank#}2{#/blank#} them. But this doesn't mean that getting a driving license is a piece of cake. This was the third time that my friend {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (apply) to take the driving test.

    The first time, after confidently driving over an intersection (十字路口), the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (examine) asked him to pull over and said that he should have stopped {#blank#}5{#/blank#} car and looked right first and then left to make sure there was no other car approaching.

    The second time, a car rushing in front caught him by surprise and he hit the brakes too hard. The examiner got {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (anger) and asked him to get out. In Australia, the test is not about driving skills, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} about following every rules.

    After finally passing the test, my friend drove very {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (careful) because in the first year of having a driving license, running two red lights results in the license being suspended (暂停使用). But one day he {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (pull) over by a policeman who warned him that he was driving too slow and blocking the traffic. Actually, he was driving at a speed of 40 km/h, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is a totally acceptable speed in China.