In much of Asia, especially the stalled “rice bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Korea,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine (结合) various hardwoods and metal{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots,{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) twigs (树枝) to remove it. Over time,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) too violent for use at the table.

    Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat{#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

    No one loves me more than my parents, especially my father. My father is stout and strong, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} a serious look on his face and keen expressive eyes. At first sight you may feel him hard {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (approach). In fact he is very kind and considerate. I believe my father is a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (gift) man. He is decisive and efficient in doing things. By his own talents and years of efforts, he {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (provide) his children with good education and a {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (relative) rich life. Besides, he lives in harmony with others and never quarrels with anyone, so people from all walks of life come to my house, from {#blank#}6{#/blank#} I've gained lots of social experiences. But at home he is a strict parent who is hard on me and has a high{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (expect) of me. I can see that my idling away time hurts him deeply, while {#blank#}8{#/blank#} I have done something great and meaningful, such as {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (write) a book, he will be more excited than me. I always remind {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(I) I must go on and on, and never shall I give up halfway.

    Iceland is a land of volcanoes. Nowhere is {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（evident） than on the Westman Islands off the southern coast of Iceland. Here, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（century） of volcanic eruptions formed many eye-catching sea cliffs （悬崖）, among {#blank#}3{#/blank#} one stands out: A part of the volcano-formed coast on Heimaey looks exactly like the head of a large elephant {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（stick）its trunk in the water.

    In fact, it looks so much like an elephant that many people think it must have been shaped by humans. That is not {#blank#}5{#/blank#} case, however. The elephant's realistic {#blank#}6{#/blank#}（appear）is, at least partially, due to the fact that the cliff {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（consist）of a special rock. The rock gives the figure "skin" that looks wrinkled and gray, just like that of a real elephant.

    The most common theory is that the rock formations came from the Eldfell Volcano, which {#blank#}8{#/blank#}（erupt）many times since the 1940s.

    In spite of the strong resemblance to an elephant, some people {#blank#}9{#/blank#}（actual）see something different when they look at the rock formation. They see the fictional character Cthulhu, a sea beast.

    Whether you see an elephant {#blank#}10{#/blank#} a fictional beast, as one of many attractions on Heimaey, the rock does draw curious sightseers.

    I wonder if it's because I haven't been able to be outdoor for so long {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I've grown so crazy about very everything {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (do) with nature. I can well remember that there was{#blank#}3{#/blank#} time when a deep blue sky, the song of the birds, moonlight and flowers could never have kept me spellbound. That {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(change) since I was here.

    One evening when it was so warm, I stayed awake{#blank#}5{#/blank#} purpose until half past eleven in order to have a good look at the moon by {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. But as the moon gave far too much light, I didn't dare open a window. Another time five months ago, I happened to be upstairs at dusk when the window was open. I didn't go downstairs {#blank#}7{#/blank#}the window had to be shut.

    Sadly …I am only able to look at nature {#blank#}8{#/blank#} dirty curtains hanging before very dusty windows. It's no pleasure {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (look) through these any longer because nature is one thing that really must {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (experience).