I was on my way to the Taiyetos Mountains. The sun was setting when my car {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (break) down near a remote and poor village. Cursing my misfortune, I was wondering where I was going to spend the night when I realized that the villagers who had gathered around me were arguing as to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} should have the honor of receiving me {#blank#}3{#/blank#} a guest in their house. Finally, I accepted the offer of an old woman who lived alone in a little house. While she was getting me {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (settle) into a tiny but clean room, the head of the village was tying up his horse to my car to pull it to {#blank#}5{#/blank#} small town some 20 kilometres away {#blank#}6{#/blank#} there was a garage.

    I had noticed three hens running free in my hostess's courtyard and that night one of them ended up in a dish on my table. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} villagers brought me goat's cheese and honey. We drank together and talked {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (merry) till far into the night.

    When the time came for me to say goodbye to my friends in the village, I wanted to reward the old woman {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the trouble I had caused {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

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.

    There was a farm in a small country. The farmer's daughter had to carry fresh milk to customers in various villages, one of{#blank#}1{#/blank#}was a priest(牧师). {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（reach）his house, the milkmaid had to cross a stream. People crossed it by raft(竹筏).

    One day the priest, finding it arrived very late, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(scold) the poor girl. “What can I do?” she said. “I started out early from my house, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I had to wait a long time for the boatman to come.”

    Then the priest said, “What! people have even walked across the ocean by{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(repeat) the name of God, but you can't cross this little river.” This milkmaid took his words very seriously.

    {#blank#}6{#/blank#}then on, she brought the priest's milk punctually(准时地) every morning. He became curious about it and asked her how it was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}she was never late any more.

     “I crossed the river repeating the name of God, just as you had told me to do, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}waiting for the raft,” she replied. The priest didn't believe her, so they went together to the water and the milkmaid began to walk over{#blank#}9{#/blank#}. Looking back, the milkmaid saw the priest floundering(踉跄) in the water.

     “Sir!”she cried. “You are uttering the name of God, but all{#blank#}10{#/blank#}while you are holding up your clothes from getting wet. That is not trusting in God.”

他答应会来，但还没出现。

    Tea is one of the{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(much) popular drinks in the world. You make it by pouring hot water over the dried leaves of a tea plant. For {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (hundred) of years people believed that tea could cure illnesses, and they used {#blank#}3{#/blank#}as medicine. Today scientists know that tea contains chemicals that prevent cells from dying. Most teas have caffeine in them, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}makes you feel more active. Some people have problems{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(drink) tea because it can cause sleeplessness.

    The tea plant{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(grow) best in tropical and temperate places where rain falls throughout the year. Teas can be grown from sea level {#blank#}7{#/blank#}about 2,000 metres, but the best quality grows in higher regions.

    Tea comes from the leaves and buds of tea plants. Wild plants can be up to 9 metres high, however, on tea plantations,{#blank#}8{#/blank#}( pull ) the leaves {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (easy), people cut them back to a bush of about a metre in height. It takes a plant three to five years before it is ready for picking.

    A picker can harvest about 20 kg of tea {#blank#}10{#/blank#}day. On large tea plantations the leaves are harvested by machines, but the quality of tea is higher when the leaves are picked by hand.