Gift from a stranger

My local supermarket is always busy. The first parking space I found was convenient, but I'd noticed a woman in a blue car circling for a while. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I was in a good mood, I let her have it. On the edge of the car park I backed into the next available spot—it was a tight fit.

Pretty soon I'd made my way through the supermarket and was back in the fresh air. Feeling good, I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (empty) my purse change into the hands of a homeless man and helped a struggling woman reverse park（倒车）.

Just as I approached my car, 1 saw the woman I'd let have my car space earlier. She was giving me {#blank#}3{#/blank#} odd look—half puzzled, half intent (热切的). I smiled and wished her a pleasant day. As I squeezed back into my car, I spotted the same lady {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  (look) in at me. "Hello," she said, hesitantly. "This {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  sound crazy but I was on my way to drop some of my mother's things off at the charity bins.” You are just so much{#blank#}6{#/blank#} her.” You helped those people, I noticed, and you seemed so happy.” She looked at me meaningfully and passed a box in through the window. “I think she would like you to have it.”{#blank#}7{#/blank#}  (shock), I took it from her automatically. She smiled and walked away.

After a pause, I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful gold necklace with a large grey pearl. It was{#blank#}8{#/blank#}  (nice) gift I'd ever received, and it was from a complete stranger. The necklace was around my neck, a warm reminder of human kindness.

      I was nine years old when I learnt to ride a bike. The bike was a birthday present from my uncle. You can imagine how  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(excite)I was when I saw the bike, and I begged my uncle to teach me how  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(ride)it right away. However, before I got on the bike, I felt  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(extreme)nervous and I was afraid that I would fall off and hurt {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(me). My uncle held onto the seat and helpedme to get  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}the bike. While I was riding, he wasrunning along beside me, holding the seat so I would not fall over. I was so {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(grate) to him for his help.

As I was practicing, I became more and more confident. Then, Iheard my uncle shouting, "You are riding it by yourself now!" I was bothexcited and scared. I was really riding by myself, but {#blank#}7{#/blank#}if I fell off? Could I use the brakesto stop? As I was wondering about this, my uncle ran after me and got hold ofthe bike. I {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(slow) down and came to a stop. Myheart was still beating fast when I got off the bike. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (late) that day, having learnt how to get onthe bike and get off it, I felt like I was walking on air! I am still thankfulto my uncle for teaching me to ride a bike on my {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (nine) birthday.

    A recent study shows that most adults did household chores(家务） {#blank#}1{#/blank#} （active）when they were young. Most kids today do not do as many household chores as before, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} same study shows.

    An expert said, "Parents today want their kids to spend more time {#blank#}3{#/blank#} things that can bring them money and honour. They have stopped {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (do) the one thing that has proven to bring success. That is doing household chores."

    Another study finds that compared with the kids {#blank#}5{#/blank#} didn't do household chores, young adults beginning chores at ages 3 and 4 were more likely {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (succeed). They had better family relationships, did better in school, performed better at work and were more independent.

    Personal happiness is {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (say)to come from strong relationships. It begins by learning to be kind and {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(help) to their parents at home.

    If your kids say they have to skip chores because it is time they {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (deal) with their homework, you'd better not let them off the hook. If you do, your child may think grades are more important than caring about others. "What may seem like small {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (message) at the moment add up to big ones over time." says an expert.

    China has built a high-speed passenger rail network in recent {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (year) and will continue to expand it. By the end of 2018, China's railway mileage (里程){#blank#}2{#/blank#} (reach) 131,000 kilometers, of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 29,000 kilometers were high-speed rail. This accounted for 2/3 of the world's total high-speed rail tracks, making China's high-speed rail system the world's {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (large) high-speed rail network.

    China's high-speed trains are similar {#blank#}5{#/blank#} those of France's TGV, German's ICE and Japan's Shinkansen. The fast trains with a top speed of 250-350 km/h {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (call) CRH, China Railway High-speed.

    If you want to travel around China, the high-speed trains will be your ideal choice since they are clean, comfortable {#blank#}7{#/blank#} modem. Unlike on the conventional trains in China, nobody is allowed {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (smoke) on high-speed trains, not even between carriages.

    The seats are as good as those on the plane or even better. Most high-speed rail tickets have corresponding (对应的) seats, and only {#blank#}9{#/blank#} small number of standing tickets are sometimes sold on limited trains. There's never a crowd of people sitting in the aisles. The ticket prices for China high-speed trains are reasonable and, on most routes, the frequency of departure is very high, so people can buy tickets{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(convenient).

    For some US college students, a break from school is a time to volunteer {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (help) communities in need. They take part in activities {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (organize) by school to do voluntary work.

    This spring break, I had the opportunity to go on one of these trips, and it was the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (good) week of my entire life. I went with twelve other students and two adults down to Rocky Mount, North Carolina in the US. We worked on three houses, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (build) roofs, painting, and decorating.

    It was very rewarding to see how much we {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (appreciate) by the people living in that town. Every time we went out somewhere for dinner, people came up to us to express {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (they) appreciation. This made us foul really good and {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (encourage) us to get more done each day.

    The trip wasn't all about work, however. We had {#blank#}8{#/blank#} amazing group of people who enjoyed one another's company, Wu created our own fun, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} helped us get to know each other well. At the end of the trip, I came home {#blank#}10{#/blank#} not only a great sense of success but also fourteen really good new friends.