“I saw rice plants as tall as sorghum, each ear of rice as big as an ear of com and each grain of rice as huge as a peanut. I could hide in {#blank#}1{#/blank#} shade of the rice crops with a friend.” That is the dream of the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (agriculture) scientist Yuan Longping.

    Yuan Longping, born {#blank#}3{#/blank#}September 7, 1930, is known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. Since then, hybrid rice {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (grow) in over 20 countries,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (attract) attention from the whole world, especially areas at risk of hunger.

    This year 88-year-old Yuan Longping has {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (successful) developed rice growing in saltwater and desert. Though his rice could reduce food shortage, the new strain has a long way to go {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it can be widely spread.

    Yuan Longping's achievement has brought him many awards and {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (honor) both at home and abroad. As Yuan Longping accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award, he said that {#blank#}9{#/blank#} lifetime achievement means is to achieve your dream with all your life.{#blank#}10{#/blank#}, fame and wealth mean much less to him than his research, and he says he will focus on developing better rice.

    A good teacher is many things to many people. In my own experience, the people I respect most are the teachers {#blank#}1{#/blank#} demanded the most discipline from their students.

    I miss one teacher in particular that I had in high school. I think she was a good teacher because she was a very strict person. I remember very {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (clear) a sign over her classroom door. It was {#blank#}3{#/blank#} simple sign that said, “Laboratory-in this room the first five letters of the word was emphasized, not the last seven.” In other words, I guess, labor {#blank#}4{#/blank#} her was more important than oratory which means {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (make) speeches.

    She prepared her work very carefully and demanded us to do the same. We got lots of homework from her.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} she had broken her arm, and everybody in the class thought that maybe the homework {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (reduce), but it continued just the same. She checked our work stamping her name at the bottom of the papers to show that she had read {#blank#}8{#/blank#}.

    I think sometimes teachers who demand most are liked {#blank#}9{#/blank#}. But {#blank#}10{#/blank#} time goes by this discipline really seems to benefit the students.

    Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners {#blank#}2{#/blank#} come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap {#blank#}3{#/blank#} can be to eat out. I still remember {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (visit) a friend who'd lived here for five years and I {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(shock) when I learnt she hadn't cooked once in all that time.

    While regularly eating out seems to {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(become) common for many young people in recent years, it's not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(weigh) problems.

    If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum's home {#blank#}10{#/blank#} dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket.

    One day, there was a blind man sitting at the roadside. There was a sign beside him, on{#blank#}1{#/blank#}was written, “I'm blind. Please help me." Many people walked by him,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}few of them helped him.

    A young man was going to his office. While{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(walk) by the blind man, he stopped and found that there were few coins in the man's hat. He bent down and write a new message on the sign without asking for{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(permit), and then he left, without saying a word.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(late) that afternoon, when the young man walked by the blind man again, he saw the hat{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(fill) with bills and coins. The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if{#blank#}7{#/blank#}was he that had changed his sign. He also wanted to know {#blank#}8{#/blank#}the young man had done to the sign. Then the young man told the blind man that he {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(write) something like this on the sign. “It is spring now, but I can't see it." The blind man expressed his gratitude to the young man and went home{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(happy).

    A pale, yellow moon was rising as I was walking home from my friend's house. We had spent the evening taking care {#blank#}1{#/blank#} her younger sister and had watched two really frightening horror films on TV.

    Imagine my shock when, suddenly, from the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (distant) I heard a loud cry and saw a strange white form moving towards me at top speed through the air. I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (open) my mouth but no sound came out. The terror I felt stopped me {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (scream) for help. I fell to the ground and kept my eyes tightly shut, in case I would end up staring into the eyes of a terrible beast.

    After a couple of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (minute), when I realized that I hadn't been hurt, I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (careful) opened my eyes and looked around. It was then {#blank#}7{#/blank#} I heard some sounds coming from a nearby tree. I looked up and saw a large, white owl sitting on a branch, watching me with what seemed to be a(n) {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (puzzle) expression on its face.

    I could have kicked {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(I) for being so stupid. It's strange how the mind can play tricks on you. I promised myself that that was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} last time I would go wandering around late at night after watching horror films!

    Hi, I've got something {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (excite) to tell you. I was in an elevator yesterday and saw Robin Drexel, the famous movie star! I just stood there, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (freeze). I couldn't say a word. But {#blank#}3{#/blank#} of a sudden, she turned to me, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (say), "Hello" too. Then she asked me {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the restaurant was on the fifth floor, I told her I was going to the restaurant {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (my), and I offered to show her where it was. She said, "Oh, fine." Then she said, "Why don't we have lunch together?" Imagine! I never thought I would have lunch with a movie star! But I {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (do)! We had lunch together and talked for about half {#blank#}8{#/blank#} hour. She even paid for my lunch! Can you imagine? But that isn't all. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} lunch, she asked me if she could give me a ride to somewhere. I told her I was going home. {#blank#}10{#/blank#} she took me home in her big, black limousine (豪华轿车). It was an exciting day. That's all for now. I've got to run!