A recent study suggested that taking a bottle of water into the exam hall could help students improve their grades.

    According to the study those who brought drinks,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(especial) water, with them when sitting their exams performed up to 10 percent better than those who did not.

    Comparing their exam results with their normal schoolwork grades, scientists then found that all those who {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(bring) drinks with them got better grades {#blank#}3{#/blank#} between 2 and 10 percent.

    It is unclear {#blank#}4{#/blank#} drinking water improves exam results. But scientists say having enough water in our bodies and not feeling thirsty could have a {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（help）effect on our brains. Drinking water may also cut {#blank#}6{#/blank#}on anxiety,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} has a bad effect on exam performances.

    Whatever the explanation, it is obvious that students should try hard to keep enough water in their bodies during exams. So next time,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} you are going to have a big exam, try {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (bring) a bottle of water with you. Who knows — it {#blank#}10{#/blank#} help you pass the exam!

    Do you have any idea of New Year paintings?{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (know) as “paper paintings” and “painted pictures”, New Year paintings are a special art form in Chinese folk culture. Without New Year paintings, our traditional Chinese folk culture would be much less {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(color). The paintings get such a name because they are {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(most) posted during the Chinese New Year holiday for {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(decorate) and they are also accepted as a symbol of New Year's greetings.

    New Year paintings appeared around the Tang dynasty, replacing the previous door pictures believed to be able to protect the residents and drive away ghosts. In the Song dynasty the New Year paintings{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (create) on a large scale(规模){#blank#}6{#/blank#} the printing techniques improving, the content and forms of New Year paintings became various. The development of the paintings matured in the Ming and Qing dynasties,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} the art hit its heyday (全盛期).

    There are many {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(tradition) printing methods of New Year paintings,{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (include) woodblock printing, stone-block printing, offset printing, watercolor painting, etc.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} is reported, woodblock-printed New Year paintings are the most popular and interesting ones, according to a recent survey.

    An American in Beijing lives his Chinese dream

Gao Tianrui walks along streets in Beijing's Xicheng district as{#blank#}1{#/blank#}public security volunteer.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (wear) his bright red armband (红袖章) and speaking fluent Mandarin, 62-year-old Gao Tianrui could {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(take) for any regular Chinese man. But on {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(close) inspection, things are not quite{#blank#}5{#/blank#}they seem: Gao's real name is Terry Crossman and he is from the United States. He is now a member of "Xicheng Dama", that is, volunteers, usually women in late middle-age,{#blank#}6{#/blank#}walk along the streets of downtown Beijing's Xicheng district. Terry said that, at first, he saw the group as busybodies, but {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(gradual) he saw that it was a good thing for retired seniors{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(help) others.

He is often seen giving tourists{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(direction), getting water for a baby and even helping a neighbor sell yogurt. "I like helping others," he said, "I live in the hutong and my neighbors and I usually help each other ... This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home." Crossman {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(become) interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read Tao Te Ching by Laozi.

    I once found that helping someone could get you into a lot of trouble.

    I was in the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (nine) grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (sit) next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. Finally I found that she was trying to ask me {#blank#}3{#/blank#}I had an extra pen. She showed me that {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (her) was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I put it on her desk.

    Later, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (ask) me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about how important it was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (stand) on my own two {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (foot) and be responsible for my own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact {#blank#}8{#/blank#}when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (serious) about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me {#blank#}10{#/blank#}all those things.

    Later on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test.

    Beijing's Forbidden City is a place full of wonders. From its thousands of rooms to its many beautiful artifacts, it's no wonder it is one of China's most popular scenic {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(spot).But even more than 600 years after it {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (build), it's still managing to serve up surprises.

    The Forbidden City draws visitors because of its rich history and {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(culture) significance, but perhaps it should add one more thing to its list of attractions: earthquake shelter. While most structures aren't made {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (survive) natural disasters, the Forbidden City seems to withstand anything.

    To show how strong the ancient Chinese architecture really is, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} model of one of the Forbidden City's palaces was put to the test. It survived a simulated(模拟的) earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale—equal to the  {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (1arge)ever recorded quake. Instead of falling apart, the model was just moved gently during the test.

    According to experts, the key {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the Forbidden City's strength, as well as other ancient Chinese structures, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (lie)in dougong (斗栱)—a centuries-old building method invented in China. Ancient Chinese craftsmen created structures {#blank#}9{#/blank#} were both enduring(耐用)and elegant, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (show)their advanced understanding of mathematics, architecture, materials, and structural science.