As they walk down the halls during their years together at Shady Side, our boys and girls —— so soon to become men and women —— are learning to think, to work, to question, to be {#blank#}1{#/blank#} and {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, to{#blank#}3{#/blank#}with others, to laugh at their mistakes and to act {#blank#}4{#/blank#} when {#blank#}5{#/blank#} comes their way.

    Sir William Osler, a famous Canadian doctor,{#blank#}6{#/blank#} the value of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} by saying, "No man is really happy {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a hobby, and it makes precious little {#blank#}9{#/blank#} what the outside {#blank#}10{#/blank#} may be."

    In much of Asia, especially the so-called “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 (组合) various hardwoods and metal {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for 5000 years. People probably cooked {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(they) food in large pots, using twigs (树枝) to remove it. Over time, as {#blank#}5{#/blank#}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 551-479 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.

    John Carter was rescued from the sea near his holiday home yesterday. The accident happened while he{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(walk) along a steep cliff at the edge of the sea. He was blown off by a strong wind and{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(fall) into the sea, 30 meters below. Luckily, a woman saw him in the sea soon afterwards and she called the police rescue service. Mr. Carter was taken to hospital with a{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(break) arm. "I'm very lucky to be alive," he said. "I can't thank the woman enough."

    Every year around Valentine's Day, men begin to worry about what {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (present) to buy and women {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (fill) with hope and expectation. Or the other way around. In China, more couples get married on that very day, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (add) romance to their promises. But for many, love is neither the matter-of-course choice {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the preferred one. More young, working urban residents are delaying or even choosing not to {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (active) seek their partners despite the social pressure from the older generations to do so.

    Over the years, China's divorce rate has exceeded (超过) that of marriage. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 10 million couples registered for marriage in 2017 fell by 7% {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (compare) with the same period last year, while 43.7 million couples divorced, 5.2% more than the same period last year.

    There is also a growing trend towards people marrying later: since 2013, the number of couples aged 25 to 29 has been greater than {#blank#}7{#/blank#} of younger couples. In the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (late) survey on professional attitudes towards love and marriage, more than half of the investigated in Yangzhou, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} second-level city on the East coast, were satisfied {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their marriage after 35.

    Chengdu has dozens of new millionaires, Asia's biggest building, and new fancy hotels. But for tourists like me, pandas are its top {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (attract).

    So it was a great honor to be invited backstage at the not for profit Panda Base, where ticket money helps pay for research. I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (allow) to get close to these cute animals at the 600­acre center. From tomorrow, I will be their UK ambassador. The title will be {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (official) given to me at a ceremony in London. But my connection with pandas goes back {#blank#}4{#/blank#} my days on a TV show in the mid­1980s, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I was the first Western TV reporter {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (permit) to film a special unit caring for pandas rescued from starvation in the wild. My ambassadorial duties will include {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (introduce) British visitors to the 120­plus pandas at Chengdu and others at a research in the misty mountains of Bifengxia.

    On my recent visit, I held a lively three­month­old twin that had been rejected by {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (it) mother. The nursery team switches him every few{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (day) with his sister so that while one is being bottle ­ fed, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} other is with mom—she never suspects.