Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?

    In 1969,the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River Cleveland, Ohio. It{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up. The river was so polluted that it{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(actual) caught fire and burned. Now, years later, this river is one of{#blank#}3{#/blank#}most outstanding（杰出的）examples of environmental cleanup.

    But the river wasn't changed in a few days{#blank#}4{#/blank#}even a few months. It took years of work {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(reduce) the industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally, that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(clean) than ever.

    Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you leave a habit{#blank#}7{#/blank#}is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don't know how to control your credit card use. When you face such an impossible situation, don't you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

    While there are{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(amaze) stories of instant transformation, for most of us the{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(patience).

    Just How Buggy is Your Phone?

    What item in your home crawls with the most germs? If you say {#blank#}1{#/blank#} toilet seat, you're wrong. Kitchen sponges top the list. But cell phones are pretty dirty too. They contain around 10 times as many germs as toilet seats. People touch their phones, laptops, and other digital devices all day long, yet rarely clean them.

    In one incident, a thief paid a terrible price for stealing a germy cell phone. He stole it from a hospital in Uganda during a widespread of the deadly disease Ebola. The phone's owner reported the theft before {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(die)from the disease. Soon, the thief began showing symptoms and finally {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(confess)to the crime.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} in that unusual case a cell phone carried dangerous bacteria, not all germs are bad. Most cause no harm. In fact, they could provide helpful information. Look at the surface of your phone carefully. Do you see some dirty mars? “That's all you,” says microbial ecologist Jarrad Hampton-Marcell. “That's biological information.”

    It turns out that the types of germs that you apply all over your phone or tablet are different from {#blank#}5{#/blank#} of your friends and family. They're like a fingerprint that could identify you. Some day in the future, investigators may use these microbial fingerprints to solve crimes. Phones and digital devices may be one of the best places to look for buggy clues.

    In a 2017 study, researchers sampled a range of surfaces in 22 participants' homes, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} countertops and floors to computer keyboards and mice. Then they tried to match the microbial fingerprints on each object to its owner. The office equipment was easiest to match to its owner. In an {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(early)study, a different group of researchers found that they could use microbial fingerprints to identify the person who {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(use)a computer keyboard even after the keyboard sat untouched for two weeks at room temperature.

    One day, microbial signatures might show {#blank#}9{#/blank#} people have gone and what they have touched. They could prove {#blank#}10{#/blank#} an unmarked device is yours. So, sure, your phone is pretty germy. Does that inspire you, or does it just bother you?

The Truth about Whisky

    Whisky is probably {#blank#}1{#/blank#} most famous product of Scotland. Whisky making provides work {#blank#}2{#/blank#} several thousand people in the Scottish Highlands and islands, and whisky is Scotland's biggest goods {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (sell) to every corner of the world.

    The qualities of whisky come from the water which {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) to make it the rich "peaty"(多泥炭的) water of Scotland. When whisky is first made, it is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (actual) clear, not brown in colour. The colour comes from the wooden {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (container) in which the whisky is stored for several years to allow it {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (mature) from a little added sugar.

    For many years, whisky has been one of the most popular drinks all over the world, and Scotland {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (produce) more and more of it so far. But whisky sales have not increased as fast, so there are now large reserves of whisky in Scotland, especially the better and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (much) expensive whisky. So a lot of the whisky sold today was made several years ago when people thought that whisky would get more and more popular. That is {#blank#}10{#/blank#}, today, a lot of the whisky in the shops is marked with "Ten years old", or even "Fifteen years old".

    One day, I was comfortably waiting for my flight with a good book to read when {#blank#}1{#/blank#} elderly lady was wheeled to our waiting area. I noticed the trouble she was having {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (try) to open a packet of nuts with her shaking hands. No one else was willing to meet her gaze (目光), so I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (offer) to help. The lady was very grateful. We sat and chatted. The time came to board the plane. She could walk but needed some {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (assist), so I volunteered to help her and carry her bag.

    As I helped her get {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (settle), I noticed her “seat mate”, a businessman, looked a bit horrified at having to make the flight with her. He offered to change {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (seat) with me — and I agreed. We had a long chat. As we were entering another country we needed to fill out forms. I offered to fill {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (her) out because of her shaking hands. We landed and I needed to change planes, but I helped her first. The wheelchair she ordered was nowhere to be seen so we slowly walked to the gate {#blank#}8{#/blank#} her daughter was waiting.

    As a result, I had to run to catch my connection but, as I thought about the experience, I saw her {#blank#}9{#/blank#} my airport angel, a chance for me to hope that in the future when I'm in my eighties and traveling, someone will take the time {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (connect) with me.