Traditional Chinese culture places much emphasis (重视) on food. Considered to be an important part of each day, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(eat) is far beyond simply meeting a need. However, people are living in fast-paced society now, so they hardly have time to enjoy their food. They need fast food. That is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} China's fast-food market expands.

    A foreign fast-food restaurant {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(call) KFC arrived in China first, quickly followed by {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（other ）such as Pizza Hut and McDonald's. With{#blank#}5{#/blank#}the (develop) of China, foreign fast-food chains are realizing high-speed{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(grow) in China. However, these “junk foods” have long been criticized by health experts because {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (their) can't provide balanced nutrition(营养). The experts also show that some foreign fast food contains a food coloring, Sudan I, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}can cause cancer.

    In fact, China has many of its own traditional fast-food dishes. Among them, dumplings, soybean milk and noodles {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(be) the most popular. Compared with foreign fast food, those traditional ones are healthier. {#blank#}10{#/blank#}many Chinese still enjoy the special taste and the good environment in the foreign fast-food chains even though there exist some potential（潜在的）risks.

    I was always told that the three Ps, patience, positive thinking and perseverance, were a sure path{#blank#}1{#/blank#}success. But this piece of advice does not always work as planned. My high school math exam is one example. The exam， {#blank#}2{#/blank#} was originally to be held in our classroom, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(change) to the library at the last minute. This, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, didn't bother me because math had always been my strongest subject. I patiently walked to the library, took my seat and took a deep breath to help relax {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. But my mood quickly changed when I saw{#blank#}6{#/blank#}first question. I had no idea how to do it. I tried to stay positive and preserved{#blank#}7{#/blank#} I finally found the solution. With the problem{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (solve), I felt proud of my achievement. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (fortunate), I then notice that I had just 10 minutes left {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (complete) the rest.

    Silk was not the only product to be transported along the Silk Road, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}other goods such as tea, medicinal herbs also being exported from China. Many merchants found instant wealth through the trade in luxury items．

    Rather than traveling the entire length of the Silk Road, each merchant traded goods along one section of the route, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (buy) them in one town and then selling in another. The travelers and merchants also {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (carry) many ideas, philosophies and religions with them along the Silk Road. Of all these, Buddhism, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}came from India, had the greatest influence on Chinese culture. It{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(eventual) became China's primary faith, {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(widespread) than the original Chinese religions of Confucianism and Taoism．

    Silk Road trades traveled together in long caravans of camels. This mode of travel provided{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(protect) from robbers who might attempt {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (rob) the valuable goods being transported．The Silk Road was not only one single road, but{#blank#}9{#/blank#} whole collection of routes by which goods{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (transport) between the East and the West．

    As we all know, Columbus was a great explorer. He left Spain in September 1492,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (look) for gold. Native Americans greeted him, offering gifts of corn. Columbus found little gold on that trip, but he collected many {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (plant), including corn, to bring back to Spain.

    Columbus didn't know it, but the corn was much {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (valuable) than gold. Farmers from Europe to Asia accepted it {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (immediate). They grew it on cold mountainsides and in rainforests. So it {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (feed) millions of people all over the world today.

    On his second trip, Columbus brought back a few chocolate beans to make chocolate. Europeans and Asians loved this new drink, and soon they were paying a great deal of money for the beans. Chocolate beans became so valuable in Central America {#blank#}6{#/blank#} they {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (use)as cash for 200 years.

    Tomatoes and potatoes took some time to become popular. Eventually, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, they became the basis of a lot of popular foods. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} is hard to imagine life without fried potatoes or chocolate. Thanks{#blank#}10{#/blank#} native American culture, many people are able to enjoy lots of tasty food.

    When Sandra was a child, her family was very poor, but she wanted {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (bad) to believe that her poverty was just a temporary situation, so she looked toward stories {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (escape). Her favorite book {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (check) out of the library over and over again was called The little house. Throughout Sandra's life, she had to move between cities, never {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (allow) her much time to get settled in one place. Her {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (separate) from family drove her to burying herself in books. Though reading a lot, according to Sandra, she didn't really start writing {#blank#}6{#/blank#} she attended her first creative writing class in college. She then realized that she needed to write what she knew, and {#blank#}7{#/blank#} purpose she adopted a writing style opposite to that of her classmates. Admission to Loyola University {#blank#}8{#/blank#} she earned a BA in English was a turning point for her. Sandra's writing {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (shape) by her experiences since then. She doesn't just make up {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (character), but writes about real people that she has encountered.

    Wi-Fi is a word which has its own little brother in the form of a complex password which, no matter how hard you try, you can never guess. Generally, it {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (stick) to the inside windows of cafes and hotels as {#blank#}2{#/blank#} extra way of attracting customers. Even on public transport and in shopping {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (center), it's becoming more common. Last summer, I {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (spend) four months working in France, where the company I was working for put me up in a house {#blank#}5{#/blank#} didn't have Wi-Fi. I was looking forward to it. I soon discovered, however, that {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (live) in a house without Wi-Fi was easier than I had expected before. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} I couldn't enjoy my usual web browsing (浏览) on BBC iplayer, social media site, and keeping up-to-date with the news, I could spend more time with my housemates. I read more, I cooked for my friends and I even tidied up {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (often). I learned how to live without Wi-Fi. I found it was easier than I had imagined. My experience this summer made me {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (reflect) on how much we do use Wi-Fi. It's possible not to be so dependent {#blank#}10{#/blank#} it. Try it and see.