One of my father's favorite {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (say) as I was growing up was “Try it!”. I couldn't say I didn't like something, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} it might be, until after I tried it. Over the years I've come to realize how much of my success I owe to my {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (accept) of those words as one of my values. My first job was just one I decided to try for a couple of years until I determined what I wanted to do as a career. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (actual) I believed I would work for a few years, get {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (marry), stay home and raise a family, so I didn't think the job I took mattered that much. I couldn't {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) more mistaken. I mastered the skills of that {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (begin) level position and I was given the opportunity to move up through the company into {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (differ) positions. I accepted each new opportunity with the thought, “Well, I'll try it; {#blank#}9{#/blank#} I don't like it I can always go back to my {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (early) position.” But I was with the same company for the past 28 years.

    Qing Ming Jie (All Souls' Day) is a time to remember {#blank#}1{#/blank#} dead. It is a major Chinese festival which {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (fall) in early spring. It is an occasion for the whole family to leave the home and to sweep the graves of their forefathers.

    Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Tui, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C.Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of {#blank#}4{#/blank#} own leg. When the lord {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (succeed)in becoming the ruler of a small kingdom, he invited his faithful follower to join him. But Jie declined the invitation, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (prefer) to lead a quiet life with his mother in the mountains.

    Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} , Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (die).To honor Jie, the "cold food feast day" began, when no fire could be lit.

    As time passed, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. To make the festival even more {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (meaning),some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family {#blank#}10{#/blank#} contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Tui.

    There're something you should pay attention to when you're in Thailand.

    There's one thing for sure: Don't touch the head Thai people are very {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (friend). After all, it is known as the “Land of Smiles”, but like any other country there're some customs visitors should follow in case you offend (冒犯) someone unknowingly.

    The head of a person or statue (雕像) in Thailand is regarded as {#blank#}2{#/blank#} most important part of the body. It {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (consider) rude to touch a stranger's head, as it would be in most countries around the world. It is also impolite to touch the head of a statue,{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (especial) a statue of the Buddha (佛). Certainly, close friends {#blank#}5{#/blank#} family members often touch each other's heads or hair,{#blank#}6{#/blank#} is not rude.

    And, of course, another thing is very important: Know where your feet are. Visitors should try to avoid {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (point) their feet directly at another person or Buddha statue. It is also not proper to step over a person or a Buddha statue.{#blank#}8{#/blank#} other words, your feet should always be {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (low) than another person's head.

    Buddhism plays a key role in the country's culture. Therefore {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (tourist) need to show respect towards the religion (宗教).

    Most people{#blank#}1{#/blank#}get a text message from a wrong number either let the person know{#blank#}2{#/blank#}just ignore it—but this wrong text was one that the receiver felt he had to answer.

    When Mark and Lindsey Lashley had their baby boy,Cason Knox,one of their{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(relative) sent a group text message to let a few{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(friend) know about the birth—but it turned out that one of the phone numbers no longer belonged to someone they knew.Dennis Williams,the new{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(own) of the phone number,responded to the{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (excite) baby news,“{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (congratulate),but I think someone got the wrong number.”

    When everyone else in the group text message realized what was going on,they laughed and apologized to this kind stranger for getting him caught up in the baby birthing news,but Williams ended up{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(surprise) everyone. “What's the room number...we have gifts,”Williams's follow-up text read—and the best pan is that he{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(actual) showed up at the hospital to welcome Cason.And they talked about turning{#blank#}10{#/blank#}embarrassing situation into a sweet one!

    Soudee, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} is a 24-year-old Frenchman, has already been at sea for two years. He {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (travel) along Africa's west coast, through the Caribbean Sea and up to the Arctic Ocean since he set sail from the Canary Islands in 2017. Soudee is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} only person on his sailboat but he brought along a pet hen with him. Soudee met Monique, the hen, on the Canary Islands shortly before he began {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (he) around-the-world voyage. He told a BBC reporter that he knew she was the one he needed.

    While planning for his trip, Soudee had considered {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (bring) along an animal for companionship (陪伴), but not {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(necessary) a chicken. Later he told the BBC reporter, "The hen is a good {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (choose). I don't have to spend much time looking {#blank#}8{#/blank#} it and I'm able to get eggs at sea."

    The story has also become popular on social media. One Twitter user wrote this week, "This hen has a(n) {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good) life than me." Monique and her owner plan {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (sail) to Alaska next. You can find reports about Soudee's trip on his Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.