Most people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, their families place them in nursing homes. They {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (leave) in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown children visit them {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(occasion), but more often, they do not have any regular visitors. The truth is that the idea is an unfortunate myth — an {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (imagine) story. In fact, family members provide the most care {#blank#}4{#/blank#} elderly people need. Samuel Prestoon, a sociologist, has studied {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the American family is changing. He has reported that by the time the average American couple reach 40 years of age, they have more parents than children. Moreover, because people today live longer after an illness than before, family members must provide long-term care. More {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (psychology) have found that all caregivers believe that they are the best people for the job. Social workers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the responsibility of caring for {#blank#}8{#/blank#} elderly relative. Many caregivers thought they had obligation {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (help) their relatives, stating that helping others make them feel more useful. Most hoped that by helping someone, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent. Caring for the elderly and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (take) care of can be a mutually satisfying experience for everyone who might be involved.

    Linda Evans was my best friend. When I was 13, my family moved away. We kept in touch through {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (letter) and saw each other on special time — like my wedding and Linda's. Soon we were busy with children and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (move) to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (come) back, stamped—Address Unknown. We lost touch with each other.

    Over the years, I missed Linda very much. I was eager {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (share) happiness and sadness. There was {#blank#}5{#/blank#} empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill.

    One day, I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (read) a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman—Linda's {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (marry) name. There must be thousands of Wagmans, I thought, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} I still wrote to her.

    She called as soon as she got my letter. Mrs, Tobin, she said {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (excite), —Linda Evans Wagman is my mother.

    Minutes later, I heard a voice that I knew very much, even {#blank#}10{#/blank#} 40 years. Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And there's one thing that Linda and I know for sure: we won't lose each other again!

    When I was an international student in China, I was lucky to experience Chinese New Year. The build-up was exciting as everywhere {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(decorate) with red.

Some fellow students and I decided to travel from Xi'an to Guilin for the festival. Travel during that time is quite{#blank#}2{#/blank#} adventure—many people journey home {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (see) their families and everywhere is very busy. On the eve of New Year, we watched the CCTV New Year's Gala. Although we didn't really understand everything, it was good to be lost {#blank#}4{#/blank#}the atmosphere(气氛) of the occasion! At New Year, families make{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(taste) dumplings together as part of the celebrations. On New Year's Day, and for several weeks afterwards, you can hear firecrackers and fireworks everywhere, and the air{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(smell) strongly of dynamite(火药) and smoke. This was adventurous for us!

    Being in China during New Year somewhat meant{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(lonely) though it was a great experience. I can{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(absolute) explain it with how international students in the UK might feel at Christmas if{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(have) no loved ones around them. Overall, my first Chinese New Year was an amazing experience{#blank#}10{#/blank#}I will never forget.

    For Rachael and Leigh Badman, there is only one wish on their Christmas list this year — that their sick daughter Paige should survive until December 25. Fifteen-year-old Paige suffers from {#blank#}1{#/blank#} rare brain condition, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} affects as few as 12 people in the world, and could kill her any day {#blank#}3{#/blank#} warning.

    And her condition has gone even {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(bad) in recent months. Her parents filled the family home with Christmas decorations {#blank#}5{#/blank#} September 1 so she could enjoy the rest of her life. Since then, she has {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(regular) opened Christmas presents and received visitors — but she sleeps for up to 19 hours a day, her parents knowing that each time she closes her eyes, she may never wake up.

    Mrs. Badman {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(describe) dealing with the condition as "like being on death row" as she never knew if {#blank#}8{#/blank#} daughter would wake up the next morning.

    The mother said: "She always loves Christmas and I get my heart broken when I see her {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(suffer) like this. Our best Christmas present would be having Paige with us on Christmas. No matter {#blank#}10{#/blank#} she leaves the world, we make sure that she is always happy."

    Which would you rather be, a mathematician or {#blank#}1{#/blank#}author? Perhaps you will never be {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(face)with this kind of choice. Lewis Carroll was a mathematician and author. He was a lecturer in mathematics at Oxford University. But he is{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(good)known as the writer of two of the most famous children's books {#blank#}4{#/blank#}have ever been written(Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass). The author's real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, but he {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (prefer)to use the pen name "Lewis Carroll" when he wrote, and this is the name we remember him by. Alice in Wonderland, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (publish)in 1865 when the author was 33 years old, was followed by Through the Looking Glass in in 1871. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} books were written for a real girl called Alice and they {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (read)by millions of children since they were first published. These stories are about a dream world in which Alice meets strange creatures and has {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (interest) adventures. I'm sure you know this already, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} if you don't, you'd better read the stories yourselves.