The adobe dwellings(土坯房）{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(build) by the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest are admired by even {#blank#}2{#/blank#}most modern of architects and engineers. In addition to their simple beauty, what makes the adobe dwellings admirable is their {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(able) to “air condition” a house without {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（use）exact equipment. Walls made of adobe take in the heat from the sun on hot days and give out that her{#blank#}5{#/blank#}（slow）during cool nights，thus warning the house. When a new day breaks, the walls have given up their heat and are now cold enough {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (cool) the house during the hot day: {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the same time, they warm up again for the night This cycle {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (go) day after day: The walls warm up During the day and cool off during the night and thus always a timely offset（抵消）for the outside temperatures. As {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(nature) architects, the Pueblo Indians figured out exactly{#blank#}10{#/blank#}thick the adobe walls needed to be to make the cycle work on most days.

    A professor stood before his class of twenty senior organic biology students and was about to hand {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the final exam papers.

    “I want to say that {#blank#}2{#/blank#}has been a pleasure teaching you this term. I know you've worked {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(extreme) hard and many of you are off to medical school after summer. I know no one wants to get their GPA(平均成绩){#blank#}4{#/blank#} (mess) up because they might have been celebrating this week. Anyone who prefers not to take the final exam today {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(receive) a 'B' for the course.”

    The students were filled with {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(happy) as they got up, walked to the front of the class, and accepted the professor's offer. As {#blank#}7{#/blank#}last taker left the room, the professor looked at the handful of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(remain) students and asked, “Anyone else? This is your last chance.”

    One final student rose up and chose not to take part in the final. The professor closed the door and checked who were still in the classroom.

    “I'm glad to see you believe in {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(you),” he said. “You all get 'A's.”

    How many have taken the easy way out? The short road, the easy path {#blank#}10{#/blank#}the light load all lead to lower grades in school of life.

    Yu Rong, a Chinese artist, thinks of a new way to introduce{#blank#}1{#/blank#}ancient story of Hua Mulan in her picture book. In the book, I Am Hua Mulan, she tells the story by{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(combine) paper-cutting with international artistic styles. She places Shaanxi paper-cuts over Western-style pencil sketches(素描){#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) a typical presentation of Chinese elements (元素), which turns out to be a{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(success) and impressive breakthrough.

    Hua Mulan{#blank#}5{#/blank#}story has been told by generations in China, is a fighter from the Northern Wei Dynasty(386-534). As a devoted daughter, she dressed herself as a man to serve in the army{#blank#}6{#/blank#}place of her father. Mulan's characteristics, such as courage, kindness and a disinterested attitude toward fame and fortune, made{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(she) one of the most respected historical Chinese heroines. Mulan's story has been adapted {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(frequent) in modern media, including TV shows, video games and literature. For example, in 1998, Disney produced a film named Mulan, which{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(consider) a great success by critics and the public.

    To better tell the story, Yu Rong takes inspiration from her several{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(visit) to sites of ancient battles and Henan Province's Yuju Opera. After years of preparation, she finally makes this extraordinary work.

    As you know, science plays{#blank#}1{#/blank#}very important role in our education. Do you want to keep up{#blank#}2{#/blank#}the latest research and discoveries in science? There are many good websites{#blank#}3{#/blank#}you can check out the latest in the science world.

One great site is Science News for Kids. This site reports science news{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(cover) a wide range of subjects. The articles are intended for younger readers, but adults will find this site{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(suit) for them as well. Another wonderful site, one that I check out every day{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(call) Science Daily. The site is{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(constant) updated with news, often about exciting{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(finding) that change how we view the world.

    These sites post the latest stories and also keep all the past articles they{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(post) earlier. That way you can find articles just about anything that{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(be) related to the science fields you are interested in.

Jane: Hi, Jack. What are you doing there?

Jack: I'm reading a book about the American scientist, George Washington Carver, who made great {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (contribute) to American farming.

Jane: I have read an article about him too. He was born into a state of slavery.

Jack: Exactly right. But he became {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (know) for the development of new crops for southern farmers {#blank#}3{#/blank#} main cash crop (经济作物) was cotton.

Jane: And I remember that he carried out many {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (science) researches on the planting of crops, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (aim) to improve the farmers' quality of life.

Jack: You are right. However, he had an unfortunate family. His parents had eleven children but all of his ten brothers and sisters died young. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} addition, Carver and his mother was kidnapped (绑架) and sold to Kentucky when he was just one week old. Though he {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (find) by his master later, he never saw his mother again.

Jane: I can see {#blank#}8{#/blank#} he had a really hard childhood.

Jack: Yes. But his life changed after slavery was abolished (废除). He was able to attend a school {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (build) for blacks. Then he managed to get into the Tuskegee Institute, and began his crop research {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (short) after graduation.

After a lot of preparation, Joseph Lockwood and Philippa Amos were finally ready to start their journey into the Amazon rainforest. They were feeling {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(cheer) as they sailed down the great river. Eventually, they got out of the boat and walked into the darkness of the jungle. Neither of them had ever been in such an extreme situation before, using just a compass (指南针) to find the area where the kind of frog they wanted to study {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (live). Suddenly, Joseph, who was holding the compass, tripped and lost it in a river. The situation seemed hopeless—how would they find the frogs now? But just {#blank#}3{#/blank#} they started to feel really sad and worried that their journey {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (be) a failure, they saw the frogs they had come to look for.