Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?

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

    Climate change has caused a rise in sea levels. This has increased the amount of salt in fresh water {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(use) on coastal farms. As a result, farmers are {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(gradual) unable to use fields close to the sea. However, Marc Van Rijsselberg, a farmer in the Netherlands is now using a {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(mix) of sea and fresh water {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(grow) healthy and tasty vegetables.

    He teamed up with scientists from the Free University and divided a farm {#blank#}5{#/blank#}eight negated areas. Separate pipes pumped fresh and sea water, and a computer program created water with eight levels of salinity (含盐度).

    The water levels and the levels of salinity was {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(control) by computerized measuring devices called “sensors”. Mr. Van Rijsselberg said he was able to harvest vegetables from most of the eight testing areas. He said the vegetables were smaller than {#blank#}7{#/blank#} grown in fresh water. But he said they also had more sugar and salt, so they tasted much {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(good).

    He found that potatoes grew better than the other vegetables in the combination of sea and fresh water. Mr.Van Rijsselberg said four kinds of these potatoes would be sent to Pakistan {#blank#}9{#/blank#}thousands of hectares of land {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(damage) by salinization last year.

    There was once a {#blank#}1{#/blank#}distinguish king whose name was Tamerlane. Like Alexander the Great, he wished to become one of the masters of the whole world. So he raised a great army and made war on other countries. He conquered many kings and occupied many cities. But with his army{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (beat) at last, Tamerlane escaped alone from the field of battle, looking{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(misery)

    For a long time he wandered in fear from place to place. His enemies were looking for him. He was about to lose all hope. One day lying under a tree, he thought of his failure. Feeling discouraged, he supposed that he couldn't carry on any longer. Suddenly he saw a small object climbing up the trunk (树干) of the tree. He looked more closely and saw an ant and a grain of wheat{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(carry) by it.

There was a hole in the tree only a little way above, and that was the home of the ant. “You are brave, Mr.Ant,” he said, “but you are carrying something that is too heavy for you.” Just as he spoke, the ant lost its footing and fell to the ground. But it still held on to the grain of wheat. Tamerlane watched the little insect. It tried the second time. The twentieth time—but always{#blank#}5{#/blank#}vain. “I am{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (awful) sorry for you.” Tamerlane thought. He had some doubt {#blank#}7{#/blank#}the ant could succeed or not. Then it tried the twenty-first time. Slowly, one little step at a time, it climbed across the rough place at{#blank#}8{#/blank#}it had fallen so often. The next minute it climbed safely into its home, carrying the grain of wheat. His constant efforts paid off. “Well done!” said Tamerlane, “you've taught me a lesson. I, too, will try, try again, till I succeed.” He {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(set) about reorganizing his army. And at last he realized his ambition{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(defeat) once or twice doesn't matter too much. What matters much is to lose heart forever.

    “Why do we have to learn about these useless things?” This is what teachers have heard students complain about most {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (common). In such cases, we may tell the students such {#blank#}2{#/blank#} story:

    One night, a group of herdsmen（牧民）were about to leave the campsite when there appeared a flash of bright light. They knew that God would be there, so they looked forward to {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(get) wishes from God. God {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(begin)to speak: “You have to collect along the way a number of stones. Tomorrow night, you may be very happy, but you may be very regretful.” Then God disappeared.

    The herdsmen were very {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(disappoint), because they would look forward to God to bring them untold wealth or treasure, but they did not expect that God had told them to do all these meaningful things. However, in any case, after all, that was God's will. Although there {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) some dissatisfaction, they were still picking over some stones. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} this way, they took a day. When night fell, they stopped. All of a sudden, they found that all the stones they picked had turned into {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (diamond). They were happy, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} at the same time, they felt very sorry, and they regretted that they had not collected more stones.

    Now we feel that knowledge is as useless as stones, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} may become endless wealth in the future.

    Babies are great and lots of fun. We all love babies and we need babies, too. Many countries don't have enough of them. That's a big problem.

    Most babies grow up to become workers. As the number of workers {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (grow), a country can produce more things. That often means people's lives become easier and more {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (comfort). But without enough babies, a country {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (gradual) gets old. Many countries provide services {#blank#}4{#/blank#} their people like health care. These services {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (pay) for by young working people. But they are mostly used by old people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} aren't working any more. Without enough young people, countries can't afford these things.

    Countries are dealing with {#blank#}7{#/blank#} problems in different ways. Many countries are encouraging people {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (have) more babies. Since raising children is expensive, some countries give families extra money. Some other countries change rules {#blank#}9{#/blank#} it is easier for mothers to study and work. Others are welcoming immigrants (移民) from other{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (place). How do you think this problem should be solved?