When I was a ten-year-old girl, I was once asked to deliver a speech titled “ A Real Test in My Life” before the whole class ! Just imagine how{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(terrible) shy I was the moment I thought of that with so many eyes fixed upon me. I had only one{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (choose) , though. First I was to draft the speech and that was just a piece of cake for me, because I was a good writer – something to pride myself on. But the hard part {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(lie) in my oral presentation; to read from {#blank#}4{#/blank#} paper was not allowed ; I had to give the speech{#blank#}5{#/blank#}my memory and in front of such a big audience !

    A real trial began when I stood on the platform with my legs{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(tremble) and my mind blank. How much time had passed by , I didn't know . My listeners were still waiting patiently and without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found{#blank#}7{#/blank#} back, giving out my speech with difficulty. Finally I finished. After it seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding. I made{#blank#}8{#/blank#} From then on, my fear of talking before an audience disappeared . Actually with my confidence building{#blank#}9{#/blank#} I now turn out to be a great speaker . Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way to success is our fear. Overcome it,{#blank#}10{#/blank#}we will be able to achieve our goals .

Dear headmaster,

    On hearing the news that a Reading Festival is to be held on campus on the World Book and Copyright Day and the possible project is open to be recommended, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} hardly wait to write to you, sharing my humble opinions.

    As far as I'm concerned, the theme of the festival can be “sharing”, primarily {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (consist) of three parts. Firstly, the festival can start with a 30-minute discussion where groups of students can exchange and share what they {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (expose) to recently, expressing themselves freely. Following this section is the speech. Teacher and student representatives previously selected by us are to share and recommend the book they think really deserving to be read. It's needless to say that the last sharing section which is the most meaningful is donation, during {#blank#}4{#/blank#} time everyone present, teachers or students, is expected to donate one or more books to the library. As for when {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (hold) the activity, the afternoon may be an ideal choice so that it won't interrupt our classes.

    My advice is justified by the following reasons. First and foremost, it is in the group discussion and exchange that we students can have a thorough idea {#blank#}6{#/blank#} our peers are reading for the moment, serving as a driving force for our own reading journey. So it is {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the books recommended. Named by those “idols” in our mind, they will definitely win our heart. As for the donation, the benefits are exactly self-evident. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} can we share beyond our class or even beyond our school, developing a good campus tradition, but {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (importantly), these books which are sure to be dusted on our shelves can now be of more value.

    I'm looking forward to your favorable reply. And {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is my sincere hope that the festival can be a great success and we can gain a lot from it.

Yours,

Amy Young

    Beijing's {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (forbid)City—traditionally off-limits at night for anyone except emperors—was lit up with lanterns after dark Tuesday as China {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (celebrate)the end of the Lunar New Year holiday.

    The palace complex, home to Chinese emperors for five centuries, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (usual)closes by 5 p.m. though some distinguished guests have been taken {#blank#}4{#/blank#} after dark on occasion. It was opened at night for the first time since its rebirth as the Palace Museum 94 years ago.

    The palace walls were brightened with red Chinese lanterns—designed to recreate the {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(feel)of the royal court of old—and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} light show lit up the complex while the China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera performed. An image of a treasured picture called “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was beamed onto the palace roof.

    People rushed to get free {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (ticket)online, for the rare night-time opening, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} were snapped up within minutes.

    “Creativity makes the 600-year-old palace younger and draws traditional culture{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(close)to the public, ”said the People's Daily. The Palace Museum is now on a campaign {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(attract)even more visitors.

    Chinese might be heard when you take a ride on the street. Turning to the right, you see a Sichuan-style restaurant. After {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (walk) into a store, you see that Huawei smartphones are on sale. But you're not in China — you're in Manchester in Britain. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} fact, you might see similar things in many other cities. Chinese products have been going global.

    Western countries {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (enjoy) Chinese food for a long time. Chinese restaurants have made some changes to the dishes {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (meet) local people's tastes.

    Some Chinese{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (brand) are also becoming more popular. In many cities in Europe, stores sell TCL televisions, Haier fridges {#blank#}6{#/blank#} Lenovo computers, reported Reuters. They're not simply made in China, but {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (design) in the country.

    In the past, most Western people thought Chinese products were cheap but not {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (rely). Things have changed greatly, though. For example, Huawei. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} is one of China's major smartphone makers, overtook Apple in worldwide smartphone sales for the first time in June and July, behind only Samsung. "They are{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (beauty) and offer some unique features American phones don't have, " CNN once said about Chinese smartphones.

    If we are honest with ourselves, most of us have dreamed of {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be)rich and famous. Most musicians form a band because of the same interest {#blank#}2{#/blank#}writing and playing music. They may play anywhere {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (earn)some extra money as well as achieve their dreams. However, the Monkees, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} started differently, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(begin) as a TV show with musicians playing jokes and music in the programme. Only after a year or so {#blank#}6{#/blank#} they become more serious and they {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(produce) their own records and later became even {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(popular) than the Beatles in the USA. The band once {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(break) up and then reunited. In memory {#blank#}10{#/blank#}their former time as a real band, they produced a new record in 1996.