The city of the future

What will the city of the future look like? No one knows for sure, and making predictions {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) a risky business. But one thing is certain —they are going to get bigger before they get smaller. We will use lots of {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(recycle) materials, such as plastic aluminums, steel , glass ,wood and paper, and we will waste fewer {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(nature) resources. We will also have to rely more {#blank#}4{#/blank#}alternative energy, such as solar and wind power.

    A teacher at {#blank#}5{#/blank#} university in the United States asked his students to think {#blank#}6{#/blank#} they would run a city of 50,000 people in the year 2025. Here are some of the ideas they had:

    Garbage ships  To get rid of garbage problems, the city will load huge spaceships with waste materials and send them towards the sun,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (prevent) landrills and environmental problems .

    Cars  All cars will be powered by electricity, solar energy or wind , and{#blank#}8{#/blank#}will be possible to change the color of cars at the flick of a switch.

    Telesurgery  Distance surgery will become common as doctors carry out operations from thousands of miles away, with each city {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(have) its own telesurgery outpatient clinic.

    Holiday at home  Senior citizens and people with disabilities will be able to go anywhere in the world using high-tech cameras {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(attach) to their head.

    “What are you busy with yourself, Mother?” The girl of less than six years old asked her mother{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(curiosity). “{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(make) dinner for the neighbor's aunt.”

    “ Why?” “{#blank#}3{#/blank#} the other day the aunt {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (lose) her daughter and is so sad now. We must take good care of her these days.”“ Why need our care?” “ Because{#blank#}5{#/blank#}then on the aunt can't do{#blank#}6{#/blank#}they like to along with her daughter. She is very pitiful. In her distress, making dinners and doing chores are also becoming so difficult. My dear, can you help Mother hit an idea to help the aunt in other ways?” At her mother's proposal, the girl thought for a long while. All of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} sudden, she went to the neighbor and knocked at the door.

    The neighbor with a look of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(tired) opened the door. “What can I do for you?” asked the neighbor. “I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (hear) my mother say you're very distressed for losing your daughter...” The girl timidly handed the band-aid tightly {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(hold) in her hand to the neighbor.

    The neighbor suddenly choked with sobs, her tears gushing from her eyes. She hugged the girl and said, “ Thank you. This band-aid will cure my wound.”

    It seems that Chinese people have always loved to discuss {#blank#}1{#/blank#}differences between northerners and southerners. Now, another difference has drawn wide attention: the way northerners and southerners shop {#blank#}2{#/blank#} food at markets.

    People from southern China normally buy {#blank#}3{#/blank#}they need for just one or two meals at a time. It's normal for them to buy just half a Chinese cabbage, two {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(potato) and 25 grams of beef at a time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, a person may be laughed at if they do this in the north. Instead, buying enough vegetables and meat for a week {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) normal.

    The different could be because of the different climates. Food can {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (keep) for a long time in the north, as it's {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (usual) cold and dry there. Many northerners have the habit of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (store) food for a long time. But due to the hot and wet weather in the south, southern Chinese people prefer {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(buy) just enough food for one meal or one day. Otherwise, the food may go bad.

    Maybe these debates about different customs help us to understand each other better.

    On the first day of my first grade, I stood by the door with butterflies in my stomach. I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (voice) my biggest concern to my mother. "How will I make friends?" She handed me advice. "Be yourself." For the past 20 years. I have lived by these words. Soon I will graduate and become part of the real world. Nervously {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (face) challenges. I know I will whisper to {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (I) the two simple words "Be yourself".

    As everyone know s, it is Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the local porcelain (瓷器) is highly desirable that is the center of world porcelain. Last year, my school {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (hold) a two-day research activity, guided by the slogan, "Exploring ceramic(陶瓷的)culture, traveling through ancient and modern times". The aim was to build students' {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (aware) of traditional culture.

    On our way to Jingdezhen, our guide introduced us to the basics of porcelain production. Our first stop was the Museum of Chinese Ceramics, which has {#blank#}4{#/blank#} unique and exquisite collection of porcelain made from materials such as clay(陶土)and stone.

    The guide told us of the great achievements in ceramics from ancient times until today. I listened carefully to everything. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (date) back to Neolithic(新石器时代)period, clay was used {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (make) pottery(陶器), which people used to carry water and food. Today, we still use porcelain but our pottery is far more beautiful than the products of those times.

    On the second day, the team leader took us to a small DI Y porcelain factory. Under the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (guide) of the teacher, we {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (give) some clay and the chance to design a piece of pottery. Although our efforts were not as beautiful as the articles in the museum, they w ere our own work. The two-day activity was very {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (enjoy) and meaningful. I learned a lot about porcelain and made an item {#blank#}10{#/blank#} my own. It meant a lot to me.