Debbie, who lives in Hong Kong, was on holiday in Beijing with her best friend Lily. Lily is a beautiful girl who is studying science at university. She also models{#blank#}1{#/blank#}her spare time. Debbie is studying history and wants to be writer. Lily and Debbie were very{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (excite)to be in Beijing because there was so much to see. Lily suggested {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(visit)the Great Wall first, so they went on a tour to see it the first day. Their tour guide was a young man with {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(glass)who was very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (knowledge). He told them many interesting stories. The next day, they took a bus from their hotel and then, using a map, they walked around some old hutongs. Both of the girls thought that it gave them a good idea of  {#blank#}6{#/blank#}life was like in the 13^th century. Debbie was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(especial) excited as she{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(study)hutongs earlier in the year{#blank#}9{#/blank#}was the Forbidden City that was next on{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) agenda and the girls loved every minute of the tour around the beautiful grounds. Because they were leaving the next day, when they finished the tour, they went shopping and splashed out on an expensive meal.

Why All Disney Princesses Wear Blue

    If they're not sleeping and waiting for Prince Charming to rescue them, they're busy getting poisoned by poisonous apples or being forced {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(do) heavy housework by evil relatives. But {#blank#}2{#/blank#}turns out that even the most laidback(悠闲的) beauty is supposed to send a message of strength to young {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(girl).

    That's because they all wear blue. From Jasmine to Belle, from Ariel to Snow White, they all wear blue. Far from stereotypical(老一套的) pinks, these princesses {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(dress) in bold aqua(水蓝色), cornflower(矢车菊蓝). Even Dorothy form the Wizard of Oz (绿野仙踪) {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(wear) a light blue pinafore and socks.

    Why? Well, blue is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(apparent) the colour of trust, calmness as well{#blank#}7{#/blank#} confidence. According to experts, we all have {#blank#}8{#/blank#}natural preference for blue, partly because of the sky. It's something to look forward to, to see that blue sky. It's {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(rely). It might cloud up, but we know it's there.

    Perhaps, Disney puts princesses in the colour to show that they're those {#blank#}10{#/blank#}are loyal and dependable.

Tim: Jeff, do you prefer working in a group or working alone?

Jeff: I'm good at {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(work) by myself because if I am doing something I like, I can get it{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(do) quickly. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, if I am working with a team where people all want to do a good job, I think{#blank#}4{#/blank#} team is fun.

Tim: Do you prefer working wearing a uniform or putting whatever you want?

Jeff: I think {#blank#}5{#/blank#} you wear a uniform, sometimes you get respect.

Tim: So, how about a working schedule? Would you prefer a set time job?

Jeff: No. I think {#blank#}6{#/blank#}is difficult to do a set time job. Last year, I {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(produce) furniture in a factory. Every morning, I had to get up at six. When I got home{#blank#}8{#/blank#} work, it was almost eight.

Tim: You{#blank#}9{#/blank#} be very tired. By the way, do you prefer being paid by the hour or do you prefer salary?

Jeff: I think salary may be a{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(good) way to go than being paid by the hour.

    Some new car models are fashionable. Others can go a long way with only a little gas. But all are taking advantage of technology that is making driving safer and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(easy).

    The new Ford Escape has technology that helps the car avoid crashes. A new control system changes the car's speed {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (keep) a safe distance from other cars on the road. It works {#blank#}3{#/blank#}using sensors that measure the Escape's distance from other vehicles.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(drive) can connect to the Ford Escape's electronic system with their smartphone. The phone can start and track their car from anywhere.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}emergency vehicles are near, the Heedful Audio Alert System, or HAAS, will warn drivers. The device has a sensor{#blank#}6{#/blank#}detects（发现）the sound of an emergency vehicle siren（汽笛）. The device then {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(send) a warning to the driver's phone.

    A company {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(call) Sober Steering has developed a device to stop drunken drivers. The device can detect alcohol in the skin. If the driver's alcohol level is too high, {#blank#}9{#/blank#}will shut down the vehicle.

    Just as technology is changing life at home and at work, it {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(change) life on the road as well.

    If you only got six hours' shut eye last night, there is no need {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (lose) sleep over it.

    Scientists say that though it is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (wide) believed that we need eight hours of sleep a night, six to seven hours is the natural amount.

    Advising short-sleepers to rest easy, the US researchers say, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (have) important implications (暗示，含义) for the idea that we need to take sleeping pills because sleep has been reduced from {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (it) natural level by the widespread use of electricity, TV, the Internet and so on.

    The lead author of a study, Ghandi, said: "There's the {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (expect) that we should all be sleeping for eight or nine hours a night, and if we took away modern technology, we would be sleeping more. But now, for the first time, we are showing that's not {#blank#}6{#/blank#} truth."

    Most of those {#blank#}7{#/blank#} were studied slept for less than seven hours a night, with the average amount just six hours and 25 minutes. This is much less than the eight hours often {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (recommend) in western societies.

    Despite this, the people studied were in good health, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} lower rates of obesity (肥胖症), better blood pressure and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (healthy) hearts than people in industrialised societies. They were also fitter.