Hua Mulan was a brave girl in the Northern Wei dynasty. She disguised (假扮){#blank#}1{#/blank#} (her) as a man, and joined the army in place of her father. Mulan's father, once{#blank#}2{#/blank#} soldier, taught his daughter military (军事的) skills{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(include)horse riding and how to fight. Hua Mulan also read her father's books{#blank#}4{#/blank#} military science.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(drive) away the Rouran nomads (游牧民族), the {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(rule) of Northern Wei ordered that every family should send a man off to war against them. Mulan's old father, as well as her young brother, was not able to go and fight. So Mulan {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(decide) to join the army instead of her father. Mulan fought for 12 years{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (successful) without her true identity being discovered.  Mulan became a hero{#blank#}9{#/blank#} bravery moved people greatly, and she{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(offer) a high position, but she refused it.

    Even though her story might be no more than a legend, Hua Mulan has been respected as a filial (孝顺的) daughter by Chinese people for hundreds of years.

    Middle English is the name {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(give) to the English used from around the 12th to the 15th centuries. Many things played a part in the{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(develop) of this new type of English. The most important {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(贡献) was from the Normans, a {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (French speak) people who{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (打败) England and took control of the country in 1066. {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, the Norman Conquest did not affect English as much as the Angles and the Saxons' victory about 600 years earlier, which led to Old English {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (replace) Celtic. Even though the Normans spoke French for the e{#blank#}8{#/blank#} 250 years they ruled England, French did not replace English {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the first language. On the other hand, the English language did borrow many words from French. This resulted in even more words with similar meanings, such as answer (from Old English) and reply (from Old French). It is interesting to learn {#blank#}10{#/blank#}the words for animals and meat developed.

    It is reported that many middle school students are just not getting enough sleep, especially during the school week. The problem seems to get {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (bad) as they get older. Year 7 students sleep 8.4 hours in a school night, and Year 9 students only 6.9 hours.

    It's also reported that not getting enough sleep can cause {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (problem) in a student's life. Many students fall {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (sleep) in school or while doing their homework, so it is not {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (surprise) that they get lower grades than those who get enough sleep. Scientists suggest nine hours a night for middle school students. Of the students who feel {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (happy) and nervous, 73% don't get enough sleep at night.

    Why aren't students getting enough sleep? Many students have one of the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (follow) things, like telephone, television, or computer in their bedrooms. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (use) them on a school night not only takes their time away from homework, but also makes {#blank#}8{#/blank#} difficult for them to sleep. As a result, many students can't sleep before 11 p. m., yet they must get up early {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (go) to school.

    Scientists also suggest students should not do exciting activities for an hour {#blank#}10{#/blank#} bedtime.

    In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back as far as 7000 years. As early as the Shang Dynasty, bamboo was being used in ancient peopled dally lives. It was used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (music) instruments and even weapons.

    The {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (apply) of bamboo in science and technology is thrilling. In 251 BC, Li Bing, in Sichuan, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (lead) the local people in building the Dujiang Weirs, the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played {#blank#}4{#/blank#} important role. The world's oldest water piper was also {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (make) of bamboo. During the Han Dynasty, the people in Sichuan {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (success) sank a 1600-metre-deep well with thick bamboo ropes. This technology did not spread to Europe {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the 19th century, and it was by using the technology {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the Americans drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania in 1859.

    In Chinese culture, bamboo is well-known as {#blank#}9{#/blank#} of the "four gentlemen" in plants. To many distinguished men, bamboo is a symbol of goodness and honesty. It is always closely related to people of positive spirits. Bamboo culture contributes to encouraging People to hold on when {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (face) tough situations.

    The powerful Hurricane Barry weakened but remained a weather nightmare on Tuesday. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (strike) parts of Arkansas with at least six{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (inch) of rain and caused flash flooding that drowned {#blank#}3{#/blank#}animal shelter and killed a puppy.

    Heavy rains were falling. The Humane Society of Clark County issued an SOS after flooding drowned its recently rebuilt shelter. "SOS! We are flooded. It's on the building! "the official said in a Facebook post. "We need help! Can any of you keep a dog {#blank#}4{#/blank#}two at your houses? Help! Help! Help!" Video from the scene showed wet dogs wandering loose in the shelter, the floor covered in water. Many offered their homes and yards {#blank#}5{#/blank#}the animals. A short time {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(late), the official posted an update on Facebook{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(say) foster homes have been found for all 72 dogs. "We are so blessed! People from all over have come to {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (we) rescue. Donations. Cleaning. Fostering. It's really{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (impress)." the post said. After the rainfall, a ray of sunshine shone brightly in the states {#blank#}10{#/blank#}the storm burst last week.