One day an ant was drinking at a small stream and fell in. She made all efforts {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (reach) the side, but made no progress at all. The poor {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (tire) ant was still bravely doing her best when a dove saw her. Moved by her {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (determine) and perseverance, the bird threw her a blade of grass, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}supported her like a raft, and thus the ant reached the bank again. While she was resting and drying {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (she) in the grass, she {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (hear) a man come near. He was walking along barefooted {#blank#}7{#/blank#} a gun in his hand. As soon as he saw the dove, he wished to kill it. He would certainly have done so, but the ant bit him in the foot just as he raised his gun to fire. He stopped to see {#blank#}8{#/blank#} had bitten him, and  the  dove {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(immediate) flew away.  It  was  an  animal  much {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(weak) that had saved her life.

    How long have you not written a character?

    Popular TV program National Chinese Characters Contest has brought people's attention back to written Chinese.

    The{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(compete)is the Chinese version of a classic word game American Spelling Bee. Pupils{#blank#}2{#/blank#}usually come from the fifth or sixth grade,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (divide)into different teams and try to write down every word according to Its pronunciation.

    In less than two hours, the contestants need to solve dozens of questions{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(concern) error- prone(容易出错的) characters. Many students keep up with the show. They refer to{#blank#}5{#/blank#}as “the interesting Chinese lessons on TV”. Teachers and parents are also happy to see that children can learn and have fun at the same time.

    The program has gone beyond the circle of primary school students. “It is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(surprising) instructive. I have corrected a lot of my own mistakes by watching the show,” said{#blank#}7{#/blank#}adult viewer.

    Guan Zhengwen, chief director of the show, considers written Chinese{#blank#}8{#/blank#}the root of China‘s{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(culture)heritage, “TV shows on Chinese language mean more than just a trend,” he said. “Mass media need to seek innovation(创新) in order to preserve our culture, We hope that National Chinese Characters Contest will get more people{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(brush)up our written language.”

    I met this elderly lady in town, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} I suppose may be someone's grandmother. The city has grown and everybody is so busy {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (walk), and at times shoving(挤着) other people. I'm not sure what made look at her as she walked slowly by with her wooden walking stick. Maybe it's because I wondered if I would reach that age and what I would be doing then if I did.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (sudden), her stick dropped. I was not so sure if someone had pushed her or it just dropped accidentally. She tried reaching for it, but I noticed that bending was becoming a challenge to her. I moved towards her, although I thought that someone would have helped her by the time I{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (reach) her. I was wrong. Nobody seemed {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (notice) or cared much. I picked{#blank#}6{#/blank#} her stick and positioned it in her hand. She gave me {#blank#}7{#/blank#} wide, honest smile and thanked me. She raised her {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (eye) and said something nice to me, still smiling.

    I felt happy too, and will remember that it is {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (meaning) to slow down and take notice of what is happening around {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (we) and outside our own selves.

    It was getting dark when I got home. It was cold and I {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(wear) a coat. I walked up to the door and put my hand into my pocket {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(take) out my key {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I couldn't find it. I suddenly remembered that I {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(leave) it on my desk in the office. It really didn't make any difference. I knew my wife {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(be) at home and the children must have come back from school by now, so I {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(knock) at the door.

    There was no answer, so I knocked again. I continued knocking at the door for some time. I {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(get) angry. Then I remembered something the office boy had told me at noon. He said that my wife {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (phone) saying that she {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(go) shopping in the afternoon with the children.

    There was only one thing for me to do: I had to clime in{#blank#}10{#/blank#} a window.