In much of Asia, especially the so-called “rice bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Korea, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine various hardwoods and metal {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (use) twigs（树枝）to remove it. Over time, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) too violent for use at the table.

    Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat {#blank#}10{#/blank#} their hands.

Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix?

    In 1969, the pollution was terrible along the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up. The river was so polluted that it {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(actual) caught fire and burned. Now, years later, this river is one of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} most outstanding examples of environmental cleanup.

    But the river wasn't changed in a few days {#blank#}4{#/blank#} even a few months. It took years of work {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(reduce) the industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally, that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (clean) than ever.

    Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you have a habit {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don't know how to control your credit card (信用卡) use. When you face such an impossible situation, don't you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

    While there are {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(amaze) stories of instant transformation (转变)，for most of us the {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(patience).

    There are various festivals throughout the world, festivals to satisfy and please the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(ancestor), to honor some famous people or important events, and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (express) people's thanks to the God {#blank#}3{#/blank#} bringing them harvest. For example, in Mexico people observe the Day of the Dead in early November, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} people eat food in the shape of skulls and cakes with “bones” on them. In India, October 2 is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} national festival to honour Mohandas Gandhi who helped India become a(n) {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (depend) country. And in China, the Spring Festival, which {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (celebrate) in January or February, is the most {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (energy) and important because it is a festival that looks forward to the coming of spring. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} are there all these festivals? Because during the festivals, people can get together to eat, drink and have fun with each other, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (forget) all the daily struggle and demands for a while.