A professor stood before his class of twenty senior organic biology students and was about to hand {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the final exam papers.

    “I want to say that {#blank#}2{#/blank#}has been a pleasure teaching you this term. I know you've worked {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(extreme) hard and many of you are off to medical school after summer. I know no one wants to get their GPA(平均成绩){#blank#}4{#/blank#} (mess) up because they might have been celebrating this week. Anyone who prefers not to take the final exam today {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(receive) a 'B' for the course.”

    The students were filled with {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(happy) as they got up, walked to the front of the class, and accepted the professor's offer. As {#blank#}7{#/blank#}last taker left the room, the professor looked at the handful of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(remain) students and asked, “Anyone else? This is your last chance.”

    One final student rose up and chose not to take part in the final. The professor closed the door and checked who were still in the classroom.

    “I'm glad to see you believe in {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(you),” he said. “You all get 'A's.”

    How many have taken the easy way out? The short road, the easy path {#blank#}10{#/blank#}the light load all lead to lower grades in school of life.

    Long, long ago, a Frenchman traveled to a small Italian town. He was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for {#blank#}1{#/blank#} walk alone. It was very late and the small street was dark and quiet. Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man {#blank#}2{#/blank#} quickly walked past him. The man was {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (near) out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found his watch {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (go). He thought that it must be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided to get back the watch.

    Soon the Frenchman caught up {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the Italian, but {#blank#}6{#/blank#} of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist and {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (point) to the Italian's watch. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the end, the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman.

    As soon as he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife {#blank#}9{#/blank#} had happened. He was greatly {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (surprise) when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Then he realized that he had robbed the Italian's watch by mistake.

    In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back to as far as 7,000 years. As early as the Shang Dynasty, bamboo was being used in ancient people's daily 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(都江堰), the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played {#blank#}4{#/blank#} important role. The world's oldest water pipe 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 19^th 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 famous 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.

    Once there lived a rich man, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} wanted to do something for the people of his town. But first he wanted to find out {#blank#}2{#/blank#}they deserved his help.

    In the center of the main road into the town, he placed {#blank#}3{#/blank#} very large stone. Then he {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (hide) behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.

    “Who put this stone in the center of the road？” said the old man，but he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} man came along and did the same thing; then another came, and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove {#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Late in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the stone，{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (say) to himself: “The night will be very dark. Some {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (neighbor) will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone.”

    Then he began to move the stone. He pushed and pulled with all his {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (strong) to move it，only to find a bag of money under the stone. Imagine {#blank#}10{#/blank#} surprised he was!

    When I was an international student in China, I was lucky to experience Chinese New Year. The build-up was exciting as everywhere {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(decorate) with red.

Some fellow students and I decided to travel from Xi'an to Guilin for the festival. Travel during that time is quite{#blank#}2{#/blank#} adventure—many people journey home {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (see) their families and everywhere is very busy. On the eve of New Year, we watched the CCTV New Year's Gala. Although we didn't really understand everything, it was good to be lost {#blank#}4{#/blank#}the atmosphere(气氛) of the occasion! At New Year, families make{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(taste) dumplings together as part of the celebrations. On New Year's Day, and for several weeks afterwards, you can hear firecrackers and fireworks everywhere, and the air{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(smell) strongly of dynamite(火药) and smoke. This was adventurous for us!

    Being in China during New Year somewhat meant{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(lonely) though it was a great experience. I can{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(absolute) explain it with how international students in the UK might feel at Christmas if{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(have) no loved ones around them. Overall, my first Chinese New Year was an amazing experience{#blank#}10{#/blank#}I will never forget.

    Everyone has dreams, but not all dreams can be realized. People give up their dreams for this or that reason. Those {#blank#}1{#/blank#} dreams become true have one thing in common, that is, they insist on {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (work) for their dreams.

    Marie Curie, a famous scientist, has set {#blank#}3{#/blank#} good example. In 1898, Marie {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (find) a new element (元素) in the pitchblende (沥青铀矿). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (prove) her discovery, she had to show it to the world, which also became her dream. After using tons of pitchblende, Marie and her husband {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (final) saw the blue light of radium (镭). There are many other examples. Athletes who gain gold medals and students who enter key universities after {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (year) of hard work, are all dream-holders.

    The path to dreams may not be smooth and the progress may be {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(pain). But hold on to your dreams, no matter {#blank#}9{#/blank#} big or small they are. Hold on to the end, and you will find there is nothing {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (happy) than your dreams coming true.