Keeping a diary in English is one of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(effect) ways to improve our English writing ability.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(compare) with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes less time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. If we persist in this practice, gradually we {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(learn) how to express ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(difficult). In the first place, it often happens {#blank#}5{#/blank#} we have trouble finding and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there are many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. And it is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(extreme) hard for us to put them into English properly.

    As far as I'm concerned, my {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(recommend) is that we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary {#blank#}8{#/blank#} easy reach. Whenever something beats {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also turn to our English teacher for help, if necessary. In {#blank#}10{#/blank#} word, I believe that it is of great use to keep a diary in English for the development of our writing skills.

    In Hebei Province lies a vast forest called Saihanba. This green Great Wall, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} at its peak during the Qing Dynasty covered thousands of hectares, had by the 1950s {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（virtual）disappeared. This allowed sand to blow into Beijing from the northern deserts.

    Saihanba is a combination of Chinese and Mongolian, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}（mean）“beautiful highlands". Until the Qing Dynasty, it was a royal hunting land because of its cool summer weather and beautiful surroundings. However, most of the area had turned into a desert by the end of the Qing Dynasty.

    In fact 56 years ago there was only one tree left. But without that tree, there {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（be）no miracle of Saihanba today. In the early 1960s, over 350 foresters {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（send）to this area to fight the desert. They were required {#blank#}6{#/blank#}（rebuild）the forest in Saihanba. Few people, including the foresters themselves, believed they would succeed.

Their doubt disappeared, however, when they found the 200-year-old tree, swaying alone in {#blank#}7{#/blank#} wind. If one tree could survive here, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} could millions of trees, they thought.

    After decades of hard work, three generations of the foresters have restored almost 80% of the original Saihanba forest. Recently, they were awarded the {#blank#}9{#/blank#}（high）environmental honor from the United Nations for their great {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（contribute）to creating a greener world.

Is Hothouse Earth Avoidable?

    Nearly 50 years ago, the Club of Rome's report "Limits to Growth" warned that if economic growth continued fast without regard for the environment, the world could face ecological and economic collapse in the twenty-first century. Yet that is essentially {#blank#}1{#/blank#} has happened. As new research for the Club of Rome shows — and the latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states — the world {#blank#}2{#/blank#} well be headed towards disaster.

    Many wrongly {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(interpret) the "Limits to Growth" as an attack on uncontrolled economic expansion. In fact, the report argued that {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the unlimited-growth pathway was chosen, it would require complementary policies (including funding) {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (preserve) the planet's limited life-support systems.

    This argument {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (ignore). Instead, the world has continued to pursue fast growth, without regard for the environmental consequences. This has enabled us to make enormous progress in reducing poverty, increasing longevity, and increasing wealth. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it has come at a high cost to the formation of the society and the restoration of the planet.

    As scientists have conclusively shown, in the last decade, we have entered a new geological era, the Anthropocene, in which human activity — in particular, economic activity — has been the dominant factor {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(influence) Earth's climate and environment. In the Anthropocene, our planet's life-support system is changing faster than ever.

Climate change now represents a clear and present danger. If our planet becomes just 2℃ warmer than pre-industrial temperatures, we may be placed irreversibly on the path toward "Hothouse Earth" — a situation {#blank#}9{#/blank#} temperatures are many degrees warmer than today, sea levels are considerably higher, and extreme weather events are {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(common) — and more destructive — than ever.

    Mac was cycling along a road. With a heavy camp bag, he wasn't moving very fast. Suddenly he heard loud breathing behind him. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (look) to his side, he was {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (terrify) to find it wasn't a dog but a wolf that was running after him. He reached {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the spray in the bag. With one hand on the handlebar, he fired it. A bright red color covered the wolf and it fell back shaking its head. But a minute {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(late) it was by his side again. He sprayed {#blank#}5{#/blank#} second time, the wolf falling back again but only to quickly restart {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (it) attack. The wolf was getting closer. Mac waved and yelled at passing {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(motorist) but meanwhile rode hard. He knew clearly he must be careful not to slow down. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(fortunate) , Paul and Becky were driving along the same road when they spotted the scene. They drove toward Mac. When the car was in front of him, Mac jumped off the bike and dashed for the back door. Paul {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(open) the door so as to let Mac in. It was quite a while {#blank#}10{#/blank#} Mac became calm and thanked them.

    In South Korea smartphone cases come with rings fixed on the back {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (prevent) clumsy owners from dropping them. This makes people look like they are married to their phones. In lots of Seoul's coffee {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (shop), couples on dates spend much more time looking at their screens {#blank#}3{#/blank#} at each other. The results go beyond the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (potential) terrible consequences for romance.

    Walk around the streets of Seoul, and there is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} real risk of bumping into people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} eyes are glued to their smartphone screens. According to the statistics, around 370 traffic accidents annually {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (cause) by pedestrians using smartphones.

    The government initially tried to fight the "smombie" (手机僵尸) phenomenon by distributing hundreds of stickers (贴纸) around cities, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (beg) people to "be safe" and look up. This seems to have had little effect even though, in Seoul at least, it recently replaced the stickers with stronger plastic boards.

    Instead {#blank#}9{#/blank#} appealing to people's good sense, the authorities have therefore turned to trying to save them from being run over. Early last year, they {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (begin) to test floor-level traffic lights in smombie hotspots in central Seoul. Since then, the experiment has been extended around and beyond the capital. For the moment, the government is keeping old-fashioned eye-level pedestrian lights as well. But in future, the way to look at a South Korea crossroads may be down.