It was a summer afternoon and some boys were playing together in a park. They knew each other well, as they  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (spend) the last three years of school together and tomorrow was the start of a new term, about  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} they were excited and nervous.

    The first day of school came, and all the boys from the park the day before were put in the same class  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} coincidence. They jumped for joy all morning long. After lunch, the teacher came into the classroom with a boy and it was evident {#blank#}4{#/blank#} they had never seen him before.

    All the children were quiet, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (wait) for the teacher to speak. And she said: “Hello everyone, this is Mei Pei from China, our newest class member. Mei Pei knows some English so I hope you will treat him as if he {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) your brother.”

    Then one child said to Mei Pei: “How come you speak {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (different)?” Meipei answered: “In my country, we all talk this way. On {#blank#}8{#/blank#} other hand, we're just the same as you. I wish I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (speak) English as well as you in three months.”

    The children in the class understood this, and that it also didn't matter what he looked like, or what colour his skin was, or that he didn't speak perfect English.

    So the new {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (add) to the class helped everyone learn how to respect new people. And the boys stayed in the same class for another two years, with Meipei as one of their best friends.

    Martin Strel swims with a knife {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (fasten) to his right leg—in case he meets sharks and other {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  (dead) sea life in the world's wildest waters. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 61-year-old marathon swimmer has announced the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (tough) challenge of his life: a 10,000-mile-around-the-world journey on water {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (draw) public attention to the increasing water {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (pollute). He aims to circle the globe in about 450 days, passing through oceans, rivers,{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (canal) and other bodies of water in more than 100 countries. He will swim about 5 to 12 hours each day, depending on the weather. A boat will go {#blank#}8{#/blank#} him and offer emergency support and space for small breaks.

    Since 2000, Strel {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (swim) the entire length of five rivers in China, America, etc. Strel will not be alone in the water. He says he welcomes {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is interested in joining him for parts of the route.

    Singles' Day falls on November 11th every year in China, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} is recognized as a day for people who have no girlfriend or boyfriend. Couples and lovers have Valentine's Day in celebration of their love, but how about the singles? There must be a day they can celebrate even {#blank#}2{#/blank#} a partner. That's {#blank#}3{#/blank#} people created Singles' Day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Singles' Day many singles choose to say goodbye to their single lives, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(attend) blind date parties, and some people even decide to get {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (marry) with strangers. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} this day has recently become more of a time for shopping, because many shops online will give customers great discount to promote their goods.

    More and more people are willing to shop online to get{#blank#}8{#/blank#} they want, and I am one of them. I just can't help {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(buy) things whether I need them or not. {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(honest) speaking, some of the things that I bought have been put aside forever in my closet.

Gift from A Stranger

My local supermarket is always busy. The first parking space I found was convenient. but I'd noticed a woman in a blue car circling for a while. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}I was in a good mood, I let her have it. On the edge of the car park I backed into the next available spot——it was a tight fit. Pretty soon I'd made my way through the supermarket and was back in the flesh air. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(feel)good, I emptied my purse change into the hands of a homeless man and{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(help)a struggling woman reverse park.

    Just as I approached my car, I saw the woman I'd let have my car spot earlier. She was giving me {#blank#}4{#/blank#}odd look——half intent(热切的), half puzzled. I smiled and wished her a pleasant day. As I squeezed back into my car, I saw the same lady{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(look)in at me. "Hello, "she said, hesitantly. "This {#blank#}6{#/blank#}sound crazy but I was on my way to drop some of my mother's things off at the charity bins. You are just so much {#blank#}7{#/blank#}her. You helped those people, I noticed, and you seemed so happy. "She looked at me{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(meaning)and passed a box in through the window. "I think she would like you to have it. "{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(shock), I took it from her automatically. She smiled and walked away.

    After a pause. I opened the box. Inside was a beautiful gold necklace with a large grey pearl. It was the {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(nice)gift I'd ever received, and it was from a complete stranger. The necklace was around my neck, a warm reminder of human kindness.

    We think that life in Chinese high school is an adventure in which we have to survive mountains of homework and exams. Yet would it be {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (surprise) if I tell you that high school life in the US is almost as stressful and demanding as it is in China?

    In US high school, everything {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (record) and graded, including your grades on quizzes, tests and final examinations. Failing {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (turn) in your homework on time will directly affect your grade for a certain course. Perhaps contrary to {#blank#}4{#/blank#} we used to think of the US high school students, they pay great attention to their {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (academy) performance to try to get into distinguished universities.{#blank#}6{#/blank#},they'll be disappointed after graduation from high school.

    Like university students, US high school students have the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (free) to choose the courses that most interest {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (they).Even a 9th-grader can sit {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the same classroom as 12th-graders.But this also means he or she has to work very hard, because the teacher will not treat him or her differently just because he or she is a few years {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (young).

Why was the ox chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs (生肖)?

Centuries ago, most people earned their living {#blank#}1{#/blank#} farming. The ox was used to help plow, cultivate and carry heavy goods.

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese poets and writers frequently {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(describe) the ox in literature. In the Classic of Poetry, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, the animal was mentioned in 9 out of the 305 {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(piece).

The ox is considered a symbol of diligence and earnestness in Chinese culture. To this day, the phrase "the spirit of ox" still refers to conquering anything{#blank#}4{#/blank#}may present itself as an obstacle. The spirit is highly praised and many people follow {#blank#}5{#/blank#}as their work ethic. When someone achieves a great {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (accomplish) through hard work, people often use "niu", {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(mean) "awesome", to describe him or her.

Oxen seldom bully the weak or fear the strong. They work hard and make sacrifices. This is reflected in the poem Self-mockery{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (write) by Lu Xun, which praises the ox's attitude of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (serve) without complaining.

So naturally, those who were born in the Year of the Ox are often expected to be hardworking, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (rely) and loyal.