【推荐1】With the development of science, many inventions have changed our life. For example, since the cell phone _________ invented, it has done a lot for us. There is no doubt that the world has become _________ than before because of this invention. It’s much easier to get in _________ with our family and our friends living far away. We can use it to contact with people in any part of the world, and two friends can use cell phones _________ messages to each other. Their friendship will form in this way. And they can share happiness _________ each other all the time.

_________ cell phones help us a lot in our daily life, they bring us some problems, too. Using cell phones too often is bad for _________ health. They make too much noise that influences our life.

Students _________ have cell phones may use them to play games or send messages in class, because they are too young to control themselves. This will certainly do _________ bad to their study. So we should _________ the cellphones in a proper way.

【推荐3】Developments in technology now tie us _________ than ever before. We can call our friends from a thousand kilometres away. We can text. We can talk to each _________ at the push of a button on Wechat.

There are, of course, advantages to these modern ways of communicating. _________, do we ever think about what we are losing? As someone who likes writing and _________ letters, I often feel sad that so _________ people now give letter writing a fair chance.

While you might _________ letter writing old-fashioned, I believe we should all write and send letters more often.

To begin with, there’s lots of love in _________ handwritten letter. This is why texting or calling doesn’t feel as _________ as letter writing—it’s more rushed. These days, we focus on getting things done in the quickest way. _________ time, we often use shortened phrases.

Handwritten letters, however, deliver much more warmth because we take the time. Writing letters allows us to express to someone how much we care about __________ in a detailed way.

So __________ we receive a letter, we feel we are loved, remembered and missed. In fact, the process of writing a letter can make us __________ too. When we sit down and focus on __________ we are writing, we allow ourselves to take a break from the stress of our lives.

Moreover, while texts come and go, letters can __________ forever. We can always go back and read them again.

By keeping a letter, we keep a part of that person and his relationship __________ us.

Roll up your sleeves and pick up your pen! Write to your cousins about your school. Let your friends know how much you miss them. Let’s bring back the art of letter writing!

【推荐1】I used to be shy at school. I hated being called in class _____ I didn’t like others to notice me. And if I _____ to have a seat by the teacher, I always chose to sit at the back of the classroom.

All this changed _____ I joined a sports team. It began when a teacher suggested I join the basketball team. At first I thought it was _____ crazy idea because I didn’t have a good sense of balance. I didn’t think I have the ability to keep up with _____ in the team and they would _____ me. But because the teacher kept _____ on (坚持) my “going for it”, I made up my mind to give a try. _____ amazing progress I made!

_____ up the courage to try was only the half of it! When I first started attending the practice courses, I didn’t even know the rules of the game. Sometimes I’d get ______ and take a shot at the wrong direction—which made me feel really silly. ______ , I wasn’t the only one ______ was “new” at the game, so I decided ______ the game, do my best at each practice course, and not to be too hard on myself for the things I didn’t know.

I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the rules and the “moves”. Being part of a team was not so difficult. With ______ self-confidence coming from more praise of teachers and classmates, ever since then, I ______ from “hiding” at the back of the classroom to raising my hand—even when I sometimes wasn’t sure I had the right answer. I have more self-confidence in myself now.

I always got top grades in primary school. Things changed when it came to ___________ 8th grade science. I couldn’t seem to understand it no matter ___________ hard I tried. I was about to take a science test. That made me worried.

My parents were so proud of me, and I didn’t want ___________ them down. So before the test, I wrote several notes from the textbook on my desk ___________ a pencil. The writing was so ___________ that it could hardly be seen. I felt nervous as the teacher handed out the test paper and my heart ___________ fast.

Suddenly, a fire alarm went off. The test was stopped and we were asked to wait on the playground. As I stood in the sun ___________, I realized how silly I was. I knew my parents would still love me no matter what my grades are. When we ___________ to come into the classroom again, I cleaned the notes away. I was given a second chance and I wouldn’t waste ___________. Finally, I finished the test and felt quite peaceful. I don’t remember what my grade was, ______________ what happened that day has stayed in my heart and mind.

Life is full of second chances, but you have to be willing to take them and grow from them.

You want to know about my staying in America, don’t you? Well, to tell you the truth, it is really ________ eye-opening experience to study here.

In China, I had English classes five times a week since ________ grade. However, I didn’t know how difference textbook English could be from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Conmecticut.

When I first studied English, I was told to say, “I am fine.” when people said “How are you?” But in the USA, I ________ that people said, “I am good.” or “I am tired.”

One day, ________ greeted me with “What’s up?” It made me confused. I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn’t know what to say. Since then, I ________ more and more differences ________ Chinese and US cultures.

To my ________, US girls spend a lot of time staying in the burning sun ________ a tan (晒黑). However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin paler or “whiter”. I am also surprised by how ________ US students study. Before that, I think only students in China study hard. But after coming here, I know a “good” student ________ get good grades, do a lot of the public and play sports or music if he wants to go to a top university. The kids here are so talented, I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports.

【推荐1】In some foreign countries, some people don’t like the number 13. They don’t think 13 is a _______ number. For example, they don’t like to live on _______ floor.

My friend Jack has the same idea. He doesn’t like _______ number 13, either. One day, he invited some friends to dinner. When all of his friends _______, he asked them to sit around the dinner table. He began to count the people in his mind when they were having the delicious food. Suddenly, _______ cried out, “Oh, there _______ thirteen people here!” _______ face turned white except Mr. Brown’s. He said _______ with a smile on his face, “Don’t worry, my dear friends! We have fourteen people here. My wife will have a baby in a few months. She’s in the family way now.”

All of them laughed _______ became happy again.

“Congratulations!” they said ________ Mrs. and Mr. Brown. They enjoyed the nice food and had a good time that evening. My friend Jack said that he would invite more people next time and he didn’t want to scare himself.

In northern Scotland there is a deep lake called Loch Ness. It is more than 200 metres deep and it is the _________ lake in the UK. People say _________ huge monster lives in the dark, cold water. It _________ more than 1,000 kilos and is at least ten metres long. Some people say that it looks like a snake _________ dark grey colour. Many people travel to Loch Ness _________ this strange monster. However, only _________ people say that they saw it. _________ knows whether (是否) these people really saw it or not.

People first _________ the story of the Loch Ness Monster over 500 years ago. _________ it became popular only in the twentieth century. __________ 1993, two people reported that they saw a big monster in the middle of the lake. From then on, many __________ people said they saw a monster in Loch Ness. A few photos __________, but some of __________ weren’t real. During the 1960s, people created an organization to __________ the truth. They took many photos and made movies. But they __________ find a monster.

Now there are lots of curious (好奇的) people go there every year.

【推荐3】Ethan woke up suddenly. He knew nothing ________ himself. He did not know ________ he was or how he had gone there. He stood up and walked out of the forest. There was a small town. He tried to look for help, ________ when he entered a store, he passed out again.

Ethan woke up again in a hospital. He ________ many things. He knew his name was Ethan. He worked for the FBI and he came to that area to look for two of his colleagues(同事) ________ disappeared. He met a car accident on his way. That ________ why he was in the hospital. But soon he found the hospital was strange. It was too quiet. He met only one nurse and he never saw any ________ patient. He escaped from the hospital. Then he met ________ mysteries. He found one of his colleagues, but he had already ________. And when he met the other one, she even said she did not know him! Ethan got a car and tried to drive away. But no matter which way he went, he ________ drove back to the town!

This is the beginning of a popular TV show, Wayward Pines《黑松镇》. Do you think the story is interesting? Come and see what would happen next!