1 . In the mid-20th century, boys could study technical subjects while girls were expected not. However, Bell Burnell’s parents challenged these ________, which enabled her to study science. Bell Burnell knew before leaving school that she wanted to be a radio astronomer. That ________ led her to go to the University of Glasgow, where she was the only ________ in her class. After graduation, Bell Burnell went to Cambridge University, where she yet again had to prove that she ________.

Her first project, working with her thesis supervisor (论文导师) Hewish, was ________ certain objects called quasars (类星体). It was ________ to have a female student on this project. Bell Burnell herself has said that the only other females ________ were secretaries. At this stage, it was she who ________ the telescope and analyzed the data.

One day, checking on the data, Bell Burnell saw a signal that she couldn’t ________. To understand what it was she ended up bringing this ________ to Hewish, who said it was interference. He thought that Bell Burnell had wired up the radio telescope ________ and that is why the new signal had appeared. However, she saw the signal again afterwards. ________, she tried to reach Hewish. Once he ________ the pulse with his own eyes, he knew it wasn’t interference, and a new research project began. But, with just one pulse it was hard to have a(n) ________ discovery.

A couple of days later, Bell Burnell was in her study, and she saw something ________ to the first pulse, and thus 2 pulsars were discovered.

2 . On May 7, “eco-mermaid” Merle Liivand _________her own world record by swimming a full marathon’s distance with a single fin (鳍) in Biscayne Bay, Florida. When Merle Liivand was a child, she had health problems, and began swimming to help her lungs get _________ . In one training session, she nearly wound up swallowing some _________ that was floating in the sea.

That _________ made her think of all the sea animals who faced _________ pollution every day. She decided to work to make people more aware of plastic pollution. Inspired by sea creatures, she began swimming with a special single swimming fin _________ both of her feet. This single fin allows her to swim by _________both of her legs together. She believes swimming with it _________“a bigger message”.

Since 2019, she’s broken records, swimming vast distances—first in California, then in Florida, and this time swimming the _________ of a full marathon. Despite encountering challenges like jellyfish stings, she __________ , collecting trash along her route. Her dedication extends beyond records; it’s about community and global __________.

During her__________, a friend kayaked (划皮划艇) alongside, providing food and water and collecting the trash she __________ . By the end of her marathon, the kayak held three bags full of trash. Liivand’s actions aim to __________ a bigger goal: it’s not just about achievements, but about making a __________ impact on the world.

4 . As a physically fit 89-year-old big band singer, Tony Bennett performed timeless ballads (民歌，情歌) perfectly. He was an exception to the belief of aging and decline.

However, the trouble with his _______ concerned Bennett, especially since it might impact his ability to put on his signature fine-tuned show. Eventually, Bennett was _______ with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017.

After receiving the diagnosis, Bennett insisted on continuing to perform. “Tony has always had a very _______ attitude,” his wife Benedetto says. “He was going to keep going straight ahead _______ he always has.”

As one of only a few artists to produce chart-topping records every decade since the 1950s — _______ more than 60 albums — Bennett is an American icon (偶像). His _______ “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and “Rags to Riches”, among many others — have earned him 19 Grammy Awards.

_______ the disease, Bennett’s desire to help others connect through music remained strong. He felt it _______ to make people feel good.

In February 2021, Bennett _______ shared that he was living with Alzheimer’s in an interview. Shortly after the news, the ________ from the public was overwhelmingly supportive. In October, Bennett and Lady Gaga released ________ is billed as Bennett’s final studio album, “Love for Sale.” Upon its release, Bennett earned the Guinness World Records ________ for the oldest artist to release an album of new material.

As the disease ________, music has a renewed importance in Bennett’s life. Over seven decades, Bennett’s brave and ________ voice is helping people find joy among life’s hardships. “He gives people courage and hope. And he is ________.”

7 . Zhang Qian, an outstanding diplomat (外交官) and explorer in the Han dynasty, with a pioneering and adventurous________as well as a strong and unyielding character, was ________as the “pioneer of the silk road”,   “the first Chinese to open the eyes to see the world” and “the Columbus of the________”.

As early as 2,000 years ago, Zhang Qian was_________on a mission to seek allies (同盟国) in the west of China to________the enemies in northern tribes. Along the way, no matter how difficult the environment was, his________was firm. But soon Zhang was ________ by the Huns just as he left Han territory and was held prisoner for a dozen years.

After an eleven spring and autumn recycling, the Huns’________ became loose. Hence, Zhang ran away with his personal_________. They continued to travel west without any dry food and drinking water. Due to the excellent skill of shooting arrows, they ________ by eating birds and animals along the way. After several days, they ________ arrived in Amu Darya Area. However, people there enjoyed their life and didn’t want any war. Though Zhang didn’t finish his mission, he brought back precious_________ of the Western Regions.

Due to the________of Zhang Qian, the Silk Road started. Through his diplomatic practice, the bridge of friendly exchanges between the Han and western countries was________, and the cultural and economic exchanges between the cast and the west were promoted. Zhang’s journey to the Western Regions breathed new ________ into the civilization and progress of the whole world.

9 . One day Christopher Columbus was at a party that a Spanish gentleman gave in his honor. People were saying, “What a great _________you have made!” However, several people present were envious of him. They began to try to make Columbus_________.

“You have discovered new _________beyond the seas,” they said, “but what of that? Anybody can _________across the ocean and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side. It is the_________thing in the world. All you need to do is sail west. That’s not a(n)_________ feat (功绩).”

Columbus made no _________, but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the company, “Who among you, gentlemen, can make this egg_________on end?”

“That’s impossible,” the host replied, “You would need to be a _________to do that.” One by one, those at the table __________ the experiment. __________, none of them succeeded.

After a short silence, Columbus took the egg and struck its small end __________upon the table so as to __________the shell (壳) a little. After that, there was no __________in making it stand upright. “Gentlemen,” said he, “what is easier than to do this which you said was impossible? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it—AFTER HE HAS BEEN__________HOW!”

10 . On Sunday, Schoonbroodt, a 71-year-old from Maastricht, ran a marathon. In a _________ 2hr 54 mins and 19 secs, he became the fastest person of his age in history. At an age when many of his contemporaries (同龄人) are_________ down, Jo Schoonbroodt is_________ speeding up.

It turned out that Schoonbroodt’s new 70+ world record, was _________ by an unlikely source: the Belgian singer Eddy Wally. With a few miles_________, his legs were starting to get_________.

“However, my friend had a special _________ to keep me on track,” said Schoonbroodt. “He put Eddy Wally’s song Chérie on his phone on repeat. I’ve always loved it. It gave me a_________. I overtook one runner after another and, _________ getting cramp (抽筋) in the final 500 metres, I was able to__________ the record by four seconds.”

While Schoonbrodt’s achievements are exceptional, he is not __________. Several men over 70 have run a sub-three-hour marathon. John Brewer, a sports scientist at the University of the West of Scotland, __________ that while we suffer a 10% decline in muscle mass every decade __________ we age, the decline isn’t as sharp for endurance. “Compared to 40 years ago, the__________ in nutrition, recovery and technology all mean that it is more __________ for people in their 60s and 70s to produce good performance if they follow the right training,” he said.