You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams (1860—1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks (1913—2005)

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

I live in Xizhou in Yunnan Province, on the historic Tea Horse Road. I have to admit that when I first heard that Paul Salopek was going to walk the entire globe on his own two feet, I was blown away. I couldn’t imagine that there could be such an unusual person in the world.

Last May, I met Paul. He told me that it was his first time in China. He talked to me with great excitement about the history, migrations, and discoveries in my region of China. He spoke of the Shu-Yandu Dao (the Southern Silk Road), the travels of the 17th-century Chinese explorer Xu Xiake, the Tea Horse Road and the early 20th-century American botanist Joseph Rock. He also talked of Xuanzang. Paul considered many of them heroes and in a sense Chinese pioneers of slow journalism.

I decided to accompany Paul on his walk toward Yunnan. On September 28, 2021, we set out. Our days were simple: walk, eat, sleep, and repeat. We woke up at sunrise, set off in high spirits, and rested at sunset, dragging ourselves into exhausted sleep.

We met many people on the road. Some were curious, surrounding us and watching us; some gave us directions; some invited us into their home to take a rest; some spoke of the charm of their hometown. We met many beautiful souls, simple souls and warm souls. We were walking with our minds.

Together, we were impressed by the biodiversity of the Gaoligong Mountains. As I walked on ancient paths through mountains, I seemed to hear the antique voices of past travelers urging me to be careful on the road.

Looking back on the more than 200 miles I walked with Paul, I came to a realization. Walking for its own sake, while healthy and admirable, is only a small part of the benefit of moving with our feet. A deeper reward is rediscovering the world around us, shortening the distance between each other, and sharing each other’s cultures.

I love and enjoy playing the piano. So when the recital (音乐演奏会) was _______, I was disappointed. I had expected it for long and already _______ my best songs.

However, Mom turned this _______ into something worthwhile. “You should _______ at Carriage House Manor. I’m sure the _______ there would really appreciate the music. ”To me, this was a win-win situation because not only would I play more songs, but I have the chance to _______ the residents, some of whom unfortunately didn’t have families.

The much-anticipated day _______ arrived. Stepping into the dining area, I saw several gray-haired people seemingly enjoying a dinner and the _______. Despite on-going conversations at tables, _______ still hung like a dark cloud in the room. After introductions, I sat down in front of the piano, butterflies in my stomach. But my ________ melted away as I played on.

The dinner hour flew by. One woman got up and began to cheerfully ________ about the room to the beat of the ________ while others snapped their fingers (打响指). I was ________ to see how music brought big smiles to their faces.

Calling off the recital was a blessing because it led to us ________ the gift of music with those who needed it most. Go spread ________ whenever possible.

A 63-year-old Chinese grandpa’s traditional carpentry skills are delighting tens of millions of viewers online as he creates woodwork     36     glue, screws or nails.

The Chinese master carpenter, Wang Dewen,     37     (know) as “Grandpa Amu” on YouTube, has been referred to as the modern day Lu Ban,     38     famous Chinese structural engineer during the Zhou Dynasty, thanks to his vast carpentry knowledge.

    39     (unexpected), the video of him making a fantastic wooden arch bridge went viral on the platform,     40     (gain) more than 42 million views. Grandpa Amu follows an ancient Chinese mortise and tenon technique,     41     means that no nails or glue     42     (involve) in the whole process of building the arch bridge. Grandpa Amu has also made several wooden     43     (toy) for his grandson using the same technique. Among all the items, a walking Peppa Pig and a bubble-blowing toy are his grandson’s favorites.

The master carpenter     44     (attract) over 1.19 million subscribers on YouTube so far. Grandpa Amu’s son and daughter-in-law, who work on his videos, hope to bring the rural culture to others and draw more people     45     (learn) about these ancient Chinese techniques.