【推荐3】Generally, most people feel delighted when birthday comes, especially children. They count the days and can’t wait to send ________ to their friends, in hope of getting together and enjoying a birthday cake. ________, not everyone is excited about birthday. There are many people out there who never ________ to celebrate it. They find the day as ________ as any other day. Nothing in their routine changes in the name of ________.

This may be common in those who are in their 50’s or older. For some people in this age, life becomes a ________ that is going on and on and at a ________ pace. They feel like losing control of their time and every passing year ________ the fear of dying soon. This is not good as it stimulates negativity. But some people do so and they can’t ________ it. Their birthday is nothing more than ________ news for them.

Some people do not like to come to the notice of others due to any possible reason on this earth. They just don’t want to be the ________of others. You may feel surprised about this nature but they like to remain as part of the crowd. Birthdays are ________ to this feeling as they bring sudden ________ to people.

There is also another part of the population that thinks it is a ________ of money. Their logic is, why lose the hard-earned ________ for the pleasure of three to four hours?

【推荐1】Today was another enlightening day at my new American school. Back in China, lunchtime is a ________ hour. We eat, talk, and most importantly, take a short nap (小睡) to ________ for the afternoon. This relaxing routine of our midday break allowed for a ________ escape from the day’s demands. But here? It’s like a ________ against the clock.

The bell rang, and everyone ________ to the cafeteria. I followed, naively (天真地) thinking I’d have ________ time to eat and perhaps even close my eyes for a moment. However, I barely had time to finish my sandwich before the next bell hit. Where did the time go?

And the nap? Forget about it. There’s no ________ for that comfort here. In China, we have these cozy mats in the classroom for our post-lunch rest. But in America, the ________ of napping in school seems as ________ to them as the absence of a nap is to me.

At first, I felt quite sleepy in the afternoon classes. I ________ that brief break we get in China. But then I noticed something. Even without the nap, my classmates were hardly tired. Perhaps they’re used to this fast schedule, or maybe they ________ on pure youthful energy. Who knows?

I’m beginning to ________ that life here is simply faster. People eat ________, converse rapidly, and shift swiftly. It’s a(n) ________ with the life style back in China, but perhaps it’s not harmful, just another ________ of life.

【推荐2】Welcome to the Bourton-on-the-Water Website. The content of the site has been produced by local people _________ you, as a visitor, can enjoy at your leisure some of the delightful _________ of our lovely village and the countryside around it.

Tito Cotswolds have always been looked upon as the Heart of England. It is one of the few regions with an _________ style all of its own and the steeply pitched roofs, stone mullions (竖框) and dormer windows are typical. Built almost exclusively (仅仅) in warm yellow Cotswold stone, this delightful village has such a unique _________ to visitors and residents alike.

Regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England, Bourton-on-the-Water has _________ its share of Cotswold houses and cottages, many of them 300 years old, some _________ to Elizabethan times 400 years ago. There is plenty to see and do here and we hope this _________ and also our Visitor Information Centre can help to make your _________ as enjoyable as possible.

Bourton-on-the-Water Visitor Information Centre is independently owned, and _________ next to the Cotswold Perfumery in Victoria Street. Bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels can be __________ before you arrive by using our telephone booking service (01451 822583). As agents for National Express Coaches, we are __________ to book tickets both in Britain and Europe.

For locals and visitors alike we hold a wide range of information and leaflets for __________ and events throughout the area. We also sell discounted entry tickets to Blenheim Palace. Theatre tokens can be purchased here __________. Locally produced rapeseed oil, honey, lavender products and maps, guide books, postcards, souvenirs are amongst our range of saleable goods.

We look forward to __________ you when you come to Bourton-on-the-Water and answering any question that you may have. We are here to help you make the most of your time in __________.

【推荐3】It’s that time again when we’re busy buying and giving them. Sometimes we call them ________, sometimes presents. Is there a ________?

The words come from different ________. Gift has its origin in the Germanic root for “to give”. It referred to an act of ________, and then, to the thing being given. Present comes from the French for “to present”. A present is the thing presented. They were both used to express the ________ of something going through a change of ________ without expectation of payment from the 13th century onward.

The words gift and present are well-matched synonyms that mean almost the same thing. ________, even well-matched synonyms have their own unique patterns of ________. Gift applies to a wide range of situations. Presents are more ________. If your whole family gave ________ to your college fund for your birthday, would you say “I got a lot of presents”? It doesn’t exactly sound ________, but since you never hold these donations in your hand, gifts seem to fit better.

Gift can also act like an adjective to describe another noun. What do you call the type of shop where you can buy presents for people? A gift shop. Present doesn’t work well in this role of ________ other nouns. We have gift boxes and gift cards, not present boxes and present cards.

Still, ________ my personal sense of the ________, present—though it may not be as common—is more casual sounding than gift. But whether it’s gifts or presents you ________, I wish you many and lots this year.