My first China interaction was in 2012, when I came here with a friend. We traveled from Beijing to Hong Kong, within 5 weeks. We expected     1     (see) more of China. After the experience of traveling across China and     2     (eat) local food, I really wondered, “How did I live without eating dumplings and eggplants     3     a weekly basis?” Well, I guess I did, somehow, for 22 years!

With my Chinese improving during my studies, I became more     4     (independence) and more aware of the possibilities of Waimai, or food home delivery. On deep, dark Beijing winter days and rainy days, Waimai is so precious and as I enjoyed my take-away dumplings, I would think and laugh at     5     (I), “How did I live before without being able to get Waimai?” Well, I guess I did, somehow, for 23 years!

In mid-2015, I was back in China again for my master’s degree. That’s when I came across my first Mobike, “Oh, that’s a unique bike and surely it     6     (steal) soon,” I thought as I passed on my own black bike.     7     one week passed and I saw it still there. Then the one Mobike sighting turned into two and three, and soon thousands and then seemingly overnight the streets of Beijing were flooded with orange and yellow wheels. Again, I wondered on how I ever lived without my shared bike account. Well, I guess I did, somehow, for 25 years!

China today it a country still steeped in (洋溢着) ancient knowledge and custom, yet one     8     is also bursting with new ideas and changes. Although some things will always stay the same (理解), something else is     9     (constant) changing at a pace beyond comprehension. I’m sure as I continue my life here in Beijing, I will be swept up in the next new convenience of life that China’s rapid     10     (develop) is bringing out.

I took my computer bag and     1     (dash) out of the door. I had a two-hour work window because my son Jake     2     (willing) offered to watch our little dog. I had already played with it, fed it and walked it a few times.

I didn’t have the chance to shower, but I dressed semiprofessionally for my meeting at a coffee shop. As I walked in to order my coffee, I realized I had been in     3     a hurry that I forgot to change my shoes. I     4     (wear) my bright-color and mud-covered gardening shoes I wore to walk around the yard in the dewy (带露水的) morning grass as I coaxed (哄) the dog to do its business.

    5     (try) to stay calm and collected, I stood at the counter and ordered my coffee. Embarrassed by my bright shoes, I wondered     6     the woman I was meeting would think of my shoe choice. I could easily explain     7    , but why did I care so much? Then, I had a brave thought. What if I didn’t say anything? Recently, I had been learning I put too much     8     (valuable) on what others think about me. So, I didn’t say a word. It turned out that she was too focused on our talk     9     (notice) my shoes and we had a pleasant meeting. After she left, I glanced at my muddy shoes and thought, “Sometimes, we had overthought and cared too much about     10     (others) ideas.”

I     1    (dream) of making an expedition to the South Pole. At the age of 19, I saw an advertisement about the Antarctic expedition and applied    2    (join) it, but I was turned    3    by the captain — Sir Ernest Shackleton. He thought I was too young and wasn’t qualified, but I went aboard the ship    4    (secret) and managed to hide in a small cupboard.   

The journey was very hard and the ship Endurance got crushed by the ice. We had to throw away all our belongings except some basic    5    (necessity). But a banjo was kept,    6    helped keep our spirits up.

When we stayed on Elephant Island, things became worse    7    worse. Soon Shackleton left us to find help on a distant island. The voyage was too    8    (danger) and difficult for all of us to make it in our small boats. I became    9    (patient) and bad-tempered, but Frank Wild remained optimistic all the time. He hunted penguins and sometimes seals for us    10    (eat). Without Frank and Ernest, we’d all be dead by now. Their genuine concern for others, their perseverance, and their resolve filled us with hope.

The best adventure holiday you’ll ever have!

Adventure Summer Camp is the     1    (big) adventure camp in Mount Wuyi and has well-trained and     2     (experience) workers. The mountain,     3     covers an area of 999 square kilometres, is home to birds, the world of insects and the kingdom of snakes. In Mount Wuyi you’ll go through an     4     (extreme) exciting and unbelievable adventure in a huge mountain away     5     the noise and crowds of the city, which will definitely be an unforgettable experience for you.

At the camp, you can enjoy the excitement and happiness of going     6     (hike), climbing mountains and so on. Furthermore, we’ll teach you     7     (survive) skills in the wild. There is no doubt that the summer camp is the best place     8     (have) your adventure and it is also     9     only camp in Fujian to offer guidance by experts.

    10     (contact) us and you’ll have much fun.

It     1     (happen) that I read about the Antarctic expedition in an advertisement. I was fit and     2     (vigour), so I applied to join the expedition. But Shackleton turned me     3     because he thought I was too young and was not     4     (qualify). I secretly went aboard but     5     (unfortunate) I was later discovered. The journey     6     Antarctica was not easy. Endurance     7     (stick) in the ice and we had to abandon our ship. This was no time     8     (panic). Soon after we settled on Elephant Island, Shackleton left us to find help as the voyage was too dangerous and difficult for all of us to make     9     in our small boats. Though life was hard, Frank and Ermest’s genuine concern and     10     (persevere) filled me with hope.