It is common for teenagers and their parents to have heated     1    (argue) and cold silences leading to family tensions. One reason is that now teenagers    2    (experience) physical changes,     3     make them anxious. Besides, teenagers often find     4     a challenge to balance their developing mental needs, for they enter a strange middle ground — no longer a small child but not quite    5    adult. Sometimes their parents forget that     6    (grow) up is a rough ride.

    7    sometimes it is difficult for you to get along well with your family, you can take action to improve the situation. What is important is to communicate honestly and     8     (regular). When you and your parents have disagreements, take a minute to calm down and try to understand from their point     9     view. After careful thought, explain your actions and feeling calmly, listen carefully, and address their concerns.

You and your parents can work together to improve your relationship. The good news is that this     10     (storm) period will not last and everything will turn out all right in the end.

Lullabies (摇篮曲) bring Mom and kids together. As the COVID-19 pandemic began changing life globally, physical distance     1    (particular) changed the way we connect. At present, nearly 70 percent of health workers worldwide     2    (make) up of women. Apart from looking after the patients, they also face the challenge of how to best care for their own families. Among them is Elizabeth Streeter,     3     works as a nurse on the COVID-19 floor of her hospital in Massachusetts. 

She made a difficult decision     4    (stay) away from her three boys in early April last year, to avoid exposing them     5     the virus. During the evenings, Elizabeth connected with her kids by phone and sang their favorite lullabies while     6    (fight) back tears. For the young mother, ensuring her children’s     7    (safe) meant being physically present. However, so far, living away from her children     8    (become) her way of keeping them safe. “It is entirely different than     9     I always thought protection looked like,” she said. “Anyway, lullabies work very well.” 

These songs remind us that we are not alone in this seemingly     10    (end) fight against the disease.

Knowing me, knowing you

Two weeks ago my grandfather passed away. It really put me into deep sorrow because my grandfather held a unique position in my life. For me, my grandfather was not only a beloved family member     1    a tutor(导师) who encouraged me to work hard and write well.

I’ll never forget the first time I read a long piece of his writing. It was when I applied for Princeton and he offered to write to the university for me.

    2    (typical), my grandfather valued hard work. Every time he came to visit us in New York, he would praise my brothers and me for our good performance.     3    (inspire) by him, I had more confidence in myself and always pulled my     4    (weigh). I knew he had worked hard to raise the big family during the Great Depression. The reason     5     he was awarded many military medals was that he had won many battles in the Navy in World War Ⅱ.

At the funeral(葬礼), by accident I met with my grandfather’s friend,     6    (live) next to his house. He walked to me and said that my grandfather had told him about a small book that had been written by me a few years before. After it came out, I had it sent to my grandfather but     7    (receive) no reply. This man told me that my book hit my grandfather’s heart and brought tears to his eyes.

Now I feel it is even more worthwhile to write well because I know my grandfather appreciated it. I should also learn to be     8    (independence) later in my life. I often take my grandfather’s words     9     account. I hope I will be     10     excellent professional writer in the future.