Grace under pressure

“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster / And treat those two imposters (冒名顶替者) just the same.” Above the tunnel that leads to Center Court at Wimbledon     1    (hang) several lines from British novelist Rudyard Kipling’s poem If.

Good times don’t last; bad days never stay—so stay calm whatever happens. Whether we like it or not, adversity is inevitable in our lives. But even if we can’t change this fact, we can still choose     2    we react to it. More importantly, solid evidence suggests that crises     3    bring out the best in us.

On December 15, Bilibili announced its Word of the Year: yōu yǎ, or “grace” in English. According to the video streaming site, the word is used to “praise somebody for possessing a strong heart or excellent skills, being able to handle changes without     4    (frighten), and finding and maintaining a calm and steady state of mind no matter what the situation is.”

In Christianity (基督教), “grace” is defined as “the unearned favor, love and help that God shows to people.” By the early 18th century, “His/Her Grace”     5    (use) to address English monarchs (君主).

    6    the more modern definition of “grace” has come to suggest someone who possesses “a charming trait,” the word is still more often used to describe high-ranking public figures or fashion icons. Thanks to the internet, “grace” has become so widely used that it is no longer a word specifically used to describe the privileged. Ordinary people who are fearless enough to take a calm attitude under any circumstances are equally “graceful” and, to a large extent,     7    (deserve) more of our respect.

I remember meeting an army of WWII veterans (退伍军人) in my hometown when I was a kid. Despite having lived through those terrible times, they seemed remarkably cheerful. Whenever the newspapers made gloomy predictions about the national economy at that time, they just laughed     8    off and insisted on doing social work to help those in need.

If these veterans have taught me anything, it is that graceful people never seem disappointed because they always keep their expectations in check while     9    (strive) for the best. This is     10    you need to learn if you wish to live with “grace”.

Perhaps the most exotic fruits in China, the lychee is not only full of flavour and nutrition, but it’s also full of history.

Low in calories and rich in fibre, lychees are     1    (extreme) delicious and juicy. Legend has it that, Yang Yuhuan, one of the “Four Beauties of ancient China ”,     2    (adore) lychee so much that the Emperor had couriers ride night and day to bring her the sweet treat from Guangdong,     3     is 1,900 kilometres away from her home in the capital.

Today, lychees are available across the globe, making     4     easier for lychee lovers to obtain their favourite fruit. The king of China’s exotic fruits remains as popular as it was in Yang Yuhuan’s day, being consumed in greater     5    (quantity) worldwide every year.

    6    (globe) production of the fruit has nearly doubled over the past 15 years – most of it in China. As the world’s     7    (big) producer of the fruit, China accounts     8     more than 60 % the global output, Guangdong ranking first in the country. Advanced technology enables producers     9    (store) longer and ship over greater distances. The growers,     10    (include) the producers in Guangdong, see many new markets to conquer.