One important feature of classic literature is that it often reflects an author’s own experiences,     1     makes it more vivid and moving. This is one reason why the best works of literature still appeal to readers long after they     2     (write). Cao Xueqin’s A Dream of Red Mansions, also     3     (know) as The Story of the Stone, is a good example of this. The novel is     4     (wide) acknowledged to be one of the pinnacle (巅峰) of Chinese fiction.     5     (it) storyline follows the fall of a large wealthy family much like the author’s own.     6    (draw) on his own experiences, Cao Xueqin gives a detailed     7     (describe) of what life was like at that time. The novel contains a great number of     8     (detail) such as what the upper class wore and ate. It also describes the social relations in 18th-century China. As a result, readers are capable of understanding     9     gap between rich and poor, men and women, the learned and the uneducated in the historical context. Cultural and historical elements like these make A Dream of Red Mansions a timeless classic.     10     summary, we can learn much about a specific period in history from classic literature.

Waking up at 7 in the morning, 25-year-old Fan Yupei cleans up,     1     (water) flowers in the courtyard, and then opens the door of her Jun porcelain (钧瓷) production studio, ready for a new day’s business.

Life in her hometown, Shenhou town, in Yuzhou City, is much     2     (happy) for Fan, who quit her job in Beijing and started her own studio with her husband. Jun porcelain is one of the top five Chinese porcelains,     3     (date) back to the Song Dynasty,     4     is famous for its change of colors when heated in kilns. Now it     5     (list) as a state-level intangible culture heritage (非物质文化遗产).

Shenhou town is home     6     Jun porcelains. Recently, the local government of Yuzhou city has made a series of measures     7     (promote) such production. Now Fan’s husband is in charge of Jun porcelain making while she is responsible for sales. Both of     8     (they) have combined Jun porcelain production with modern art and often share     9     (thought) about designs together. With more and more tourists visiting Shenhou every day, Fan has the     10     (confident) that Jun porcelain will gain greater popularity in the future.

When I was 14,I decided to make some pocket money by     1     (help)Mr Miller cut the grass in his garden.I worked hard because that was my first part-time job.After working for one week,Mr Miller said that he had no money for me.That surprised me     2     (great).I argued with him,and then I went back home in     3     (angry).

My parents told me not to be angry with Mr Miller because     4     was in difficulties.Then my mother called up Mr Miller and they talked about something on     5     phone.A few days     6     (late),my mother asked me to return to Mr Miller’s garden because he was too weak     7     (look)after his garden.

When I came back,Mr Miller said,“Sorry,I’ve no money,     8     I can do something for you.” He played a CD for me.Hearing the beautiful music,I was so interested in it that I     9     (forget)the money and did the work with pleasure.At last,Mr Miller gave me a ticket to a concert.

After that,I became very fond of music.Now I’m one of the most popular     10     (sing)in our country.I can never thank Mr Miller too much.

After college I wanted to make a difference in the world, so I became a volunteer teacher and    1    (send) to Namibia. Honestly my first choice wasn’t Africa, but I am     2    (extreme) grateful that I had the chance. So with a group of equally eager young     3    (graduate), I went on my journey.

Schools were quite bare, and the students had tiring days,    4    (walk) miles to get to school, often barefoot. With their mountains of work at home, few possessions and little opportunity, these children were joyful,    5    I admired.

This was my first time to live abroad in a different culture and simply getting used to the    6    (live) conditions was big adjustment. I had no electricity, running water, phone    7    the Internet. Imagine no air - conditioning at a place    8    the temperature often goes beyond 38 degrees Celsius! Some days it was just too hot to move.

However, I could end each day with a glorious African sunset. And at night, I had a light—pollution—free view of the entire Milky Way. Before Namibia, I never thought I would survive in such    9    environment. My experience awakened me to not only the limitations to place on ourselves, but also our amazing ability    10    (adapt). Stepping out of your comfort zone in another culture will certainly make your life worthwhile.