It’s March 12th. Li Li and Lin Tao are digging on a hill not far from their school. In China, people across the country plant trees ________ on this day.

The idea of planting trees was first put forward in 1911 by Sun Zhongshan, the great ________ in Chinese history. He said more trees were needed as a ________ against flood and drought(干旱). In 1915, April 5th was named as Tree Planting Day. Then in 1979, the day was ________ to March 12th to ________ the date on which Sun Zhongshan died.

The Gobi(戈壁) Desert in the north of China was ________ every year. So in 1978, the government started a tree planting project to ________ the Gobi spreading. The government and local farmers have been planting millions of trees to build a great green “wall” along the edge of the desert. “Have you heard of the Green Wall of China? That’s the biggest tree planting ________ of all.” says Li Li.

“Tree planting has become a tradition in China now.” says Lin Tao, “Almost everyone does it on March 12th. Many people also plant a tree on a ________ day. My parents planted a tree when I started school. And my cousin planted ________ on his wedding day. We do it for the environment and for ourselves.”

①Tom lived with his grandfather, who is regarded as the wisest man in the village. Many people went to grandfather for advice or help.

②One day, Tom saw three men walking together. They found a single-log（独木）bridge halfway, below which there was a deep river.

③The first man didn’t hesitate（犹豫）to step on the bridge and he made it to the other side of the river. The second man came close to the bridge. When seeing the deep river, he was so afraid that he made no move. Encouraged by the first man, he put his feet on the bridge. Although his right foot was hurt in the middle of the bridge, he got there safely. But the third man was the least brave to cross the river. It was getting dark. Behind him were some hungry wolves, he felt hopeless. But he had to be brave to cross the river. Only after a few steps, he fell into the river.

④Seeing the puzzled look on Tom’s face, grandfather said sincerely（由衷地，语重心长地）, “When in difficulties, the more time it takes to hesitate, the higher price you’ll have to pay.”

A．

B．

C．

D．

Embroidery(刺绣) is an important traditional art form in Chinese culture. The most famous embroidery styles are Su embroidery from Suzhou, Shu embroidery from Sichuan, Xiang embroidery from Hunan and Yue embroidery from Guangdong. Shu embroidery has the longest history of all.

Since modern machines can make cheaper embroidery products today, fewer people buy hand-made Shu embroidery products. There are also very few young embroiderers. The skill is endangered.

Meng Dezhi, a national-level inheritor(传承人) of the art form, has been making Shu embroidery for forty years. She used to work at the Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory. But in 2006, the factory went broke and Meng lost her job. Wanting to save the art, Meng wanted to have her own place and teach Shu embroidery to others.

It’s hard work. Embroidery takes time and patience. Workers need to divide each silk thread(线) into more than ten or even thirty pieces. Each piece is thinner than a single human hair. In 2016, Baidu invited Meng to make a homepage logo for Qixi Festival. It was a small logo, but it required the use of 45 types of sewing techniques(针法) and 35,000 stitches(针).

Meng is teaching in different universities and communities to save Shu embroidery. She believes that Shu embroidery stands for thousands of years of Sichuan culture and should be saved. “I feel that I have the responsibility to pass on Shu embroidery skills to young people, to let it run from generation to generation.” She said.

Would you like to live in a city where buildings turn off the lights for you, and self-driving cars will find the nearest parking space themselves? Although it might sound a little far from you, living in a “smart” city like this could happen sooner than you think.

The towns that we have lived in for centuries have changed a lot, while completely new cities are being built. One such place is the city of Songdo. In every home there will be a “telepresence” system（远程遥控系统）—allowing users to control the heating（暖气）and locks, take part in video meetings, and receive education, healthcare and government services. Around the city, escalators（自动扶梯）will only move when someone is on them, and offices and schools will all be connected to the system.

The great mind behind Songdo is from the company Cisco. In fact, technology companies around the world such as IBM, Siemens and Microsoft are already in the business.

About 75% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, so cities will need to be more modern to solve the coming problems. “Making cities smarter is one way out, and I think this will in turn make cities greener.” said Dan Hill, head of a research company.

Is there anything in your community that could be changed? Is there a person in your neighborhood who could offer help? If you’re hoping for someone to make a difference, that someone could be you!     36    . And you’ll feel good about doing something that helps people or improves the places around you.

Last summer, my friends and I noticed how messy our neighborhood park was. We wanted it to be different.     37     . We had a great time making the park even better than before, and now the whole neighborhood is able to share and enjoy it again.

Maybe cleaning up a park isn’t your choice, though. No problem!     38    . Do you like playing chess, reading or spending time with your pet? You can volunteer to do what you love. For example, you could help at an old people’s center, simply by talking or playing games with them to make their days better.     39    , you could volunteer to be a homework helper at your school. You’re always needed to walk dogs or play with cats. Or you can collect things for homeless people, such as soap and toothbrushes.

You see, there is something for everyone. Whatever you do as a volunteer, your time will be enjoyed and that always feels good.     40    . You can, too!

I haven’t seen my teacher Mr. Jenkins since I finished school, but I often think about him. I wasn’t good at most school     41    . The only thing that I could remember is where the rain comes from! However, when I was 15 and went in Mr. Jenkins’ class, everything changed.

Before I     42     by Mr. Jenkins, science had simply been a subject full of strange words to me. I didn’t know what CO2 was and I didn’t really want to know,     43    . I found it so boring and difficult, but Mr. Jenkins made everything interesting. He used to teach things     44     seemed difficult with lots of examples and in simple language. One day, he even took us outside and built a rocket! I remember that he let us     45     some fuel（燃料）into the rocket, and then another student lit a match to set     46     off. It was great fun.

I know that I wasn’t smart,     47     Mr. Jenkins made me feel that I had my own strengths. Then, I became     48     active student in learning new things. I was     49     in the study of the stars and planets and he asked me to give a report to the class. Now I take a job as a science teacher     50     Mr. Jenkins.

Whenever the exam season comes, stress may come along. Here are some ways that have helped me and my friends through this season.

When the stress of exams is really hitting me, I stop and take a walk. I usually borrow my neighbors’ dogs and walk for about fifteen minutes. Many boys would simply choose to run for a while, or play ball games. Having some sports drives away your stress easily most of the time.

And if you find music helpful, give it a go. Listening to your favorite songs will surely make you happy. The best thing about this is that you don’t have to go anywhere.

But if you are a book lover just like me, read a book you like for half an hour. Reading can take you to places you’ve never been to. Putting yourself into a new world helps you forget your stress in this world for a little bit.

For sure, laughing is the best medicine. It can really keep worry off your mind! Very often I call my best friend and we talk about our good time or something funny, and I’m feeling better than before.

Remember many others also face the problems of stress just like you, and it is not something that cannot be dealt with.