Jimmy’s father was a farmer. His classmates often laughed at him for being a farmer’s son, ________ Jimmy felt sad and told his father about it. His father listened quietly without saying anything.

Then he took his son to their fields. The father prepared two pieces of ________ and said, “Son, let’s make a small experiment. We will each plant one piece. I’ll water my corn with clean water from the lake and you’ll use ________ water from the pond. Let’s see what will happen by autumn.”

Months later, the crops on both lands grew well. But Jimmy’s corn was taller and more fruitful. Jimmy felt ________ and asked, “Dad, why is my corn better than yours even though I use dirty water? That seems impossible.” The father smiled and replied, “Because dirty water doesn’t ________ the growth of crops. Instead, it acts as an organic fertilizer (肥料) helping your corn grow better. This is because new challenges bring new ________.” Through this experience, Jimmy became cheerful again and could ________ face his classmates’mockery (嘲笑). In his later life, whenever he faced difficulties, he would remember his father’s words.

When you are laughed at for your background, you should think of ways to ________ it, using your own conditions and chances. By making your own new world, you can grow better like the corn even when watered with the dirtiest water.

The Palace Museum is becoming waste-free as the 720,000-square-meter structure has managed to reduce the number of rubbish cans to 110 sets in areas open to the public. The number was 310 sets in January 2020, when a zero-waste program was started. While protecting the six-century-old historical relic, the action also helps visitors and tourists get into the habit of producing less waste.

According to China News, four types of rubbish cans have been set up following Beijing’s rules on the management of household waste. Cleaning workers also check them to make sure all rubbish is correctly divided. The rubbish is later transported to different places to be dealt with. Besides, the museum recycled more than 32,000 plastic bottles to make cultural and creative products between June 2021 and October 2023, reducing pollution greatly.

The Palace Museum is taking a careful, science-based way to deal with the waste. The aim is to reduce the production of waste that needs to be burned and bring the amount of such waste as close to zero as possible.

So far, about 3,000 museum members, 40,000 tourist guides, and 21 million visitors have taken part in the campaign. “We hope that more people will play their part to make the Palace Museum a cleaner and better place”, said the museum.

Habits are the small decisions we make and the actions we perform every day.     44     But it’s easier said than done.

How long does it take to form a new habit? A popular answer is 21 days.     45     In fact, the number of days it takes to form a new habit depends on the habit, people and what methods they’re using.

Different actions require a different level of effort. For example, those who develop a habit of drinking a glass of water at breakfast are easier to be successful than people who run 500 meters each day.     46     Those people who believe in their ability to complete a task or achieve a goal will be more likely to keep their habits.

    47     Start with a simpler goal since it seems a lot more achievable. If it’s a big change, break it up into smaller steps that you can more easily achieve. It is better to connect it with something that you do every day.     48     Work on repeating your new behavior every day for at least three weeks until it becomes natural.

Is it harder for machines to copy the way humans move or the way humans think? Our answer might be “think”. After all, we don’t know much about how human brains work. Yet now we have AI robots which can understand, decide and continue learning just like humans do.

Building machines that work like our bodies would seem to be an easier task than thinking in a human way. Surprisingly, it hasn’t been. Many robots still have trouble doing basic tasks that humans can do. But if we get the technology right, the uses for robots will be almost endless. On farms, robots can be used to do hard and dangerous work for humans. They can work long days around factory floors.

Many people are worried that robots may take people’s jobs finally. But in fact, robots will not take our place in jobs we love, instead they’ll do work that people don’t want to do. In the process, they can make us safer, healthier, more productive and even less lonely.

Many companies around the world are taking the lead in robotics technology. Some of their robots are human-like so they can do activities in environments built for people. Others have super-human traits (特性) like flying or moving arms. Some move around on legs. Others have wheels.

Although they are different, one thing is certain: in different places of our life, robots have the power to change the way we live and work.

Eyes are important and help us see the world. To catch the public’s attention to protect their eyes, National Eye Care Day in China was set in 1996. It falls on June 6 every year.

China has 700 million people who have myopia (近视) and the myopia rate (比率) among the youth is very high. To solve the public eye health problem, the country’s education and health offices have carried out many plans to help students develop healthy living and learning habits. According to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, China has come up with a five-year national eye health plan (2021—2025) to prevent myopia among young people.

●How do you protect your eyesight?

Tip1: _______________________

It’s true that carrots which are rich in Vitamin A are good for your eyes! In fact, food rich in Vitamin C, E, and many kinds of fruits and vegetables can help keep your eyes healthy. Eating eye-healthy food like fish can also help protect your eyes!

Tip 2: Choose a good reading environment

Avoid reading while riding in a car, walking, or reading in places with weak or strong light. Do not read while lying down.

Tip 3: Give your eyes a rest

The heavy use of a smart phone and a computer may hurt your eyes. Try using the 20-20-20 rule throughout the day: every 20 minutes, look away from the screens and focus about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This reduces eye stress and helps your eyes feel better at the end of the day.

As is known to us all, eyes are the windows of our mind. If you want to keep healthy and enjoy a wonderful life, take action now to keep good eyesight!

I’m standing here with a mix of feelings. There     60     the excitement of the new beginning, the sadness of saying goodbye, and the pleasure for the journey we’ve shared together.

Looking back at the past three years, I am reminded of many unforgettable memories.     61     we’ve had stress from learning, we’ve found a lot of pleasure in it. We’ve learned much more than we think. We’ve learned     62     teamwork. We once faced challenges together and also celebrated success.

I’d like to     63     all the teachers for hard work. You have brought out the best in us and shaped us into who we are today with your patience, encouragement and wisdom.

My dear schoolmates, please remember that this is not an end, but a     64    . We are stepping into a new world full of chances and challenges. So let’s continue to learn and be a better self.

Thank you very much!

Joe was a student in Grade Two. One day, his classmate Dave brought a new pen to the school. Joe really loved it and wanted     65     it for himself. So he stole it, After a short while, Dave found his pen was missing, he at once     66     to Mr. Dean, their teacher. Mr. Dean told the whole class, “Whoever stole Dave’s pen, please return it     67    .” Feeling fearful, Joe was sitting there silently, but he didn’t return it because he really wanted that pen. Then Mr. Dean asked all     68     students to stand up and go outside. He said, “I will search your     69     one by one until I find the pen.”

The students did as they     70    . Mr. Dean searched the classroom and found the pen at Joe’s desk. After finishing, Mr. Dean said in a     71     voice, “Come back in and I found the pen.” He didn’t say who took the pen at that moment. Nor did he ever mention the event again. Joe clearly received the message     72     Mr. Dean gave him. That day, Mr. Dean protected Joe’s self-respect (自尊). It was the     73     day of Joe’s life. However, it was also the day he decided to stop being a thief and change his ways.

That’s the true     74     of education. It is not for punishment, but to help students understand their mistakes and correct them.