Zhi Xuanzi was the head of a big family in the State of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was old, so he wanted a family member, Zhi Yao,    1    (be) the new leader.

However, his adviser, Zhi Guo, disagreed to    2    idea. Guo knew that Yao had some strong points. For example, he was smart and strict with    3    (he). He was very good at    4    (ride) and shooting. But Guo was    5    (worry) about one big problem. Yao was not a kind-hearted person.

Still, Xuanzi didn’t listen to his idea. Yao became the head of the family    6    (successful). With his hard work and strong ability, he quickly    7    (make) his family the strongest in Jin. However, because of his aggressive (咄咄逼人的) acts, three other big families worked together to fight    8    his family. Finally, Yao lost the fight.

People use this story to talk about the    9    (important) of virtue (品德).    10    a person has talent but no virtue, he may use his talent wrongly. Excellent people must have both talent and virtue.

Volunteering (志愿) is becoming popular now. Have you ever     1     (take) part in voluntary work? You could work with groups to pick up something dirty, help to teach kids or feed people without homes. People will thank you     2     your work.

Volunteering doesn't just help those groups. You can also improve     3     (you). When you volunteer, you can make friends, learn something     4     (use) and experience many meaningful things.

Volunteering helps with your body and mind. When you volunteer, you’ll become     5     (friend) than before. So if you don't have enough friends now, be     6     volunteer. You’ll meet people who can share your interests and feelings. Voluntary work will mean a lot to you. That’s     7    your work makes a difference (影响) to someone’s life.

After you join a group and decide     8     (be) a volunteer, someone may give you lessons on how to be a good volunteer. I think you will enjoy     9     (help) others in need. Maybe you will teach new volunteers one day.

Although you never     10     (appear) at some voluntary work before, it’s not late to start from now on.

Here I’d like to t    1     you about my aunt Mary. She is thirty years old. She is a Chinese teacher. She usually gets up e    2     in the morning. And then she w    3     her dog near the river. She sometimes likes t    4     with others near her home after work. She often watches basketball m    5     with her friends on Saturdays.

She loves m    6    .She is a m    7     of the Singing Club. She a    8     likes going shopping. Sometimes she goes to the park at w    9    .She is a happy woman. I am g    10     to play with her.

Last night, when we were sleeping, my husband and I heard a noise.     1     we got up and turned on the light. I thought it might be a cat out of the window. However, my husband said it must be     2     thief. Because we     3     both afraid of the noise we called the police for help. A few minutes later, the police came. As they searched     4     the noise maker, the noise became louder and louder. Finally, they found that the noise maker was a bird. The bird hurt not only its leg     5     also its wings. We gave it first aid, and then took it to the Animal Institute. Since the mystery was solved, my husband and I could have a good sleep.

Li Wen is a 15-year-old boy who works hard and does well in school. It is hard to believe that he used to have difficulties in school. He seldom caused problems     1     he was a little boy. After his parents moved to the city     2     (work), they couldn’t be at home to look after him. From then on, he felt lonely and     3     (happy). That influenced his schoolwork. He became     4     (little) interested in studying and he was always absent     5     classes. Then he     6     (send) to a boarding school by his parents. However, he found it difficult to make     7     (friend) quickly there. One day Li Wen told his teacher he     8     (want) to leave the school. His teacher advised his parents to have     9     talk with their son in person. This conversation changed his life. Li Wen realized that his parents loved him and they would be     10     (pride) of everything good that he did. Now he is much happier and more outgoing than he used to be.

I’m a helpless mother. My son Oliver is fourteen     1     old. I find that the     2     he grows, the less we talk. I feel very upset and I really need your help.

My first problem is about his hobby. He     3     almost all his free time on computer games. When he gets home, he always     4     on the computer first. Then he doesn’t get out of his room     5     the meal is ready. I am worried     6     him, especially when his English teacher tells me he always gets bad grades in English exams.

    7     problem is that he is crazy about new technology (科技). I just don’t have     8     money to buy him all the things he wants.

These days, I find that he is always alone (单独的). I never see     9     talk to his friends on the phone or go out with anyone on weekends.

What should I do to help him? Please give me some     10    .

A helpless mother

Zhou Yan, a 12-year-old student, went to the doctor because he had “mobile phone disease (疾病)”. A     1     of teenagers are getting it because more and more are     2     (use) mobile phones.

Zhou got his mobile phone five months     3    . He spent too much time     4     (play) with his mobile phone. He sent     5     (message) to his friends with it all the time. Zhou started to do     6     (bad) in exams than before. His mom got very angry with him, but he didn’t stop playing     7     his arms hurt (疼痛).

Yang Ling, a doctor, says that     8     someone uses his mobile phone too much, he might get “mobile phone disease”. If teenagers find     9     (they) arms or fingers hurt, they should go to the doctor as soon as possible. Yang says playing phones is     10     (healthy) for the mind and the body so that teenagers should use mobile phones less.

In ancient China, there was a tradition called shu xiu. People gave teachers dried salted meat     1     a gift to show their respect for teachers.

The practice of shu xiu started over 2000 years ago.

And it lasted for many centuries until the Tang Dynasty.

Over time, shu xiu took on different forms, and     2     meaning of it changed as well. In the past, people didn’t get to eat meat very often because it was expensive. It was valuable that people used it     3     refer to the money students paid for their education at school. They even called a teacher’s salary (薪水) shu xiu. In modern times, teachers in China are still highly respected and valued, but the ways of showing thanks to them     4     changed. People no longer use shu xiu. Instead, they often give gifts like flowers and cards. However, the tradition of shu xiu remains an important part     5     reminds us of the importance of respecting teachers. It also shows how education was valued in Chinese history and culture.

Confucius is China’s most famous thinker and teacher. Today, people still follow Confucius’s lessons. He told us that we all have something worthy(值得的) to be learned. “Take a walk with any three people and at least one of them will have something     1     (teach) you.” Do you know the story of him?

Confucius lived in the Kingdom of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. When Confucius was young, he visited many famous teachers and studied music, history, poetry and sports. At the age of 22, he became a teacher himself and started his own school. At that time only children from rich     2     (family) could go to school, but Confucius     3     (simple) believed everyone should go to school if they wanted to learn. In his life, he had over 3, 000 students. For more than 2,000 years, Confucius’s ideas     4     (be) popular in people’s lives. Most of his ideas     5     (write) down by his students. So people can still hear them today.

Now his ideas have gone far into east and south Asia because they are     6     (help) to people’s life and the society. Some of Confucius’s most famous sayings are, “A kind person should care for others.” and “Be strict with     7     (you), but be kind to others.”