4 . People read books less often in these days. With the invention of radio, television and most recently, the Internet and computer games, it seems that reading books is no longer a popular activity. However, I believe that books are an important part of our lives.

Books offer an outstanding wealth of learning and at a cheaper price than taking a course. Books can make people cleverer, because heavy readers have greater knowledge of how things work and who or what people are.

Everything in today’s society requires reading. Imagine trying to do something as simple as reading the directions on a medicine bottle without good reading skills. Someone can not understand them and become very sick or even die, Even something as simple as walking or driving through the city can become very dangerous without enough reading. Sometimes, you must be able to understand what is written and explain the meaning of them.

Some people say that reading is a waste of time and we can do better things with our time. Even if we don’t read books, we still read every day, and reading books can strengthen (加强) our abilities. Reading is one of the greatest things we can do in our spare time.

With a book, you can travel anywhere you want, do anything you want, and talk to anyone you want. Reading is very important in our lives, no matter the age. So I think people should read books.

5 . Chinese traditional culture is made up of many customs and traditions passed down through generations (世代).

One important value is “filial piety”, which means ________ and caring for elders. This is really important in Chinese families and communities, and it means having good ________ with family and others in the community.

In China, people celebrate lots of traditional festivals around the year. The most important one is the Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival. Families ________ for big dinners, give lucky money in red envelopes, and set off fireworks (烟花) to ________ the new year. There are also other festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Double Ninth Festival. These festivals have special customs, food, and ________ that show Chinese culture.

Art is also important in Chinese tradition. Calligraphy (书法) and brush painting are very valued ________ of art. Calligraphy is a way of writing that is also beautiful and ________. Brush painting often shows nature, ________ Chinese people like to respect and enjoy nature.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a very old way of keeping the body ________. It uses things like acupuncture (针灸), herbal remedies (草药), and qigong to prevent sickness and help the body get better ________. In Chinese culture, people think that the mind, body, and spirit are all connected, and that is ________ they use these methods to stay healthy.

Chinese food is famous all around the world for its delicious taste. There are many different styles of Chinese food, _______ hot food in Sichuan and delicate (精致的) dishes in Guangdong. Each place has its own special cooking ________ and Chinese food reflect the country’s geography and diverse (不同的) population.

Today, people in China are working hard to ________ their traditional culture. They want to make sure the customs are passed down to future generations. These efforts help keep Chinese traditions ________ and make people proud of their cultural heritage (遗产).

6 . In many people’s minds, monsters (怪兽) or yao (妖怪) usually look horrible and do bad things. But in the one of the great Chinese cartoon series Yao—Chinese Folktales《中国奇谭》, yao are different. The cartoon has been on Bilibili since January 1.

In the stories, yao are lovely, fun and mysterious. They have their own lives just like humans. A little pig monster works hard in a monster company. A fox scholar (书生) creates a dreamy day for a man.

The cartoon won many people’s hearts. It shows a different side of Chinese yao culture. “Most yao in China’s old stories are warm, kind and friendly” said Zhang Yun, who wrote a book about China’s 1080 kinds of yao.

People are afraid of yao because of their fear of the unknown world. For example kids sometimes are afraid of things under the bed or behind the curtain (窗帘). “Yao are humans’ imagination of unknown things,” said Chen Liaoyu, general director (总导演) of the cartoon. In one of the cartoon’s stories, a little child thinks a catfish (鲶鱼) is horrible. But later he sees people sell the fish like other foods. The fear is gone.

8 . Back in New York, I am fighting fires as the assistant captain (副队长) of a volunteer fire company.

I still remember my first fire. I was the second volunteer on the scene (现场). The captain was talking with the homeowner, who was surely having one of the worst days of her life. At midnight, she was standing outside in the heavy rain, under an umbrella, barefoot (赤脚的), while her house was in flames (在燃烧中). The other volunteer, who had arrived just before me, was asked to go inside and save the homeowner’s dog. The captain then waved (招手) me over. He said, “Bezos, I need you to go upstairs past the fire, and get this woman a pair of shoes.” So, not exactly what I was hoping for, but off I went up the stairs, down the hall, past the “real” firefighters, who were pretty much done putting out the fire at this point, into the bedroom to get a pair of shoes.

Now I know what you’re thinking, but I’m no hero. (Laughter) I carried the shoes downstairs where I met the other volunteer with the valuable dog. We took our treasures outside to the homeowner, where, not surprisingly, his received much more attention than mine.

A few weeks later, the company received a letter from the homeowner thanking us for saving her home. The act of kindness she noted above all others was that someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.

Here, I would offer this reminder: don’t wait. Don’t wait until you make your first million to make a difference in somebody’s life. If you have something to give, give it now.

Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody’s life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect (影响) one. So get in the game. Save the shoes.

Ancient and Modern Chinese Characters (汉字)

When people write in English, they use letters of the alphabet (字母表). People who write in     1    , however, use characters that stand for words or ideas. Historians believe Chinese     2     began as early as 1,500 BC. The earliest forms were called “oracle bones (甲骨文)”. These were animal bones marked with pictures and     3    . By 1,400 BC, the Chinese writing system (系统) had become more difficult. It had     4     than 2,500 characters. Around 220 BC in Qin Dynasty, Chinese characters became standardized. This means that everyone used the     5     characters.

Many     6     Chinese characters are similar to those from 2,000 years ago. For example, the character that means man in the Lishu system from 200 BC is similar to the character that     7     man from the Jiantizi, or modern simplified system, of the twentieth century.

People have worked to     8     Chinese characters over the centuries. The most important changes happened in the twentieth century. The Chinese government simplified many characters     9     more people could learn to     10    . This simpler system is used in the mainland (大陆) of China and Singapore.     11     characters are used in Chinese Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Even with these changes, Chinese writing from 2,200 years ago is still understood today.

10 . The Canadian teenager Auldin Maxwell broke two of the Guinness World Records for stacking Jenga blocks (堆积木). He stacked 1, 840 standard-sized Jenga pieces on top of just one block and also stacked 900 really large ones on a single block.

Auldin, who has autism (孤独症), first discovered his talent by chance. “I have always liked balancing things and, as a baby, I used to stack anything like books and toys,” he told CBC News.

Although he has a natural talent for stacking the blocks, he did come up with different patterns through hard work to balance out the tower.

The most difficult part of stacking the Jenga blocks was forming a strong base to make sure the stacked blocks did not fall over. Once he was halfway through, it became much easier to put the blocks together.

Auldin’s favorite thing about Jenga blocks is their versatility (多功能性). He doesn’t just see them as blocks in a game, but as tools that can be used for building all kinds of things. “For me, it’s a big challenge, and using them really develops my creativity!” he said.

His secret to building such towers is about three hours of focused attention. “When I’m doing it, I don’t think about anything,” he said. He would get ready for each try by preparing with fun activities like riding his bike or listening to music in the mind, which helps him focus attention better.

Now, Auldin has his eyes set on breaking another record—although this time, it has nothing to do with Jenga. “I want to solve the most Rubik’s Cubes (魔方) while on my cycle,” he told CBC News.