1 . Xinjiang has long been known as a place of music and dancing.

No matter which ethnic group is living in Xinjiang, music and dancing are an inseparable part of our lives. From festive holidays to ________ and parties, music, singing and dancing are must-haves, with people of all genders and ages taking part in them. Even young children in Xinjiang, upon ________ music, start moving their hands and stepping on the beat. It is often the case that people say, “Everyone in Xinjiang knows how to dance.” Dancing shows our ________ for life.

When it comes to folk dancing in Xinjiang, the first thing people will ________ is “neck moving”, or more ________, the “head slide”. To do this, you move your cheek to each side.

The moment when I ________ people’s love for the ethnic dances of Xinjiang came during the COVID-19 ________ in 2020. I launched an open course on Douyin. Every day I live-streamed (直播) for an hour. In the 12-day period, more than a million people ________ my course.

Every day I would assign my viewers ________, asking them to shoot a short video and interact with me on the platform. I was flooded with ________ . I could see people of all ages and ethnic groups, even overseas Chinese showing their passion for Xinjiang dances. Many of them even ________ Xinjiang-style clothes and did their hair. I was quite ________ by my students during that period.

Short video and live-streams do not only ________ tourism and sell products, they also serve an important role in ________ a communication channel with the majority of netizens.

I believe so many people would like to connect with me on the Internet because they see me as a down-to-earth, relatable and real director of the ________ and tourist bureau (局).

2 . It was 6 a.m. as I got on the train, ending my work one cold morning and I was lucky to get a seat. At that time of the morning, my eyes were not fully focused and at times I was half asleep. During that time the train was usually filled with construction workers heading out to start their work. On that particular morning I found myself drawn on the shoes of men sitting about 10 seats across from me.

I sat examining the shoes of men. Men from different walks of life, holding different jobs, thinking different thoughts, living different lives and despite what they did and how they looked, they all had something in common. They were all of the working class trying to achieve their dreams.

One day each of those men has to visit a shoe store to buy a new pair of shoes, a type that fits their working needs. For a short time those shoes look so good. Then one day they lose their shine; they no longer look as good, but guess what? The shoes feel right. Feet have found their own home within the comfort of those shoes.

If those shoes could talk, what kind of a tale do you think they would tell? If your shoes could talk, what do you think they would say about you? Would the story be about a journey filled with joy and fun? Or would the story be one filled with disappointment and regret?

We choose the shoes. Where we take them and when and how we wear them are up to us.

3 . I got a volunteer job to teach computer skills in a library after many failures in applications and interviews. It’s an ideal opportunity to try something new and break away from the feeling of _______ .

Pretty soon after I entered the main library, I was _______ to work. There were too many learners and not enough teachers.

I was led to Jenna, who had been out of work for seven months. She was _______ back tears of frustration while trying to attach her CV(简历) to an e-mail. When we had finally sent out three _______ , she sat back. Ray, an _______ gentleman, did not know how to open and watch the video of his grandson _______ in an e-mail. A few quick clicks of the mouse and Ray was _______ playing and replaying the video.

When I left the library I had a new sense of purpose and a different way of _______ . Later that evening, I thought a lot about the persons I _______ today. But what I thought about most was how ________ we all were—just people ________ together in taking those first steps to make a ________ to our lives. That day, through ________ , I had realized the fact that to struggle ________ through life’s challenges is a lonely process, but to make that journey with others can make facing even the hardest challenges ________ .

4 . Wealthy nations need to give as much as ten times current levels of funding to help developing countries adapt to climate change, the United Nations said in a report.

If developing nations can’t adjust to climate change, rich countries will also feel the consequences, says Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which prepared the report. “The idea that you can have a wall around your state and somehow protect yourself is simply unrealistic,” Andersen says. The report comes as world leaders prepare to gather for a climate conference. Organizers hope to make people realize the growing gap between current levels of aid for climate adaptation and what they say is required as climate shocks get worse.

Climate adaptation refers to steps to better protect people against the consequences of climate change— for example, moving communities away from coastlines and other areas. But much of the climate focus from rich countries’ leaders has been on limiting global warming by encouraging countries to burn less coal, oil and gas to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

At the United Nations climate meeting in Glasgow, countries promised to double the amount of funding available for adaptation to developing countries by 2025. But even if nations succeed in that, it’d still be insufficient for the need. Besides, it’s often spent in ways that aren’t likely to be effective over time, the report said. Adaptation efforts tend to be narrow, focus on short-term needs and fail to take future risks into account, it said.

The risk is that countries will soon experience climate shocks to which they simply can’t adapt, Andersen says. Relocation (搬迁), arguably the most extreme and expensive form of adaptation, will soon become vital, according to Andersen. “In most low-lying coastal areas, planned relocation is the last strategy,” Andersen says. “The longer wealthy countries kick this can down the road, the higher the price in human lives.”

5 . Over the decades, computers have affected our lives to an astonishing degree. When the first modern computer was conceptualized and built in the 20th century, it was so large that it took up a whole room. Over time, the technology shrank. First, computers became small enough to sit on a desk and be brought into the home. Then, they were made lightweight and portable, giving us the laptop. Today, most people have something even smaller: a smartphone that can fit into a pocket.

Though that's as compact as most people are used to, computers and technology are getting even tinier! One of the tiniest forms of technology available today is the microbot. A microbot is a very tiny robot -a machine programmable by a computer—that is built to perform specific tasks. You might tend to refer to this as just a small robot, but the size and dimensions of microbots are actually quite precise. A microbot is less than one millimeter in width, approximately the size of the tip of a pencil. In comparison, a small robot, which can be up to 100 centimeters in width, would be absolutely large. If you think that microbots are as small as you can get, think again. Nanobots smaller than one micrometer exist, but these are so small that they aren't visible to the naked eye(肉眼).

Since microbots are so small, they are potentially very cheap. Scientists and engineers working to develop these microbots believe that they could be used to explore environments or areas that are too small or dangerous for people.

Because the computing power of one single microbot isn't that large, microbots could be moved and used in large groups. At the moment, the biggest barrier to the development of these tiny machines is figuring out how to power a robot that can only contain an extremely small battery.

6 . The novel Restart was written by Gordon Korman and published in 2018. The book tells the story of Chase, a middle school student who loses his memory after an accident. At the beginning of the story, Chase gets knocked unconscious when he falls off a roof. When he wakes up, he can remember his name, but he doesn’t remember his past or his identity.

When Chase recovers and returns to school, he begins to learn about his own history through the reactions of the other students. As it turns out, Chase, once a star athlete, used to have fun hurting weaker students. Some people are afraid of him, some are angry with him, and some treat him like a hero. He finds that he doesn’t really like the people who used to be his best friends.

After his accident, Chase also has a different personality. He is no longer mean to other kids. However, everyone expects him to act the same as before. It takes time for the other students to learn to trust this new version of their old classmate. Each chapter is narrated (叙述) by a different character, so we get to hear every side of the story.

Gordon Korman has said that he enjoys writing for junior high school students because this is the age when kids begin to form their own opinions. In Restart, Korman addresses the themes of friendship, making mistakes, and getting a second chance. The novel explores the stories of a former bad guy and his victims, and gives readers a close look at the ways trust can be lost and rebuilt. The big picture comes together in little bits and pieces as each character offers their own details.

Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes each of us would like to start over. In Restart, Korman shows us how to correct our mistakes and make it up to the people we have hurt.

7 . The road trip is an iconic (标志性的) American family vacation experience. Here are some road trips you can enjoy.

College Tours

If you are mapping out a college tour road trip with your teen, pick a region like the Boston area. There you can visit a mix of options that are large and small, public and private, and a mix of easy-to-get-into and reach-for-the-stars schools. Make the most of your visits by researching hotel stays that give you a taste of campus culture.

Road to Hana

To do this trip right you'll need 10 to 12 hours. The Hana Highway runs along a winding road dotted with 59 (mostly one-way) bridges and there are often a lot of crowds. But patience is rewarded with a large number of Mother Nature's finest offerings. Remember to stop at the roadside stands selling fresh fruit and banana bread.

Mount Washington Auto Road

Little kids get a kick out of the simple pleasures of leaf-looking, making a fall road trip through New Englanda perfect choice for this age. Add a little extra fun for the grown-ups by planning a side trip for this scenic drive in New Hampshire. Less than eight miles long, the road climbs 4, 600 feet above sea level along narrow mountain roads.

Pacific Coast Highway

This one is for you, tired parents. This stretch of Highway I running up and down the California coastline is an incredibly popular road trip for its breathtaking scenery —just the thing to relax your tired selves while your little ones sleep lightly in the back seat. From late October through February, you can also take your kids to the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, where more than 10, 000 of the butterflies migrate (迁徙) each year.

9 . BOOKSHOPS IN ROME:A QUICK GUIDE

Rome has a handful of bookshops with only English language titles. Here is our list of the main bookshops offering books in English, from old to new titles.

Almost Corner Bookshop

The Almost Corner Bookshop in Trastevere has a wide collection of fiction (小说) works and also carries books on Roman history, art, culture, poetry and many other subjects.

Via del Moro 45, tel.065836942.

Anglo American

Centrally located near the Spanish Steps, the Anglo American Bookshop only carries books in English but on request can order books in other languages. The shop has recently moved, just down the street.

Via della Vite 27, tel. 066795222.

Open Door

The Open Door Bookshop is a small shop that specialises in buying and selling quality second-hand and old books in English, Italian, French, German and Spanish, as well as some new books.

Via della Lungaretta 23, tel. 065896478.

The Little Reader

This children’s English bookshop in the Esquilino area of Rome collects books from babies to teens in English and Italian. It also has a local cafe (咖啡馆) and garden and offers a regular (定期的) programme of reading events and activities for children and their parents.

Via Conte Verde 66b, tel. 0687784678.