2 . People often say that “failure is the mother of success.” This cliché (陈词滥调) might have some truth to it, but it __________ tells us how to actually turn a loss into a win, says Emmanuel Manalo, a professor of educational psychology at Kyoto University in Japan. As a result, he says, “we know we shouldn’t give up when we fail—but __________, we do.”

Manalo and Manu Kapur, a professor of learning sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, put together a special issue of the journal Thinking Skills and Creativity last December on __________ failure. The issue’s 15 studies provide teachers and educational researchers with a guide for __________ success. One study reported, for example, that the sooner and more often students fail at a task, such as building a robot, the sooner they can __________ and improve. Another confirmed that feedback on failures is most __________ when the giver comes across as caring, and the receiver is prepared to weather negative emotions.

Manalo and his co-authors also contributed their own study focused on overcoming one fundamental, everyday form of failure: not __________ a task. They asked 131 undergraduates to write an essay about their school experiences. Half of the students received __________ for structuring their writing, and half were left to their own devices. All, however, were __________ prior to finishing. Afterward the researchers found that those in the structured group were more motivated to complete their essays, compared with those who lacked guidance—even if the latter were __________ to being done. Knowing how to finish, __________, was more important than being close to finishing.

The researchers dubbed this finding “the Hemingway effect,” for the author’s self-reported __________ to stop writing only when he knew what would happen next in the story—so as to avoid writer’s block when he returned to the page. Manalo believes that learning how to fail temporarily can help people avoid becoming __________ failures at many tasks, such as completing an essay, learning a language or inventing a new technology.

Demystifying failure and teaching students not to __________ it make goals more attainable, says Stephanie Couch, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and supporting inventors. Couch, whose work was also featured in the special issue, __________ that we “should really be thinking of failure as part of a process of going forward toward success.”

3 . More people are travelling than ever before, and lower barriers to entry and falling costs means they are doing so for ________ periods.

The rise of “city breaks” 48-hour bursts of foreign cultures, easier on the pocket and annual leave balance has increased tourist numbers, but not their ________ spread. The same attractions have been used to market cities such as Paris, Barcelona and Venice for decades, and visitors use the same infrastructure (基础设施) as residents to reach them. “Too many people do the same thing at the exact same time,” says Font, an expert in tourism. “For ________, the city no longer belongs to them.”

In response to this situation, cities have come up with various solutions. For instance, Amsterdam has started advising visitors to seek ________ outside of the city center on its official website. “That takes courage, really, to do that. But only so many people will look at the website, and it means they can say to their residents they’re doing all they can to ________ congestion.”

But it also proposes a better way, which is called “de-tourism”: sustainable travel tips and ________ schedules for exploring a real Venice, off the paths beaten by the 28 million visitors who flock there each year.

A greater variety of ________ for prospective visitors — ideas for what to do in off-peak seasons, for example, or outside of the city center — can have the effect of removing them from already crowded landmarks, or ________ short breaks away in the first place. Longer stays ________ the pressure, says Font. ‘If you go to Paris for two days, you’re going to the Eiffel Tower. If you go for two weeks, you’re not going to go to the Eiffel Tower 14 times.” Similarly, repeat visitors have a better sense of the________, “We should be asking how we can get tourists to ________, not how to get them to come for the first time. If they’re coming for the fifth time, it is much easier to integrate their behaviors with ours.”

Font says cities could stand to be more ________ about the tourists they try to attract when the current metric for marketing success is how many there are, and how far they’ve come. “You’re thinking. ‘yeah but at what cost…’” He points to unpublished data from the Barcelona Tourist Board that prioritizes Japanese tourist for spending an average of 640 more per day than French tourists — a(n) ________ that fails to take into account their bigger carbon footprint. ________ tourists are also more likely to be repeat visitors that come at off-peak times, buy local products, and spread out to less crowded parts of the city — all productive steps towards more ________ tourism, and more peaceful relations with residents.

4 . The Justice of the Court

The purpose of the American court system is to protect the rights of the people. According to American law, if someone _________ a crime, he or she is considered _________ until the court proves that the person is guilty. _________, it is the responsibility of the court to prove that a person is guilty. It is not the _________ of the person to prove that he or she is innocent.

In order to arrest a person, the police _________ be reasonably sure that a crime has been committed. The police must give the suspect the reasons why they are arresting him and tell him his rights under the law. Then the police take the suspect to the police station to “book” him. “Booking” means that the name of the person and the charges against him are _________ listed at the police station.

The next step is for the suspect to go before a judge. The judge decides whether the suspect should be kept in jail or _________. If the suspect has no previous criminal record and the judge feels that he will return to court rather than run away — for example, because he owns a house and has a family — he can go free. Otherwise, the suspect must _________ bail (保释金). At this time, too, the judge will appoint a court lawyer to defend the suspect if he can’t afford one.

The suspect returns to court a week or two later. A lawyer from the district lawyer’s office presents a case against the suspect. This is called a(n) _________. The attorney (律师) may present __________ as well as witnesses. The judge at the hearing then decides whether there is enough reason to hold a trial. If the judge decides that there is __________ evidence to __________ a trial, he or she sets a date for the suspect to appear in court to formally admit guilty or not guilty.

At the trial, a jury of 12 people listens to the evidence from both lawyers and hears the testimony of the witnesses. Then the jury goes into a private room to consider the evidence and decide whether the defendant is guilty of the crime. If the jury decides that the defendant is innocent, he goes free. __________, if he is guilty, the judge sets a date for the defendant to appear in court again for __________. At this time, the judge tells the convicted person what his punishment will be. The judge may send him to prison, order him to pay a fine, or place him on probation (缓刑).

The American justice system is very complex and sometimes operates slowly. However, every step is designed to protect the rights of the people. These __________ rights are the basis, or foundation, of the American government.

5 . When I was three, I had a very good friend named Gemma. She was fearless where I was anxious, rebellious where I was conservative, and _________ where I was awkward. She was also entirely imaginary. With Gemma’s support, I almost made it to the top shelf of the bookcase before my parents found me — and “Gemma said it was fine!” did not _________ me from a telling-off (责骂).

I cannot remember when or how I “met” Gemma, and, perhaps sadder still, I do not remember the _________ time I “saw” her. _________ my brain created her, she inspired me to go on adventures I would not have had the confidence to embark upon without her. It _________ me, then, that 72 percent of nursery workers believe children have fewer imaginary friends than they did five years ago, as is shown by a recent survey. This is believed to be a result of _________ screen time.

It is thought that 40 percent of us at one time or another had imaginary friends during our _________. In an essay for Aeon, writer Sophie Elmhirst found that 81 percent of those surveyed had “lost” their imaginary friends after they turned ten, but most of these friendships ended _________. Perhaps imaginary friends simply stay with us for as long as we need them. They move on when our lives become too _________ for our brains to make space to generate their own entertainment.

If you have enjoyed an imaginary friendship, I would guess that you did not __________ sit down to create a perfect pal. They probably arrived as an indication of the thoughts and ideas you never knew you had. In order to be a good __________ to an imaginary friend, you need to be able to make “what if?” into an exciting proposition. When we grow up, we are too quick to finish the sentence with “what if it goes wrong?”

Having grown up, we might not need our imaginary friends anymore, but we could still use a reminder that a little bit of boredom is good for us, and that our brains can create the best ideas when they are left to their own devices. If there are fewer imaginary friends __________ the worlds where our children live, that might lead to a future with fewer artists, writers and problem-solvers. This is a real cause for __________.

As an adult, I think of my fearless, invisible friend Gemma whenever I have to do something that __________ me — usually public speaking, rather than scaling a bookcase. However, whenever I __________ my own expectations and meet myself in a place that I did not think I could quite reach, I can hear my subconscious whispering, “Gemma made me do it.”

6 . The prevalence (普遍) of sweatshop (血汗工厂) labor depends largely on the definition being used. At its most _______ definition, the term refers to work in a confined space (small, surrounded by walls) that is extremely difficult or dangerous. Sweatshops are considered to be fairly common. If the definition being used is closely related to the commonly-held _________ of a factory with overworked, under-paid workers, sweatshop labor becomes less common than expected. _________, they are still prevalent in third-world countries. According to the United States Government Accountability Office, a sweatshop is any workplace that breaks one or more state and federal _________ laws. Experts believe that roughly 50 percent of manufacturers—_________ in the clothing industry — employ sweatshop labor.

It can be _________ to figure out the exact number of sweatshops in a particular area. These workplaces usually, if not always, violate labor laws. Violations can include workers being paid less than minimum wage, child labor, and the severe lack of safety regulations. _________, many of these locations tend to hide their identities as sweatshops through a number of different means. For example, they might bribe government officials.

Another factor that _________ the prevalence of sweatshop labor is the economic situation in the country or region. Many individuals choose to work in sweatshops simply because there are no better alternatives _________ livelihood (生计), even if the income they’re being given still cannot support their basic standards of living. This has led to a sharper increase in sweatshops in third-world economies. In these countries, there is a __________ advantage to working in a sweatshop rather than not working at all. __________, the large number of people willing to work under such conditions causes employers to run more sweatshops.

Certain economists argue against the popular opinion that sweatshop labor should be considered __________. Sweatshop supporters argue that the workplaces are a necessity for poor countries. Sweatshop workers actually earn more than average in those countries. Following this train of thought, sweatshops are looked upon as an economic stimulus (刺激物). Employers following this belief are __________ to increase the number of sweatshops in poorer countries.

However, other experts think that __________ labor standards in third-world countries creates a downward spiral (螺旋线). That is to say, people will be forced to accept working in increasingly worsening circumstances. The demand for work is significantly larger than the number of jobs that are available. It’s quite __________ for wages and employee rights to continue going downwards in response to such desperation. As a result of the economic circumstances in a given region, employers who follow this philosophy are quick to point out that their businesses do not fall under the definition of a sweatshop.

8 . Residents of urban areas make use of public transportation on their way to school or the office. But when their final ________ isn’t near a bus stop or subway station, those folks have a problem. Transportation experts often ________ to this as the “last mile problem”——finding a way to close the gap between public transportation stops and one’s destination.

With the last mile problem in mind, the makers of the URB-E ________ a compact (紧凑的) electric vehicle that weigh around 13 kilograms. Unlike bikes, which often don’t fit on crowded buses or trains, the URB-E collapses into a form ________ to carry-on luggage. And since the URB-E can be carried ________ anywhere, it’s not as vulnerable to thieves as bikes are.

Depending on usage, the URB-E can travel for 32 kilometers on a single ________. reaching a top speed of 24 kilometers per hour. Although there are other vehicles attempting to ________ the last mile issue, the URB-E ________ for its ease of use, portability and affordablo price. For the price of a nice laptop, you could have an URB-E to drive to the office.

The URB-E is made from aircraft-grade aluminum (铝合金) and comes in two basic models: the URB-E Commuter and URB-E GP. The main ________ between the two is that the Commuter model has two rear wheels while the GP has only one. That means the Commuter offers greater stability, as ________ to the GP’s ability to make sharper turns like a bicycle.

Both models come with accessories (附件)________ LED front and rear lights and a shock-absorbing seat. They also ________ a smart-phone holder and USB charging port right on the steering column. In fact, smart-phones play a big role in the URB-E app to do things like monitor battery charge or control the lights. ________ accessories include a cup holder and a folding luggage shelf.

At this year’s international Consumer Electronic Show (CES)in Las Vegas, tech website The Verge awarded the URB-E with its “Best Personal Transportation” award. Singing the URB-E’s ________, Verge editor Ben Popper said, “The URB-E felt like the kind of vehicle an enlightened citizen of 2030 would own.” “So why wait that long, when the URB-E is ________ for order now?”