Chinese shoppers flooded to e-commerce platforms and rushed to purchase discounted items worth hundreds of billions of yuan during this year’s Double 11,     1     (push) up the sales of domestic brands and superior goods,     2     indicates the enormous vitality and resilience of the country’s consumer market.

    3     China’s biggest shopping event of the year, the Double 11,     4     unique festival, which began in late October and peaked on Saturday,     5     (play) a vital role in stimulating people’s purchasing appetites and promoting the recovery of consumption and economic growth for more than ten years.

2023 marks the first post-pandemic Singles Day, whose consumption returns to normal levels. We are seeing stronger spending, evidenced by the 18 percent increase in total spending     6     (compare) with 2022.     7     various marketing campaigns are launched, consumers are more sensible and     8     (knowledge) about potential purchases than ever before.

Chinese shoppers are also willing to devote their attention to more novel platforms that blur the boundaries between entertainment and retail, particularly in livestreaming e-commerce provided by short-video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou. Domestic brands, especially those     9     (feature) creative designs that incorporate traditional Chinese elements, are gaining     10     (popular) among China’s younger generations, who have a growing sense of national pride and confidence in Chinese culture.

Luosifen is a combination of river snails and rice noodles, originating in Liuzhou, Guangxi, southern China. Since Liuzhou is a city full of Luosifen restaurants, with many near one another, you can even smell it    1     (walk) down the street! Because of the humid climate in Liuzhou, people tend to lose their appetite, but the spicy and sour taste stimulates    2     (people) appetite. Its unique taste of freshness, sourness, hotness and spiciness is    3     modern people and young people prefer. Diners can also add extra chili, fresh green vegetables or garlic    4     (suit) their own taste. Despite the word “snail” in its Chinese name, actual snails don’t commonly appear in the dish, but    5     (use) to flavor the soup. There being many choices of    6     (package) Luosifen these days ,people can easily prepare their favorite version at home. Some people even cook Luosifen-based hotpot    7     (they). Admittedly, Luosifen has become    8     must-try dish for those enthusiasts seeking a genuine cuisine. Whether you are exploring the streets of Liuzhou    9     enjoying a bowl in a distant land, Luosifen is sure to leave a lasting impression on your taste buds, providing a    10     (true) unforgettable gastronomic (美食的) experience.

Varatha Shanmuganathan is an 87-year-old woman in India. She has become the     1     (old) person to get a Master’s degree at Canada’s York University. When she isn’t dancing or singing with her grandchildren, she’s busy     2     (realize) her many dreams.

This is not Shanmuganathan’s first Master’s degree. After earning her Bachelor’s degree, she returned to Sri Lanka     3     (teach) Indian history and English.

In 1990, she moved to London to teach English as a second language and received her first Master’s degree from the University of London.

When she found out the university offered free tuition     4     senior citizens, Shanmuganathan said she     5     (immediate) knew it was her last chance to make her dream of studying political science come true. She began her studies in 2019 and     6     (continue) throughout the pandemic (流行病).

“She will act as a powerful role model for     7     (woman) of all ages,” York University President Rhonda Lenton said.

Despite her achievements, Shanmuganathan said she is not quite finished yet in     8     (educate). Her next plan is to write     9     book about post-war Sri Lanka.

“Find out what you really want to achieve and pursue it until the end. Think of something     10     not only interests you, but is also beneficial to others. Go on after it, get it, do it, achieve it,” Shanmuganathan said.

I was a smartphone addict. My eyes were glued     1     the little screen whenever I walked down the street, had dinner with friends or     2     (lie) in bed at night. The first thing I did when I woke up in the morning was reach for my phone. I always asked for Wi-Fi connections when I went to a new restaurant or coffee shop. A dead battery in my smartphone would make me feel stressed. Sometimes I had the     3     (comfortable) feeling that this little machine had taken up too much of my time, and that I could have done something more meaningful     4     just looking at a tiny screen all day. Sliding into the habit was easy, but     5     was difficult to quit the habit.

The more I learn, the     1     (well) I know how much there is still left to learn. As I journey through my life, I have become aware that     2     (acquire) knowledge is not only a means by     3     you can better understand the world, but also a way of appreciating how much, as     4     individual, you do not know.

It is vital to remain lifelong learners in a     5     (rapid) changing world. As you progress through life, you may study and work in new environments. Consequently, you will be exposed     6     many new ideas, beliefs, practices and learning experiences. Furthermore, the     7    （produce）of knowledge is bound to grow rapidly.

So, how can you proceed? Firstly, lifelong learning is an attitude. Secondly, take advantage of opportunities for lifelong learning — for example, you could register online and subscribe to e-learning courses,     8     have become increasingly popular in recent years. Finally, understand that it is not sufficient to simply know something or to understand what you know, because for knowledge to have concrete value, it must be applied.

    9     summary, in a world of constant change, one should never cease to learn. Lifelong learning will help you develop your skills and further your career, and will boost your sense of self-worth and keep your mind active. Therefore, know what you know and use it; know what you do not know and embrace it; know that you will never know all there is to know and wonder at it.

Not only does work benefit us personally, it also contributes to the health of     1     (social). At the most basic level, the different types of jobs are like gears in a machine. They work to ensure that the machine we call “society”     2     (function) properly. In a successful, stable and     3     (product) society, all jobs are equally important and no one is superior     4     another, so we should not have prejudice     5     any. Whether we are scientists, lawyers, doctors, public servants, consultants, clerks receptionists or butchers, we all make our respective contributions. Moreover, there are people who choose to step out of their comfort zone and commit themselves to     6     (work)   for the benefit of others. For example, teachers in remote rural areas are devoted to changing the lives of people with less access to the advantages enjoyed by many others. In this way, we work to advance our communities and bring success to our nation.

If you were asked the question, “Do you work to live or live to work?”,     1    would your answer be? Earning a living is by no means the only reason why we work. Through work we do, our goals can be attained and our dreams achieved. What’s more, work can also help develop our skills, thus     2     (provide) room for personal growth. Our rapidly changing workplace makes     3     necessary for us to keep up and develop new skills. Finally, work contributes to the health of society. All jobs are     4     (equal) important and no one is superior to another,     5     we should not have prejudice against any of them. There are some people     6     choose to step out of comfort zone and commit themselves to changing people’s lives. Wherever life takes us and whatever choices     7     (lay) out before us, something worth remembering is that our work, when     8     (do) well, will not only help us make     9     living but also help make a life for ourselves and for other. We can take     10     (proud) in the knowledge that hard work is essential for our individual well-being as well as for the benefit of our society as a whole.

My best friend and I have been close for eight years. When I was a primary school student, she was the popular girl     1     was willing to make friends with me. Since then, a close friendship     2     (grow) between us. But last Saturday, she     3     (break) my heart, and I’m still picking up the pieces.

Our     4     (origin) plan was to see a film at the cinema that afternoon. But in the morning, my friend posted a message on social media     5     (say) she had a cold. When I called her, she said she might not be able to make     6     to the cinema. “Don’t worry,” I said. “Get some rest. We can wait till you get better.”

Today, however, I received a horrible surprise. A classmate told me she had seen my friend     7     (chat) with another girl in a café on Saturday afternoon. How stupid I was! My     8     (friend) “illness” was a complete lie! Instead of recovering at home, she was out having fun     9     someone else.

I was so angry that I avoided her during school all day, and I still don’t feel like responding to any of her online messages. The stress of this situation is killing me, and I’m at a loss     10     to do next.

We tend to think about success in terms of wealth and accomplishments. That’s a fair measurement, but the problem is that when we addict into the     1     (victory), we tend to overlook the sacrifices required in order to get there. In fact,     2     (neglect) to account for the existing sacrifices is one reason why so many of us have a hard time sticking to     3     (health) habits and following up on goals.

Time is a factor when it comes to making sacrifices. As Warren Buffett famously     4     (say), “It’s the only thing you can’t buy. I mean, I can buy anything I want, basically, but I can’t buy time.” He’s     5     (absolute) right. Should you watch another section of your favorite Netflix show     6     give up TV for two months so you can plant that garden you always dreamed about?

Making the decision isn’t easy, but the good news is     7     we already do this naturally. A 2009 study found that people are “far    8     (little) willing to keep many choices open” when some have bigger rewards than others. If the payoffs are unknown, however, we have a harder time giving them up. That’s why doing an activity check is so important. You have to actually take the time     9     (figure) out the opportunity costs, gains of each and what to pursue over the     10    .

My friend and I have been close for several years. We’re hardly out of each other’s sight. But last Saturday she     1     (break) my heart.

    2     (origin), we planned to see a film that afternoon, but in the morning, I learnt from a message posted on social media that she had a cold. I gave her     3     call telling her to make a     4     (recover) at home and she thanked me for my thoughtfulness.

    5     my surprise, however, she was seen chatting with another girl in a cafe on Saturday afternoon, when she     6     (expect) to stay at home. Obviously, she lied about her illness. I was filled with     7     (angry) and avoided meting her all day and still don’t feel like making any     8     (respond) to her online messages. I don’t know     9     I should forgive her if she ignores my feelings or refuses to back down. Some people advise me to have a full and frank talk with her while others suggest     10     (rethink) our relationship. I am at a total loss.