In the past year, I had an unforgettable experience of learning tai chi. Honestly speaking, I admitted that I     1     (feel) hesitant at first but with time passing by, it really had a huge effect on me     2     (physical) and mentally. Not only were I deeply impressed by the moves that caught my imagination, such as “white crane spreading its wings” and “golden rooster standing on one leg”, but also I     3     (inspire) to explore Chinese culture.

It is all about keeping a balance between yin and yang,     4     are believed to form the unity of opposites. The practice of taichi aims     5     (maintain) the balance of our body through opposite     6     (movement): up and down, left and right, forwards and backwards, breathing in and breathing out. By performing the routine, tai chi eventually brings     7     a state of physical and mental peace. No wonder it is a best way to relax your mind and body.

I also experienced a short period of tiredness and boredom. Thanks to the patient guidance of professional coach, I gradually found to my     8     (satisfy) that I could focus on peace of mind and sleep better,     9     (enable) me to stay cool under pressure. I am sure I will continue to practice tai chi and enjoy     10     benefits it has brought me.

After coming to China, I experienced authentic Chinese food. In Beijing, the chef in a Sichuan restaurant offered us the     1     (please) of experiencing wonderful and different food besides friendship. In Xinjiang, their traditional foods are those     2     (cook) over an open fire. The kinds of food local people consume tell us a lot about themselves; therefore, we can say culture and cuisine go hand in hand, which are both worth     3     (experience).

Xie Lei left her hometown to study in London as an exchange student. The first challenge was     1     she had to adapt to life in a different country. She learned how     2     (ask) for things she didn’t know the English names for. And she chose to live with a host family, because living with them     3     (comfortable) could ease her homesickness. Another challenge for Xie Lei is the     4     (academy) requirements. She had to read a lot to form a wise opinion of her own. Students’ participation in class     5     (include) as part of the final result. After having worked hard for a few weeks, Xie Lei found herself     6     (speak) up in class. And her     7     (present) on traditional Chinese art was a great success, which boosted her confidence.

As well as studying hard, Xie Lei had been involved     8     social activities. British people were fascinated by Chinese culture and eager to learn more about     9    . So while she was learning about business, she     10     (act) as a cultural messenger building a bridge between China and England.

Six months ago, Xie Lei boarded a plane for London. Because it was the first time that she     1     (leave) China, she had to adapt    2     life in a different country. Not     3     (live) in campus accommodation like other students, Xie Lei    4     (choose) to live with a host family     5    can help with her adaption to     6    new culture. Another challenge for her is the     7     (academy) requirements. Her tutor wanted to know what she thought. Xie Lei really felt confused because she thought she knew less than other people.     8    through her hard work,     9     (eventual) she got a perfect presentation. Now halfway through her exchange year, we wish     10     (she) all the best.

The Great Barrier Reef is almost the size of Japan, which can be seen from outer space. The reef is made up of living coral     1    (grow) on dead coral. It is host     2     different kinds of birds and sea creatures. However, this unique place is under threat, so volunteers are required     3    (take) care of the reef. The working hours are flexible and accommodation     4    (provide).

The candidates are supposed to find out     5     the reef has to offer and report back through     6    (week) blogs, photo diaries and video updates and will also be asked to promote the islands through newspapers, magazines and TV     7    (interview).

The job was finally offered to Ben Southall from the UK. Ben did a lot when he worked as     8     island caretaker. He made appearances     9    (frequent) on TV to argue in favour of the defence of the islands and wrote a book about his experiences. He later joked that the job should have     10    (advertise) as “the busiest job in the world”.

Epidemics caused by several different factors, have been happening for as long    1     there have been people living on Earth. Each disease can only officially     2     (classify) as an epidemic when it causes a certain number of deaths.  

Jim Smith who tried to compare the bird flu epidemic occurring in 1997    3     other deadly epidemics in our history conducted a study. He found one of the earliest epidemics on record happened between about 500 and 550 CE. Up to 50% of the area’s population died from the epidemic,     4     returned in the 1330s in Asia, known as “The Black Death”, spreading rapidly to Europe.  

The Great Flu Epidemic also known as the Spanish Flu, which is believed     5     (be) the most severe epidemic in history, broke out in 1918, just near the end of World War Ⅰ,     6    (kill) up to 50 million people. The SARS epidemic lasting from 2002 to 2003 initially     7     (appear) in Guangdong Province, spread to Canada, Vietnam and Singapore and infected about 8, 000 people.     8    according to official records the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) killed 11, 310 people in West African countries only, the actual number of deaths is probably much higher. The virus was extremely     9     (infect) and the survival rate was very low in some areas.  

Faced with the epidemics, governments are     10     (globe) working together to make medical research, coming up with cures and saving lives.