Whenever you have to write a paper, a letter, or any other document for work or school, you probably head toward the computer. Now, most people reach for     1     (keyboard) faster than they pick up pens. In a Scottish primary school, however, Mr. Norman Lewis is taking a different approach. He feels that neat handwriting     2     (be) still an important skill, so he has his students write not only by hand but also     3     old fashioned fountain pens.

Fountain pens     4     (use) in schools long ago and have been regaining popularity lately because they are refillable. Today, a writer     5     (simple) throws an empty pen away and gets     6     new one.

So far, Mr. Lewis is pleased with the results of his experiment. He reports that his students are taking more care with their work, and their self-confidence has improved as well. He is happy with the     7     (improve) he sees in his students’ writing     8     in his own writing. He knows that computers are here     9     (stay) and that they will not disappear. However, he believes that the practice with fountain pens helps students to focus, to write faster, and they can feel proud of     10     (they).

Taking part in a language exchange can be     1     excellent way to practice the language you want to learn. Such exchanges can be one of the best     2     (way) to improve your conversation skills. Today, there are many websites and apps     3     (design) to connect language learners all around the world. However, doing an exchange without     4     (know) what to expect can sometimes lead to your time being wasted.

Ask yourself     5     you want to learn the language. People who have a serious reason for learning a language are usually more     6     (rely) exchange partners. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is better     7     (find) at least two exchange partners. Explain to people some ground rules like how long you’d like meetings to last and how often you’d like to meet. For example, if you plan to meet them     8     person, say if you are fine with noisy places or only quieter places.

Before each meeting, prepare some questions on a topic of your choice. That     9     (give) you the chance to look up related words as well as think about your own answers. It’s important to let your partner speak     10     (free), even if they make mistakes. Try to give only one or two corrections after each piece of dialogue.

Liu Ruying,     1     grandfather is a huge fan of Peking Opera, has been interested in Peking Opera for much of her young life. Her grandfather is a great influence     2     her. At the age of 8, she     3    (begin) to practice the classic art. It wasn’t easy for a little girl     4    (experience) the difficult training, as performances combine martial arts, dancing and acrobatics(杂技).

“Sometimes I was tired,“ she said. ”I had to balance my studies and other     5    (course) I was interested in, such as dance. But the great charm(魅力) of Peking Opera made me always practice it.”

When Liu got the news that her region would have a cultural exchange with other countries, she had the idea of     6    (introduce) Peking Opera to the world in English. With     7     help of her mother, she took part in the activity after several months of practice.

“I     8    (extreme) love traditional Chinese culture,” she said. “Peking Opera has a long history of about 200 years and     9    (consider) a treasure of our nation. We should let     10    (we) make great efforts to carry forward our culture and protect the cultural diversity of the world.”

As volcanologist, I often travel to unusual places. Collecting information about active volcanoes for a database is my job,     1     helps scientists predict where lava from the volcano will flow next and how fast so as to protect ordinary people.     2     (unfortunate), we cannot move their homes out of the way. Having studied volcanoes for many years, I am now still amazed at their beauty as well as their potential for     3     (cause) great damage.

Before becoming a web novel writer in 2018 Disha Florence from Dhaka, Bangladesh, now 25, was trying to find a way to free    1    (she) from the long-existed restrictions    2    (face) by a woman, a wish she has had since she was 8.

It was then that she observed that being a girl meant she could not go to play in the park like boys. She needed to learn household chores but boys could play all day. “I lost many    3    (opportunity) because, I had to listen to my parents and I regretted it. That’s when I thought that if I had    4    (free), I wouldn’t have to listen to others,” says Florence. As she grew up. she realized that    5    any experience and knowledge, it is impossible to be free. Therefore, while    6    (contiune) her study, Florence went to work as    7    volunteer in an NG,O.

At 22, she    8    (read) online fiction in English on Webnovel translated from Chinese when she noticed that the website was hiring authors    9    were said to have the chance    10     (make) a great deal of money. “Without thinking further, I started writing, and became a professional web novelist,” she says.

According to a report     1     (publish) by the British Council in September, about 51 percent of UK parents want their children to learn Chinese, as they consider it as one of the most     2     (benefit) language to know.

Due to the     3     (popular) of Chinese, the UK government carried out the Mandarin Excellence Programme in September last year,     4     (aim) to make at least 5000 Brtish state secondary school students fluent in Chinese at the end of 2020.

Yet, the UK isn’t the only country having a preference     5     Chinese. The language has become     6     second most spoken foreign language in the United States this year, after only Spanish, with over 2.1 million speakers, according to a survey by 24/7 Wall St, a US financial news website.

So far, 67 countries and regions     7     (include) Chinese in their national curriculums. Many countries are enthusiastic about learning Chinese mainly because China continues to develop rapidly, and Chinese is     8     (increasing) becoming a useful tool for people’s personal and professional growth. It is believed     9     China will be the next great superpower. Former prime minister of the UK David Cameron,     10     urged British students to learn Chinese to “seal tomorrow’s business deals” in 2013, quoted from former South Africa president Nelson Mandela, “if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Zhangtian,     1     graduate from university, took     2     the volunteer work as a teacher in a remote village.

Though he was excited and imagined     3    （live） an interesting life, he faced many difficulties, including unstable water and power     4    （supply）, as well as the poor conditions in the village school.

However, he made quick adaptation and     5    （bring） changes not only to the school,     6     to the local people. Through his efforts and contributions, the school life is     7    （healthy） and livelier than before.

He had intended     8    （stay） for one year, but now he     9    （feel） ready to stay for another year. He is a truly     10    （amaze） person.

Square dancing has become more and more popular in recent times, especially for the middle-aged women. Square dancing is not     1     healthy, but also relaxing for them. However, in many cities, most people     2    (agree). They think square dancing is too noisy and they want to stop the activity. I have my     3    /əʊn/ opinion about this problem.

My grandmother falls in love with it, so she goes out to the big square to dance right after dinner. Now she dances very well. And her body becomes     4    (strong) and healthier. She also becomes very optimistic and makes a lot of     5    (friend). But some people     6    /ˈkʌvə/ their ears when they go through the big square. My friends in the school complain that because     7     the loud music, they can’t even sleep well or focus on their studies. Square dancing is a healthy way to relax, for either the old or the young. But they should     8    /əˈbeɪ/ some rules. First, pay attention     9     the time. When it’s too late, just stop     10    (dance). Second, don’t make the music too loud. And the most important thing is never to dance near a school or a campus. They should choose a proper place to dance, like a gym at the community center.