2 . Last Thursday, Michael and Linda were distributing (分发) meals to 4,000 homeless people for their wedding reception (婚宴) in the border town of Kills. The _________ had decided that instead of playing host to their friends and family with a traditional feast reception, they _________ to feed the homeless people from an earthquake-stricken area.

The idea came from Michael’s father, Ted, who _________ for a Turkish relief organization. For the past few years, the organization has handed out _________ meals to thousands of people who’ve suffered from natural disasters. He called Adam, who was _________ the organization, and suggested that the family cover part of the cost of feeding them for the day.

Then he told his son, who was surprised by the _________, but soon agreed. When he told that to Linda, she was really shocked but finally _________ because in southeastern Turkey there is a real culture of sharing with people _________. They love to share their _________, their table and everything they have. And afterwards she was quite __________ in it. So, they arrived at the __________ on Thursday to spend the day serving food and taking photographs with their grateful recipients (接受者).

On Tuesday evening, the __________ married couple were still pleased with their decision to __________ a personal celebration for one with greater good. Michael said, “A small act of __________ could make a big difference. __________, this will give the start for other wedding dinners to be held here with our brothers and sisters in need.”

3 . What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Brush your teeth, wash your face, or eat your breakfast?     1     When you arrive at the office, do you first check your email or make small talk with your colleagues? After you get home in the evening, do you exercise or make your dinner first?

    2     However, they are not. Most of those actions are the byproduct of your habitual patterns. According to a research published by Duke University, 40% of peoples’ daily activities are born from habits, not decisions made after careful consideration.

Habits play an essential role in our lives. They profoundly impact our health, productivity, financial security, and happiness.     3     Nevertheless, most of us fail to do so and easily stick to our regular patterns. However, once we understand the science behind habit formation, we can break habits into parts and restructure them to develop good ones.

Actually, many people are eager to develop good habits and drop bad ones.     4     The answer is to start with keystone habits. Keystone habits are the most influential habits for transforming lifestyles. Studies show that people who routinely exercise also are more productive at work. Families that habitually eat dinner together are found to raise children with better grades and improved emotional control. These are examples of keystone habits bringing a chain reaction in one’s life.     5    

Do you wish you could capture (捕捉) the     1     (excite) of a weekend beach trip? Would you like     2     (share) the view from your morning bike ride? If the answer is yes, consider     3     (buy) an action camera, whose functions will     4     (huge) improve your experience.

An action camera has a wide-angle lens     5     can record all the actions. You can put one on your bike’s handle or just about anywhere. They are small and durable, so they can go wherever you go! Besides, the quality of the photos is more than     6     (accept), making it possible to appreciate them after     7     event.

There are lots of things to pay attention     8     when choosing an action camera. Above all, look for one with high video quality and Wi-Fi connection. This will allow you to quickly view and edit videos on your smartphone. Other possible     9     (character) include time-lapse and slow-motion video modes. You can use these to speed up or slow down time in your videos!

Whichever model you choose, you     10     (enjoy) sharing impressive videos of your adventures. An action camera is also of great use for activities with friends and families.

5 . At the hillside of the Emei Mountain in Sichuan, a homestay (民宿) — My Own little Yard (吾家小院) is attracting travelers from far and wide, especially on weekends. The owners of the homestay are a couple in their late 30s who decided to return to their hometown three years ago. Li Xiumei used to be in charge of a small company in Chengdu, and her husband was a sales director. It was an ordinary situation where Li’s husband was on business trips a lot and Li worked overtime on weekends. City life sometimes is not easy.

In 2020, they quit (辞掉) jobs and went back to their village, where there were plenty of homestays around their old countryside house coming into their sight. Stepping onto every balcony of every homestay, they could see the beautiful scenery of the Emei Mountain. More importantly, the villagers have earned a lot of money without entering cities to be peasant-workers, which impressed the couple most.

The couple began to rebuild their old countryside house, which was updated to have a hall, a tea room, a kitchen, and a dining room. Japanese cherry trees were planted in the east courtyard. A swimming pool was placed in the west courtyard, with a bar located on one side.

Li and her husband love gardening and music, and their new home gives them enough space to continue their interests and relax in the heart of nature. Li wants to share the quiet country life, so she makes her new home a homestay. During the summer holiday in 2023, their My Own little Yard — homestay became an online hit after guests shared their experiences on social media.

6 . Who says you have to stay indoors when the temperatures drop? Here are favourite places to explore this winter.

Athens, Greece

In Athens, every November temperatures stay around the mid-20s, so’ have a trip to the Parthenon and Acropolis. A full afternoon is also necessary for exploring the Museum of Cycladic Art and its exhibitions—recently it has hosted Picasso’s.

Edinburgh, UK

Yes, it’s probably going to be freezing cold. Hot coffee steams up in a pleasing, romantic fashion in cafes. People can take a few minutes’ walk from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

For simple Scottish dishes there’s neighbourhood inn, the Little Chartroom. And the Sheep Heid Inn has been long enough to have served Mary Queen of Scots. In the eight bedrooms at the 18th century Rock House, each is a mixture of ancient details and current fashion.

Valletta, Malta

Flights from the UK to Malta’s capital are only around £30, making it one of the best destinations for a November trip. This tiny city has a temperature of 17 or so and has changed itself into a year-round city break with artistic cafes, hotels and newly opened galleries—Muza opened last year and houses the former National Gallery collection.

7 . Yesterday was my birthday, but I didn’t _______ a plan to do anything with anyone. Feeling greatly _______, I decided to go out to buy a cup of coffee for a birthday celebration by myself. By the time I arrived at my favourite coffee shop, I _______ a couple of ladies into the shop and waited to _______. One of the ladies asked me, “Do we get our own table or do the waiters find one for the _______?” I answered, “I think you get your own table and I’m waiting for that small one because I’m here to _______ my birthday alone.” The coffee shop was fairly _______ and they suggested we _______ a table together. I _______ that wonderful idea.

To my ________, when it was my turn to order and pay the bill, I was told it had been ordered and paid for. On sitting at the table, the ladies told me they were glad to give the surprise as a ________ to me on my birthday.

We spent one hour ________ happily together and we shared many topics of common interest. ________, we had to say goodbye and continued on our separate journey. It was more than I could have expected for the day. Thank you, ________ — my lovely angels for the day. They ________ me that sharing is a joy. We should thank those who help and care about us.

9 . Top Silk Road Attractions

Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑)

Type: History Museums, Historic Sites

Recommended Length of Visit: 3 hours

As the eighth wonder of the ancient world, it has a history of more than 2, 200 years. Oriental mummies (东方木乃伊) wait for you to discover their mystery.

Mogao Grottoes (莫高窟)

Type: Buddhism, Historic Sites

Recommended Length of Visit: 3 hours

Considered as the eastern Louvre Museum, Mogao Grottoes is a glorious treasure of ancient Buddhist cave art. The history of Mogao Grottoes can be traced back to the “Five Hu — 16Kingdoms” period (AD 304-439).

Big Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔)

Type: Culture & History, Buddhism

Recommended Length of Visit: 2 hours

For hundreds of years, this great pagoda has always been the symbol of Xi’an. It is famous for the great traveler Xuanzang of Tang Dynasty who traveled from China to India to learn the Buddhism and got back to China with many precious Buddhist scriptures (佛经).

Qinghai Lake

Type: Lake

Recommended Length of Visit: 5 hours

Known as the largest inland lake, as well as the largest salt water lake in China, it is the most visited and famous attraction in Qinghai Province. Here, you not only enjoy the fantastic natural beauty, but also experience the amazing culture here.

Please click here to add the attraction to your favorite list. Let us plan a private Silk Road Tour for you!

10 . There was once a boy called Mario who loved to have lots of friends at school. However, he wasn’t sure whether or not his classmates were his true friends, so he asked his grandpa. The old man answered, “I have just exactly what you need; it’s in the attic (阁楼). Wait here for a minute.”

Grandpa left, soon returning as though carrying something in his hand, but Mario could see nothing there. “Take it. It’s a very special chair. Because it’s invisible (无形的) it’s rather difficult to sit on, but if you take it to school and you manage to sit on it, you’ll be able to tell who your true friends are.”

Mario took the strange invisible chair and went to school. At break time he asked everyone to form a circle, and he put himself in the middle, with his chair. “Nobody move. You’re about to see something amazing,” Mario said.

Then Mario tried sitting on the chair. He missed and fell straight onto his backside. Everyone had a pretty good laugh. Mario wouldn’t be beaten. He kept trying to sit on the magic chair, and kept falling to the ground... until, suddenly, he tried again and didn’t fall. This time he sat, hovering (悬停) in mid-air.

Looking around, Mario saw George, Lucas, and Diana — three of his best friends — holding him up, so he wouldn’t fall. At the same time, many others he had thought of as friends were doing nothing but make fun of him, enjoying each and every fall.

Leaving with his three friends, Mario explained to them how his grandpa had so cleverly thought of such a good idea. Now he knows that those who take joy in our misfortunes (不幸) when we are in difficulty are not our true friends.