1 . Although I love watching Olympic diving, I’ve never understood why athletes hurry off to the showers and then proceed to relax in a hot tub (热水浴池) after each dive. They’re already wet. They’re only in the pool for a handful of seconds, so it’s not like they need to get cleaned up. And doesn’t taking a shower serve the same purpose as sitting in a hot tub?

Actually, that’s what Olympic divers usually do between dives as they know very well about the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs. So, what’s the actual reason?

As it turns out, showers and hot tubs are used pretty interchangeably by the swimming pool. However, there is a need for both. First, let’s start with why divers need to take a shower between dives. It has to do with body temperature and keeping their muscles relaxed. As you can imagine, practicing dives in the pool, then having to keep your body warm in a shower, and then jumping off a 10-meter platform and into cold water couldn’t be comfortable for anyone. Going back and forth between these warm and cool temperatures can cause a diver’s muscles to tense or cramp up (痉挛), which can lead to injuries to the muscles. Showers allow an Olympic diver to recover and prevent that.

In that way, showers and hot tubs serve the same purpose. A hot tub is generally used if you have a bit more time between dives and have already stretched. The shower walls on the pool deck can typically provide enough space for more divers at the same time, and they’re especially helpful for athletes who need to stretch or who only have a few minutes between dives. Just like Olympic swimmers depend on thick clothes to keep their muscles warm, Olympic divers rely on these methods to stay loose. If you ask me, it’s not a bad way to pass the time!

A committee was     1     to limit damage to the Egyptian buildings and     2    the loss of cultural relics. The group asked for     3     from different departments and raised    4     within the international community. Experts     5     the issue,     6     several tests, and then made a proposal for how the buildings could be saved. Finally, a     7     was signed, and the work began in 1960.

Today, the Chinese writing system is still an important part of Chinese culture. As China plays a greater role in global     1    , an increasing number of international students are beginning to     2     China’s culture and history through this     3     language.

4 . Art and science may seem like opposite things. One means the creative flow of ideas, and the other means cold, hard data-some people believe. In fact, the two have much in common. Now, a study finds art can help students remember better what they have learned in the science class.

Mariale Hardiman, an education specialist at Johns Hopkins University, noticed that students who used art in the classroom listened more carefully. They might ask more questions. They might volunteer more ideas. What’s more, students seemed to remember more of what they had been taught when their science lessons had involved(涉及) art. To prove that, Hardiman teamed up with some researchers and six local schools.

In the experiment, the researchers worked with teachers in 16 fifth-grade classrooms. They provided traditional science lessons and art-focused ones. In a traditional science class, for example, students might read aloud from a book. In the art-focused one, they might sing the information instead.

The team randomly assigned(随机分配) each of the 350 students to either a traditional science classroom or an art-focused one. Students then learned science using that way for the whole unit-about three weeks. When they changed to a new topic, they also changed to the other type of class. This way, each student had both an art-focused class and a traditional one. Every unit was taught in both ways, to different groups of students. This enabled the researchers to see how students did in both types of classes.

The team found that students who started off in a traditional class performed better after they moved into an art-focused class. But those who started off in an art-focused class did well even when they went back to a traditional science class. These students appeared to use some of the art techniques(技巧) after going back to a traditional class. Classroom teachers reported that many students continued to sing the songs that they learned after finishing the unit. “The more we hear something, the more we retain it,” Hardiman says. “It suggests that the arts may help students apply creative ways of learning on their own.”

6 . I’ve heard that it’s better to give than to receive. But I’m here to tell you that the ________ of receiving should never be under estimated (低估).

I was nine when my Dad and Mom ________, and took me to my grandparents. I decided at that age, in my loneliness and anger that I’d become unbelievably ________, needing no one.

Believe it or not, I took care of everyone in my life, even when I was in worse shape. Once in a while, ________, someone would do something for me at just the moment.

Once, when I was a single parent, I took my son to see Santa Claus.

When he ________ me to buy the photo that was taken, I opened my wallet, only to find that I didn’t have enough money. When I got to the counter to ________ the photo, I was told that someone inline ahead of me had seen me ________ my change and had paid for me. I rushed out to thank the person whose small kindness ________ so much. I found no one in sight. I wanted to ________ that I didn’t need this and I just didn’t have enough cash on that day. I ________ then that it’s okay. It’s okay to let someone do something for me, ________ I could have done it myself.

I have received the blessings (祝福) of those whose acts of generosity and_______ have found me when I needed them most. I believe that it’s not about my strength and independence. It’s about allowing the giver to be blessed when the gift is graciously (优雅地) ________. For me, it’s about a long lost little girl who is no longer ________. Now I know that ________ and receiving are two halves of a whole, each incomplete without the other.

Tangshan started to revive itself and get back up on its feet. With strong support from the government and the tireless     1     of the city’s people, a new Tangshan was built upon the earthquake     2    . The new city has become a home to more than seven million people, with great improvements in transportation, industry, and environment. Tangshan city has proved to China and the rest of the world that in times of disaster, people must unify and show the     3     to stay positive and rebuild for a brighter future.

As a player, Lang Ping brought honour and     1     to her country. As a coach, she led the China women’s volleyball team to medals at world     2     and the Olympics. As a person, Lang Ping is loved by fans at home and abroad. When theChinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her     3     was tested.The team that Lang Ping had built was falling apart. One of the best players had been    4    , and the team captain had to leave because of heart problems. Losing two important players was a big challenge, but Lang Ping did not lose heart.

10 . When you set a foot outside of your door to drop trash, go to a social event or go for a walk, thoughts like “I hope I don’t see anyone I know” or “please don’t talk to me” may run through your mind. I’ve also said such things to myself. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is to talk with someone, especially someone new.

Why do we go out of our ways to avoid people? Do we think meeting new people is a waste of time? Or are we just lazy, thinking that meeting someone new really is a trouble?

Communication is the key to life. We have been told that many times. Take the past generations, like our parents, for example. They seem to take full advantage of that whole “communication” idea because they grew up talking face to face while Generation-Y grew up staring at screens. We spend hours of our days sitting on Facebook. We send messages to our friends and think about all of the things we want to say to certain people and that we don’t have the courage to do in reality.

Nowadays, we are so caught up in our little circle of friends — our comfort zone. We love it that they laugh at our jokes, understand our feelings and can read our minds. Most importantly, they know when we want to be alone. They just get us.

Holding a conversation with someone new means agreeing with things that you don’t really believe and being someone you think they want you to be — it is, as I said before, a trouble. It takes up so much energy, and at some point or another, it is too tiring.

But meeting new people is important. Life is too short, so meet all the people you can meet, make the effort to go out and laugh. Remember, every “hello” leads to a smile — and a smile is worth a lot.