1 . For more than half a century, scientists have sought to understand X-rays from space and what they reveal about our galaxy and the universe beyond it. As it turns out, lobsters can help astronomers do just that.

Lobsters (龙虾) have developed specialized eyes to see in their dark habitats located up to around 2,300 feet below the ocean surface. Unlike humans, whose eyes consist of rounded lenses that bend light, lobsters’ eyes depend on reflection. Each of their two eyes is packed with up to 10,000 square-shaped tubes. Each tube is lined with a flat, reflective surface that acts like a mirror to direct incoming light down to the retina (视网膜). This setup affords lobsters a full 180-degree view, compared with humans’ 120-degree vision.

The breakthrough idea connecting lobster eyes to astronomy came in 1978 when Roger Angel, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, drew inspiration from an article on animal vision. Angel envisioned creating instruments imitating lobster eyes to enhance the capture of cosmic X-rays during missions beyond Earth’s orbit. In 1992, researchers from Columbia University ran the first successful X-ray measurements using lobster-eye instruments. It took another 15 years before the tech was adapted for spacecraft missions. “This is a technology that’s been around a long time in astrophysics,” says Scott Porter, an astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Today, Porter’s team has developed specialized instruments to better understand how solar wind interact with Earth’s magnetic (磁的) field. Researchers pack thousands of tiny glass tubes and then heat and curve them to create a ball shape that can concentrate the X-rays into a singular point. Plus, many of these tools are much lighter and smaller than traditional X-ray instruments, and therefore easier to incorporate into multi-instrument missions.

Porter says that the number of applications for lobster-based instruments have increased in recent years. As projects receive funding, lobster eye instruments may become a key tool in our quest to better understand the vast, mysterious universe.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has evolved over thousands of years. It is a comprehensive healthcare system     1     (root) in ancient theory and wisdom.

TCM came into being in the primitive (原始的) society, and its theory     2     (form) during the Spring and Autumn Period. During the Ming and Qing Dynasty, doctors tended to improve it despite pressure and difficulties.

    3     makes Chinese medicine distinct is its emphasis on the balance of vital energy within the body and the recognition of the body as     4     whole. In TCM, individuals often encounter a unique diagnostic (诊断的) approach,     5     involves considering not just symptoms but also the lifestyle of the person. Chinese medicine has a wide range of treatments,     6     (include) herbal medicine, acupuncture (针灸), and dietary therapy, to address both the symptoms and potential imbalances. In fact, TCM doesn’t only treat diseases; it promotes overall well-being by harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit. Medical     7     (professional) advocate that each individual is different, and their health conditions may originate from a     8     (combine) of factors.

Ancient wisdom and modern research have enabled Chinese medicine to find its place alongside Western medicine,     9     an increasing number of people seeking a comprehensive approach to healthcare. As Chinese medicine becomes more     10     (wide) recognized, it not only contributes to individual health but also enriches the global healthcare landscape.

China used a Long March 6A carrier rocket,     1     product of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, on Sunday     2     (send) a remote-sensing satellite into orbit. The rocket lifted off at 12:30 pm from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province and     3     (successful) placed the Yaogan 40 satellite into its intended orbit.

Remote-sensing satellites are used to observe, survey and measure objects on land or     4     sea, as well as monitor weather. The Yaogan family is the     5     (large) fleet of remote-sensing spacecraft in China, and their data     6     (use) by government in the last years.     7     (design) to get data on the environment and conduct related technological tests, it attracted extensive attention worldwide. Many showed     8     (curious) about what it would bring to China.

This is the third launch mission of the Long March 6A rocket,     9     (make) its first flight in March 2022, and it was China’s 42nd rocket launch this year and the 487th flight of the Long March rocket family,     10     was the nation’s main launch vehicle fleet.

6 . In China, tourist attractions often charge too much, with providers making use of foreign tourists’ lack of knowledge to charge visitors unusual prices.     1    . Here are some tips.

It’s good to do some research about the place you are going on your trip and which goods are its specialties, which prepares you well to bargain (讨价还价). It helps to read others’ tips and experiences and do price comparisons on websites.    2    .

Being in a rush gets the bargainer in trouble. Time is not on your side. The provider has all the time in the world, and can sell that thing tomorrow.    3    . If you can, plan ahead, take your time and don’t be rushed. If the seller isn’t coming down on the item you want, walk away.

Walking away works very well in big tourist places. If the price is still too high, you give your final offer and walk away slowly while looking at other things. You will usually be called back.

    4    

Typically, if shopping for things which are not expensive, you can try to go 25 to 50 percent of the asking price. If the thing is very expensive, it’s better to start lower. Just say 10 percent of the asking price, so you have more room to bargain.

    5    . You’ll hear everything from “Now my child won’t have any dinner”, to “You are getting this for less than I paid for it!” These are lies. The seller is making a profit, so don’t worry. They are not going to sell you anything out of the goodness of their heart. It’s a game and it’s fun to play. So play right back and say something like, “Yes, but now I can’t afford to have any dinner, either!”

8 . Ida Keeling was 67, weak and sick, when her daughter Cheryl suggested a run to her. Cheryl thought that maybe what would pull her mother out from dark cloud was something that would get her _______ again.

Keeling lived a hard life when young, growing up _______ in Harlem, and doing hard work in factories during the Great Depression. She had _______ her husband early, and two of her four children died in drug-related incidents in 1978 and 1981.

Keeling had sunk into a deep _______, her health had begun to _______, and her daughters began to _______ that they soon might be losing their mother as well.

It had been decades since Keeling had done any _______, and she would later recall that first “mini-run” feeling as if it would never end. But when it did, “I just threw off all my bad _______.”

She hasn’t stopped running since, and it’s no longer as _______ as it was during that first meet. “I was just exercising then,” she says ________ regarding that first run, “and now I’m all over the world.”

When she’s not running, she must be ________. She’s in the gym three to four days a week on a ________ basis. Part of her healthy diet is occasional consumption of alcohol mixed with her coffee or water to ________ blood circulation.

She’s written a book about her ________, titled Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race Against Time. Her ________ is also suitable for everyone: “Every day is another day forward.”

CCTV’s Sports Channel uses the slogan “sport is power”, and these words proved true when China     1    (host) the FISU World University Games in Chengdu, Sichuan province, from July 28 to Aug 8.

Nothing is     2    (powerful) than letting thousands of foreign athletes, team members and visitors from around the world     3    (witness)and experience the energy of China. The games successfully showed China’s achievements to the world.

Chinese media should capitalize on the success of the games by producing more     4    (video) that highlight the amazing and touching aspects of the games     5    sharing them on social media platforms. This will help spread China’s success stories around the world.

For China the games will facilitate the     6    (grow) of university sports in the nation,     7     is crucial for improving the physical health of its students. It is most fitting that China     8    (take) Aug 8 as National Sports Day ever since.

It is only natural     9     the nation to work hard to host more international sports events, as these provide the perfect platform to showcase China’s successes. There are already other upcoming opportunities. China might also aim to host a FIFA World Cup,     10    (regard) as the most spectacular international sporting event.