For almost every morning, the sun rose to greet the day and the birds sang its songs outside an upstairs window of the house. Inside, Jeff and Jenna would wake up.

Usually, the brother and sister got along very well. They took turns nicely with the bathroom. They said “please” and “thank you” at breakfast. They often sat together on the school bus. Afterschool they worked together happily on their special project—their own backyard house.

But one gray morning they didn’t get along well at all! Maybe it was the weather, or maybe the birds slept late. But whatever it was, they got into an angry argument.

Jenna opened her eyes and stretched. Then she sat up and let her legs dangle (悬挂) over the edge of herbed—right in Jeff’s face. She didn’t mean it. It was just one of those things that happens with a bunkbed (双层床).

That morning Jeff was not in a very good mood.

“Jenna!” he shouted. “Get your silly feet out of my face!”

“My feet aren’t silly, and they’re not in your face!” she shouted back.

Before Jeff could answer, she skipped into the bathroom ahead of him. She took a very longtime brushing her teeth, washing up, and combing her hair.

“You’d better come out of that bathroom!” shouted Jeff, banging (猛敲) on the door.

“Jeff, ”said Mama, coming out of her bedroom, “you know better than to shout at your sister.”

“But she’s taking too long in the bathroom,” complained Jeff. “And she’s doing it on purpose!”

When Jeff banged on the door again, it opened and out came Jenna, all dressed up.

“Good morning, Mama,” she said, taking no notice of Jeff at all.

Jeff and Jenna kept avoiding each other that day.

“That’s enough, ”said Mama seriously.

3 . I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m rubbish at saying “NO”. For example, last Sunday I was sitting at my desk alone, totally ________ in my own business, when a colleague of mine phoned and asked me to get________in shopping with her. I found myself getting all caught up in her ________and didn't want to ________her. So I said “Sure, why not?” and before the call ________, I found myself agreeing, without giving any thought whether it was worth doing.

We were both window-shoppers and ________a whole day in the street. ________, I hardly have any time to spare because I am very busy.________my normal job, I’ve also got a book to write, a business to________and a family to look after. And then there are my other projects to ________－my voluntary work and a couple of other interesting investments that I want to________.

I’m going to have to be more________and not just agree to everything people ask me to do. In order words, I’m going to have to get________at saying “NO”. Usually I hate saying “NO”, because having to disappoint someone usually________me. Now I realize because I haven’t learned to say “NO”, I’ve been feeling very________.

We had better do what we think is right and what we are________to do. Sometimes it does not seem that bad to refuse others. If I focus on the things I really want to do, I’ll reach a much higher ________and do them quite well. I’ll be enthusiastic and ________and do something that is good for everyone and everyone will be ________. It’ll be a win-win________. What’s not good about that? So sometimes, we have to say “No”.

4 . In WALL-E, a science fiction movie, a little robot is responsible for cleaning a world covered in garbage; a world where there is no longer room for anything else, not even humans! The film encourages common people, worldwide leaders and businessmen to ask the obvious question: What can be done to prevent something like this happening? For some, microfactories could become the most promising answer.

Veena Sahajwalla, a materials scientist and engineer in Sydney, Australia, has discovered a solution to the challenging waste problem. Her one-stop approach could go beyond the existing recycling processes. Her waste microfactories mainly target electronic waste and plastic, and are essentially little trash processors. These can transform waste into new materials with the help of thermal(热的) technology.

“Using our green manufacturing technologies, these microfactories can transform waste, enabling local businesses and communities to not only solve local waste problems, but to develop a commercial opportunity from the valuable materials that are created,” she explains.

Humans generate 2.01 billion tons of solid waste annually. And as the fastest growing waste stream, approximately 53.6 million tons of e-waste were generated globally by 2019. Despite current efforts, only 17.4 percent of this is known to have been collected and properly recycled. Meanwhile, worldwide e-waste generation is expected to continue to grow, reaching almost 80 million tons by 2030.

Although the most effective solution to the waste challenges would not generate as much trash, Sahajwalla microfactories provide hope for all the waste that already exists. Her solution not only decreases the amount of waste, but it also improves its management and enables new manufacturing opportunities around the new materials created.

WALL-E shows us the best and the worst of what human beings have to offer. It shows where the world is headed unless the human species slows down and stops developing at the current pace. But it also provides hope, showing that we also have a great power to change and improve.

5 . In the digital age, we rely on technology such as social media in trying to build interesting and varied lives. Social networking sites like Facebook are designed and promoted to make us believe enthusiastically that they are able to open up new experiences for us. There are constant notifications (通知) and updates, urging us to check-in to find out what is new.

But if we do not use the technology wisely, we can end up becoming overly attached and trapped in a cycle of social media FOMO, a sign of deeper unhappiness. FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a fear that exciting or interesting events are happening somewhere else and that we are not able to join.

People who experience high levels of FOMO have been found to be more likely to give in to urges to write and check text messages while driving, as well as to use Facebook more often directly after waking, while going to sleep and during meals.

When it comes to lasting happiness, it is best not to give in to FOMO, but rather to deal with the cycle of desires that fuel it. Hard as it is, we are better off working toward facing the fearful reality that we cannot experience everything we might like than to get caught in a cycle of checking behaviors that only cause anxiety.

If we have become used to using social media as part of our attempts at living interesting lives, we must admit that it is not easy to change our approach. But change is almost always worthwhile in the long run.

The fact that FOMO is so common in our digital age is a sign that there is something wrong with the way we are pursuing happiness and that we are not as happy as we might think we are. It should warn us that, in our eagerness to use digital technology to try to make ourselves happier, we may unintentionally (无意之中) be bringing on exactly the opposite result.

8 . One day I was driving to the marsh(湿地)for bird-watching. The weather forecast called for the possibility of fog. As I ______ the destination, the fog began to ______ . At a turning point, I lost ______ of the car and ran into the wet land.

I tried to open the door, but it was locked as the water had ______ the electrical system. I remembered I had a fire extinguisher(灭火器). I ______ it and gave the window a ______ hit. It merely bounced off. I hit it again, with the ______ result.

The water level had risen, and soon I was swinging the extinguisher underwater. I had to ______ for air and down to take as many ______ as my breath would allow. I was nearly ______. A part of me just wanted to give up. But then another thought came to mind, " You have ______ more time. What will you do with it?" "I'm going to try ______, "I responded.

I ______ swinging the fire extinguisher as hard as I could and suddenly the impact felt different. I ______ my left hand and felt a hole in the ______. I knew I was going to live.

Best wishes!

Yours,

Li Hua

The British have many traditions but there is nothing more quintessential(典型的）than     1    (take)afternoon tea.We know the Brits have a love affair with drinking tea,     2    more than 160 million cups drunk every day,but it was the invention of afternoon tea     3     turned tea-drink into a popular pastime.

This sociable feast involves drinking good quality tea     4    (comfort)while nibbling(小口吃）on nice sandwiches,scones with jam and cream and a selection of small cakes.And,of course, it can only happen in the afternoon!Afternoon tea,which     5    (design)as a light snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner,dates back to the 1840s.It went on to become a     6    (fashion) social occasion for the upper classes.

Now there is a resurgence(复苏）in its     7    (popular)in the UK and it is available to anyone who can afford it.     8     it can be enjoyed at home,the best way to experience it is at a smart hotel or cafe.But if you're thinking of visiting such a place     9    (enjoy)a plate of sweet and savory treats with a steaming hot brew,remember the rules you must follow to avoid     10    (ask)to leave.

Writer Henry James once noted that"there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."I'm sure once you have tried it,you will agree.