A GIFT FOR GRANDPA

Summer vacation was coming. Jack and his brother Berlin were filled with excitement as they thought of visiting their grandparents again.

The big day came at last. After the happy family got ready, they set out for the grandparents’ eagerly. On the way, the brothers were excitedly talking about the fun they had with grandparents.

A little blue house with a tall white chimney finally appeared. Behind the property was the forest carrying their good memories with Grandpa. They arrived at the driveway, at the end of which Grandma was waiting for them joyfully.

Jack and Berlin each gave Grandma a big hug and then swept to the living room, shouting excitedly “Grandpa, we are back!”

Seeing his grandsons, Grandpa was wild with joy and tried to get up with all his strength from the chair but in vain. A helpless expression flashed on his face. Grandma explained that his health was declining rapidly and maybe couldn’t stand up on his own forever. But Grandpa declared stubbornly (倔强地), “I can!” Certainly, he was stuck in his boyish way. Mum and grandparents were happy to meet again after a long time. They sat together and chatted about what happened recently.

The brothers were soon bored with adult conversation, went out and wandered into the forest. Tall trees stretched up to the heavens with large branches crossing each other, while young ones rose straight like soldiers. Grandpa was once a great explorer full of wisdom. He could tell where the birds came from only by their calls and songs. The trees, birds, lizards, lots of bugs...How many merry moments they spent with Grandpa in the kingdom!

But now Grandpa couldn't get up. This made them worried. “We’d think out a way to cheer him up.” Jack said. “Grandpa is a bird lover, and we can catch him a bird.” Berlin suggested. “But he hates birds being caged!” Jack shook his head.

Then a bright idea came to Jack’s mind. “Why not make a cane (拐杖) out of a young tree!”

Berlin thought it was a good idea.

Jack and Berlin handed the cane to Grandpa.

4 . Sunny is waiting for free food in a neighborhood near Toronto Pearson International Airport. She’s________milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables. Sunny doesn’t want Richard or the other two volunteers to________40 kilograms of food from the parking area to her flat. Richard, member of the Sai Dham Food Bank, tried to________Sunny to wait upstairs in her home, but he knows he needn’t argue. As a former nurse, she doesn’t________rely on her own children because she’s________. However, with the help of Sai Dham Food Bank, she’s survived for the past five years. Richard________the team of Sai Dham, where a few dozen volunteers make________to 265 seniors and disabled people who couldn’t ________go to food banks.

Sai Dham was________in 2012, after Richard read an article about the rate(比例)of the________ in the area where they lived. “We never________a food bank at first; we just wanted to________a service for people in need,” said Richard.

At first, they bought________with their own money and helped people by word of mouth. But over the past seven years,________growing food donation and volunteer work, they have become a________support in Toronto. They have________over 450,000 kilograms of food, and their services have expanding to including a breakfast program for 300 students daily, as well as offering food to local food bank________trouble.

Sai Dham’s work is attracting nationwide________–more and more people come to know about it. But it’s a________battle, for it still needs trucks, an office and more assistance. With________donations from local supermarkets, bigger sponsorships(赞助)are expected to appear.

6 . Technology is shaping many different areas of the world. One area that has been greatly changed by the advances of technology itself is the stock (股票) market. There are several ways how technology has changed and shaped the present state of the market, and also the future direction.

Apps like RobinHood Trading has made it easier than ever to access stock market trading. Driven by technology, they are able to operate with less cost, seeing a significant reduction in fees. These fees often make casual traders be turned off the idea of the stock market, as low amounts they want to invest (投资) will not be of worthwhile after paying varieties of fees to most companies. This has seen a new type of trader,with a lower amount of wealth, be able to effectively make use of the market.

The speed of buying and selling is now faster than ever. Traditionally trades were done by shouting from one human to another, then through telephones and now the internet. With faster transactions, more trades are occurring, and when market changes are occurring, investors can react quicker than ever. Quicker reaction to new information will mean that the market is constantly changing faster than ever.

Due to the rise of the Internet, information allowing people to make an informed decision is easier than ever to get. Instead of relying on other people’s recommendations and analysis, it is extremely easy to access company reports and see for yourself whether or not it would be a good investment. The information is now more in-depth as well, as technology is able to analyse company data in a more detailed and scientific way to allow you to form a more educated opinion. Many companies provide real time data on the stock markets, allowing you to see completely up-to-date information and see the start of any potential trends allowing you to take advantage of the changing market.

7 . Travel allows us to experience the world. But as we travel, we are also leaving our footprint on every place we visit. This is why culturally immersive (沉浸) travel is so important. Because the wrong kind of travel negatively affects the world. One of the reasons we started this blog was to help others travel better and feel comfortable getting off the beaten path, interacting with locals, and take you “Beyond the traditional Bucketlist”, if you will.

People who only get 2-weeks off per year are often just looking for an easy destination with a beach to relax on. This isn’t travel. This is a vacation. But “Immersive Travel” or “Cultural Travel” is an entirely new type of trip. It is about experiencing and preserving the various traditions around the world. It’s about being open to new experiences and willing to step into another’s shoes. Cultural travel is jumping in with both feet and leaving your idea about what your trip should be behind you. It’s eating local dishes and sleeping in guesthouses. It’s building genuine connections with locals. It’s learning about the history of a country and leaving your trip with a greater understanding of the place you came to see and the people who live there.

Often times in today’s age, “travelers” will visit a country just to snap some photos of the famous sights to post on Instagram or to drink the night away, or even just to relax on a tropical beach. But that kind of vacation can be harmful to the very communities you’re traveling to.

Beyond supporting the local communities and the preservation of local customs and traditions, you’ll also experience some personal benefits through cultural travels. There’s simply no way to travel this way with a closed mind. You’ll get to know different cultures intimately and understand them a lot better. You’ll also become less judgmental of others the more you travel.

8 . Many people today think of the pyramids of Giza as the symbol of ancient Egyptian culture. But who actually built them? For years, we did not know for sure. Now, however, archaeologists have discovered an ancient city near the pyramids. Close by, there is a cemetery (墓地) where the pyramid builders were buried. From studying these places, archaeologists are sure that the pyramids were not built by slaves or foreigners.    1    

It took about 80 years to build the pyramids. Archaeologists believe that about 20,000-30,000 people took part in the construction.     2     Some dug up the rock, some moved it, and some shaped it into blocks. People also worked on different teams, each with its own name. Workers often competed to see whose team could do a job faster.

“We can see that in their skeletons(骨骼),” says Azza Mohamed Sarry El-Din, a scientist studying bones found in the cemetery. According to her research, the bones show signs of arthritis (关节炎)．    3     Archaeologists have also found many female skeletons in the ancient city and cemetery. The damage to their bones is similar to that of the men.    4     Male workers generally lived to age 40-45, but women to only 30-35. However, workers usually had enough food, and they also received medical care if they got sick or hurt.

    5     On a wall in Khufu's Great Pyramid, for example, a group of workers wrote Friends of Khufu. “It's because they were not just building the tomb of their king,” says Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass. “They were building Egypt. It was a national project, and everyone was a part.”

Peru, a county     1     the Pacific coast of South America, is well-known for its diverse geography. time honored history and magnificent civilization. The county was the center of the powerful ancient Inca Empire in the 1400s and 1500s, when the Inca emperor     2     (live) in the now-famous site Machu Picchu.     3     nation was under the control of Spain from the 16^th century to 1821. It is because of this     4     Spanish is the main     5    (office) language of Peru.

If you are to visit Peru, you may consider spending a day or two     6     (wander) along the beautiful streets in Cusco,     7     was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13^th until the 16^th century. It is also recommended that you     8     (pay) a visit to Machu Picchu, where you can admire the     9     (amaze) dry stone method of building. Being the world's catalogue, Peru is sure to leave an     10     (impress) on everyone.