1 . A promotion (促销活动) offering 98 yuan domestic plane tickets is being advertised by Chinese online travel platform LY.COM. While such a low price sounds amazing, there is just one catch: the purchaser is not told where the flight is heading, nor when it will take off.

The promotion has become a trending topic on Chinese social media as some people have been attempting to book them ahead of the upcoming May Day holiday. Labeled as a “destination blind box” on the site, tickets are purchased through a rather simple booking procedure, in which passengers provide their travel information, select a departure airport and then pay their 98 yuan. If the randomly chosen date and destination are unsuitable, users may ask for a refund, but once they “lock in” their tickets，there is no going back.

“Destination blind box” is now a hot topic on China’s online platforms. “I believe young people are a big target demographic (特定年龄段人口) for this promotion, because they not only enjoy the thrill of the unknown, but also like to show off their lives through these types of commercial activities. Like this one for instance, it doesn’t matter if they finally go or not. Booking a ticket and posting about it on social media can still suggest that one has adventurous and life-loving qualities,” said Fan, a marketing expert who has worked with civil aviation clients.

Many people not only shared the screenshots of tickets they drew, some even came up with a tutorial to teach the booking procedure under the free cancelling policy. However, some others claimed it is too rare to draw a ticket that is ideal. “If it wants to be a profitable activity, the release of the tickets must have been planned ahead and is not as random as it seems. It will not have popular airlines. The marketing campaign may also be aimed at the fast sale of some tickets from less popular airlines that were originally not that expensive. If they sell a large quantity of tickets, the company may still earn a profit even though the price is 98 yuan,” an expert in tourism suggested.

4 . The arts, especially music, should be part of every school’s lessons at every grade level. Students would be much smarter if they had some musical experience. They could improve their classroom skills, like paying attention and following directions. People develop all these skills when they learn music. Making music also lets children use their imagination. It provides students with a chance to try out their own ideas.

Music not only makes children better students, but also gives them something positive to do. In a music programme, children can be part of a band instead of joining a gang (团伙). Parents can enjoy listening to their children’s music instead of seeing them glued to a computer or TV screen. In a school band, students get to be part of a team. They can get along well with old friends and make new friends through music.

Music builds self-confidence, too. It gives children a sense of achievement and success. Making music is something for them to be proud of, and it lets kids practise performing in front of the audience. Music gives children an opportunity for self-expression, and that helps develop their self-confidence.

Once again, music is important because it can make children better students, give them something positive to do, and build their character. That is why music lessons should be offered in every single grade in every school.

5 . As a teenager, I was pretty lazy when it came to doing things for my family. I found myself refusing to _________ out at home with even the simplest things.

Every Wednesday afternoon, for example, my mother _________ me to another town for a piano lesson. During my two-hour lesson, she’d rush to the nearby store and buy a week’s worth of _________. Given the fact that my mom had driven me twelve miles there, twelve miles back, and _________ for my lesson, you’d think I’d be very _________ to help her bring the groceries into the house. But I wasn’t. I generally just brought in an armload and left the rest for Mom as I ran to my room and shut the door.

Don’t get me wrong. Back in my room, I felt _________ about not helping my mother more. Deep inside, I wanted to change my _________ . But I also realized that once I took on more responsibility, my parents would start _________ more from me. At age fifteen, I sensed that this one small change would mark something much bigger: my personal change from a spoiled(宠坏的) child to a more _________ young man.

I’ll never forget the Wednesday when I made a(n) __________ to try and see what would happen. Returning home from the lesson I disappeared into my room, as usual. But once inside, I felt that deep and burning __________. Throwing my school books on the bed, I suddenly opened my door and __________ back to the garage to help my mother. How happy I felt that day! Surely, over time, I continued to help out with more housework. The more I helped out, the __________ I felt about myself. As Mom and Dad realized they could __________ on me more, our trips became far less stressful, too.

Sometimes the little things we put off dong for the longest time __________ out to be simplest things to complete. Feeling happy beats feeling guilty any day.

6 . Organic food (有机食品) is very popular. It is also expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as non-organic food. Some parents and pet owners pay up to 200 percent more for organic food while some people think organic food is a waste of money.

There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides (杀虫剂). This makes sure that the products are natural.

Some people think “organic” means “locally grown”. In the beginning, this was true. Over time organic farming became more difficult. The demand for organic food grew larger than the supply. Small companies had to sell out to large companies. There weren’t enough organic materials. This made it difficult for many organic companies to stay in business. Today, many large companies have an organic line of products.

Is organic food more nutritious ( 有 营 养 的 )? This is part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers (消费者) believe it is. They think agricultural chemicals cause health problems, such as cancer. Many health experts disagree. Few studies prove that organic food prevents health problems. Health experts worry more about bacteria (细 菌 ). These can come into contact with organic and non-organic food. Doctors recommend washing produce very carefully.

Most people agree that naturally grown food tastes better. Is tastier food worth the extra money? This is a matter of opinion. Whether it is healthier or not may require more research. However, organic consumers argue it is better to be safe than sorry.

7 . Fantastic Fall Festivals You Won’t Want to Miss

Admission to the Seymour Apple Festival is free and so is the entertainment! More than 15,000 people from all over the region come out to take part in the activities, ranging from drawings, vendor booths, food, apple contests, bike decorating contests, and more.

The popular Marionville Apple Festival is home to countless activities and events. The carnival, pony rides, and games will keep the kids busy, while adults will enjoy watching the pie-eating contest and browsing dozens of craft vendor booths.

The Humansville Fall Festival may be hosted by a small town, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking big fun. Perfect for all ages, this fall festival is celebrating its 70th year and will provide three full days of fun. This year’s festival will feature live music from fantastic local musicians, which will definitely make it different from the ones in other years. You’ll also find fun carnival rides, talented artisans selling their goods, and an amazing parade to wrap up the event on Saturday.

The Southside Fall Festival is perfect for family celebrations, with an alcohol-free environment and free admission. Enjoy a colorful parade and float contest, delicious food vendors, live music, karaoke, and more.

Make sure to bring the kids along for this festival that celebrates all things creative. The Fall Into Arts Festival features a host of kid-friendly activities like a lego build, sand art, bubble stations, chalk the sidewalk, a jump house, and more. Parents will have plenty to do as well, with an excellent variety of artists, festival food, a mini film festival, and much more.

8 . Some people say he is a hero. Some people say he is stupid. Emmanuel Tulor thinks he did the _________ thing.

The 18-year-old from Liberia found $50,000 on the highway. He gave it back to the _________. Life in Liberia isn’t _________. The country went through 14 years of civil wars. Tulor dropped out of school in seventh grade and started driving a motorcycle taxi to _________ money. One day, he was _________ on the highway when he saw a bunch of money wrapped in a plastic bag. It had been _________ on the road unnoticed. There were thousands of dollars inside. “I was _________ because it was plenty.” he said, “and so I brought it home and gave it to my aunty to _________ until the owner could ask for it.”

That day, Musu Yancy, the businesswoman who had lost the money, went on the radio _________ for her money and appealing to anyone finding it. So he took it to her. Yancy gave him a(n) __________ of cash and some gifts, which was worth about $1,500 in all. Yancy celebrated with Tulor.

Tulor said that while many Liberians are praising his actions, others including some friends, __________ him. They said he should keep the money. “Since my decision, when I have a(n) __________ on the highway and some of my rider friends see me, they don’t help; they say I was __________ to find and return money. I should let the money help me.”

Tulor still thinks he made the right choice. He thinks people should __________ lost things and the cash they find. Tulor planned to __________ the gifts with some people who were with him when he found the cash. “But the cash I got will be given to my grandma.” he said.