[Hot Snake]

... This morning, however, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which     1     of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he     2    . A bird had snatched up the snake... When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and     3    .

[Running and Fitness]

As people often say, any exercise is better than none, but long-distance running     1    .

... Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run to cheer themselves up. Even a thirty-minute run will     2     that you may be suffering due to stress.

[Your Life Is What You Make It]

... Besides teaching, Zhang Tian also brought changes to the village. He contacted charity organizations about     1     and helped the villagers sell local products online.     2     was great, so he became very popular among the villagers and they treated him as one of them.

There are various reasons why people compose poetry. Some poems tell a story or describe a certain image in the readers’ mind. Others try to convey certain f    1     such as joy and sorrow. The distinctive characteristics of poetry often include economic use of words, descriptive and v    2     language, integrated imagery, l    3     devices such as similes and metaphors, and arrangements of words, lines, rhemes, and rhythm. Poets use many different forms of poetry to e    4     themselves. Now we will look at a few of the simpler forms.

Some of the first poems a young child learns in English are nursery r    5    . They are usually the traditional poems or f    6     songs. The language of these rhymes, like Poem A, is to the p    7     but has a storyline. Many children enjoy nursery rhymes because they rhyme, have a strong rhythm, and often repeat the same words. The poems may not make s    8     and even seem contradictory, but they are easy to learn and r    9    . By playing with the words in nursery rhymes children learned about language.

Nowadays, we can move around the world and still stay in     1     with (保持联络) the people that we want to remain friends with. Social media tools let us see what our friends are up to and maintain friendships. The     2     (数码的) age also enables us to find people who share our interests or have     3     (独一无二的，独特的) talents. Whatever our hobbies, the Internet can connect us with others who also enjoy doing them, even if they live on the other side of the world.

But when you “friend” people online, does this mean that they really are your friends? It depends. If people always     4     (交流信息，想法等) true personal information online, then yes, these friendships can be real and meaningful. But we need to     5     in mind (记住) that what we see on social media is often not the whole     6     (真相，实情) about a person. On social media sites, people tend to post only positive     7     (最新消息) that make them appear happy and friendly. But smiling photos can hide real problems. This doesn’t mean that we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Although technology has changed the way we acquire friends, the meaning of friendship remains the same.

Here are some qualities that a true friend possesses. He accepts who you are and trust you with his authentic self. He stands by you and offer words of     8     (安慰，慰藉) when you feel upset. He wants what’s really good for you and is willing to share     9     (资源). If you want to find such a friend, be one yourself. Your friend is a     10     (反映，映射) of your own personality.

It was the final part of the 2016 World Triathlon     1     (系列赛) in Mexico. With just 700 meters to go, Alistair Brownlee was in third place and his younger brother, Jonny, was in the     2     (领先). Alistair was     3     (接近) the finish line in the burning heat, but as he came round the corner, he saw his brother about to fall onto the     4     (跑道). Alistair had to choose — brotherly love, or a chance to win the race? For Alistair, the choice was clear. His brother was in trouble. He had to help. The rescue put Jonny in second place and Alistair himself in third. It was an     5     (出乎意料的) end to the race.

The Brownlee brothers have been doing triathlons since they were children. “    6     (显然), when your older brother is doing it, you think it’s a cool thing to do,” says Jonny. Despite     7     (争论) over “stupid things” now and then, Alistair agrees that having a brother is an advantage.

Watched by millions, the ending to the race has divided opinions: should the brothers have been     8     (取消……的资格) or highly praised? But for Alistair, at that     9     (具体的，特定的) moment of the race, he was no longer an     10     (运动员) aiming for a medal — he was just a brother.