I hesitated to join the new Tai Chi Club because I     1     (think) tai chi was for old people. In fact, it was really     2     (amaze) and had a huge effect on me physically and mentally.     3     is said that a 13th-century Taoist, named Zhang Sanfeng, invented tai chi     4     is deeply rooted in the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.

While learning the basics of tai chi, I found myself     5     (bore) and aching.     6     (lucky), my coach taught me how to relax my     7     (muscle) and focus on peace of mind. With this requirement, I found that my balance and flexibility slowly improved     8     I also found my love for tai chi returned stronger.

A year of practicing tai chi has had a positive effect     9     my everyday life. I feel     10     (happy) and more confident. I will continue to practice tai chi and enjoy the benefits it has brought me.

When we think of paper, we think of newspapers and books. But there are many other uses. Only half of the world’s paper     1     (use) for books and newspapers.

Paper is very good for     2     (keep) you warm. You have perhaps seen homeless men     3     (sleep) on large numbers of newspapers. In Finland, it is sometimes -40℃ in winter. The farmers wear paper boots (靴子) in the snow. Nothing could be     4     (warm).

Each year, more and more things are made of paper. We have had paper cups     5     plates for a long time. But now we hear     6     chairs, tables, and even     7     (bed) can be made of paper. Besides paper boots and shoes, you can wear paper hats, paper dresses, and paper raincoats. When you have used them once, you may throw them away and buy new ones.

The latest use of paper     8     (seem) to be paper houses. These are not small houses for children to play in, but real, big houses for people to live in. You can buy     9     house with three rooms for about 500 dollars. You can put it up by     10     (you) in a few hours, and you can use it for about five years.

The Internet has the power to connect people across the world to a single shared community. We can gain almost anything online — with access to the Internet come some     1     (true) life-changing advantages. One of the greatest advantages of the Internet lies in the quick and easy access to     2     huge amount of information. Now the Internet     3     (become) the first place that the majority of people turn to for information. Meanwhile, it has also made our lives unbelievably     4     (convenience), as all sorts of goods and services     5     (provide) by e-commerce. Above all else, the Internet helps us establish and maintain social ties. No matter where we are, we are able to keep in touch with loved ones     6     share our hobbies. Though the Internet brings many valuable advantages, being connected has     7     (it) problems. We must be aware     8     these problems and be careful     9     (use) the Internet properly and responsibly. Only in this way can the Internet be a place of discovery, wonder and     10     (inspire) for everyone.

Who is the greatest teacher in Chinese history? Many people would say: Confucius.

Confucius lived in the kingdom of Lu, part of today’s Shandong Province, during the Spring and Autumn Period. His father died when he was only 3 and he had to work     1     (help) his mother. But young Confucius didn’t give up     2     (study). He visited many famous teachers and learned music, history, poetry and sports.

Later, he became a teacher and started the first public school in Chinese history. At that time only children     3     rich families could go to school, but Confucius believed everyone should go to school if they wanted to learn.

Today, people still follow Confucius’ lessons. He told us that everyone has something     4     is worth learning and teaching. “When I am with three people, one of them is     5     (probable) better than me in some areas. I select their good qualities and follow them. I take their bad qualities and change them in myself.” He also taught     6     (we), “All study but no thinking makes people     7     (puzzle). All thinking but no study     8     (make) people lazy.”

Confucius is not only a great teacher,     9     also a famous thinker with wise thoughts about the world and society. His most important teachings are about     10     (kind) and good manners (礼仪).

Through travelling you can enjoy beautiful views and     1     (broad) your horizons. In summer, you’d better get on a cruise (乘船游览) ship in the city of Chongqing which will take you to the Three Gorges, for those ordinary ships are usually too     2     (crowd). Near Yunyang, at the steep edge of the hills     3     (stand) the famous Zhang Fei Temple     4     (surround) by trees. Because smoking     5     (forbid) in the cabins, you have to go to the deck to smoke,     6     you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. You can see some fishermen     7     the distance. First, you will go through the Qutang Gorge, which narrows to 350 feet. Then you will sail through the Wu Gorge and the Xiling Gorge. However,     8     impresses you most may be the Daning River in Wuxi County. There is immense     9     (mountain) land on both banks of Yangtze River with only small areas of flat     10     (plain).

My name is Wang Kun. Ever since middle school, my sister and I     1     (dream) about     2     (take) a great bike trip. When we graduated     3     college, we finally got the chance to do it. It was     4     (I) sister who first had the idea to cycle along the Mekong River from where it begins to     5     it ends. The Dai live near the Lancang River,     6     Chinese part of the river that is called the Mekong River in other     7     (country). Wang Wei soon got them     8     (interest) in cycling too. She insisted that we should find the source of the river. She gave me a determined look. Once she has made     9     her mind, nothing can change it.     10     (final), I had to give in.

Glen James was a homeless man. One day last year, he found     1     bag in the door of a shop while he was walking around a shopping centre     2     the city of Boston.

At first, he didn’t know     3     to do, but when he opened the bag, he saw there     4    (be) a wallet with $40,000 in it. So then he took it to the police. Many people thought that Mr James did a     5    (wonder) thing. Later, a website     6    (decide) to raise money to help Mr. James because he had no home or job.     7    (Final), they raised over $140, 000 from people of different     8    (area) all over the world. Mr James said, “I’m     9    (surprise) and so happy. This is going to change     10    (I) life.”

Alice Thompson is a girl from Sydney, Australia. She had her first long     1     (distant) train ride at the age of 18. Together with a friend, she got     2     the famous Ghan train in Sydney and got off in Alice Springs. During the two days and nights, they ate meals     3     (cook) by experts and saw fields, desert and     4     (abandon) farms. In the daytime, Alice talked to other passengers and read some books. At night, she watched the stars in the sky     5     shone like diamonds.

Why is the train     6     (call) the Ghan? It is short for Afghanistan. A long time ago, Australians wanted to travel to the middle of their country, so they brought some     7     (train) camels from Afghanistan    8     (carry) food and other supplies, and returned with wool and other     9     (produce). They did that until     10     1920s, when the government built a new railway line and took the place of camels.

My friend Tony and I always walk hoe together after school. Last Monday, however, something happened     1     our way back.

We were walking that day when we heard     2     loud cry behind us. Looking around, we were     3     (surprise) to see a woman lying on the ground. It seemed that she was     4     (injure) badly. We hurried to her,    5     a man came over to stop us from     6     (help) the woman. Some     7     (girl) walking by even laughed at us. We got very angry with the people     8     were cold to the woman. Then the man     9     (ask) us to turn around to see a man carrying a video camera on     10     (he) shoulder. They were just making a film!