Nature inspired us to figure out ways to solve the problems we faced. Birds inspired us to fly, beavers gave us ideas on how to build dams (大坝) and even tiny white ants demonstrated building ideas that we could use. By means of     1    (study) the workings of wildlife, we've come up     2     some pretty brilliant inventions. Here' re some examples to inspire students to explore their own ideas.

Bats (蝙蝠) can use     3    (they) mouths and ears to identify high-frequency sound waves, allowing them to avoid barriers and catch insects in the air. They do this by making sounds     4     can be reflected off a surface in a process     5    (call) echolocation. It is no big surprise that researchers are working on ways that poor-sighted people can use a system like echolocation.

Spider (蜘蛛) silk is one of the strongest materials in nature, believed to be five times     6    (strong) than steel. But unlike steel, spider silk is both flexible     7     lightweight. Scientists recently created a new type of medical tape based on the features of spider silk.

Even plants can inspire invention.     8     electrical engineer named George de Mestral noticed that burrs from burdockplants (牛蒡植物的芒刺) stuck fast to his unfortunate hunting dog. From that bit of inspiration, he invented Velcro, one of the most     9    (wide) used fastening systems in human history.

Students should     10    (encourage) to study the characteristics of a plant or animal and see what inventions or ideas they can design.

Henry dreamed of becoming a writer. In order to realize his dream, he read many books and often practiced     1     (write). He wrote his first story     2     he was ten. After his parents read     3    , they told him that he really had a gift for writing. Henry     4     (encourage) a lot after hearing that. He wrote many stories in the     5     (follow) years. People around him all told him that he     6     (become) a writer one day. However, it was not easy.

Henry finished his first novel     7     the age of 20. However, no publishers were interested in it. Henry was     8     (great) discouraged (使……泄气). He felt sad and doubted his ability. But it didn’t last long. Several days later, he picked up his mind and decided     9     (keep) writing.

It was a story he read that encouraged him. It was about a father and a son who wanted to build a bridge. Nobody at that time considered it possible. Although the father and the son did have great difficulty     10     (build) the bridge, they made it at last.

Henry finally kept on writing. He knew there was hope as long as he didn’t give up.

How can I describe the wonder I felt the first time I saw my favorite painting, George Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte? I     1    (admire) the work for years in art books, but I had never thought I would see the actual painting,     2     was housed far from where I lived.

The first thing that struck me as I     3    (enter) the room where the painting was displayed was the size of the work. It was huge! It covered a large part of     4     even larger wall. The painting was painted with dots, a technique     5    (call) pointillism. To create such a huge painting     6    (use) this technique seemed an almost impossible task. Seurat had done it, though, and had made it look easy!

What’s more impressive, however, was the     7    (beautiful) of the painting. Viewed from a distance, the colors looked soft and gentle, describing the happy and     8    (peace) mood of a summer day in the park.

When I approached the painting, though, its colors exploded into many more colors, showing the artist’s skill in combining colors     9    (create) a mood. Even the parts of the painting that appeared white from a distance were lively and had many different colors when viewed up close. I sat and stared     10     the painting in wonder for a good part of the afternoon.

The Qingming Scroll,     1     (paint) by Zhang Zeduan in the 12th century, is     2     (common) believed to have described Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng), the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty. Currently, it     3     (house)in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

The scroll     4     (consist) of three main sections, which present life near and in Bianjing. It also displays a remarkable mastery of perspective. Besides, Zhang’s precise brushwork is perhaps the most     5     (impress). The painting shows     6     enormous amount of detail. As a result, the Qingming Scroll provides a comprehensive look at life then,     7     appears peaceful and cheerful. However, some critics suggest the painting actually exposes serious political and social     8     (problem) during the Northern Song Dynasty, which was     9     decline by this stage.

The value of the painting is down to many aspects,     10     (include) its great scale, artistic quality and its representation of daily life. Though it is not often displayed to the public, the public continue to be enthusiastic about it.

Poetry    1     (communicate) in words. To do that    2     (successful), it must have something important to say, expressing it in a unique way. Whether you are writing poetry yourself or analysing (分析) poems     3     (write) by someone else, you should be thinking about these two broad categories: what is being said, and how it is being expressed.

What is being said may be something unforgettable or something funny, something deeply emotional or something that has just made the writer stop and think. Whatever it is, the theme of the poem will be something worth     4     (say). If you are writing a poem yourself and are not very    5     (experience), it’s best to choose a topic you feel deeply about. Writing a poem     6     begins with ‘I remember’ is a good way to focus your attention       7     something really memorable.

However, two poems could easily have     8     same theme and yet be completely different. What makes     9     (they) different? How they are expressed is the key. It is the way the poet writes that you need to analyse if you are writing about a poem, and if you are writing one yourself, you must choose the form and the words which suit what you want     10     (express).

Applause (掌声) rang across Zhaxizom town last month. The air was filled     1     excitement as players sang and danced     2     (happy). The event marked the beginning of the town’s music and food festival. Zhaxizom is at an altitude of 4,200 meters at the foot of Mount Qomolangma, the world’s highest peak, which is known in English as Mount Everest.

“I planned     3     (head) straight to Mount Qomolangma Base Camp, but when I arrived in this small town, the     4     (amaze) festival caught my eye and I decided to stay for several more days to enjoy the music and food here before     5     (continue) my journey,” said one traveler Zhang, who is from Liaoning province.

Migmar Lhamo, a college student     6     lives in Zhaxizom, said, “The festival will allow people to learn about our town. It will become a new     7     (attract) for people.” Migmar Lhamo believes the festival will play     8     important role in improving the development of the local culture and tourism.

According to the county government, more activities such as live music shows, firework displays and food fairs     9     (organize) as part of future festivals to provide both locals and     10     (tourist) with an extremely impressive experience of local culture. “The music and food festival will help the growth of the local economy,” Zhu said.