It’s true that as you get older, you care less what people think about you, but some of us still have those moments sometimes. My friend, Tiffany, however,     1     (actual) never cares what people think and I love her for it. All you can do is watch her be herself and be very    2     (confidence) because what you see     3     (be) what you get. I’ve learned from Tiffany,     4     is not afraid of holding anything back,     5     (accept) my loud and talkative self rather than hiding it     6     some people because I’m afraid of being annoying (烦人的) or too much.

She makes me laugh — well okay, if you know me, you’d know that anyone and anything can make me laugh in two     7     (second), but this girl can get me crying so fast because she can fall into a laugh attack ( 突然大笑) just as easily     8     me. She doesn’t judge me for saying or doing stupid things. She’ll also be the one     9     (sit) next to me on the couch ( 长沙发) to make sure I’m okay. She and I have had some pretty deep talks and that’s something about our friendship that I value. We accept each other for who we are and she has helped me become much     10     (comfortable) to be myself.

The robot lawn mowers (割草机)     1     (design) by us have the following benefits besides saving you time and effort.

First, they are environmentally friendly. With global warming now     2    (be) a major concern you can have peace of mind with these mowers. They run on rechargeable batteries and do not use petrol or burn oil like conventional lawn mowers.

Second, they work very     3     (quiet). After careful assessment, noise from them     4     (find) to be about 60 decibels (分贝) lower than a typical lawn mower, so you can program them to work at night while you sleep.

Third, rain sensors in our robot lawn mowers warn the robot     5     (return) to its shelter or stay in its shelter while it’s raining. On     6     other hand, if you are using a simple electric lawn mower, you will have to stay out in the rain while you get your mower under shelter     7     it will be useless.

Fourth, bump sensors in our robot lawn mower protect the lawn mower from running over items     8     may be lying in the yard, thus increasing its life and efficiency.

Last but not least, they are    9     (benefit) for people with allergy problems — they can cut your grass while you sit far away, reading your favourite novel     10     comfort.

We’ve all heard that laughter is the     1     (good) medicine, and it’s true. Laughter makes you feel better and it’s also good     2     your relationships. Laughter brings people closer, and is a     3     (power) tool for making you relax when feelings are running high. Whether with your friends and family, or co-workers, you can learn to use humor     4     (solve) disagreements, lower everyone’s stress levels, and communicate in a way that deepens the relationships.

Humor plays     5     important role in all kinds of relationships. In new relationships, humor can be a useful tool not just for attracting the other person but also for getting over any awkwardness (尴尬)     6     (arise) when we get to know each other. In old relationships, humor can keep things more exciting and fresher.

Sharing the pleasure of humor     7     (create) a sense of closeness and connection between two people—    8     (quality) that are signs of strong and successful relationships. When you laugh with one another, you create a positive relationship between you,     9     acts as a strong buffer (缓冲剂) against stress, disagreements and disappointments in your relationship. And laughter is spreading—just hearing someone laugh often makes you smile     10     (happy) and join in the fun.

The people living in the Appalachian Mountains are sometimes called hillbillies(乡下人). The first settlers there came from the province of Ulster in Ireland, and they     1     (bring) their folk music with them. This music,     2     (mix) with the blues(布鲁斯音乐), became hillbilly music.

Later,     3     hillbilly music became more popular, it     4     (call) country music. Country songs are often sad stories of love and broken hearts. In the 1920s, people listened to country music on the radio. Not all country people were farmers. Many worked in the factories. They also loved country music, and it became     5     music of the working class.

During the 1930s, America had many economic problems. Workers expressed their troubles     6     (use) the folk music of the time. Folk songs are like country songs but they are     7     (tradition) and more serious.

During the 1950s, folk music gained its     8     (popular) again. Martin Luther King wanted to improve     9     (life) of African Americans. He led several marches to change the laws in the USA. The marchers sang old folk songs like We Shall Overcome.

In the 1960s, many people were     10     the war in Vietnam. Folk singers like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez wrote anti­war songs and other songs about the problems of American society. Folk music continues to be the most political of all music in America.

In a world that is full of different kinds of colors, red quite stands out. In China, people call this color China Red,     1     has become a quite popular expression     2     (catch) the world’s attention.

This expression fully shows Chinese people’s special love for red. So why are the Chinese really fond of it? One reason     3     (lie) in the color’s rich meaning in Chinese history and     4     (tradition) culture. In ancient China, red     5     (regard) as a symbol of health, energy, happiness, hope and so on. Now red things can be     6     (common) found across the nation, for example red lanterns. People can find red lanterns across China, especially during     7     (festival) and holidays. During the Spring Festival, people will see red lanterns hanging on     8     front gates of houses and stores, trees, etc. Besides red lanterns, things     9     Spring Festival couplets (对联) and invitations are also often red.

In a word, red is popular in China and it’s more than just a color. It carries the rich culture of this nation. And you’re welcome     10     (feel) and discover it in China.