2 . It started 30 years ago with a squirrel. A few months after I moved into a building in downtown Manhattan, my next-door neighbor, Nicole Figaro, knocked, asking for help with a squirrel that had gotten into her apartment.

I ______ Lout the animal and made a new friend. Soon Nicole was ______ me over for dinner or ______ home-cooked food at my door. When I went to my beach house, Nicole picked up my ______ and watered my plants, and when she ______ on vacations, I did the same for her. She'd bring me wonderful ______ from far-away places, but her ______ and best wishes have been the greatest gift of all.

In 1997, I took care of my partner during his ______ days, and it was Nicole who took care of me: Years later, I ______ the favor, helping out when her husband, who was ______ needed her to take care of him for almost everything. More and more, we ______ strength and inspiration from each other.

My father ______ last January. Nicole helped my family prepare for the service. I couldn't have gotten through that day without her. The pandemic ______ then. Nicole and I ______ for groceries for each other, knowing we could get through anything together. And we will. A ______ might separate our apartments, but nothing separates our hearts.

4 . Today, plastic is used in almost everything, from shopping bags and bottles to chairs and cars. Plastic has conquered the world. But do you know how it was first made?

The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes, who introduced it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. It was called Parkesine, and it was made from plant materials. Once heated, it could be molded, and it held its shape when cooled. Also, it could be made colored or transparent. However, it was too expensive to produce for common use.

In the 19th century, billiards（a game played on a cloth-covered table）was so popular that a lot of elephants were being killed for their ivory, which was used to make billiard balls. So, people tried to find a substitute. A U.S. billiard ball company offered a prize of S10, 000 to the person who could design the best substitute for natural ivory. In 1866, Joh

Wesley Hyatt created Celluloid while trying to win the prize. Although he failed to win, Celluloid was later used to make many products, including false teeth, piano keys, and ping pong balls.

In 1909, Leo Backeland created Bakelite. Made entirely of artificial materials, it was the first true plastic. It was inexpensive, and it kept its shape when heated. Soon, it was being used in many things, including electrical products and jewelry. Since then, many other plastics have been developed.

Today, most plastics are produced from non-natural materials made from petroleum. They are light, flexible, strong. and cheap. Despite all these advantages, there is one problem: plastic waste breaks down slowly and toxic chemicals can leak from it. Therefore, people are trying to develop less harmful plastics.

5 . The world’s craziest festivals

Crazy festivals all over the world are out there just waiting to be celebrated. Join Cornelia Kumfert on a trip to the most unusual events taking place around the globe.

Burning Man Festival

Every year in Nevada (US) there is artwork and cunosities galore to marvel at when the Black Rock Desert changes into a mammoth art exhibition.

In August and September, some 70,00 people come here to celetrate the Burning Man Festival.

San Diego Comic Con

Surely superheroes don’t queue? Well, at San Diego’s Comic Convention they do. Each July hey open their dos to fans of Superman and other comic figures. More than 100,000 annual visitors have paid homage to their mythical heroes.

Crying Baby Festival, Tokyo

At the Crying Baby Festival in Tokyo (Japan), sumo wrestlers do what they can to bring babies to tears.

Sadists run riot? Certainly not! It’s a 400-year-old tradition based on a Japanese proverb, which says that crying babies grow fastest and parents believe the event brings good health to their children.

Palio Contest, Siena

Fame and honour await the winner of the Palio contest in Siena (Italy).

In July and August, ten inhabitants of different districts of the city jockey for first place in a spectacular horse race.

The trophy goes to the contestant whose horse crosses the finishing line first—whether he’s still in the saddle or not.

8 . “This material is called xiangyunsha,” said Song Fei, while she introduced a traditional cheongsam(旗袍) to customers in a flagship shop. “Dyed with pure plant extracts (提取物) and unpolluted river mud, the time-honored silk cloth is named ‘soft gold’ in the textile (纺织的) industry.”

To everyone’s surprise, the knowledgeable Song, who has unbelievable insights into cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women, has practiced law for 10 years in Chengdu City. In 2017, she traveled to Suzhou to learn design and handicraft skills of cheongsam and traditional costumes, becoming a cheongsam designer.

At first, Song’s family and friends were not optimistic about her choice to switch from a distinguished career to an artistic field. Knowing little about clothing, Song met with a huge challenge. “The pain was unthinkable, but since I had chosen that profession, I had to stick to it. I want a career that I truly enjoy,” said Song.

Song returned to Chengdu with new skills and creative passion in 2019 and founded her design brand. “To be honest, compared with my previous job, this one is harder and leaves me with much greater financial pressure. But my sense of satisfaction is beyond comparison when my works are recognized and appreciated,” said Song.

“Traditional cheongsams are one-piece tailored dresses of Chinese origin that require making with natural materials by hand. However, modern cheongsams are often made with artificial materials and produced by machine,” Song said. “In the face of rapid social and economic changes, traditional cheongsams are receiving less attention due to the popularity of mass-produced cheongsams.”

To save the beauty of traditional culture, Song wants to blend people’s daily lives with time-honored handicrafts, believing that traditional culture should not be the zone of museums. She aims to pass on traditional Chinese culture, which is a meaningful type of work with social responsibilities.

Ski resorts in northern China are seeing their business skyrocket, as winter sports     1     （get）more popular in China supported by a multi—year national campaign ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“When we opened a few years ago, there was no one here     2     （ski）; even during the Chinese New Year, there were only around 300 people. Now, we have over 3, 000 each day,” Luo Li, chairman of Zhangjiakou Wanlong Sports and Tourism Co. in the ski resort city of Zhangjiakou, told the Global Times.

Luo’s resort is not the only one in Zhangjiakou     3     has more business. A recent report from the city, which is also     4     host site for the Winter Olympics, said that the city     5     （expect）to see 2. 4 million people come to ski by 2022       6     the winter sports sector will drive 1 percent of the city’s total GDP by 2025.

Luo said that the increasing business has been supported by long—term investments by private businesses, as well as a national campaign to increase the     7     （popular）of winter sports ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

    8     （national）, as part of the preparation for the Winter Olympics and national exercise campaign, Chinese     9     （official）announced that measures would be taken     10     （encourage）as many as 300 million people to play winter sports.

10 . Most of us wish to be liked by others. Increase the chances of someone liking you by smiling and being of good cheer when you’re around them.     1     No matter what, be sure to be yourself. Here are three suggestions to be yourself when you are liked.

Communicate honestly, but with tact (得体).     2     Lying or hiding the truth may make you seem untrustworthy, so aim to be truthful. You should still exercise tact, though. For instance, if asked if you like their favorite movie, say “Hmm, it’s not really my thing, but I did like the main character’s personality.” Don’t say, “No, I hate that movie!”

    3     One thing that’s characteristic about you is the principles you hold dear. So it’s important to stay true to yourself, even at the risk of someone not liking you. Sticking to your beliefs takes courage.     4     Being true to yourself might make you unpopular with some people but could also attract those with whom you share common values.

Respect yourself. Having healthy self-respect means you like yourself no matter what. When you’re communicating with others, avoid comparing yourself to others. Remind yourself of your strengths by listing them out to yourself.     5     It’s difficult for people to treat you with real regard if you don’t treat yourself well.