1 . “It’s incredible. I never thought my dream would come true so soon,” Chinese ballet dancer Chun Wai Chan recalled the scene when he got the news that he was promoted to the principal dancer with New York City Ballet(NYCB), the company’s first Chinese and fourth Asian principal dancer in 74 years.

Born in Huizhou, Guangdong in 1992, Chan has become attached to dance since childhood. However, his parents preferred him to be a doctor or a lawyer in the future. The uncompromising boy then wrote a seven-page letter to his parents describing his resolution to study dance.

Thanks to the sincere letter, Chan finally gained the support of his family, and at the age of 12, he was admitted to Guangzhou Arts School, marking the start of his dream-seeking journey. Chan’s first turning point in life came at the age of 18, when he was a finalist in the 2010 Prix de Lausanne, which earned him a full scholarship to study with Houston Ballet II. Two years later, Chan joined Houston Ballet and became a principal in 2017. There, he gained a reputation as a confident and sensitive performer. In 2020, he appeared as a contestant on the Chinese television show Dance Smash, which gained him a large following.

Chan returned to New York last year, and was finally promoted to the principal dancer with the NYCB in May this year. He attributes his success to his passion, hard work, concentration, perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.

In China, Chan’s success has become a source of pride. News of his promotion to principal dancer was widely circulated, and he has been featured repeatedly in the Chinese media.

After performances, audience members sometimes tell Chan that they have never seen Asian dancers in leading roles. He has been moved to hear young dancers of color say his example has given them hope for their own careers. “I used to think I danced just for myself,” he said. “Now I’m dancing for my family, for the audience, for the whole dance community.”

4 . Sometimes, it is really difficult for a teacher during his first week writing classes. I’m unfamiliar _________ the students, most of whom trying to adapt to their new environment and _________ on their study. When Serlina _________ me with a question on the second day, I was _________ for the opportunity to connect at least one name with a face.

Although her writing wasn’t perfect, she still tried her best. She worked hard and pushed herself to achieve. She was excited to learn, _________ made me enjoy teaching her. I didn’t realize then how much she would also teach me at that time.

Serlina stopped by after class, one Thursday afternoon. She wasn’t asking a question about a paper I’d returned. _________, she said quietly: “I didn’t attend classes yesterday. I was at the health center the whole day.” I gave her a sideways look, _________. “It was just a virus. I’m fine now.” she _________ me. Then she was away.

However, three nights later, her father called to tell me that Serlina would be missing a few classes. She had been in hospital with meningitis (脑膜炎). I heard from him again a few days later, and again after that. Her condition grew _________. We made trips to the hospital room. I was __________ frightened when I saw the pale, thin and weak girl who, only ten days earlier, had showed life and warmth in my classroom.

A week later, Serlina herself called me to tell me she was on the road to __________. “I’ll be back to school one day,” she said. “You must have a/an __________ to be with us,” I told her, __________ tears. I remembered what her father had said in his first phone call: “school __________ everything to Serlina.”

Then four weeks later, I walked into my classroom to find Serlina in her seat, smiling. She __________ all of her missed homework, completed with thought and excellence. The strength of her will to overcome shone out of her pale, weak, eighteen-year-old face.

Most Americans don’t like to get advice from members of their family. They get advice from “strangers”．When they need advice, they don’t     1    (usual) go to people they know. Instead, many of     2    (they) write letters to newspapers and magazines     3     give advice on many different subjects,     4    (include) family problems, the use of language, health, cooking, child care, clothes, and even     5     how to buy a house or a car.

Most newspapers regularly print letters from     6    (read) with problems. Along with the letters are answers     7    (write) by people who are supposed     8    (know) how to solve such problems. Some of these writers are doctors, and others are lawyers or educators.     9     two of the most famous writers of advice     10    (be) women without special training for this kind of work.

7 . Age has never been a problem for 16-year-old Thessalonika Arzu-Embry. After all, she’s already got her master’s degree.

The North Chicago-area teen started homeschooling at the age of 4. She began having an influence on others soon after. When she was 6 years old, she was an inspirational speaker at an organization called Tabitha House Community Service, which is for people who were forced to leave their homes because of earthquake, flood and other natural disasters.

At the age of 11, she graduated from high school and then earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013. She completed those classes online as she was traveling for church events and leadership meetings.

She doesn’t stop there, though. The teen plans to focus on aviation psychology (航空心理学) for her further study, a decision inspired by her father who is a pilot. She grew up around airplanes and took fights all the time. Her goal is to use it to help pilots deal with problems that could have deadly results once the plane takes off — a topic that has been in the news lately. For her, it’s a mix of two of her interests.

In her free time, Thessalonika enjoys playing tennis, swimming and being active in her youth group at church. She also has three self-published books, which are on her site. Jump the Education Barrier is written to help students finish college, and in the future aims to help business owners with trends. Her third book The Genius Race is designed to help people to be talents in various areas of life.