3 . Singapore's tradition of eating out in places called hawker centers has been recognized by the United Nations for its cultural importance.

A hawker is a person who sells food or goods and advertises by shouting at people walking by on the street. Hawkers are an important part of Singaporean culture. Open-air eating areas where hawkers sell their goods are very popular in Singapore. "These centers serve as 'community dining rooms' where people from diverse backgrounds gather and share the experience of dining over breakfast, lunch and dinner." UNESCO said. Famous chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay have praised them. And they appear in popular films like Crazy Rich Asians. The 2018 film showed its stars enjoying meals at a famous night market. Some sellers even received Michelin stars from a famous restaurant rating system for their meals costing only a few dollars.

The United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO, added the city's hawker culture to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity due to its unique culture. Singapore was eager to have hawker culture added to the list. Now that it has been recognized, Singapore must provide a report every six years to UNESCO. The report must show efforts the city-state has made to save and support its hawker culture.

In the 1970s, Singapore cleaned up its streets so the city moved street hawkers to new eating centers. These areas were part of an effort to improve the island. Now, the centers offer many different low-cost meals for local people and provide a pleasing social setting.

But Singapore's hawker culture does face some problems. The average age of a hawker in Singapore is 60 years old. Younger Singaporeans now want to work in offices. They are less interested in working in small restaurants. The COVID-19 health crisis also hurts sales, preventing foreign visitors from eating out. During the first few months of this year, restrictions on movement and social distancing also stopped locals.

In China, the history of people planting and using bamboo can date back to as far as 7000 years. In the Shang Dynasty, people used bamboo in     1    (they) daily lives. It was used for food, clothing, housing, transportation,    2    (music) instruments and even weapons.

The    3     (apply) of bamboo in science and technology is thrilling. In 251 BC, Li Bing, in Sichuan,     4     (lead) the local people in building the Dujiang Weirs, the first irrigation network in the world, in which bamboo played    5    important role. The world's oldest water pipe was also    6    (make) of bamboo. During the Han Dynasty, the people in Sichuan     7    (success) sank a 1600-metre-deep well with thick bamboo ropes. This technology did not spread to Europe until the 19th century, and it was by using the technology    8    the Americans drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania in 1859.

In Chinese culture, bamboo is well-known     9     one of the “four gentlemen” in plants. To many distinguished men, bamboo is a symbol of goodness and honesty. It is always closely related to people of positive spirits. Bamboo culture contributes to encouraging people to hold on when    10    (face) tough situations.

Good morning, everyone! Today, I’d like to talk about culture shock. Perhaps you think studying in different country is something sounded very exciting. It is a new experience, where brings the opportunity of discovering amazed things. It also brought a feeling of freedom. Despite of these advantages, therefore, there are also some challenges you will face. You may have difficulty adjust to quite different things. To be exactly, culture shock is a feeling of anxiety, uncertainty and confusion felt by people when you first arrive in another country.

8 . Ready to take a gap year？ A "Gap Year" is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working．    1    

Gap years are popular with European and Australian students, but remain less popular in America. However, in recent years, more and more American students are preparing for college by taking a gap year. The advantages of taking a gap year are as follows：

    2    

Although you don't have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better．

A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn't always easy, but it is an important part of growing up．    3    

Save money and improve your college admission chances

There's a common thought that gap years are only for rich students, but it's not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, at the end of a gap year, students are much more likely to know what to study in college.     4    

    5    Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose？