Happy 18th birthday! You’ve officially reach     1     (adult) in a lot of ways, even though I know you’re already mature beyond your years.

Many bittersweet events will happen in the next ten years. There will be highs. Stick to     2     (cherish) every single second. There will also be lows, and you may feel     3     (dishearten). But you’ll surely be committed to     4     (make) it through, and    5     (gradual) you’ll get stronger than before.

The world will always throw new challenges at you.     6     a consequence, your strength will be tested again and again. Looking back to what has happened over the last decade, I feel proud of how far you’ve come. Approve     7     everything that contributes to your     8     (become) fearless and independent.

As you become an adult, jump at every opportunity     9    comes your way. Celebrate every chance you get. No doubt you’ll always ponder     10    it and make the right decision.

Happy birthday, Kelsey! See you in ten years.

28-­year-­old Kelsey

The world is changing at an increasing speed. In such a world, our ability     1       (anticipate) the future is very important. Here are some tips that may help us ensure a brighter future.

First, staying optimistic is of great importance because a     2     (pessimism) person sees difficulties in every opportunity, thus giving up easily.     3     is apparent that those who make the most of every opportunity will achieve their goals. Besides, there is a general     4     (recognise) that pressure and fear will produce doubt and disbelief. So, we should let go of them and pursue our goals bravely. What’s more, the ability     5     (cooperate) with others is quite essential. No matter how old we are, working with other people benefits us a lot. Finally, stick to keeping a     6     (purity) heart and a strong mind whatever difficulties and obstacles we may meet.

Though it seems that it is hard to accurately predict       1    future cars may be like, they will be       2     (potential) different in many aspects from traditional ones.

On the whole, shaped like bullets, future cars have the capacity       3     (drive) at much higher speed and they will be more energy efficient and affordable, which are       4     the horizon. More importantly, the cars will not only drive       5     (automatic) but can also be transformed into smaller boxes instantly we park,     6     (make) it possible to solve the problem of limited places to park.

Sooner or later, future cars will be bound       7     (offer) us more secure and comfortable driving experiences.

How time flies! We have spent three years together. Apart from laughter, every inch of the campus reminds me of the scenes where we were struggling     1     (deal) with various challenges. So many unforgettable     2     (moment) are coming to my mind one by one, the first day at senior high     3    particular.

Time is a one­way trip — we cannot buy a return ticket. But     4     (impress) memories will not fade with time, neither will your lovely faces. After     5     (graduate), we will go to different colleges. I can not figure out what     6     (press) we may face. However, I am     7     (confidence) of our excellent performance in the college entrance exam and I hope that every one of us will go all out     8     (get) what we want.

Good morning! Today I     1     (speak) to you about drones, also known as UAVs.     2     (fly) around on their own, drones have already been used for photography, scientific research and military operations. They will come into     3     (wide) use in various fields in the near future.     4     (deliver) drones now are mainly used for military action and disaster relief. It can be predicted that before long many people     5     (use) drones to deliver daily supplies like food and drink. Some companies are also developing passenger drones,     6     carry people in crowded cities. We can assume that with     7     (improve) technology in passenger drones, we     8     (enter) the age of personal flying vehicles. There can be no denying     9     the technology will have a huge impact     10     everyday life.

Take a moment     1     (imagine) yourself in ten years. You might have a few more grey hairs and wrinkles, and hope to change your material circumstances, too. But does the person you imagine feel very close to the person you are today.

Some people have a vivid sense of future self, which feels     2     (extreme) close to their current identity. These people tend to be more responsible for their money     3     they are keen to act in a way     4     will make life easier in the years ahead than present. Many other people see their future self as a separate person that has little     5     (relevant) to their present identity and,     6     consequence, they are far less worried about the long-term consequences of their actions.

You could almost think about your future self as a relationship that should     7     (pay) great efforts to develop. Thinking more about whom we will be in the future has a profound effect on our health, happiness and     8     (finance) security. You might consider a simple imaginative exercise—writing     9     letter from the future. This encourages people to feel a greater sense of link with their future self, thus     10     (prepare) for positive behavioral change.

Barbara Millicent Roberts, also called Barbie,     1     (consider) the most successful toy doll in history. She first     2     (appear) in the world of toys about 60 years ago, and has become very popular among little girls.

According to the Mattel Company,     3     created Barbie, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home. However, today there are many dolls competing     4     Barbie on the market. Bratz dolls, for example, look more like today’s pop     5     (star) with lots of makeup and miniskirts. Now Bratz is     6     great challenge to Barbie, as the company offers various clothing, too.

It seems that Barbie is no longer     7     (attract) to older girls. “For younger girls, playing with a Barbie is much fun, but when they get older, they want something more fashionable and modern,” says a shop keeper of a toy store in New York. On the international scene, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling fewer Barbies in the United States over the past years, sales in other countries have kept     8     (rise). It is hard     9     (say) how long Barbie will stay on as a celebrity in the world of toy dolls, but     10     (undoubted) 60 is not the age to retire.

Last year I went back to the US to visit family, friends and     1     number of old places. I started in the desert of California, crossed the prairies(大草原) and farms of Iowa, and then rose into the     2    (amaze) mountains and woodlands of Tennessee and North Carolina.

I went to Iowa City to visit my good friend, Matt, and     3    (he) wife. Though there’s not much to recall(回忆) about the city, I will never forget the great time we had     4    (hang) out together. We     5    (sing) with guitars, cooked dinners, played board games, and walked in the woods.

One place I visited was     6    (extreme) special to me: Asheville, North Carolina. It is a mountain town where I went to college.     7    (memory) were everywhere I looked. I walked by my college dormitory and thought of my old roommate, David. I remembered late nights when we would cook pizzas     8    complain about our schoolwork and professors. Nothing had changed—except the people. Everyone I knew had moved away.

A good trip     9    (teach) you something. I learn that a place is only as good as the people whom you share it     10    .

In the near future, the smart     1    (home) with new technology will solve many daily problems for us. We will be using     2     (advance)technology every day for automatic control of everything. All controls will respond    3     our voice commands and prepare everything for us according to our     4     (day) routine. In the meantime, regular health checks     5     (monitor) our health every day and give us a warning early     6     if there is something abnormal, which     7    (potential) save our lives. In addition, by     8    (detect)abnormal signs in our homes, smart homes will provide us with the relevant information, so we will be able    9     (fix) the problem in time. Many of these new innovations are already     10     (avail) and being used in some homes, and most new homes will begin to use this new technology in the not-too-distant future.

Back in my country, when I was a child, I used to go to “market day” with my mother. One day each week, farmers used to bring their fruit and vegetables into the city. They closed one street    1     all cars, and the farmers set up tables for their produce. This outdoor market was a great place to shop. Everything was fresher than produce in grocery stores    2     the farmers brought it in immediately after the harvest. My mother and I always got there early in the morning to get    3    (fresh)produce.

The outdoor market was a wonderful adventure for a small child,     4     was like a festival-full of colours and sounds. There are red tomatoes, yellow lemons, green lettuce, peppers, grapes, onions. The farmers did their own advertising. They all shouted loudly for customers to buy their produce. “Come and buy my beautiful oranges! They’re juicy and delicious and full of vitamins    5     (make)your children healthy and strong!”

Everyone used to argue with the farmers    6     the price of their produce. It was like a wonderful drama in a theatre; the buyers and sellers were the “actors” in this drama. My mother was an expert    7     this. First, she picked the freshest, most attractive tomatoes, for example. Then she asked the price. The seller told her.

“What?” she said. She looked very surprised. “So expensive?”

The seller looked terribly hurt. “My dear lady!” he replied. “I’m a poor, honest farmer. These    8    (be)the cheapest tomatoes on the market!”

They always argued for several minutes before    9    (agree)on a price. My mother took her tomatoes and left.     10     buyer and seller were satisfied. The drama was over.