1 . For many, Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer and an opportunity to host a socially-distanced barbecue (an outdoor meal). But this national holiday—celebrated every year in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September—has revolutionary (革命性的) origins.

By the late 19th century, the Industrial Revolution had made working life miserable for people around the world. In many places, workers toiled for at least 12 hours a day six days a week in mines, factories, railroads, and mills. This holiday actually originated in the US on May 1, 1866, in what came to be known as the Haymarket Riot, workers flooded Chicago streets to demand an eight-hour workday.

It would take another conflict in the American Midwest to make Labor Day a national holiday. On May 11, 1894, workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company, a railroad car manufacturer near Chicago, went on strike to protest their low wages and 16-hour workdays. In August 1893, James Kyle introduced federal legislation (立法) to make Labor Day a public holiday, but for ten months the legislation was put on hold. To quiet the strikers and their supporters, the Senate quickly passed the bill on June 22. The bill passed the House four days later and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law on June 28, 1894.

The holiday is more information May Day labor celebrations. Many observers relax at home or head to outdoor recreational activities, such as boating, barbecues, and camping. It may also be marked with fireworks shows and other events. Labor Day has also become associated with retail sales, as many shop owners try to take advantage of the customers’ day off. It is one of the largest sales events of the year. meaning retail employees actually have to work more on this day. Parades are the most common model of celebration, which often feature processions of labor groups.

2 . Most Famous Paintings in the World

Among the millions of paintings that are created and shown in galleries and museums all around the world, a very small number of them go beyond time and make history. Below are some examples.

The Persistence of Memory — Salvador Dali. Painted in 1931, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable pieces in art history. This work is known to make people reflect on their way of life and the way they spend their time, and it is also thought that Albert Einstein’s well-known Theory of Relativity gave Dali the idea for this wonderful painting.

Girl with a Pearl Earring — Johannes Vermeer. Considered by many to be “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, this beautiful painting features an unnamed young woman looking over her shoulder to stare directly at the viewer. It was completed in 1665 and is exhibited in the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Guernica — Pablo Picasso. The famous painting by Picasso was completed in 1937. It was painted in Paris following the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is on permanent display in the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.

Starry Night — Vincent van Gogh. Painted in 1889, Starry Night is one of the most famous paintings in modern culture, which is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is based on van Gogh’s direct observations as well as his imagination, memories, and emotions and was the inspiration for the song Vincent (also known as Starry, Starry Night).

5 . Developing strong study skills as a high school student not only allows you to earn better grades in high school, but also to prepare you for college. The sooner you start to build your study skills, the more good habits you’ll create for your future study.     1     Here are several study skills you should know.

1. Boost brain power

    2     Healthy, brain-fueling food and adequate rest is a foundation（基础）for all the other study skills. It will help you be more focused and productive the next day. It will also help to give you the energy you need to complete tasks you may think you are not capable of.

2. Develop concentration

Set focused study time for nothing but school work. Create a quiet study zone that includes a phone-free environment for studying.     3     That way you will keep highly focused and not be distracted（分心）by other things not related to study.

3. Develop organizational skills

Find a convenient location for putting all your school learning papers, books, and homework assignments in place. That way you’ll be better prepared for the coming lectures and thus better follow the teachers.     4    

4.     5    

Be sure to effeciently write down what you listen to in class. You don’t need to write down everything said, just the important points. You may have to take down keywords, dates, names and fill in the details later if you are having trouble getting down enough. Learning to organize and denote（表示）things in a clear visual way is also very helpful in taking good notes.

Chinese music     1     (make) since the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents     2     (provide) evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty. Today, the music remains     3     rich traditional heritage in one aspect, while gradually changing into a more contemporary form at the same time.

There are many cases     4     westerners are asked to name a few traditional Chinese musical instruments. Their answers include but not limited     5     the stringed instruments called the erhu, guzheng, and the dizi flutes. With music played by these instruments, they can imagine the scenes of an eastern garden, such as the quietness of snow and lively colors of summer.

The dizi is widely used in     6     (vary) kinds of Chinese folk music, as well as Chinese opera and orchestra.     7     (tradition), the dizi has also been popular among the Chinese common people, and it is simple to make and easy to carry.

Most dizi are made of bamboo, which explains     8     dizi are sometimes known as Chinese bamboo flute. It is possible     9     (find) dizi made from other kinds of wood, or even from stone. Jade dizi (or yudi) are popular among     10     (collect) interested in their beauty and professional players.

10 . My husband has worked in Ecuador for a year. Having heard about the low _________ of living, mild climate and delicious produce of the country, I was _________ to move there with him. I believed I would find a _________ and life would be easy there. However, when I arrived in the capital Quito, I was _________ disappointed. I didn’t like the food there, and our _________ house was dirty and cold. The _________ thing is that even after a month I still couldn’t find a suitable job. I felt my life totally a mess, so I _________ to move back to the UK.

I thought I was the most _________ person in the world. However, I soon heard of other people’s disappointments. A friend’s wedding was _________ and another had lost her dream job and a neighbor had been __________ with cancer but was still hoping to travel around the world. I looked at people who were fighting real __________ and felt inspired by their strength. I became more mindful of the things I had taken for granted. In the UK I got a job that brings me much __________. My family were healthy and though __________, my husband and I were much in love.

A psychologist friend told me the difference between regret and disappointment. Both are the result of __________ expectations. However, regret __________ something that we believed was within our control, whereas disappointment arises from events __________ our control. We can’t control what disappoints us, but we can control our __________ to it.

Now, I am filled with optimism by __________ myself of what really matters and taking action to change the disappointments. I feel __________ and inspired, and I know I can __________ everything.