1 . I am one of the healthcare assistants in our neighborhood charity organization. Our _____________ is to support families and the individuals who are in the end-of-life stage. We do whatever they need us to do. We can’t change the inevitable, but we can make a   _____________   .

Working for the charity, we operate every single day of the year, and I find myself _____________even on holidays. You might assume that helping to _____________   a person facing death would be a sad experience. But what may _____________   you is that it’s not. The families make the most of the time they have _____________   . They remain _____________ . Everyone knows what’s coming; they understand that their loved one is _____________ , but it’s not a time for   _____________; it’s a time of togetherness and warmth.

I remember one particular family with three sisters and the fourth who was in the end-of-life stage. When I arrived, she was   _____________ , and I knew she might not   _____________ it through the night. But sitting with the sisters, talking about their childhood and sharing photos, it was a special time for me. The patient had asked for _____________ earlier that day, and they made sure she got them. She went to sleep, and we lost her that night. The sisters   _____________ it, they thanked me, and it was a(n)   _____________ experience. I’ll always remember the sweet and bitter peaches!

There are some heartbreaking situations, but when we are there   _____________ the end, making the affair easier for the families, love outshines darkness.

2 . HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF EVERY BOOK YOU READ

Reading books can be one of life’s greatest pleasures and learning experiences.     1    . Especially if you’re reading a book for more than just the pleasure of it, you have to do more than just turn over its pages. Here we will explore actionable ways to maximize the benefits of reading.

Understanding why you’re reading a book can significantly impact how you approach it. The right goal will help you pay attention to what’s most important. If you’re reading a book about photography, you may want to pay particular attention to the images.     2    .

After finishing a chapter, take a few minutes to summarize it in your own words.     3    . It also creates a handy reference guide for the future. Summarizing can be a creative process, too. Try using bullet points, mind maps, or one-liners to capture the essence of each chapter.

    4    . If a book teaches you a new approach to time management, try implementing it in your daily routine. If a novel provides a moral lesson, reflect on how it applies to your life. This active application ensures that the book leaves a lasting impact.

The process of reading doesn’t end when you turn the last page. Regularly revisiting your notes, summaries, and reflections keeps the material fresh and relevant. Consider setting aside time each month to review previous reads and reflect how they’ve shaped your thoughts and actions. Not for every book, of course, just for the most impactful ones.

The core value of Chinese traditional culture is the concept of harmony. Harmony is, in fact, a complete cultural system that consists of not only     1     (value) but also a philosophy with its own world outlook. Harmony means “proper and balanced cooperation between things”.

    2     harmony at the heart, traditional Chinese principles suggest that there is a built-in dynamic in the universe that turns imbalance into balance. This concept, deeply     3     (mix) into the history of Chinese society, advocates for a balanced and     4     (peace) coexistence within the individual, between people, and between humanity and nature.

At the centre of Chinese cultural harmony is the belief in the interconnectedness of all things. It     5     (reflect) in various aspects of Chinese life, from the emphasis on family unity and social bond     6     the practice of traditional arts and the governance of the state.

The significance of harmony in Chinese culture cannot be overstated. It has shaped China’s approach to international relations,     7     (highlight) harmonious coexistence and shared benefit. In taking care of the environment,     8     inspires efforts to live according to natural cycles and to respect all forms of life. Moreover, the concept of harmony,     9     has enabled China to maintain social stability and cultural consistency despite the challenges of history, offers a model for settling conflicts and promoting a sense of community and belonging. As the world becomes     10     (steady) interconnected, the principles of Chinese cultural harmony offer valuable insights for creating a more balanced and sustainable global society.

4 . When Mark Twain visited Florence (佛罗伦萨) in 1867, he dutifully visited the city’s museums, churches, and tombs. But as he stood by the Arno, he began to sense the Italians’ insistence that it was a river, not a stream. “They all call it a river, and they honestly think it is a river, do these dark and bloody Florentines,” he complained, “I might enter Florence under happier circumstances a month hence and find it all beautiful, all attractive. But I do not care to think of it now, at all.”

It’s normal to feel uncomfortable outside your home culture. Feelings of discomfort, dislocation, and overload among travelers are referred to by many as “culture shock.” But Susan Goldstein, a professor at the University of Redlands says, “ Though the term has existed for many years, ‘Culture shock’ implies a dramatic, unexpected, negative event. Though many travelers will experience such challenges, a real sense of ‘shock’ is untypical. So untypical that many researchers no longer use the term.”

It was the vivid description of culture shock by Canadian researcher Oberg, written in 1960 in response to his own multicultural experiences, that won over audiences. The researcher spoke of the adjustment process as “an occupational disease of people who have suddenly been transplanted abroad” — a “disease” that progressed from a honeymoon phase, through rejecting the new environment, to finally adjusting fully to it. By the 1970s many researchers adopted the idea that, like physical illnesses, culture shock progressed through a remarkably consistent and universal set of stages.

Modern research, however, suggests that the experiences of adaptation are individual, not universal. “People will have their ups and downs, but for the most part, they will become increasingly comfortable and competent over time,” Goldstein says. And while many connect the causes of culture shock to the host culture itself, an individual’s internal expectations and differences are just as important.

As for Mark Twain, the moody author was able to ride out his feelings of upset and dislocation while traveling. He eventually finished out his European tour - and in his bestselling travel memoir The Innocents Abroad, famously remarked that travel is “fatal to prejudice and narrow-mindedness.” With the right attitude - and the willingness to seek help if you need it - it’s more than likely that you, too, can adapt and grow in new settings, building new memories-and toughness - with each new stamp in your passport.

5 . On February 17th, the Clermont County Animal Shelter, Ohio, shared a story. A woman met with her missing dog Will again.

While ________ the shelter’s Facebook post forwarded by friends in her community, Hannah saw a dog named Rome that was to be available at the shelter’s weekend ________ event and that dog looked quite ________.

Hannah explained in her Facebook post that Will, a six-year-old went missing from her home in 2019. Although her family looked everywhere, they couldn’t ________ their missing baby.

A shelter volunteer said, “Just yesterday we ________ a message accompanied by photos with a detailed description of Will’s ________ in the hope that the dog brought to our shelter and renamed Rome was ________ Will!” But Rome was scheduled to be at the Take Me Home event today! Learning this, the volunteer, in a bit of ________ quickly sent a message back that Rome would be at the event! “We would love this family to be ________ and we just had to ________ whether this was Will after all these years!” It turned out a big yes. The volunteer continued, “The ________ story serves as a reminder of the incredible impact that the Internet can have in bringing communities together, especially in times of ________. Thank you all for ________ Will’s post.”

It was nothing short of a ________ and we are sure Hannah and her family are ________ to have their dog back!

In the popular film Full River Red, a score (配乐)     1    (combine) Yuju Opera and electronic and rock’ n’ roll music, created     2     exciting atmosphere, sparking young Chinese moviegoers’ interest in this traditional opera style.

In the past few years, novel ways to popularize traditional operas     3     (adopt), such as through TV dramas, New Year galas (春节联欢晚会) and outdoor stages thanks     4     digital technology. Besides this, traditional opera elements have also been used in popular art forms. Some tunes from traditional operas have become hits at home and abroad after making     5     (they) way to audio and video platforms.

In this age of information and cultural     6     (diverse), high efficiency and rapid pace drive people, especially the young,     7     (have) a “fast food” type of lifestyle. So the slow pace and long notes of traditional operas do not fit their entertainment tastes. Therefore, it is necessary to get more youths     8     (involve) in traditional operas so that they can become interested in them and help them to be passed down.

Many     9     (innovate) methods have shown young people that traditional operas are not “old-fashioned” or “out of date”,     10     are actually treasures of Chinese culture that can be appreciated today through modern technology.