1 . A study by University of Michigan researchers found that about mine out of ten people in New York City were exposed to noises that were high enough to harm their hearing. Some of the risk comes from traffic and other environmental sounds, but we suffer a lot of punishment on our ears by simply attending sports events and concerts. Listening to music through earphones and turning up the volume also do damage.

Hearing aids may have seemed not comfortable to wear for some people. But today, you might not even realize that the person next to you is wearing a pair of earphones so small and thin that they’re mostly hidden inside the ears. You might be even more surprised to discover that the person can adjust those hearing aids on a phone app — to make it easier to hear what you’re saying in a crowded, noisy environment.

“There’s a cool factor for hearing aids,” explains Dr. Hope Lanter. “They’re significantly (显著地) better and smaller.” Lanter is the lead audiologist (听力学家) for hear. com, an online source for hearing aids from various producers, which also offers access to a nationwide network of audiologists who can provide in-person testing and help.

Hear. com has started its own product, which is named the Horizon, together with engineers from hearing aid maker Signia, according to a news report. In addition to producing clear speech, the Horizon is also designed to interact with phones and other tools, make phone calls, stream podcasts, read e-books and so on.

Throughout the United States, the number of hearing aids and earphones is on the rapid increase. Though they have brought much benefit for those who have difficulty in hearing, they really do great harm to people with normal hearing when they listen to music or talk with others.

It was a beautiful May morning. As usual, I started my day by sitting outside breathing the fresh air as I read my book and drank my coffee. Afterwards, there were two things I was determined to do. First, make sure my husband got our small Christmas trees down from the attic(阁楼) and, second, take several bags of clothes, blankets and comforters to the donation center. I had been faithful in doing that every year, but for whatever reason, I had delayed this year and the bags were now piling up and overflowing.

After reading for a while, I went into the bedroom to ask my husband to bring the trees down. He was asleep so I figured I’d surprise him and get them down by myself.

I went to the garage to access the attic storage and moved our tall metal ladder into place. I had to move the bags of clothing and blankets out of the way, determined once again to get those to the donation center.

I climbed the ladder, and two steps from the top I was able to reach up and push open the attic door. Then, with my feet on the very last step and part of my upper body in the attic, I saw my trees. I awkwardly raised my leg to climb onto the attic floor. Looking down, and then looking up again, I decided that this was actually too much for me. I should wait for my husband to get them.

As I stepped down, my foot missed the shaky ladder’s step. With one foot swinging and the other on the top step, I grabbed(抓住) the attic floorboard and called my husband. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hear me. As I went to take another step down, the ladder suddenly came out from under me, loudly crashing onto the concrete(混凝土的) garage floor, leaving me hanging from the attic with sweaty hands. In that second, which seemed like a century, I prayed and then called my husband.

With my body swinging in midair and my hands slowly sliding closer to the edge, I fell.

Arriving at the emergency center, I anxiously waited to see the doctor.

You asked me to give you advice on

Sincerely yours,

Li Hua

China has     1     ( successful) launched its space station— Tianhe. The successful launch marks that China’s space station construction has entered a full stage,     2     lays a solid foundation for the follow-up tasks. The station is expected to contribute to the peaceful     3     (develop) and use of space resources as well as to enrich technologies and experience for China’s future explorations into much     4     (deep) space.

Five launch tasks     5     (finish) last year. China plans another six tasks, including two manned spaceships. The tasks aim to complete     6     construction of the space station in 2022. The station will provide astronauts     7     six zones separately for work, sleep, dining, sanitation, healthcare and exercise. The station also has more     8     (advance) technologies due to the collected wisdom and strengths from universities, research institutes and industrial departments across the country.

So far many foreign space agencies     9     (propose) cooperative intention. China will start the selection of foreign astronauts and carry out joint flights according to the task progress. Through cooperation, China wants     10     (build) its space station into a scientific research platform shared by the world and benefit all humankind.

9 . I was nine when my father first sent me flowers. I had been taking tap-dancing lessons for six months, and the school was holding its yearly ______. As a member of the beginners’ chorus line, I was ______ of my lowly status. So it was a ______ to have my name called out at the end of the show along with the lead ______ and to find my arms full of red roses. I can still feel myself standing on that ______, blushing and gazing out at the audience, seeing my father’s grin as he applauded ______.

As the years passed, other ______ ―birthdays, awards, graduations—were ______ with Dad’s flowers. Dad’s flowers ______ his pride, and my success. When I ______ from college, I was embarking on a new career and was engaged to be married.

As my fortunes grew, my father gradually became ______, but his gifts of flowers continued ______ he died of a heart attack a few months before his 70th birthday. I covered his coffin ______ the largest, reddest roses I could find.

Often in the dozen years since, I have felt a(n) ______ to go out and buy a big bunch to fill the living room, ______ I never did. I knew it would not be the same.

Then one birthday, the doorbell rang. I was feeling ______ because I was alone. My son, Matt, had run out earlier with a “see you later”, never mentioning my ______. So I was surprised to see his large frame at the door. “Forgot my key,” he said, shrugging. “Forgot your birthday too. Well, I hope you like ______, Mom.” He pulled a bunch of daisies from ______ his back. “Oh, Matt,” I ______, hugging him hard, “I love flowers!”

We live in a world where snapping (抓拍) photos of your kids and posting them to social media is about as natural to parents as kissing them. But when enjoying     1     (they) with little ones, sharing pictures at birthday parties, or wearing new     2     (cloth), parents should keep some moments private. Otherwise, you may put kids into, or even     3     (bad), make them a potential target for child traders.     4    , children at certain stages hate their photos to be made public too.

Now, parents posting pictures of their children on social media could be accused by their sons or daughters under France’s privacy laws. Mothers and fathers are likely     5     (face) a year in prison and a fine of £35,000, if they     6     (find) guilty of posting details of their children’s private lives without their permission. And adults,     7     accuse their parents damaged their right to privacy when they     8     (be) children, could receive a large amount of money from their parents. In February, Eric Delcroix,     9     expert on Internet law, posted a message on Wechat, reading: “Please stop     10     (post) pictures of your kids on Wechat.”