3 . I live in a town near Prague(布拉格), the capital of the Czech Republic. Besides cars, bikes are the most important _________ of transportation(运输). As it _________ you to go almost anywhere you want, cycling is a big _________ for Czech people. On weekends, you can see cyclists _________ through the towns wearing helmets (头盔) and cycling clothes.

Some people _________ that living in a town is inconvenient (不便利的), including me. _________, I find life in towns much more _________ than that in big cities after living here for a while. I was _________ given a bicycle by my host family. _________ it is only an ordinary bike, I was still __________ and couldn’t wait to take a cycling trip alone.

One sunny Sunday afternoon, I took my first cycling trip to a village nearby. I cycled for a while, alongside a river. But then, something happened: One of my tires __________. There was no choice but to __________ my bike back home, which took an hour.

I didn’t give up though: One week later, I __________ again. This time, however, there was__________ wrong with my tires. It was a very beautiful town, with a typical Czech castle and a park full of peacocks. People were taking part in a marathon that day. There were also stands selling __________ Czech foods and drinks, such as potato pancakes and beer.

It was already sunset when I __________ to head home, and I saw almost no one on the way back. As the warm breeze softly stroked (轻抚) my face. I felt very __________ and happy.

I believe many of us need a(n) __________ like this to take a break from our __________ life sometimes. So, I really do encourage all of you to take a cycling trip alone, even just to a nearby village. Just look around you, and you’re sure to __________ some hidden beauty.

4 . The ancient Babylonians （巴比伦人）are thought to have been the first people to set New Year's resolutions. They made promises to gods that they would return any objects they had borrowed from others. If they did this, then it was said that gods would protect them in the year ahead. Since then, resolutions have changed from promises to gods to promises to ourselves and others. That could be starting a new hobby, trying to be healthier or learning a new language. Given the difficulties that any people have in keeping their New Years resolutions, though, should people wait a little longer before deciding what they'll be? Is January the right time to set New Years resolutions?

Yes — it gets the year off to a good start. They're called New Year's resolutions, not Half-Year resolutions. The whole point of setting New Year's resolutions is that it's done at the start of the year.Waiting longer just defeats the purpose of it. New Year's resolutions are a fun tradition to discuss with family and friends. You won't be able to talk about it in the same way if you're all setting them at different times. Besides, the more you put it off, the less likely it is that you'll ever decide on what your resolutions are going to be. You can always set new ones, or change your goals, but it's important to start off with something. By the time you've decided on some resolutions, you'll have less time to do them — which only increases your chances of failure.

No — January isn't the right time. January is a cold and dark month. Why would you want to start something new then? During the winter months, most people just want to stay nice and warm indoors, rather than try something new. People should make resolutions to lead happier, healthier lives whenever they want, not just on 1 January. Waiting longer means that you'll have more time to plan and will have a better idea of what you want to do in the year ahead. This will result in better resolutions, which have a stronger chance of success. One study found that by 6 January, one in five people had failed to stick to their resolutions. By not rushing into it, you're less likely to get discouraged and give up if you haven't succeeded right away.

Now that you've read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior. co. uk/polls.

6 . It is no accident that many films and shows open with a crazy, action-packed scene that drives viewers to ask: “What’s going on here, who are these people and what do they want?” These scenes are designed to keep us watching.

A scientist who explores climate history by analyzing stalagmites(石笋) held a lecture. At the beginning of her talk, she showed a photo of herself crawling through a cave to collect samples. The audience immediately perked up. Starting with that image, we couldn’t wait to ask why this scientist was crawling around in a dangerous cave, which might have attracted the audience more strongly from the beginning.

However, this particular storytelling technique is perhaps the most appropriate in presentations; research papers typically demand more straightforward reporting of results in the form of a clear abstract. When scientists describe their research to audiences outside their professional field, they often avoid discussing personal trials and sufferings. Instead, they focus only on positive, published results. No one wants to look like a failure, even if such experiences can be vastly valuable. But hiding the hardships might cut out some of your best story material. The research process lends itself perfectly to this narrative concept(叙事概念); it can be described as a winding road of plot twists that reshapes the lives of scientists and our understanding of the world. Invite others to join you for the ups and downs of your research. Instead of just presenting your findings, describe how you reacted to those discoveries. What was the most exciting? How did you get wrong? As Emma Coats, a former Pixar storyboard artist, noted in a list of storytelling principles she posted on Twitter: “You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.”

Try to apply screenwriting strategies to your presentation. After all, as the character Tyrion Lannister states in the television series Game of Thrones, “There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story.”

Yours sincerely

Lihua

8 . There are three things you can watch forever: Instagram feeds, YouTube videos and water. Among them, water is definitely something no one argues about, and there are many unusual water attractions that you can find around the world.

Bangkok Floating Markets

There are many floating markets where goods are sold from boats. While modern markets are more popular, floating markets still are a huge attraction for local tourism. Any visitors can purchase local foods and traditional handcrafted (手工的) souvenirs. Bargaining is a part of experience. So, start low and get the price you are ready to pay.

Bregenzer Festspiele

The Bregenz Festival is held every year from July to August in Vorarlberg. It has the world’s largest stage on the water. The performances are different every year but they are usually united by one theme. The decorations are very impressive and are worth seeing.

Marina Bay Stadium

This stadium was built as a temporary solution while Singapore National Stadium was rebuilt. The stadium was used for the opening and closing ceremonies during 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. It was a floating platform where the Formula One Grand Prix event was successfully held.

Archipelago Cinema

Archipelago Cinema is probably one of the world’s most scenic open-air cinemas that floats in the middle of a lake. The cinema was designed by German architect Ole Scheeren, who built it using techniques popular among local people. This cinema stage was built specially for the film festival Film on the Rocks Yao Noi.