1 . My PhD project is to protect a tiny species of fish, whose color is greenish. To ______eggs, Clanwilliam sandfish (沙鱼) swim to ______tributaries (支流) of the Doring river system in South Africa. Local people say it was once a ______event: The water seemed to change ______ as thousands of sandfish migrated to the shallower tributaries. Now, ______those numbers have reduced to dangerous levels.

My PhD project at South Africa’s University of Cape Town is in ______with a nongovernmental organization in saving sandfish. Human activity, climate change, etc, are drying up the rivers. As newly young sandfish try to ______to the upstream (上游), they now get ______in shallow tributaries. The sandfish population has decreased by more than 90% since we began keeping count. They’re now regarded as ______species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.When the river starts to dry up, we ______young sandfish and put them into buckets of water, then move them by truck to prepared fish nurseries (鱼种场) ______ by local people. The support from local people is amazing. Once the sandfish are large enough to be less threatened, we will ______them to the natural ecosystem.

The data so far show the project has been ______. We’ve ______ about 36,000 young sandfish over the past three years. I’m looking forward to ______those numbers next year.

2 . My long-distance cycling career of 13 years and 35, 000 kilometres ended as I approached 75. Although I am now no longer strong enough to _________ the long days and big climbs, day in and day out, I have my memories.

The road behind is just memories, some soon to be forgotten, others to be _________ and enhanced with the retelling. A 6000-kilometre cross-country ride initially appears _________, but, once done, it is simply done, much like the challenges that life _________.

Real _________ would come when I was alone on my bicycle. I enjoyed meeting and even _________ the daily targets I had set for myself. I enjoyed the technical challenges faced by tire bursts and loose handlebars, but _________ not at that time. I loved cycling with a strong tailwind pushing me along and hated _________ into a strong headwind. I loved striking up conversations with a diversity of people and sincerely appreciated the support and comfort they _________.

Long distance cycling brings unbearable exhaustion, long hours of anxiety, even fear and desperation, but these __________ into insignificance, compared to the joy and __________ of climbing huge mountains or seeing fantastic sights for the first time. The experiences add newness and __________ to my life and the memories are __________.

Most importantly, cycling taught me to know myself better. It eventually dawned on me that I had more __________ and courage than I ever imagined. The self-awareness and long-lasting memories will give me enormous __________ as I carry on my life journey.

3 . When my friend suggested we join the Tai Chi Club at school, I ______. I always believed tai chi was for the ______. After the first class, however, I had to admit I was ______ about tai chi. It was amazing! Just as importantly, ______ tai chi has inspired me to explore the Chinese culture behind it.

The first few ______ were interesting and easy. The moves with descriptive names ______ my imagination. My coach also told me the history of tai chi. ______, after learning the basics of tai chi, I found myself bored and aching from doing the same ______ over and again. Luckily, my coach taught me how to relax my muscles and focus on peace of mind while performing the routine.

Eventually, tai chi ______ a state of physical balance and mental peace. A year of practicing tai chi has had a positive effect on my everyday life. I sleep better at night, and I am more energetic during the day. I am sure I will continue to practice tai chi and enjoy the ______ it has brought me.

I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t been feeling well recently. But the doctor is__________—you do need to take more exercise. I have some__________that you might find helpful.

First, remember that you don’t have to __________non-stop for 30 minutes or a whole hour__________, try to do small amounts of exercise whenever you can. For example, try taking the stairs up to your flat instead of the__________.When you study for a long time, remember to take regular breaks.

Second, you don’t have to__________to exercise in good weather. Many forms of exercise can be done outside the gym. You can do some__________in the school playground, in the park or around your community. All you need is a pair of __________shoes.

Finally, I understand that exercise alone can be boring, but you could invite your family and friends to __________with you. Encourage them to take exercise too so that you can have fun exercising together. This way, you are more likely to __________with your exercise routine.

I hope you’ll soon feel happier and healthier.

All the best.

Rachel

5 . Templer was a tour guide in Zimbabwe, leading a canoe (皮划艇) safari down the Zambezi River. During the expedition, Templer’s canoe _______ the way, with the other two canoes to follow.

Things were going the way they were supposed to go. Everyone was having a pretty good time. Eventually, they _______ a dozen hippos, which were territorial animals. That’s not _______ on the Zambezi, Africa’s fourth-longest river. They weren’t alarmed at first as they were at a safe _______.

Templer tried to steer (率领) the group safely around them. However, the third canoe was off the planned _______ and was attacked by an aggressive hippo. The guide named Evans on the canoe fell into the water. Templer went to _______ him. He was getting closer to Evans. He was _______— it was kind of a made-for-Hollywood movie — Evans was reaching up. Their _______ almost touched. And then the water between them just _______. Before he knew it, Templer was up to his waist down a hippo’s throat. His legs were trapped but his hands were ________. So he tried to hold onto the hippo’s tusks (长牙) to ________being torn apart. The hippo must have been uncomfortable because it spat him out. So he quickly burst to the ________, and breathed some fresh air. With others’ help, Templer and Evans made it out of the river.

Despite the unpleasant experience, Templer ________to work as a tour guide. He also became an advocate for hippo ________, recognizing that the animals were not inherently aggressive but were ________ defending their territory.

6 . Happiness can be difficult to find. But even when happiness seems almost impossible, it can be obtained with a shift in ways of thinking or simply a _______.

I volunteered at an elderly care home this past summer. _______, I didn’t think much about the visits to the residents. There couldn’t be anything _______ to talk about with old people, right? But as I got to know them my outlook — and life — completely _______.

One resident I remember vividly was a woman with a friendly smile. I _______ a collection of porcelain (瓷制的) shoes, in varying sizes, beside her window. “Those are really pretty,” I said. The woman’s face instantly lit up. “Ah yes! I used to _______ them when I was younger,” she said, carefully _______ a shoe with a beautiful design. “My daughter bought it for me. I saw it in an antique store and just knew I had to have it.” I could feel the _______ in her voice.

I visited another resident who kept her wedding photograph next to her bed. The photograph, though _______ and black-and-white, showed the pure joy on the bride’s and groom’s faces. Along with the photograph, she ________ postcards and letters from her family. Looking at the pictures on the postcards, she could ________ she was traveling around the world with them.

These stories — so familiar, yet so distant from my ________ — made me see what truly defines happiness. Despite their old ________, the residents had happy memories of friends and family, and a great deal of experiences to ________. All these little details turn into their own ________ of happiness. I must make the most of life so that one day I can unearth my own tiny pieces of happiness.

7 . I wasn’t raised to be a fan of snails (蜗牛). I was always taught that if we see a snail on a plant, we should pick it off and_________on it. This brought us the kind of giggly (咯咯傻笑的) _________that only children experience. We loved it. However, my_________on snails has changed, as I’ve grown older. They bring me a different kind of happiness.

The first time I thought of snails as more than a_________was when I saw something that_________ me in my garden. A small snail, _________a hard shell, moved slowly toward one_________bud and explored it. The exploration lasted for quite a while and, _________enough, the bud turned into a full bloom. Watching the snail carefully touching the flower_________me of the lyric: “Snails see the beauty in every inch.” I realized that the snail is probably a best representation of__________and taking life slowly.

Then, I__________the snail in my palm. It was scared by the sudden move and immediately__________back into its shell. I thought it would__________inside for several minutes, but shortly after gutting used to the takeaway, the snail poked its head out again. It was not just hiding but__________.

Giving ourselves time to nourish (滋养) inside and out, and waiting for the right__________to reenter the exciting life, is extremely restorative and worthwhile.

8 . When working in person, most of us have a natural understanding of non-verbal (非语言的) signals. That is to say, all the ways in which we ________ work out without words.

________, in the digital workspace, this kind of communication can seem less ________. Many work ________ now happen via online chats, and even video meetings can go ahead with cameras off.

Parts of non-verbal communication have always ________ outside face-to-face interaction, of course. For example, these unnoticeable ________ could begin with a profile picture on your CV (简历); even deciding whether or not to add an emoji (表情图标) in a work group chat can change the ________ of the interaction.

Yet the new workplace shift in where and how we work has ________ the world of non-verbal communication greatly. For instance, in video calls, backgrounds can give all sorts of non-verbal ________ about co-workers’ lifestyles, ________ and level of professionalism. Let’s say if a co-worker positions the camera below the chin (下巴), ________ others to look up, you begin to dislike him or her, almost ________. Indeed, data have shown that during video calls, factors like camera angles, distance from the camera and ability to make eye contact all ________ how likeable people are noticed to be.

In a new world where ________ working is rapidly developing, being willing to engage non-verbally makes it ________ to understand others and to be understood.

9 . Lowe was facing a nightmare. His five-year-old son Tyler ________ from such a severe dental problem that he needed to have a(n)________ immediately. Lowe and his wife brought Tyler to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver.

“As we sat in the waiting room, we felt ________. And the way in which my wife was clinging to her son just made the ________ of the situation heavier. ”Lowe remembered.

When a nurse called the family back, Lowe’s ________ only grew. A young doctor walked into the room and told them that he would be in ________ of the surgery. As the doctor began to explain how it would proceed, Lowe’s mind ________ the worst possible outcome.

But then the doctor did something beyond ________. He looked at both Lowe and his wife in the eye, put a hand on each of their shoulders, and ________ them, “Today, your son is my son.” Lowe said he would never forget what the young doctor said, which was very helpful and meaningful. His ________   fear gave way to calm.

After the surgery was over, the doctor came back out to the family. “He ________ us with a big smile on his face and said our son is just fine, and you can see him here in a few minutes.” Lowe ________.     

After the surgery, Tyler made a quick ________ and led a normal life again. The Whole family felt so lucky to meet such a ________ doctor and Lowe explained that words ________ to express how grateful he and his wife both were for what the doctor said and did that day.

10 . Apple has unveiled its delayed iPhone 12 line of smartphones in a range of sizes with new designs and 5G connectivity. Unveiled as part of a online-only event, which was ______ by more than a month due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the new iPhones mark some of the biggest changes to Apple’s smartphones since the iPhone X in 2017.

iPhone 12

The midrange model is simply called the iPhone 12 and is a(n) ______ replacement for Apple’s most popular phone from last year, the iPhone 11.It has a new and improved 6.1in OLED screen that ______ the LCD technology used on its predecessor. The iPhone 12 has a new 12-megapixel dual-camera system on the rear with ______ and ultrawide lenses and the True Depth selfie camera from Face ID on the front, all of which can now use Apple’s Night mode for low-light photos. The body of the phone is aluminum like its predecessor, while the ______ is glass. The phone is 11% thinner than the previous model and has new Ceramic Shield screen glass technology, which has four times the ______ performance of previous display glass for fewer smashed screens.

iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max

The smaller high-end iPhone is called the iPhone 12 Pro and has a similar 6.1in OLED screen to the iPhone 12- larger than the 5.8in screen of the iPhone 11 Pro from 2019. The largest smartphone ______ by Apple will now be the new iPhone12 Pro Max which has a 6.7in OLED screen-0.2in larger on the diagonal than the previous iPhone 11 Pro Max. Both iPhone 12 Pro models have improved triple-camera systems on the back with ultrawide, normal and new telephoto lenses, plus a lidar-based depth-sensing scanner that can ______ the distance of objects up to 5 metres away and aids in autofocus. A similar technology was ______ on the iPad Pro in March and is designed for augmented reality experiences.

Home Pod Mini

Alongside the new iPhones, Apple has launched a new, smaller version of its Home Pod smart speaker, ______by the Siri smart assistant, which it hopes will help it better ______ with Google and Amazon’s dominant smart speakers. The ______ Home Pod sounded very good, but was let down by Siri’s limited capabilities and Apples ______ of music services to just its own. The new Home Pod Mini has the same S5 processor as the Apple Watch Series 5 to control playback and the sound ______ by the speaker’s single down-firing driver and two passive radiators. The new speaker also has proximity detection for nearby iPhones equipped with Apple’s U1 chip and Siri can now differentiate between different people via their ______ print.