1 . Perhaps no issue attracts more senior leadership attention than growth does, and for good reason._______in gains and profits is the standard by which we tend to measure the competitive fitness and health of companies. Analysts, investors, and boards are especially concerned about growth_______to get insight into stock prices. _______are attracted to faster-growing companies because they offer better opportunities for advancement and higher pay. Suppliers prefer faster-growing customers because working with them improves their own growth prospects.

While sustained profitable growth is a nearly universal goal, it is a(n) _______one for many companies. Many researches conducted on the long-term patterms of growth in U.S.corporations suggest that when inflation is_______, most companies barely grow. _______in an analysis of 10,897 publicly held U.S.companies from 1976 to 2019, researchers found that firms in the top quartile grew at an inflation-adjusted average of 11.8% per year, but those in the lower three quartiles experienced little or no growth (0.3%, 0.03%, and 0.5%, respectively). And the majority of firms in the top quartile were unable to _______ superior growth performance for more than a few years.

Over the past two decades, I have tried to understand why some companies are effective at sustaining growth. I have found that while the usual explanations, such as market forces and technological changes do play a role, many companies’ growth problems are done by themselves. _______, firms approach growth in a highly reactive, opportunistic manner. When market demand is booming, they throw resources at developing new capacity, and build out organizational infrastructure without thinking through the _______— for example, whether their operating systems and processes can scale, how rapid growth might affect corporate culture and what would happen if demand slows. In the process of chasing growth, companies can easily destroy the things that made them __________in the first place, such as their capacity for innovation, their great customer service, or their unique cultures.

2 . Methane (甲烷) is a greenhouse gas. Over 20 years it has over 80 times the planet-cooking power of carbon dioxide, and is _________ for nearly 45%of warming today. Because methane is the main _________ of natural gas, much of man-made emissions comes from the energy industry. Yet because it is short-lived, controlling methane offers the world its best possible chance for _________ progress against climate change.

As COP28, the UN’s climate summit, gets _________ in Dubai, it is greatly encouraging, therefore, that the chances of such a deal on methane are good. Negotiators must _________ at a rare opportunity to strike one.

The reason a deal looks possible is that the politics are promising in all the biggest markets. China has recently announced that it will start including methane in its national climate plans. America will soon finalize regulations to _________ methane emissions from its huge oil and gas sector, including measures that cover leaky pipelines and storage. And the European Union has also agreed on tough methane standards, covering both domestic sources and _________ fossil fuels.

_________ are helping, too. A range of new technologies for monitoring methane will help _________ large sources of emissions from the energy industry. Because oil and gas firms can often sell methane (rather than wastefully burning or releasing it), many investment s to avoid __________ will pay for themselves. Most firms do not invest because of the trouble, higher returns on other projects, or wells’ distance from consumers. Whatever the reason, they suffer no __________ for adding needlessly to global warming.

Since green-washing, the process of conveying a false impression about how some products or measures are environmentally sound, is quite common, if a global methane deal is to be more than that, __________, it will need rigour (缜密). Methane-control seemed to __________ at the UN climate summit in Glasgow two years ago, when negotiators __________ came up with a proposal to cut emissions by 30% by 2030．Yet the deal was voluntary, and had no enforcement mechanisms (机制); emissions have since __________. An agreement this time round must link promises to national climate plans and, crucially, to domestic enforcement mechanisms.

3 . At an early age, I suffered from a serious digestive (消化的) illness. I _________ several doctors. Then, I _________ some blood test and it showed that I had a medical condition in which the body cannot digest food that contains gluten (谷蛋白). I was advised to stop eating milk products from my _________ for six months. After making these dietary changes, my digestive health _________. After seeing how food affected my body and life, I developed a deep interest in nutrition (营养学).

_________, I went to study nutrition at the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM). I was _________ by the practical learning methods suggested by the experienced teachers and the interesting _________ given by them in class. In addition, I was amazed by how _________ my classmates were in sharing their knowledge and experience with each other. My time at CNM prepared me for _________ my own business and it was a great __________ for making friends and discovering opportunities.

I now __________ at the Nordic Clinic in Stockholm three days a week. I see a variety of __________ with a wide range of common illnesses, __________ them to get well through nutrition. I love my work, because it feels meaningful and I'm making a __________ to other people’s lives. I can’t imagine retiring from work because I know learning never stops and I love __________ applying my knowledge and helping people in need.

9 . When John asked his daughters which sculptures they like best, they shouted excitedly, “The Story birds!”. These birds are the _______ of Robin and John. Robin explains, “Made from plain clay (黏土), the colorful ceramic birds stand on metal legs. There is a little _______ in it. Together, we make something better.”

At John’s house, art is a family _______. Robin brings style to their ceramics. John crafts the metal elements of the sculptures, Their daughters, Ruby, Eliza and Carmella, help too. “The girls _______ into bodies,” says John, “Everyone contributes to the works, so every sculpture is a symbol of our _______ effort.”

There are lots of _______ to turn a clay into a bird. First, John breaks the clay and _______ it until about one-quarter inch thick. He covers it so that it won’t dry out and _______. Then, Robin _______. She thins the clay here and there, pushing in and out to make the bird’s body. John adds fresh clay on the drier clay and Robin ________ the body with bright colors. Then it is Ruby’s turn. She sculpts it. Eventually, the bird will go into an oven for firing-baking and ________. Robin programs the oven so that the temperature ________ bit by bit. Total oven time can be 20 hours. “That may be a long time.but the ________ you heat the clay, the more likely it is to crack.” Robin says.

Soon, the bird stands ________ on its feet, John shows it to his families. “I did the carving!” Ruby says excitedly. The girls gather for a closer look. The________expressions on their faces tell a story — they love making art together.

10 . About 15 years ago, I packed my suitcase and traveled to a town a few hours away. I would have an important ______ the next day, so I arrived ______. When I woke up the next morning in the hotel and started to get ______, something came to my notice — I had ______ to pack a white shirt.

This discovery made me get into ______. There was only about an hour left. Without thinking, I ______ went down to the lobby (大厅) immediately and flew to the attendant at the front desk. I explained my ______ situation and asked if he could suggest a nearby store where I could get a new shirt. I received a response before I finished speaking. “Sir, I have got a ______,” The attendant replied. How excited I was when I heard that! But rather than ______ me to a nearby shop, the man did something ______. Without saying a word, he ______ his own white shirt and handed it to me.

I finally arrived on time. Things ______ in the end — I got my dream job. I expressed my ______ when giving back the shirt.

That nice ______ has stuck with me over the years and that man’s behavior has ______ me ever since. And so now, when I see someone who needs anything, I’m willing to share.