Dogs are often called “man’s best friend” and make ideal pets.     1     most attractive quality of a dog is its faith in its owner. They always greet us when we come home and they will never leave us when we are     2     danger. For example, there was a very sick man and his dog barked and barked until the rescue team     3     (arrive).

Furthermore, dogs are strong animals     4     will protect us. Houses with dogs are considered much     5     (safe) than those with burglar alarms (防盗警报器). Not only will they stop thieves,     6     they will also guard against fire. For example, there was a serious fire and a dog managed     7     (pull) its owner out.

And     8     (final), dogs can be trained by people. Dogs can do a number of things that people can not. For example, they can find drugs, bodies, illegal DVDs and hunt down prisoners with     9     (they) nose. They’re also used to help the elderly and disabled.

To sum up, dogs are really friendly, civilized (文明的) and loyal     10     (partner) .

Learning Chinese calligraphy     1     (list) as one of the must-do things when I came to China. Now, I’m in the course of learning this unique art,     2     value is considered very high in China, even across East Asia today. It is not only     3     ancient artistic form of human language, but it also reflects Chinese traditions.

As someone who paints, draws, and loves all     4     (create) things, at first, I assumed I would be rather good at Chinese calligraphy. I was     5     (total ) wrong. Using thick brush tips to produce awkward brush strokes (笔画)     6     (be) very difficult for a beginner. I have no idea about the different types of calligraphy and the meanings     7     ( hide) behind each one. Also, I have to hold the paintbrush     8     a very specific way; unlike a pen or pencil, the paintbrush is held upright in the hand. I need to be extra careful when changing the angle or     9     (direct) of the brush, especially if I press too hard on the paper.

After taking the lesson, I now understand the difficulty of calligraphy and that it will take efforts and commitment     10     (master) this art form. Yet, I am grateful to learn such a special Chinese tradition.

Once upon a time, in a small town lived a man     1     couldn’t see. Yet, he carried a Lighted lamp wherever he went at night. One night, he came     2     a group of travelers. One of them asked, “Hey, man! You can’t see anything! Why do you carry a lighted lamp then?” The blind man replied, “Yes, unfortunately, I am blind but the lighted lamp I am carrying is for people like you who can see. You may not see me coming and end up     3     (knock) into me. That is why I carry a lighted lamp.”

As you can see, the reason     1     I’m here to tell the story is that I made the right decision. Some time after I left the boat, with my brother in it, it was pulled into the bottom of the whirlpool. Soon after that, the whirlpool became less wild. Then the sky was clear, the wind calmer, and the moon was shining. Still I     2     (tie) to the barrel and the waves soon carried me to an area     3     the other fishermen were. In the end, a boat picked me up. I was very tired. The fishermen were my old friends, but they were unable to recognize me.

China is     1     (wide) known for its ancient civilization     2     has continued all the way through into modern times, despite the many ups and downs in its history. There are many reasons why this has been possible, but one of the main factors has been the Chinese writing system. At the beginning,     3     (write) Chinese was a picture-based language. It dates back several thousand years to the use of longgu-animal bones and shells on    4    symbols were carved by ancient Chinese people.