3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. (10%)

In the center of Rome stands the Pantheon (万神庙) --- a temple dedicated to all gods. A mere 6,611 kilometers away, China has its own “pantheon” --- the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Northwest China’s Gansu province.

Mogao is a complex of caves cut out of the side of a sandstone and rock cliff that     1     (stretch) almost two kilometres beside a dry riverbed in the Gobi Desert.

Having been a key outpost on the ancient Silk Road for centuries, the city of Dunhuang provided shelter for tired traders along the route east to west or vice versa. And it is     2     its location that the Mogao Caves can also be called a pantheon. It is not just Buddhist art that decorates its walls. There are Taoist artworks, traditional Chinese mythological characters,     3     influences from Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

When I experienced the Mogao Caves and Dunhuang for the first time, the mighty weight of history was perceivable: the artworks awe-inspiring and the stories     4     (tell) beautifully.

For many, the feeling one gets when dipping their toes in the ocean or breathing crisp mountain air is a unique experience tied to the landscape. So     5     the unique feeling one experiences when in the desert.

Golden dunes stretch out into the distance, going up and down like the sea in a storm. Sand is whipped up by the wind and carried,     6     (spread) the desert’s influence further and further, The desert is one harsh and amazing environment. It has been months     7     my visit and I still have sand in my shoes.

It is remarkable that many of the artworks of Mogao exist today considering the relentless power of the desert and the climate     8     they were made in.

But here is     9     humans step in once more. Work, in turn, is relentlessly being carried out to preserve and protect the treasures of Mogao. Stakeholders such as the Dunhuang Academy, and others, work tirelessly to ensure     10     remains there today remains there for future generations, too.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Walking and Using a Phone is Bad for Your Health

Spend time on any crowded sidewalk and you’ll see heads bent over and eyes cast downward. One recent study of college students found that a quarter of people crossing intersections     1     (absorb) in a device. That screen in your hand isn’t just distracting your attention. It also changes your mood, your manner of walking and etc. — and affects your ability to get from point A to point B     2     running into trouble.

When you walk and use a phone at the same time, you automatically adjust     3     you move. Video footage of walkers has shown that people on phones walk about 10 percent slower than those undistracted ones. These changes can block traffic on the sidewalk. And     4     walking makes up a big portion of your daily physical activity, walking more slowly may have impacts for your fitness.

Looking down at a smartphone while walking can also increase the amount of force     5     (place) on the neck and upper back muscles, which could reduce balance and increase the risk of falls.

It’s now widely accepted that walking in natural spaces is good for your mental health. It appears that     6     (get) these benefits, it’s important that your attention is on the environment, rather than on your phone.

Most of us understand that walking and using a phone can be risky. Some cities, like Honolulu,     7     (pass) laws to control distracted walkers. But research on those dangers has turned up some surprises. One study has looked at the connection between “phone-related distracted walking” and emergency department visits. Using government data     8     (extend) over the years 2011 to 2019, the researchers turned up nearly 30,000 walking injuries occasioned by phones.

If you’re distracted by a phone, you’re definitely putting     9     at some risk. So how do you stay safe? If you do walk and use your device at the same time, stop when you’re around stairs, crosswalks and messy or uneven ground,     10     accidents are more likely to occur.

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Reconsidering the Staycation

I’ve always been doubtful of the staycation. The newly-invented word is too cute for     1     feels like a comfort: While other people are off exploring the Blue Lagoon by camper van, you get to stay in your very own home and go to your usual supermarket     2     cookies!

So, I am fascinated to discover, thanks to my colleague Catherine Pearson, that I     3     (understand) staycation in a wrong way. Evidently, my tendency     4     (take) a break without a plan is unlikely to produce a restorative effect. Instead, one should make good preparations for that period of time. Jaime Kurtz, a psychology professor at James Madison University and the author of “The Happy Traveler: Unpacking the Secrets of Better Vacations,” advises     5     (ask) oneself, “If I were moving away soon, what would I most want to do, and who would I most want to spend time with?”

I like this saying “Live every day as if it were your last.” Any reminder that time is flying is a good one     6     it gets you to live better. This weekend, you could, for instance, seek out some vegan ice cream     7     doesn’t taste terrible. You could try running in a pool, which is easier on the joints but as effective as running on land. You could go for a walk or a drive while listening to “Slow Radio,” a very comforting BBC podcast     8     (feature) sounds of the natural world.

Whether or not you have a proper vacation     9     (plan) for the coming weeks, you could envision any coming weekend as its own two-day mini-break, programming it as you would a trip to somewhere new, with a journey     10     (exciting) than just “sleep as much as possible” and “mow the lawn”.