Oktoberfest is a German tradition     1     (know) around the world for its beer, delicious food, and celebration of German culture. It’s a chance to put aside differences, raise a glass, and shout, “Prost!” (“Cheers!” in German)

Given the name, one would think that it would also be a chance to celebrate the great month of October. That’s right—the majority of Oktoberfest takes place in September. The entire festival runs 16-18 days, depending     2     the year. However, when Oktoberfest began in 1810, it took place     3     (entire) in October, from the 12th to the 17th.

The first Oktoberfest was a celebration of the     4     (marry) between Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It lasted five days, during which the citizens of Munich     5     (invite) to eat and drink to their hearts’ content while     6     (listen) to live music and watching parades. The party ended with a horse race at the edge of town.

It was     7     a success that people thought this celebration should become an annual festival, complete with attractions     8     made the first so enjoyable. As the festival     9     (get) longer, the starting dates were moved into September because the days were longer and the weather was     10     (warm). Visitors could stay out later to enjoy the gardens and the famous fields which made up the festival grounds without getting chilly.

7 . When I was younger, it was as if my family lived on the road. We were so _______ to packing our truck and trailer and going on the road to our _______ . Typically, these travels would _______ long road trips. Sometimes we would _______ friends. And other times we would be visiting _______ . Although some trips were short-lived, the experiences, _______ , and things I have learned from them would be _______ .

In Mexico, I learned more about the ethnicity (种族) I belong to. Here in the US, I have learned large amounts of knowledge about how culture can _______ from state to state and how it affects everyone else. The people we met on our journeys also contributed to the memories I now _______ of traveling experiences.

As you get older, you start to become ________ of the fact that not everyone was ________ like you and there is more to the world than the ________ bubble we tend to view ourselves in. Taking a little bit from everything ________ the bubble, though. And taking the time to ________ all the new things, we can build our character even more.

Humans have the natural wanderlust (旅行癖), and a strong ________ to explore. We travel every day, even if we don’t ________ it. Going to work or school is just as much traveling as taking a trip to Europe. Everything can be turned into an ________ , and there is something to see at every corner.

Taking the time to ________ that everything we do can be a learning experience can ________ change the way we view our lives. So we should take the time now while we are young to understand this and take ________ of it because we only have so long to live, and there is so much of this world to be seen.

8 . New parents who clean their homes very often to protect their babies from bacteria and other organisms might cut back their efforts.

A new study suggests high levels of contact with cleaning products are linked to an increased risk of the childhood breathing condition known as asthma (气喘).

Researchers asked a group of parents how often they used 26 common household cleaners during their babies’ first three to four months of life. By age three, the children who had come in contact with cleaning products the most were more likely to be diagnosed with asthma. The researchers said children who had a lot of contact with cleaners were 37 percent more likely to have asthma than children with the least contact. The study also found a lot of exposure to cleaning products caused children to be 35 percent more likely to have chronic difficulty breathing. In addition, they were 49 percent more likely to have chronic allergies.

Tim Takaro, who helped lead the study, suggested that parents should question the belief that their home is clean only if it smells like chemical-based cleaning products. He also advised them to look for products free of substances like chemical colors. Besides, they should consider natural cleaning products instead of chemical ones.

The American lung Association recommends avoiding cleaning products that contain volatile (易挥发的) organic substances and other irritants (刺激物). But companies in Canada and the United States are not required to list all the chemicals in cleaning products. Some products labeled as environmentally friendly, or "green", may contain harmful substances.

Elissa Abrams, a doctor with the University of Manitoba, admitted the effects of cleaning products are not well understood. But she believed these products and the chemicals they contain act as irritants to growing children "The take-home message is that parents should be careful with cleaning products they use in the home", she added.

9 . When it comes to making television historical documentaries, there are few places and periods that British television audiences have not been taken by presenter Michael Wood. Earlier this year he became the first filmmaker from outside China to make a film about the life and work of poet Du Fu. The Du Fu film, featuring famous British actor Ian McKellen reading his poems, was shown on the BBC and China Central Television, and the reaction was instant and positive.

“It created a lot of interest and feedback in China and got a lot of coverage at the time, which was really touching, because when you go into a foreign culture as an outsider, to make a film about something of theirs, you want to make sure you’ve got it right.” Wood said.

As shown in the documentary, Du Fu’s works are learnt by heart by Chinese school students, but outside the country, he is not that well known. So, there is something Wood is keen to put right.

Stephen Owen, one of his leading translators from Harvard says, “Du Fu should be considered alongside Shakespeare and Dante as people who helped compose the emotional vocabulary of their culture.”

For more than 40 years, China has always held the most fascination for Wood. He first got interested in China when he was at school and picked up a book called Poems of the late Tang by AC Graham. “That book opened a window to a world that I never even dreamed.” he said. In the early 80s, it was the first time he had been to China. “I really enjoyed being with the people, who were so friendly and sociable. I remember coming back from my first long trip there feeling genuinely sad to go home.” Wood said.

Opening up discussion and encouraging cultural links is something Wood also does through his involvement. “We believe in dialogue. We try to promote mutual understanding and respect, and we want to help people in the West understand the culture of China better and to get rid of major areas of misunderstanding.” he said. “I did a series called The Story of England years ago, telling the history of the country over the centuries through the life of one village, and I’d love to try something like that in China.”

10 . My work started in 2003 at my local animal shelter’s Adoption Department. It seems like such a long time ago. In the 13 years that have passed, more than 50,000 animals have passed the doors of the shelter. Most of them, I do not remember. But occasionally there are animals who stand out. Tabby was one such animal.

Tabby was one of the many homeless dogs. What’s more, she was blind and deaf. Tabby’s chances at adoption seemed remote at best. But one day a woman named Loretta came to the shelter. Her son, Gary, who suffered from epilepsy (癫痫) had seen Tabby’s picture on the shelter’s website. They were interested in meeting her! Most boys would want a puppy, a dog who could grow with him and run through grassy fields on summer days. Tabby would never be able to do that. But as they say, "love is blind". After meeting her, they decided to adopt Tabby!

If Tabby’s story had simply ended with her successful adoption, it would still have been something very special indeed but it was what happened after her adoption that some might label as "magical" or perhaps even miraculous. As Gary and Tabby did everything together, they became so "in tune" with one another that Tabby began to telegraph Gary’s seizures (疾病发作) before they occurred, giving his family a warning that one was about to strike. What’s more, Gary seemed to be having fewer and fewer seizures since Tabby’s arrival.

How could it be? There are some things that happen in this world that challenge all logic and understanding. Sometimes, the best that we can do is to accept a miraculous thing, which we didn’t attempt to explain. Because when you try to explain it, you lose the beauty and wonder of it all.