I knew I was not supposed to be quite so excited about Christmas presents. At age eleven, as my mom’s “grown-up” girl, I had to keep myself cool. But if I had got a chance, I made     1     most of the chance and checked each present under the Christmas tree.

The company of my family went broke (破产) but we couldn’t turn to     2    (other) for help. It was typically a sad event for us. It was so hard and     3    (stress) a year for my family. However, our parents suggested that we should live and work     4    (positive). My parents had to save every cent in case we couldn’t afford some necessities. We     5    (struggle) to make a living during the time. Whenever my mom looked at those presents, she tended     6    (sigh) and looked quite anxious. I had heard the phrase, “Giving is better than receiving,” but thought anyone     7     had said that must have been out of their mind. Getting presents was the whole point!

On Christmas morning, we eagerly rushed into the living room and desired to get our favorite presents. It was our special     8    (prefer). “Here’s another one for you, honey,” said Mom. I looked at the package and was     9     (confuse). It was not mine. It was my mom’s. It was amazing that I found a new label (标签) had been put on it, with my name written in my mother’s handwriting. Ⅰsaid, “Mom, I can’t...” I was stopped by my mother’s joyful look. It was a hair dryer. She offered the gift to me rather than keep it to herself.

Now, as an adult with children in my life, I can understand my mom’s real thought. I see now she was not “giving up her Christmas gift” as I had thought, but was finding an even greater joy because giving truly is better than receiving.     10     summary, my mom’s simple act has a deep effect on me.

Friendship on the rocks: please advise!

I’m so sorry! But this friendship is worth     1     (save): eight years     2     (be) a long time! Don’t be so quick to judge your friend. Perhaps she knows she’s     3     the wrong and wants to apologize, or maybe she has a simple     4     (explain) for her behaviour. In any case, find an opportunity to have     5     full and frank talk with her. Listen to what she has to say, and be sure to explain how you feel. I’m sure you can solve this problem together.

I     6     (definite) understand how you feel. I also had a friend    7    I trusted a lot. When I found out that I     8     (trick) by him, I was really hurt and let go of our friendship. I know you value your friendship and want your friend to value it equally.     9    , if your friend ignores your feelings or makes you suffer, it’s time to rethink your friendship. Talk to her and decide whether this friendship is still important to you. It’s sad     10       (move) on, but you have to accept that friends come and go in life.

Adolescence, in general, is     1     (challenge) for both parents and their children. Many parents struggle to redefine their relationships with their growing children and the changes that come with     2    . Some may still cling on to (坚持) the     3     (behave) that was right when the children were little because they are afraid of losing the closeness they     4     (enjoy) while their child was still little.

No parent is perfect, and even parents need help or a little push to get past an emotional hurdle (情感障碍)    5     is holding them back. Some may even be     6     (total) sure that what they’re doing is correct.

When the time is right, start a conversation with your mom     7     an empathetic (感同身受的) point of view. Tell her that you appreciate all that she has done     8     (raise) you and the lengths she will go to make sure you are happy and doing well at school, but     9     it’s starting to make you uncomfortable. Sometimes, there really is too much of a good thing, and she needs to pull back a bit so you don’t feel     10     (hold) back from growing up. But no matter what happens, you will be fine. You will still love and appreciate her, and she can trust you on that.

Friendship on the rocks

Amy developed a close friendship with a girl     1     was popular during primary school. They were hardly out of the sight of each other, almost doing everything together. But things turned sour last Saturday, and their friendships were on the rocks. The two girls     2     (plan) to watch a film. Yet in the morning Amy’s friend said she was ill and might not be able to make     3     to the cinema. Amy told her to rest at home.

Today, however, the girl was seen     4     (chat) with another girl in a café on Saturday afternoon. Amy’s heart was broken. Now she still doesn’t feel like     5     (respond) to any of her online messages and she is now     6     a loss what to do next. So she turned to Cindy and David for advice. Cindy thinks Amy is supposed to cherish the friendship and listen to her     7     (explain), while David says if she or he ignores your feelings and hurts you deeply, it’s time to rethink your friendship.

Strangers under the same roof?

It is common for teenagers to have difficult relationships with their parents. Teenagers’ physical growth may result     1     such family tensions.

They may feel     2    (anxiety) and their parents are often the first targets of their     3    (angry). Teenagers’ developing mental needs can also influence parent-child relationships. They feel ready to be more responsible and make     4    (decide) on their own. However, parents do not agree. Teenagers who are     5    (struggle) to control their feelings wish their parents could be more caring and patient.

But their parents expect them to act like     6     adult. To solve these problems, teenagers can calm down, think through the situation from their parents’ point of view, explain themselves calmly, listen carefully     7     address their parents’ concerns. They will learn when to back     8     and when to ask parents to relax their control. Everything will turn out all right in the end.

Education is very close in my heart. My father grew up     1    a small village in China.

In those days, not many villagers could read. So my father     2     (open) a night school to teach them how to read. With his help, many people learned     3     (write) their own names; with his help, many people learned to read newspapers for the first time; with his help, many     4     (woman) were able to teach their children how to read.

As his daughter, I know     5     education means to the people, especially those without it. After generations of hard work, China has come a long way in education. I myself am a beneficiary (受益者) of the progress. Otherwise，I would never become a soprano (女高音)     6     a professor of music. My father,    7     was poor but determined, made a small difference in his village. Together we can make     8     big difference in the world. Once I     9     (ask) about my Chinese dream. I said I hope all children especially girls can have access to a good education. I believe one day education will no longer be a dream;     10     will be a reality by every young woman on this planet.

For Ren Hongjuan, the meeting with her son was short but precious.

The 52-year-old is a sanitation worker (环卫工人) in Dingzhou city, Hebei province, and had not seen her son Ren Xunming for quite a long time a she boarded at school and had been busy    1    exam preparations. On June 8, the second day of the gaokao, she managed to arrive at her son’s test site after finishing a day of work. Wearing    2    orange uniform, she stood out from the crowd. As the English exam concluded, a wave of students walked out of the hall     3    , (look) for their parents. Ren Xuming didn’t expect his mother to meet him,    4    he ran to his mother when he spotted her Ren Hongjuan handed a bottle of water to her son    5    just finished his English exam in Dingzhou city, Hebei province, on June 8, 2023. Without saying a word, he gave her a big hug and they both cried    6    (quiet). Their meeting was fleeting (短暂) because Ren Xuming had to return to school    7    (continue) his exams the following day.

The heartwarming moment was recorded on video and has gone viral receiving many    8    (comment). One read, “Hardworking mother strongly supports her son. I hope he gets a good result.” Another read, “Now, I    9    (impress) by the mother’s love for her son and his gratitude to his mother.” And another netizen wrote, “She maybe the    10    (beautiful) parent in the gaokao.”