4 . Are you happy with your appearance?     1    

“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.     2    

From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?

    3     . According to Huxiu News, over six in ten girls choose not to take part in certain daily activities, such as attending school, because they feel bad about their looks. As much as 31 percent of teenagers avoid speaking up in class because they worry that others will notice their looks.

“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.       4     Seeing all these things can make anyone believe that they’re too dark, too fat, too short, or too tall.

However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.

    5     Plus-size models are being featured in some fashion shows. All of us should be just as confident as they are.

5 . Hello! My name is Zhan Bingbing.

Lately, all of us have seen Chinese people on TV in far-off places in the world, helping other countries to develop. We see Chinese workers building roads in the Congo, a port in Pakistan, railways in Panama, and an airport in Sri Lanka. And we see Chinese miners, oil workers, agricultural experts, mechanics, and doctors working in nearly every corner of the world. And some people may ask, “Is it worth it? Why help people overseas when China has many areas that are still in need of development?”

I had the same questions myself. But for me, it was much more personal. You see, my mother is a medical doctor, and for the last two years, she has been working as a volunteer consultant in Tanzania, Africa, as a part of a medical team sent by the Chinese government.

To be honest, when my mother first left for Africa, I was upset. My mother cooked me dinner every night, and she took good care of me. But more importantly, she was my best friend. we talked together, we spent our leisure time together, and except for school and work, we were never apart. So I was unhappy about her leaving without even asking for my input.

But then I began to hear about the work she was doing in Tanzania, a country that has many health problems, and now I am singing a different tune. Many dangerous diseases which are rare in China are quite commonly contracted in Tanzania. And, while the country is quite beautiful and has much natural wealth, many of the people are quite poor and live without things we take for granted, such as electricity, running water, cars and good transport systems, and supermarkets. One project that my mother worked on was helping to build a cardiac hospital. Prior to this, if a Tanzanian had a heart condition and needed surgery, they would have to go abroad. Since this was quite expensive, many people went without medical treatment and some even died. Now, not only are Tanzanians helped by the hospital, but people in neighbouring countries are helped as well.   It has made a big difference to their lives. My mother also does a circuit of the rural villages to provide medical treatment, help those with disabilities, and provide consultation and training for local doctors. In addition, her team has given patients a new malaria treatment invented in China, and this has saved many lives.

Today, I want to relay to you that I’m proud of the work my mother has done, and I am now supportive of it. Is her work worth it? Yes, to the lives of the people she is helping, it is worth it. But by any criteria this work is worth it to us as well, because it shows that we are global citizens interested in world stability, and that we feel responsible for others and are ready to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Everyone deserves a fair chance in life. When I think of all the things that we as Chinese citizens can be most proud of, helping others comes at the top of this list. Now that I understand how important my mother’s work is, I’ve decided to become a volunteer myself to help people in other lands. In the future, I pray that you will do the same.

Thank you!

In recent years, studying abroad has been popular in our country.

Online shopping addiction is an illness

The Internet has brought us the convenience of shopping at home. However, for many, the appeal of shopping for bargains and treats can turn    1    an addiction. Experts believe there is a danger that online shopping can develop into a mental illness.    2     (research) from the Hannover, Medical School in Germany have termed it “Buying Shopping Disorder” (BSD). They say this condition should    3    (recognize) by the medical profession as an illness and should not    4    (simple) be classed as one of the various “impulse control” disorders. Dr. Astrid Miller said, “It really is time    5    (accumulate) further knowledge about BSD on the Internet.”

Dr. Miller and her colleagues    6    (conduct) research on data from earlier studies on compulsive shopping. Their research focused on 122 patients     7    sought treatment for BSD. Dr. Miller reported that about five percent of the population may be suffering from BSD. She added younger people are    8    (likely) to develop it and that they experience greater levels of anxiety and depression. People     9    BSD readily exhibit negative behaviors. These include buying expensive things they don’t need, keeping and never    10    (use ) things they order, buying things for instant satisfaction, and ending up in debt. BSD can destroy marriages, relationships and mental health.