1 . Julia Keller decided to quit journalism in order to write fiction. Her subversive (颠覆性的) message is that if at first you don’t succeed — or even if you do then may be just _______. There is, she argues, too much of a premium (价值) placed on the ability to grit your teeth and _______ through misery.

Last year’s TikTok trend for “Quit Toks” saw users live-streaming _______ emails or posting videos of themselves turning off the lights as they left the office. And now the desire to quit seems to be _______ in far earlier, with three-quarters of 18-to 29-year-olds feeling less motivated professionally post-pandemic. A generation raised to be constantly hustling (急速前进) may finally be pushing back.

Yet for many of us, quitting remains shrouded (隐瞒) in guilt and shame, associated with failure rather than with pursuing a different kind of _______. The idea that success in both public and private life involves pushing yourself to the _______ remains deeply ingrained (根深蒂固的), especially for those young enough to have grown up when the cult (热潮) of grit (勇气) and growth _______ was at its height.

Keller fears the belief that success is a matter of never giving up may cover up the role of structural economic _______ and encourage people to blame the poor for their own poverty, on the grounds that they didn’t try hard enough. Similarly, the idea that women should stick it out through a _______ marriage can be equally damaging. Keller says: “Women in ________ relationships were told, ‘Oh you can’t leave, how can you give up now you’ve ________ in 10 years?’ It becomes insidious (暗中有害的).”

She insists she’s not ________ giving up everything at the drop of the hat. For those who aren’t sure or can’t afford to leave a miserable situation, she suggests “quasi-quitting”, or quietly taking ________ steps that bring you closer to where you’d rather be without burning any ________. Keller explains, “Because it may backfire in spectacular ways, eating away careers and blowing up relationships. It can ruin your life. And it can ________ it, too.”

3 . The Challenges of Urbanization (城市化)

The rapid ________ of urbanization has brought about significant changes to our cities and the lives of their inhabitants (居民). While urban growth can ________ economic prosperity and technological advancements, it also ________ a myriad of social and environmental challenges.

Cities are becoming increasingly ________, with high-rise buildings and dense populations. This trend is often accompanied by a ________ of open spaces and green areas, which are ________ for the well-being of urban residents. The lack of these spaces can ________ to increased stress and health issues.

Moreover, the influx (涌入) of people into urban areas can ________ traffic congestion and overburdened infrastructure (基础设施). The ________ of urban services such as healthcare, education, and sanitation is a constant struggle for city planners. Inadequate planning can ________ to a decline in the quality of life for city dwellers.

One of the most pressing issues is the ________ of air and water pollution. Industrial activities and vehicle emissions ________ significant pollutants into the environment. This not only affects the health of the population but also ________ the natural ecosystems.

Sustainable urban development requires ________ measures that consider the long-term well-being of the city and its inhabitants. This includes promoting public transportation, encouraging energy-efficient buildings, and ________ waste management practices.

6 . Perhaps no issue attracts more senior leadership attention than growth does, and for good reason._______in gains and profits is the standard by which we tend to measure the competitive fitness and health of companies. Analysts, investors, and boards are especially concerned about growth_______to get insight into stock prices. _______are attracted to faster-growing companies because they offer better opportunities for advancement and higher pay. Suppliers prefer faster-growing customers because working with them improves their own growth prospects.

While sustained profitable growth is a nearly universal goal, it is a(n) _______one for many companies. Many researches conducted on the long-term patterms of growth in U.S.corporations suggest that when inflation is_______, most companies barely grow. _______in an analysis of 10,897 publicly held U.S.companies from 1976 to 2019, researchers found that firms in the top quartile grew at an inflation-adjusted average of 11.8% per year, but those in the lower three quartiles experienced little or no growth (0.3%, 0.03%, and 0.5%, respectively). And the majority of firms in the top quartile were unable to _______ superior growth performance for more than a few years.

Over the past two decades, I have tried to understand why some companies are effective at sustaining growth. I have found that while the usual explanations, such as market forces and technological changes do play a role, many companies’ growth problems are done by themselves. _______, firms approach growth in a highly reactive, opportunistic manner. When market demand is booming, they throw resources at developing new capacity, and build out organizational infrastructure without thinking through the _______— for example, whether their operating systems and processes can scale, how rapid growth might affect corporate culture and what would happen if demand slows. In the process of chasing growth, companies can easily destroy the things that made them __________in the first place, such as their capacity for innovation, their great customer service, or their unique cultures.

8 . In Favour of Simple Writing

Do you edit text messages carefully before sending them? If so, you may be the kind of person who takes pride in _______ even the simplest message. If you do not, you may see yourself as a go-getter, one who values excitement and speed over _______: get it done decently now rather than perfectly later.

People are constantly receiving messages, from the mailbox to the inbox to the text-message alert. What to read, what to skim (略读) and what to ignore are decisions that nearly everyone has to make dozens of times a day. A new book titled All Readers are Busy Nowadays makes the argument for being the careful kind of _______, even in informal lines. The authors also present well-established _______ that have long been prized in guides to writing.

Take “less is more”. Most books on writing well advocate the advice to _______ needless words. The authors, however, have _______ the idea. In an email to thousands of school-board members asking them to take a survey, cutting the count from127 to 49 words almost _______ the response rate.

Keeping messages to a _______ idea—or as few as absolutely needed—helps ensure that they will be read, remembered and acted on. _______ the number of the available options has the same effect, too. A link in an email, ________, attracted 50% more clicks when presented alone than when it was sent alongside a second additional link.

Syntax (句法) and ________ matter, too. It is more ________ to adopt short and active sentences, with common words familiar to everyone. From Facebook posts to online-travel reviews, even brief, informal pieces of writing that follow these rules get more likes and shares.

If everyone is a busy reader, everyone is a busy writer, too. That may make it tempting to sent as many messages as ________ as possible and hope for the best. But from essays to text messages organizing dinner plans, devoting time to the needs of readers has provable ________. If you are so busy that you write an undisciplined message which readers scan, ignore and delete, then you might as well have not ________ it at all.

9 . There is growing interest in East Japan Railway Co. ltd, one of the six companies, created out of the privatized national railway system. In an industry lacking exciting growth ________, its plan to use real-estate assets in and around train stations ________ is drawing interest.

In a plan called “Station Renaissance” that it ________ in November, JR East said that it would ________ using its commercial spaces for shops and restaurants, extending them to ________ more suitable for the information age. It wants train stations as pick-up ________ for such goods as books, flowers and groceries ________ over the Inter. In a country where city ________ depend heavily on trains ________ commuting, about 16 million people a day go to its train stations anyway, the company ________. So, picking up commodities at train stations ________ consumers extra travel and missed home deliveries. JR East already has been using its station ________ stores for this purpose, but it plans to create ________ spaces for the delivery of Inter goods.

The company also plans to introduce ________ cards—known in Japan as IC cards because they use integrated circuit for ________ information ________ train tickets and muter passes ________ the magic ones used today, integrating them into a/an ________ pass. This will save the company money, because ________ for IC cards are much less expensive than magic systems. Increased use of IC cards should also ________ the space needed for ticket vending.

10 . Social media has made it very easy to change your appearance using filters (滤镜). They may come in _______ when you desperately need to record a video but not in a good state. But there has been a lot of talk around the _______ of filters and unrealistic expectations _______ on women.

One woman has taken the responsibility to _______ the filters to prove that, while she is beautiful, her face doesn’t _______ look the way it does with the filter on. Katia starts off the 20-second video clip using the infamous Bold Glamour filter. It’s the filter that has people questioning their _______ of their own faces because the contrast is so _______. But Katia doesn’t _______ with one filter. She puts on another and makes sure she emphasizes the use of a ring light. After turning the ring light and the filters off, the woman _______ her makeup, revealing an inflamed and imperfect face.

People flocked to the ________ to thank her for exposing the truth behind filters. “You’re beautiful and this message is so important. Thanks for the ________,” one person wrote. “In real life, we all have ________. As a mature woman, I appreciate your ________.” another said.

Social media can really do harm to people’s self esteem, especially when they’re ________ themselves to something that’s not real. Messages like the one Katia shared can help pull back the ________ on the reality of social media.