At the age of 73, Chen Shaoqin from Beijing has shown the world    1     life should be lived. Despite having only a middle school education, Chen began studying English at the age of 40 and passed a college entrance exam,     2     (transform) herself from a factory worker to a white-collar employee in    3     international trade company. Chen continued to pursue learning after    4     (retire), studying art and eventually becoming an art guide at the age of 67. Over the past five years, she    5    (guide) visitors at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art for three days a week    6    average, totaling 3,500 hours. From a retiree     7     knew nothing about contemporary art to a dedicated volunteer guide, Chen’s hard work and love for learning have inspired many. She said that it is     8    (precise) because she does not understand that she must continue to learn. As a guide, she is able to attend professional training sessions and has the opportunity    9     (learn) from curators and artists, giving her     10     (motivate) to continue.

Netizens have praised Yu Tiantian from Zhengzhou, Henan province, for insisting on dancing for 15 years despite having a hearing disability from birth. Born in the 1990s, Yu’s world     1    (be) silent since she was one year old when her family found she couldn’t hear any voices. Through touching her mother’s throat    2    (feel) how the muscles affect the voice, Yu learned to speak.

However, like any other girl, Yu has a natural love for beauty.    3    (watch) others dance in a club during her childhood, Yu developed a deep affection for dance. After graduating from high school, Yu     4    (admit) to the Zhengzhou Normal University School of Special Education, majoring in dance. It was only when her university life started that she     5     (begin) to change, making friends and embracing a colorful world. Learning dance posed     6     great challenge for Yu. “I can’t hear the music,    7     I have to feel rhythm (节奏) in my heart. I follow the instructor and dance. I practice basic skills every day. ” said Yu.

After entering university, Yu has found her own pace and danced with all her heart. She and her roommates won first prize in a dance competition.    8     (encourage) by it, she began to take part in various competitions. Yu shares much in common with her roommates, all of     9    have hearing disabilities. Within a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere, their relationship grew much stronger.    10     (gradual), they had the idea to share their stories with more people.

As a foreigner, I think life in China is amazing, but     1     sometimes worries me is just the     2    (absent) of manned payment counters. The first time I scanned barcodes (条形码) on goods, I ended up paying 40 yuan more. I went to look for a salesperson in the store, but she couldn’t explain how     3     (get) my money back, despite our     4     (use) translation apps.

I didn’t go to that store any     5     (much) until a Chinese speaking friend helped me claim     6     money, which I paid for goods by mistake. Then I went back to buy things from there again.

However, I ran into trouble one day after a software was upgraded. I was unable to include the hot chocolate after scanning the code of other     7     (buy) things. I again went to seek help     8     the salesperson. She helped me find it, clicking an icon (图标) that showed 5 yuan. “That’s 5 yuan?” I asked. I didn’t know why I     9     (assume) it cost 3.50 yuan before. Had there been a manned counter, I would have escaped this embarrassment. Before rushing away, I was spared further shame when the salesperson said, “It doesn’t matter.” But now, I     10     (gradual) feel the convenience of mobile payment and fall in love with shopping in China.

It is three weeks     1     you were ill. Are you feeling     2    (well) now? We all miss you very much.     3    (recent) we have had many activities. We took part in the sports meeting in our school and     4    (win) the first prize. The matches were     5    (excite) and tough. But we tried our best and got the good result. What     6     pity! You didn’t watch them.I hope you'll get well soon and come back earlier. We're busy       7    (prepare) for the singing competition now.We practise a song every day in order       8    (sing) best.Remember to have a good rest and don’t worry about your       9    (lesson). I’ll help you       10     them.

Best wishes,

Yours,

Sam

Backlight 226 is a rare bookstore in Shanghai, as it offers books by visually impaired （损伤） people to those with visual impairments.     1     (locate) in the city’s leafy Nanchang Street, the store has been a fixture in the area since 2022, providing much-needed reading materials to the blind community.

“People may only know about the famous Helen Keller, but there are famous blind Chinese     2     (writer) as well,” said Han Ying, the manager of Backlight 226, referring to the American author and activist     3     lost her sight and hearing at an early age.

Han partially lost her vision after an accident aged 21 and     4     (become) completely blind five years later. She said she had to give up     5     (teach) calligraphy, and the way she read was also affected.

Now, aged 43, she relies     6     special apps designed for the visually impaired and spends most of her time at the bookstore. There, she promotes reading among visually impaired people and the bookstore     7     (equip) with facilities that allow the visually impaired     8     (read) more comfortably.

“Backlight 226 is a start,” Han said. “There will     9     (definite) be more like it across the country so that we can make the public know more about the special groups     10     their world.”