Yours,

Li Hua

5 . Many on the Mountain

We often see people waiting in lines at supermarkets, theatres and amusement parks. Surprisingly, some people even have to wait in line at the summit (顶峰)of Qomolangma in the Himalayas.

The best time to climb the Himalayas is during the months of April and May, as well as some days in September and October. "In these periods of recent years, the path contains rocks and deep crack from melting ice due to the warm weather, which make expeditions up the mountain more dangerous,said Apa, an experienced Nepalese guide. During this year's climbing season, crowds of climbers became stuck in a long line near the summit. The line is above the mountain's highest campsite — about 8,000 meters above sea level.

However, most people can only spend a few minutes at the summit without extra oxygen supplies. Twenty-one mountaineers have died in the Himalayan mountains so far this year, according to Gripped, a magazine dedicated to mountain climbing. Eleven of these climbers died on Qomolangma.

This death count marks a four-year high. Overcrowding, inexperience and poor weather have been the most common causes of death, USA Today reported.

After these tragedies, one question remains: Why do so many people risk their lives to climb the mountain? The answer differs from climber to climber. Studies suggest that people who take risks tend to perceive themselves differently than people who avoid risky activities. But for adventurers who are drawn to the Himalayas, reaching the summit of Qomolangma is a lifelong dream, according to Discovery News.

''Qomolangma is like a light to bugs that attracts people once they hear about it. It represents the ultimate for many people, '' US mountaineer Alan Arnette said. Technological advances have also encouraged more people to climb the mountain. People can get high-tech safety equipment more easily than before. And with the internet, climbers know better than ever about how to reach the summit safely, Yahoo Travel noted.

6 . I'm not someone who likes to play games. But last April, I heard some of my classmates talking about the Rubik's Cube (魔方).

I saw a friend solve this puzzle very_______which really surprised me. Before I had even made my first _________ , he had aligned (对齐)all the colors. At the time, I thought my classmate must be using some _________technique.

At home I searched online for _________.I found out about an Australian teenager who can _________ the third order cube in 4. 73 seconds. I was shocked. Fascinated (着迷)by his _________, I began to study the Rubik's Cube myself.

Without a teacher to help me, it was a big challenge. The first thing I did was to _________the formulas (公式)for the cube. _________, that turned out to be an ineffective way of solving the problem.

I began to _________another approach to the cube, called "muscle memory". It depends on practicing a specific mechanical movement into memory through__________. As time went on, became more and more skillful. Meanwhile I found that it was a __________way to improve my logical skills and memory.

I’m so glad that I was__________ to the Rubik's Cube. All in all, to take on a new thing is always a good idea, a way into a new world.

Is traffic a big problem where you live? Increased cycling may be the answer. Where are the best places to live and cycle? A new report lists the best bike-friendly cities around the world.

Top of the list is Amsterdam, the bike capital of the world. An unbelievable 40% of all traffic movements are by bicycle. Copenhagen, the city of bikes, is a city where 32 % of workers cycle to work because it's fast and easy. Berlin is another European city that's great for cycling. The city has about 80 kilometers of bike lanes, and 50 kilometers of pavement (人行道)paths. Cycling accounts for 12% of total street traffic.

Barcelona has been praised for its cycle service ''Bicing''，a bicycle service that allows users to take and leave bicycles at any of the 100 stations spread around the city. The city has created a ''green ring'' that surrounds the city area of Barcelona with a bike path. There are 3,250 parking spaces for bikes at street level at present. Barcelona City is also building a new underground car park for bicycles.

The UK has its cycle-friendly cities too. Bristol is the birthplace of ''Sustrans'' — the cycle-route charity which was formed 30 years ago. One of their projects was turning an old rail line between Bristol and Bath into a bike route. Other bike-friendly cities in the UK include Cambridge and York.

Bicycle is a most popular means of transportation in China. Nowadays, riding a bicycle is also a good way to support low-carbon living. There are many riding routes in Beijing for outdoor-lovers to explore. Cyclists can get close enough to experience the history and culture of Beijing, including the Forbidden City, the Bird's Nest, Hutong etc.