1 . After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make a difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance — curiosity and discontent. I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either. And I have never known an average man who had both.

Together, these deep human urges (驱策力) count for much more than ambition. Galileo was not merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed their fall to the ground. Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why? Why? Why?”

Fortunately, curiosity and discontent don’t have to be learned. We are born with them and need only to recapture them. “The great man,” said Mencius, “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.” Yet most of us do lose it. We stop asking questions. We stop challenging custom. We just follow the crowd. And the crowd desires only the calm and restful average.

Most of us meet new people, and new ideas, with hesitation. But once having met and liked them, we think how terrible it would have been, had we missed the chance. We will probably have to force ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake.

How should you start? Modestly, so as not to become discouraged. I think of one friend who couldn’t arrange flowers to satisfy herself. She was curious about how the experts did it.

The way to begin is to answer your own excuses. You haven’t any special ability? Most people don’t; there are only a few geniuses. You haven’t any time? That’s good, because it’s always the people with no time who get things done. Harriet Stowe, mother of six, wrote parts of Uncle Tom’s Cabin while cooking. You’re too old? Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.

However you start, remember there is no better time to start than right now, for you’ll never be more alive than you are at this moment.

As of June, China had about 285 million Internet users living in rural areas,     1     (account) for over 30 percent of the country’s total, according to a recent report on China’s Internet development. The number of rural Internet users in China     2     (grow) by over 30 million in the last few months.

The report said the Internet is playing a     3     (great) role than ever in the country’s poverty reduction efforts, with the public’s participation     4     recognition of relevant campaigns on the rise. It said as of June, online promotions of     5     (agriculture) products from remote areas had reached more than half of the Chinese Internet users, and that more than one third     6     netizens had bought such products via online platforms.

Meanwhile, the report shows that e-commerce livestreaming (直播) grew increasingly active in the first half of the year. China saw over 10 million livestreaming marketing     7     (activity) during this period. The report said the Internet can contribute     8     (significant) to China’s anti-poverty goal by providing jobs, social security and medical service information for     9     poor and allowing children in poverty-stricken areas     10     (access) better education.

Thirty years ago, an elderly Canadian couple     1     (undertake) a unique project with the purpose of helping Canadians have a better understanding of China     2     (base) on how the Chinese view themselves and the issues they face.

Their efforts resulted in the birth of a 1985 book, Understanding China Through Cartoons. They     3     (official) donated it to China on June 10, 2019. To promote knowledge about China among Canadians, a masterpiece named the Society for a Better Understanding of China     4     (found) in the early 1970s, and it is now noted as the Canada-China Friendship Society.

The husband said, “China is a nation,     5     has been able to maintain its cultural growth for thousands of years”. This elderly couple     6     (be) determined to gift China with it as their     7     (admire) for Chinese culture — a role dating back     8     thousands of years.

In fact, communication has been the best way     9     (promote) each other’s understanding and trust. We need     10     (many) people like the elderly Canadian couple as well as more institutions like the Canadian-China Friendship Society.

7 . In life, we always feel as if our bad circumstances will never change. However, when we meet troubles or problems in our lives, we are eager for a _________ that tells us everything will be _________ and get better.

When in this mindset(心态), I think back to a _________ I once heard about a family having dinner at a Chinese restaurant. At the end of the meal, everyone _________ their fortune cookie and read their _________ out loud. _________, the youngest child did not, she went to get another fortune cookie. This _________ several times before the mom _________ her and asked, “What are you doing?” The little child responded, “I am looking for a cookie with the _________ fortune for me.” The mom said, “There is only one thing you need to __________ and it’s not in a fortune cookie. That is where there is a will, there’s a way.”

When __________ are not going our way, we may __________ the “right fortune”. We seek the hope for our __________ so that it will be better than the present. Once the Israelis were expelled(驱逐) in a foreign country against their __________. At that time, everything was __________for them, but they didn’t lose hope; instead, they __________ to their new environment positively. Years later they returned to their homeland as they had __________.

We need to __________ action and hope and believe that nothing is __________ to a willing mind in life. It does prove that good things do come out of bad and difficult __________.

8 . While facing Monday, most of us may feel depressed. How can we overcome the depression? Here are the tips for you.

List things you desire to do

Instead of focusing on the dull or difficult tasks that lay ahead of you, think about all the good to come.     1     A good place to start is to think of one thing you are excited about for each category: at work, after work, and at the weekend.

Sleep to energize

    2     Take a nap to energize or get to bed earlier tonight to make up for lost sleep. It’s worth taking this into account on Sunday to avoid a lack of energy on a Monday morning.

    3    

Though this may seem trivial, don’t underestimate the power of an outfit. In fact, psychologists conclude that the strong link between clothing and mood suggests we should put on clothes that we associate with happiness, even when feeling low.

Set a pleasant schedule

After a weekend of fun and taking it easy, it might be best to keep Monday’s schedule a little lighter than other days.     4     It means that instead of facing the most complicated stuff on a Monday, put some time into the easier tasks. Reduce Monday blues and any anxiety or stress by allowing yourself to do Monday with more ease.     5