I’m Li Hua from Class 3,

Yours sincerely

Li Hua

2 . A teenager needs to have a sense of independence in their life to feel secure (安全的). To some teenagers independence means a lot to them, and I think that some parents don’t allow their teenagers enough independence.

Independence has something to do with freedom. Some kids are not allowed to go anywhere alone, and the only thing their schedule includes is going to school, coming home, going to sleep, and repeating the process the next day. Parents tend to be afraid that their kids can get hurt if they go outside into the world. But if parents control their kids too much, they may never learn to live on their own. The best way for a teenager to learn lesson is through experience. I think it is beneficial for teenagers to have freedom.

Teenagers’ lack of freedom can also stop them from having good friendship at school. Some might say this is a good thing, because it helps them focus more on their school work. I argue that this can only discourage them not to do their school work. Some parents do not allow their children to be around their friends outside the school, thinking that this will get them into trouble. But I don’t think so. Instead, isn’t this a good reason for parents to get their children a cellphone? Cellphones allow teenagers to stay in touch with their parents, and communicate with friends.

Privacy is another issue between parents and their teenagers. Teenagers tend to enjoy relaxation by themselves in their own room. This also gives them a sense of independence. It often annoys teenagers when their parents enter their room when they are not home. I know that my mom always goes in my room when I’m not home, and this has brought me to the point where I have asked many times to get a lock on my door.

Dunhuang, located in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, is an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. What does Dunhuang look like today?

From Dec. 5th to 8th, the micro-variety show,     1     (title) “The Dunhuang You Don’t Know”, was released on social media platforms. Since the show released, the video series     2     (receive) millions of views online.

The show,     3     was produced by the art program center of the China Media Group, focused     4     the modern way of lives in Dunhuang, showcasing the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese culture. Dunhuang is renowned for     5     (it) numerous natural and cultural heritages. From the renowned Mogao Grottoes to the Crescent Spring, Chinese people are familiar with Dunhuang’s magnificent beauty. Yet, the micro series takes the audience on a journey     6     (discover) the uncovered, vivid and energetic modern lives of Dunhuang. The show guided viewers through the Mogao Grottoes and related exhibitions,     7     (provide) insights into the historical and cultural significance behind     8     fine pictures on the walls.

In recent years, with the rise in the     9     (popular) of the guochao trends, contemporary artists have transformed Dunhuang’s age-old art into creative cultural products. In this video series, the distinctive beauty of Dunhuang has     10     (real) captured people’s attention.

Yours,

Li Hua

6 . In the days before the Internet, critical thinking was the most important skill of informed citizens. But in the digital age, according to Anastasia Kozyreva, a psychologist at the Max Planck Institute of Human Development, and her colleagues, an even more important skill is critical ignoring.

As the researchers point out, we live in an attention economy where content producers on the Internet compete for our attention. They attract us with a lot of emotional and eye-catching stories while providing little useful information, so they can expose us to profit-generating advertisements. Therefore,we are no longer customers but products, and each link we click is a sale of our time and attention. Toprotect ourselves from this, Kozyreva advocates for learning the skill of critical ignoring, in which readers intentionally control their information environment to reduce exposure to false and low-quality information.

According to Kozyreva, critical ignoring comprises three strategies. The first is to design ourenvironments, which involves the removal of low-quality yet hard-to-resist information from around. Successful dieters need to keep unhealthy food out of their homes. Likewise, we need to set up a digital environment where attention-grabbing items are kept out of sight. As with dieting, if one tries to bank onwillpower not to click eye-catching “news”, he’ll surely fail. So, it’s better to just keep them out of sightto begin with.

The next is to evaluate the reliability of information, whose purpose is to protect you from false and misleading information. It can be realized by checking the source in the mainstream news agencies which have their reputations for being trustworthy.

The last goes by the phrase “do not feed the trolls.” Trolls are actors who internationally spread false and hurtful information online to cause harm. It may be appealing to respond to them to set the facts straight, but trolls just care about annoying others rather than facts. So, it’s best not to reward their bad behaviour with our attention.

By sharpening our critical ignoring skills in these ways, we can make the most of the Internet while avoiding falling victim to those who try to control our attention, time, and minds.

Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese     1    (dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners     2     come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realise how cheap     3     can be to eat out. I still remember     4    (visit) a friend who’d lived here for five years and I     5    (shock) when I learned she hadn’t cooked once in all that time. 

While regularly eating out seems to     6    (become) common for many young people in recent years, it’s not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be     7    (afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even    8    (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in     9    (weigh) problems. 

If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum’s home     10     dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket.