In the 1950s, a family that owned a farm near Beulah, Michigan kept a bull chained to an elm (榆树). The bull paced around the tree, dragging the heavy iron chain, led to a groove (槽) in the bark. The groove was deepened over the years. Though for whatever reason,
did not kill the tree.
After some years, the family took their bull away. They cut the chain, (leave) the link around the tree.
Then one year, agricultural catastrophe (strike) Michigan in
form of Dutch elm disease. All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected
died. Everyone thought that the old elm would be the
. The farm owners considered
(go) the safe thing: pulling it out and chopping it up into firewood before it died.
(amazing), the tree did not die. It’s said that what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Or,
a plant pathologists (病理学家 ) put it , “Life breaks us all, but afterwards, many of us are strongest at the broken places.”
Lionel Messi, player from the SOUTH American country of Argentina, is the greatest soccer player alive today . At a young age, he
(move ) to Spain and now plays
(profession ) for the Barcelona soccer club. Messi started playing soccer at the age of 5 for a small soccer team
(own ) by his father . Even as a young boy, he did very well. But when he was 11 years old , he found out he had a sickness which would prevent him from growing much
(tall ). There was a way to help him grow more,
his parents did not have enough money to pay for his medical needs. So, they looked around for a soccer club
would be able to do this for them . The clubs in Argentina couldn’t help him, but the famous Barcelona club in Spain offered
(accept ) Messi on the junior team and pay for the bills. The Messi family happily took the offer and moved to Spain . In the Barcelona soccer club, Messi was one of the best
(play ) through his teen years.
his incredible talent , Messi has surprised the word.
If the population of the Earth keeps on (increase) at its present rate, there will
(eventual) not be enough resources left to support life on the planet. By the middle of the 21st century, if present trends continue, we
(use) up all the oil that drives our cars, for example. Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race, the crowded conditions on Earth will make it
(necessity) for us to look for open space somewhere else. But
of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem,
, has recently been suggested by an American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan. Sagan believes that
the Earth’s resources are completely
(exhaust), it will be possible to change the atmosphere of Venus and
create a new world almost as large as the Earth itself. The difficulty is that Venus is much hotter than the Earth.
, there is only a tiny amount of water there.
Last year, I was on a trip in Sanxiarenjia in Yichang,Hubei. I waited for the boat (take) me along the Yijiang River. Out of nowhere, a shirtless man ran up to me and asked to take a photo with me.
both smiled as he said I was the first foreigner he had ever seen. He said “thank you” and ran off again.
The experience was funny, and it wasn’t the first time this (happen) to me. In fact, almost all the foreigners I know in China have experienced the
thing. Girls with blonde hair seem to be the most
(photograph). Most of them were surprised at first, but they now enjoy having their photo taken with happy students.
Of course, many countries in the West are home to different ethnicities. So it is normal to see people look different. But it’s different in many areas of China.
Personally, I think it’s fine to take photos with strangers. But try to ask first. Once I (wait) for my friend in an art district when a group of girls began giggling (咯咯地笑) at their phones. I noticed one of them was pointing the camera at me,
(secret) taking photos. When I spotted them, they smiled and asked if they
take a photo with me. Maybe it is shyness, but I prefer when people ask
they take a photo. Most foreigners will say yes.
Wang Peng felt very frustrated when he realized none of his regular customers would eat in his restaurant. In his opinion, could be better than his fried mutton kebabs, fatty pork or his sugary cola. Something terrible
(happen).
(curious) drove him into Yong Hui’s newly-opened slimming restaurant and he
(amaze) at the menu there: raw vegetables, fruit and water. It was obvious
Yong Hui was telling
(lie) when promising to make the customers thinner. In order to win his customers back, he went to the library to do some research.
he found out was that Yong Hui’s menu didn’t give the customers energy-giving food. So Wang Peng wrote his own sign, saying “Energy-giving food served”. In fact, there was a weakness in Wang Peng’s menus
. Food at his restaurant contains too much fat. So
only solution is to combine the two menus together so as to provide a
(balance) menu with food full of energy as well as fibre.
A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and stayed with his wife at best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late and the small street was dark and quiet.
(sudden) he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man
walked past him quickly. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman found that his watch
(go). He thought that it
be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided
(follow) him and get back the watch.
Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist (拳头) while
(point) at the Italian's watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman.
When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that he had robbed the watch
mistake.
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