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In the first and second grades, I was extremely shy. I had friends, but it just wasn't in my personality to be very outgoing, even if I knew someone well. I was even quieter with strangers, and so I wasn't very good at meeting new people. I was afraid that I would do or say something wrong.

So in our school's annual grand play, I usually sat in a secluded(僻静的) corner to watch the performance alone. I hoped to sit in the background and watch the actors sweat in front of all those pairs of eyes.

One day in the third grade, my teacher Mrs. Sally called me into her office and said, "Oh, Mary, you're great at memorizing things, and you have such a sweet personality. Perfect for Jenny!" But I bowed my head and dared not speak. The teacher saw this and then said, "Of course, plenty of girls would love the role, and I could find somebody else. But I hope you could try it for me. I had you in mind for Jenny while writing the play! If you really don't want to, I won't force you. It's your choice."

My mind was spinning faster than the windmill(风车) on the school playground. Mrs. Sally, whom I loved and admired, wanted me to play this role. She believed in me. My eyes moved across the room to a poster I had never noticed before. It showed a shooting star and read, "If you reach for the stars, you might at least grab a piece of the moon." I looked into Mrs. Sally's shining blue eyes and said, "Okay, I'll try." I realized it was time to throw off my shy mask and show the world who I really was.

In the following five months, the teacher taught me how to set, put on makeup, memorize lines, create costumes and so on. Gradually, I mastered my lines and songs.

注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

The big day came at last.

……

At that time, Mrs. Sally came backstage for her final check-up and noticed my nervousness.

注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Earthquake can be destructive. Unfortunately, we don't have a (rely) way to predict. But technologies can still help us under such a desperate situation. China is building the world's largest earthquake alert system and it's (possible) the most advanced. Engineers (set) up over 15,000 sensors nationwide and wiring them into a web. an earthquake happens, the sensors can send electrical pulses to the control center and then ordinary people's smart-phones.

The signal travels at almost light speed and faster the earthquake shaking, giving local people a little time to prepare. The system sends messages to people (little) than two seconds after the earthquake happens. It's life-saving. The system, can be the most advanced in many ways, will be the largest earthquake observation network in the world, not only (detect) the movement of the continents but also calculating the possible impact of an earthquake. It will automatically warn local people, making much faster than human observation. The system, overseen by China's Ministry of Emergency Management, is set (complete) by the end of this year.

A few months ago, I was down with a terrible cold which ended in a bad cough. No matter how many different medicines I tried, I 1 couldn't get rid of the cough. Not only did it 2 my teaching but also my life as a whole.

Then one day after class, a student came up to me and 3 traditional Chinese medicine. From her description, Chinese medicine sounded as if it had magic power that 4 . I was 5 because I knew so little about it and have never tried it before. 6 , my cough got so much worse that I couldn't sleep at night, so I decided to give it a 7 . The Chinese doctor took my pulse and asked to see my tongue, both of which were new experience to me because they are both 8 in Western medicine, where diagnosis relies heavily on 9 . Then the doctor gave me a scraping(刮) treatment known as "Gua Sha". I was a little 10 at first because he used a smooth edged tool to crape the skin on my neck and shoulders.

A few minutes later, the treatment started to produce a 11 effect and my body and mind began to sink deeper into 12 . I didn't feel any improvement in my 13 in the first couple of days, but after a few more regular visits to the doctor, my cough started to 14 . Then within a matter of weeks, it was completely 15 !

Nearly everyone is shy in some ways.  You can build your confidence by following some suggestions from doctors and psychologists.

What you have to say is just as important as what other people say. And don't turn down party invitations just because of your shyness.

Prepare yourself for being with others in groups.  Then make a list of ideas, experiences, and skills you would like to share with other people. Think about what you would like to say in advance. Then say it.

If you start feeling self-conscious in a group, take a deep breath and focus your attention on other people. Remember, you are not alone. 

No one ever gets over being shy completely, but most people do learn to live with their shyness.  They work at fighting their shy feelings so that they can face the cameras and the public. Just making the effort to control shyness can have many rewards. But perhaps the best reason to fight shyness is to give other people a chance to know more about you.

When you walk with a backpack, do you know how the things inside move from side to side? Now scientists have figured out how to tap into that movement to produce electricity.

Picture a pendulum(摆锤) fixed to a backpack frame and stabilized with springs on either side. The pack's weight is attached to the pendulum, so the pendulum swings side to side as you walk. Then a machine is driven by that swinging movement, and produces electrical current to charge a battery.

Volunteers carried the pack while walking on a running machine and wore masks to measure the flow of O₂, and CO₂. When the volunteers were walking with the slightly swinging 20-pound load, the device did not significantly affect their metabolic(新陈代谢的) rate compared to when they carried the same weight fixed in place. In fact, the energy-harvesting pack reduced the forces of acceleration they'd feel in a regular pack, which might mean greater comfort for a long hike. And the device did produce a steady trickle(涓流) of electricity. If you up the load to 45 pounds, it could fully charge a smartphone only after 12 hours. The details are in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The device produces electricity from human movement and has been identified as a workable solution to providing a renewable energy source for portable electronic devices. It is particularly useful to those who work in remote areas, as these people often carry a lot of weight in a backpack for their exploration.

But here's a real conundrum: the energy-harvesting device currently weighs five pounds. The researchers say that's about four pounds too many to be a smart alternative to batteries. So they hope that more research lets them lighten the load so that they can ensure the pack charges your phone up without weighing you down.

The word "inquiry (or enquiry)" comes from the Latin words "in", or "inward", and "quaere", which is the verb "to question". So inquiry is not just asking questions, it is questioning into something. It has the quality of getting into something, going deeper, so you can see what you haven't been able to see before.

When you begin an inquiry, you are deliberately setting out to search for what you don't know. You have to have the confidence to say that you might be able to figure it out for yourself. And in that process, you get a sense of real excitement and energy. That energy is both part of, and contributes to, what we often call "engagement(参与)". But in order to use inquiry to answer your question, you have to become good at knowing what you don't know. I would argue that that's exactly the opposite of what happens in schools. Classrooms focus on what you do know (or are supposed to know) and leave you unprepared to deal with the things you don't know.

In some way, we are all surrounded by a bubble(气泡) of the known. When you "know" something, you identify how your model of the world fits with and explains what you see. Living in the bubble of the known is comfortable and comforting. You see what you know, and you know what you see. But to do inquiry, you have to get good at always looking for the boundaries of your knowledge, and at the limitations and contradictions within what is known. That is what scientists do. They are always looking for the limits, the boundaries and the points at which their theories fail to explain the world. Scientists, basically, are always looking for that "door" from the known to the unknown, where they can press forth and push and, in a sense, expand the bubble of the known. Inquiry is the action you take when you deliberately challenge the limits of your knowledge.

Before the exams began, God told me in my mind several times, "Don't cheat." But I did not listen because I knew it was not easy for me to get good marks in exams. Taking out my notebook, I copied the answers from it and passed the exams with very good marks.

I felt guilty and ashamed and asked God to forgive me, which I thought was all I needed to do to give me peace. Using my good exam results I went on further with my education. Studying in Kwara State College of Education, I could not have peace in my mind, thinking, "You have done wrong. The result is not yours."

At last I went to the leaders of my church to ask for help, who told me that it is not enough to say sorry to God. I must show that I am sorry by putting right what I did wrong. For me, that meant telling the principal of the college that I cheated in the exams and that I should not have got into the college. I wrote a letter to him, telling him what I had done and took the letter to the principal's office and gave it to his secretary, who read it first. "If this gets to the principal you will go to prison," she said, "Go away and think about it."

I went back to the church leaders and told them what the secretary said and they said I must still go to the principal. So the next day, I went back to the secretary, who took me to see the principal this time. To my surprise, he told me not to be afraid but to go to the person who was in charge of the exams. I did as required and that person let me take the exams again. I passed! Now I am back at the college, but, more important, God has taken away the feelings of guilt and I have peace in my mind.

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An interview with Hugh Dancy:

The newest addition to the cast of Downtown Abbey on New York, Law & Order, and the nostalgia(怀旧的) of playing an English gentleman.

Saving the sound of the Stradivaius:

Meet the experts fighting to save the unbeatable sound of history's greatest violins, meeting the love of her life.

Community Power:

Across the UK, communities are coming together to save their pubs, shops, and more. 

If Grace Dent ruled the world:

The restaurant critic shares her manifesto(宣言) for world domination.

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I found the kitten sitting on the front step of our house. He was black and white and looked quite weak. Where did he come from? I noticed he had no collar around his neck. Who would be so irresponsible?

I went inside and opened a can of fish. After I placed the can in the doorway, the kitten hungrily ate the fish and then walked right inside the house. Later, after jumping onto the pillows on the couch, he began to groom(梳理) his hair.

I bet his last owners didn't love him at all! I thought. If someone can't take care of their kitten, they deserve to lose him! Our family never owned pets, but I had always wanted one. It's a good thing I found that kitten and took him in. Thank goodness he found me!

The kitten kept meowing(喵喵叫) quite a lot. And then, it started trying to bite my hand.

"Hey, kitten! I'm not food!" I said. But the kitten tried again to bite my finger. I knew I had to get him some proper cat food. "You stay put, kitten!" I told him. "I'm going to get you food!" Then I grabbed my keys and headed out to the pet store nearest to our house.

On my way to the store, I spotted a sign on the telephone pole:

LOST KITTEN — Black and White, very friendly. If you find him, please call us

"If you were so worried about your kitten," I thought, "maybe you should have taken better care of him!"

When I walked into the pet store, I found that the place was packed with kids handing out flyers(传单) about the same cat to customers inside. In the back of the store, I saw a boy under 10 years old, crying in his wheelchair. "I can't believe I lost my kitten!" he said to his parents.

Paragraph 1

I looked at the flyers on the wall carefully this time — it was definitely the cat I had back at home!

Paragraph 2

The little boy began to cry with laughter.

注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 请按如下格式作答。

Dear Kelly,

……

Yours,

Li Hua

A comforting cup of tea is an essential part of the day for hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Worldwide, three cups of tea  (consume) for every cup of coffee. To fully appreciate the ancient roots of the  (herb) drink, a visit to the China National Tea Museum might be  order. The institution has a long history.

 (locate) in Hangzhou, the museum occupies a parklike setting. Inside, various halls demonstrate the story of tea, its ceremonies(仪式) and its tools. Records of tea drinking date as far back as the tenth century B.C. in China.  (original) the leaves were baked into a brick, a part of  could be broken off and made into a powder(粉状物). Tea spread into northern China during the Tang Dynasty; by the Song Dynasty it  (acquire) a loose-leaf production as well as the ceremonies that made its consumption  art form.

The art of tea extended to its fancy  (contain), which are on display at the museum. Gracefully rounded kettles date back 5,000 years; tea bowls from the Tang Dynasty have a beautiful simplicity. Today visitors can observe a tea ceremony that might be enough  (change) even the most passionate coffee drinker.

One summer night, my friends and I stole into the Jordans' backyard and started harvesting their sweet, juicy raspberries(树莓). We were enjoying every bite of the tasty berries 1 Mr. Jordan came charging outside all of a sudden.

"What are you boys doing out here?" he yelled as my friends ran off 2 all directions. He attempted to catch one or two as they rushed past him, but they were too 3 for the older gentleman to catch. Within seconds, the boys 4 into the dark of the summer night. All except me.

However, speed was never my 5 . I took the tongue-lashing(痛骂) that Mr. Jordan gave me as he marched me down the block to my house, where my mother took over and scolded me 6 . My friends said they could hear every 7  word she spoke from the darkness of our backyard, where they had gathered to 8  their escape and to observe my capture.

They teased me about it for days afterwards, while all I could do was complain about how 9 it was that I was the only one who had to pay the price. After about a week of this, I complained to my father about the inequality of the situation. Dad said, "You took raspberries without 10 , and you get exactly the punishment you deserved."

"But what about the other guys?" I asked. "They didn't get punished at all!"

"That's not my concern nor should it be yours," Dad said. "You can't 11 what happens to others. You can only 12 what happens to you. You made a bad choice that night, and you were punished for it."

13 the duration of the following years, I come to realize there is no guarantee that life will treat us fairly. That's why we can't 14 comparing our lives with the lives of others. Like Dad said, that isn't our 15 .

For people who are planning a trip, a visit to a museum might not be the first thing they think of. After all, there are plenty of ways to appreciate the world's civilization, gain exciting experiences and spend quality time with family and friends.

Museums are where people learn something new, at every age! Are you interested in something specific? There, you will find yourself drawn in and inspired! Museums are a fantastic place to learn about a region's history, scientific achievements, major cultural events, and of course, dinosaurs. They also design exhibitions related to visual arts, industrial innovations and anything that inspires an individual to learn about the past and create new paths to the future.

 They will surely be an exciting part of the educational experience with the main purpose to expose children to knowledge of various fields and expand their horizons. To achieve that, museums are working to create meaningful and engaging activities, interactive and knowledge-based.

Museums support tourism. They are tourism promoters in small towns and large cities. Museums aren't a burden on tax revenue(税收) or a separate concern from other city projects. Statistics show that museums support more than 726,000 jobs in America.

Museums shape communities. They have activities and exhibitions through which visitors can learn about local history. Museums are places where a shared heritage is celebrated and a collective identity is formed. They provide an interesting public space where people meet and talk to each other. 

This year, the world generated 54.6 million tons of e-waste. However, just 17.4 percent of it was formally collected and recycled. Since 2014, the amount of e-waste recycled has grown by 1.8 million tons — a relatively small amount, considering that the amount of e-waste generated increased by 9.2 million tons in the same period. 

Global reserves of some elements, such as platinum(铂) , are supposed to be fully used up within 15 years if the recycled stocks don't increase. E-waste and EV batteries are currently recycled through some traditional processes. However, they involve burning temperatures with a high energy demand and deep carbon footprint, and poisonous chemicals which are harmful to the environment. Alternatives are therefore being sought.

A team of scientists from the University of Coventry are extending one such alternative. They have been using non-poisonous bacteria to oxidize(使氧化) and recover the precious metals — a process known as "bioleaching". If extended, bioleaching facilities would mean that manufacturers of EV batteries and other electronic goods would be able to recover metals locally, relying less on costly exports to recycling centers abroad.

"At present, a key limitation for e-waste recycling is the lack of certification detailing the types and amounts of metals contained in electronic goods. But with an efficient recycling process appearing, manufacturers have the motivation to use more recycled material in their products, which will change the very design of electronics goods. It's about closing the loop of a product's life cycle," said the leader of the Bioleaching Research Group, Sebastien Farnaud.

Ultimately, bioleaching technology is born out of the idea of creating a truly circular process for the things that we consume. We need to shift from a mindset and economy where we see waste as an end product, to one where there isn't even a start or an end at all.

Society tells us we should socialize to the fullest, and that those who are surrounded by people are the most successful and the happiest. These days, we're almost always connected, whether in person or through our phone screens and online social networks. But there's something to be said for solitude(独处), "Being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely." In fact, spending time by yourself is an essential element of self-care.

Around the globe, different cultures have wide-ranging perspectives on what it means to spend time alone. If you live or have spent time in the United States, you're probably aware that Americans tend to reject solitude. For many younger people, weekends are packed with social activities, ranging from brunch with friends to dinner parties to game nights to drinking at bars and everything in between.

The United States isn't the only place where you'll find a heavy emphasis on social time. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom is known for being an extremely extroverted(外向型的) country. A survey of Brits found that more than half had never done and would be unwilling to do activities like going to theme parks or seeing live music alone. Most Brits spend almost twice as much of their leisure time socialising with others as they do being alone.

The home can be a place of rest, relaxation and recharge — that is, if you live by yourself or have the space to be alone in your home. The country in which people are least likely to live alone is India, at about 4 percent of the population. China is also quite fond of multiple-person households, with only about 10 percent of people living by themselves. In more collectivist(集体主义的) cultures like these, many aspects of life are related to community. Thus, spending time alone isn't as ingrained(根深蒂固的) as a social convention in places like these, and the good of the group takes priority over the needs of one person.

Special Food Places to Try in Singapore

It's an unpleasant fact that local food places are usually meant to eater to meateaters. It can be difficult to find a tasty food place that eaters to meat-free diet. Here are some options to show you don't need meat for a satisfactory treat.

Vegan Burg

Vegan Burg has a surprisingly diverse range of plant-based burgers. From Hawaiian Teriyaki to Char-Grilled Satay, the menu promises to tempt even the most hardcore meat lovers. And that's not even getting into the add-ons and sides it offers, such as mushroom fries and barbecue potatoes.

Woods Square lower, # 01-06, Singapore 737737

Genesis Restaurant

This eatery proves that meat-free dishes can be as hearty and flavorful as their meatbased counterparts. Genesis Restaurant is especially known for its juicy dumplings, spring rolls, pork-free noodles and tofu cheesecake.

Havelock Road, # B1-01, Singapore 059763

WellSmoocht Collective

WellSmoocht is a cafe and dessert bar which specializes in plant-based ice cream. Made from brown rice, sugar cane juice and fruits or nut butters, Smoocht's rice cream, as they call it, comes in a wide variety of delicious flavors such as Earl Grey Lavender, Rose Coconut and Gula Melaka.

Sin Ming Centre, # 01-03, Singapore 575628

Green Common

This one-stop plant-based eatery and marketplace has a delicious menu of mouthwatering meat-free dishes, from Japanese cuisine like sushi and miso glazed fillet to Western dishes like fishless tacos and pasta, as well as local favourites such as seafood laksa and even buah keluak rice.

HarbourFront Walk, # 169-170, Singapore 098585

Be a Star of Your Own Movie

I always loved the movies. It didn't even matter if I went to see them alone. In the movies, nothing seemed impossible: I became the star of the cheerleading team who leads her team to victory, or the teenager who bridges the gap between the races at her high school, or even the young woman who falls in love with a handsome nobleman from the nineteenth century. And I would always live happily ever after.

In fact, I liked to pretend what was happening on-screen was happening in my own life as well. I liked the happy endings, the perfect happy endings. I wanted my life to be like that, happy and wonderful. I wanted to escape the stress of family and friends and school. My only escape from the reality that trapped me was heading for a movie theatre.

I hadn't always been this way. As a young girl I was outgoing and friendly, and even involved in after-school activities. High school was different, though. I became quiet and withdrawn.

My parents were worried about me. They urged me to call old friends or get more involved with school.After promising my parents a thousand times that I would call one of my old friends, I finally agreed. The only number I knew by heart was Sarah's, so I called her. Sarah herself was pretty close to perfect: straight-A student, class president, off to Yale in the fall, beautiful, sweet, brilliant. We decided to meet for a pizza lunch.

We ate and talked and caught up on old times. I told her how difficult it had been for me in the past few years and how unbearable the pressure had been. "I wish my life was the way it is in the movies,"I sighed,"I would be so much easier." I looked down through my fingers, face in my hands. "I understand," she said.I looked up at her, questioning her with my eyes.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

She explained she used to escape her realities by doing the same thing.

……

Inspired by her words, I decided that I would produce my own life story.

注意：1.写作词数应为80词左右；2.可适当添加细节，使行文连贯。

Getting to Know the Plants Around Us