相关试卷

Studying the DNA of 300 mice has flagged up(引起对……的关注) genes which have been linked to hereditary(遗传的) sight loss for the first time.Researchers say because mice's genes are so similar to humans'，their findings could lead to the treatment of more genetic diseases.

Scientists at the University of California，Davis studied information from a data bank of mice's genetic material.They found 347 genes linked to eye problems，with just 86 of them having been studied in the past.

Only around 50 to 75 percent of hereditary eye diseases in human can be explained with present science.The researchers believe these hundreds of new genes found in mice could be a key to explaining—and therefore being able to treat the other 25－50 percent.

"This is extremely valuable for people with hereditary eye disease，" said researcher Professor Ala Moshiri."All researchers are going to start using these data.In the past，we knew the problem was there but we didn't know where to look.Now eye centers can call back patients and screen them for these new genes.We expected that more and more of these genetic diseases will be treatable." Also，the fact is that more than 60 percent of eye problems at birth are ones resulting from the baby's parents!

Thanks to data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium(IMPC)，which is trying to work out what every single gene in a mouse is responsible for，with the aim of translating it to humans，scientists are moving closer to figuring out all genetic causes of blindness.To do this，scientists separate a single gene from other ones at a time and then observe what effect it has on the mouse for a long time.This has so far been done more than 7,000 times and has achieved great success.Researchers are now working alongside eye care centers in Texas and Iowa in order to compare the mice's genes to those of patients.

For recreation league athletes，there's nothing worse than when one of your teammates drops out at the last minute.When a recreation league ice hockey(冰上曲棍球) team in Edmonton needed a goalie(守门员)，they got a save from an unlikely hero.

Nelson Rego，who is 100% blind，plays blind ice hockey for the Edmonton "SeeHawks" and accidentally met another goalie，John Hunter，who was inquiring online about a chest protector.Later Hunter got injured，and trying to help his team find a goalie for a league game，he reached out on the Edmonton Goalies Facebook page.

"Nelson calls me，and he starts out with，‘Hey，how's the chest protector going？'" Hunter later shared about the remarkable story."Then Nelson continues，‘By the way，I'm not sure if this is a good idea but I've learned that you're looking for a goalie substitute for your league game tonight.What do you think about me playing？'"

The team was "all in"，so Rego got ready for his first-ever sighted league match.

According to the players，they didn't tell the referee until the puck(冰球) drop that their goalie was blind—information with which he didn't really know what to do.

In an interview with CTV Edmonton ， Rego explains he keeps himself centered in the goal by measuring the distance between the posts with his stick and his glove.After he uses sound to key into where the puck is and if it's being challenged，all the while he follows verbal instructions from his loving wife Emelinda，in the stands telling the action.

The game was by no means a washout for Rego，because even though Rego's team lost，he hung in there and earned the respect and admiration of the team.

This remarkable night is just one step in Rego's hockey career and he wants to go further.Rego says，"If it's something you want to do，just do it.It's amazing to watch hockey，but it's even better to play it."

How do you get yourself to take action now？Here are some powerful suggestions.

Focus intensely on the positive things that your actions will accomplish. Whether it's something you're seeking to accomplish，or something you're seeking to be rid of，picture exactly how your life will be after the work is done.The more intensely you can imagine it，the better.

 The only real reason you have for avoiding action is because you associate some kind of pain or discomfort with it.Therefore，it helps to associate something even more painful with not taking action.Instead of focusing on the relatively minor pain of taking action，focus instead on the major pain of not taking action.

Think of all the reasons you can come up with to not take action，and then destroy all those reasons with a single word—"But."Simply state the excuse，put the word"but"after it，and then finish the sentence.For example，"I've never done this before，BUT I can learn." Stick the word "but" in there，and challenge yourself to finish the sentence.

Take the first small step.Don't even concern yourself with committing to the whole project or course of action.Just do something very easy and very small.The point is to find a little momentum(动力). Then climb aboard the momentum train，and let it help you keep the effort going.

Make it fun.Realize that just about anything can be fun if you'll think of it as fun and enjoyable.Find a way to make something fun，and not only will you want to do it；you'll also be better at it.

A. You always choose what to do.

B. Lay all your excuses out on the table and deal with them.

C. Whatever you must do to achieve success，find a way to enjoy it.

D. In your mind，picture in great detail what your actions will bring you.

E. Focus on the negative things that will happen if you don't take action.

F. Once you take that small action，let yourself fully enjoy how great it feels.

G. Getting started with your biggest task or most difficult action may seem too much.

Putting a microchip(芯片) into one's brain brings the world a super hero，which is common in sci-fi movies.However，we may find it possible in reality.

Elon Musk，founder of SpaceX and co-founder of electric car maker Tesla—has been working on this technology.On Aug.28，Musk gave a livestream demonstration of the chip，which was implanted into the head of a pig named Gertrude.

The chip，developed by Musk's company，is the size of a coin.But don't let its size fool you.The tiny chip has over 3,000 electrodes(电极) attached to flexible threads，which can monitor about 1,000 neurons(神经元). It collects neural signals from an area of the brain，and then transmits those signals wirelessly to nearby computers.In the livestream，Gertrude could be seen walking around sniffing the ground while a monitor showed her brain activity.

Though the technology is still in its early stage，it is encouraging for humans.This technology "would solve a lot of brain injuries"，which allows the human brain to combine with an artificial intelligence，Musk said.

When the device can be applied to humans，its main goal will be to help those who have mobility issues，such as those suffering from paralysis(瘫痪). Musk hopes this technology could also be used to help those with hearing and eyesight issues and one day lead to a cure for epilepsy(癫痫). 

Although such a device could，in principle，repair those problems，putting it into practice is by no means a piece of cake.Currently，the device can transmit signals from about 500 neurons in the pig's brain.Compared to 80 billion neurons in a human brain，this number is tiny.And to cover the whole human brain also means the electrodes have to be much smaller.Also，implanting the chip into the brain poses a potential danger.There is a possibility of the immune system attacking this foreign body.

Right now，the hope of controlling the brain via controlling a few neurons seems overly optimistic."There are many technological challenges...to overcome before Neuralink can put its devices to the purposes，"Yuan Lanfeng，an associate professor at the University of Science and Technology of China，told China Daily.

A recent study has followed the origins，or beginnings of the family of languages that include modern Japanese，Korean，Turkish and Mongolian.The findings show a shared genetic ancestor for the hundreds of millions of people who speak what the researchers call Transeurasian(跨欧亚的) languages.Such languages had their origin with millet farmers who lived in an area in northeastern China about 9,000 years ago.Millet is a small，round whole grain.It was an important early crop as hunter-gatherers became farmers.

The study's findings show how the use of agriculture following the Ice Age powered the movements of some of the world's major language families.The research highlights the complex beginnings of modern populations and cultures.

Martine Robbeets，head of the Archaeolinguistic Research Group，said people often think of Japan，Korea and China as powerful nations representing one language，one culture and one people."All languages，cultures and humans，including those in Asia，are mixed，" Robbeets said."Accepting that the roots of one's language，culture or people lie beyond the present national boundaries is to surrender identity，which some people are not yet prepared to make."

The researchers studied data of vocabulary from the 98 languages.They identified a group of words related to agriculture and created a language family tree.The researchers examined data from 255 archaeological sites in China，Japan，Korea and eastern Russia.They studied ancient objects including pottery，stone tools and plant and animal remains.They also included the dating of 269 ancient crop remains from different areas.

The researchers found that farmers in northeastern China eventually grew rice and wheat along with millet.The crops spread along with farming populations to Korea by about 1300BCE and from there to Japan after about 1000BCE.As the ancient farmers moved across northeastern Asia，related languages spread into Siberia，Korea and Japan over thousands of years.

Where to find money that can help you pay for a college or university after high school.

The Student Assistance Program(SAP)

It is a provincial student support program，offering a mix of financial assistance to thousands of students each year.You can only be suitable for SAP if you don't get enough money from other sources to cover your college or university expenses.The income that you report to SAP generally needs to match what you report to the school when you file your taxes.

You can use the online calculator to help.You'll see how much financial assistance you could be suitable to receive from SAP.

Financial Aid from Schools

You can check with the school directly to see what financial aid programs they offer.You could be suitable for assistantships，scholarships，work-study programs and summer employment opportunities.These are all sources of money you don't have to pay back.

Emergency Loans

Most schools also offer emergency loans.For example，you could be suitable for a short-term loan (90 days) to cover tuition，if you're waiting for SAP to arrive.Banks，trust companies and credit unions offer student loans and lines of credit.Talk to your financial institution for more information.

Self-fund

It's a good idea to save money from a summer job or job you hold throughout the year to help pay for your education.Your parents or other relatives might also be able to contribute to education costs.

Another option is to consider investing savings through a bank/financial institution—so that money can earn interest—if you plan to go to college or university in the future.

Extra Assistance

Some students，such as those with disabilities or who receive social assistance，may be suitable for additional student aid.

We seem to be very familiar with teahouses.The function of a teahouse varies widely (depend) on the culture.In China，a teahouse is a place  people gather to enjoy tea，chat and socialize.It (consider) as a symbol of Chinese tea culture.

Chinese teahouses enjoy a long-standing history.They developed from tea stands in the Western Jin Dynasty，(take) shape in the Tang Dynasty，developed (gradual) in the Song，Yuan，Ming，and Qing Dynasties and became booming in modern times.

In the Song Dynasty，teahouses existed all over cities and villages， a rate comparable with that of restaurants.The owners preferred to decorate their teahouses with paintings of celebrities(名人) and rare and precious plants (attract) customers.In the Ming and Qing Dynasties，the number of teahouses went beyond that of restaurants，gaining more (popular) and becoming more famous.Later，the acculturation(文化移入) of Western culture forced traditional Chinese teahouses to take on  new look.After reform and opening-up，teahouses flowered in China with the development of the economy and evident improvement of (people) living standards.

Sweat dropped down my forehead and back，but I was determined to push forward.Though I'd never been much of a 1 ，I had a crucial target—to 2 my little girl，Bridie.Born in January 2017，she was diagnosed(诊断) with sagittal craniosynostosis.

Doctors explained that she'd need 3 .They also noticed that her limbs(四肢) and fingers were measuring quite short，so Bridie 4 genetic testing to find out why.When the 5 came back，we met with the specialist.He told us that the rare 6 would cause retinal degeneration(视网膜恶化)，meaning she could go blind and develop kidney(肾脏) disease.

By December that year，her specialist 7  her kidneys were only functioning at 30 per cent.He admitted that a transplant might be 8  sooner.It broke my heart，and I knew I had to 9  to help save my girl.So I 10  to give her one of my kidneys right away.After reducing my weight by running and undergoing multiple tests，I was declared a 11 .

The big day finally arrived.When I came to several hours later，I was 12 that Bridie's surgery was considered to have been a(n) 13 .After two days，I was finally well enough to visit my 14 daughter.Giving her a big hug，it felt so good to see a smile on her face.

People have called me a hero，but I think any parent would do the same to save their child.Seeing the smile on our beautiful Bridie's face makes it all 15 .

Social distancing is nothing new to honey bees.When a colony(群体) is infected with the deadly Israeli acute paralysis virus(IAPV)，bees are less likely to touch or feed their sick nest mates，according to a new study.

Not much is known about how bees act when infected with viruses.Adam Dolezal，an insect physiologist at the University of Illinois，who studies IAPV，teamed up with a computer scientist Tim Gernat，who had developed an automated system to monitor bee behavior.They identified a behavior called trophallaxis，in which honey bees feed their fellow workers by regurgitating(反刍) food from their bodies.

They put infected bees into their colony.After 5 days of recording，the team found that healthy bees were avoiding contact with the infected bees.The findings show how bee behavior in a real colony can prevent an infection.

But the virus appears to have an alarming counterattack(反攻)：When sick bees try to enter a new colony，they do a better job of getting past the guards than uninfected bees.That has led the scientists to predict that the virus has developed a way to spread to new colonies.

Bee colonies are usually guarded by bees to keep foreigners out.Guards use their special organs in the head to detect a collection of chemical signals on the outside of their bees，which is used to identify them as members of the colony or foreigners.

As for why IAPV is so successful at tricking the guards，it might be that it changes the number of various chemical signals，which differ between the sick and healthy groups.This makes the guards more likely to misjudge and accept the infected bees.The sick bees are also gentler when challenged by guards and more likely to offer them food，and those behaviors may also help them spread the disease.

IAPV isn't the only pathogen(病原体) bees can bring.If IAPV helps other pathogens spread，that could be a big problem for commercial beekeepers who pack colonies together for efficiency."There's very little you can do if you suspect a virus infection，"Dolezal says.Instead，they have got to increase the space between colonies.

When it comes to team assembly(团队组建)，people who are both trustworthy and competent are the most sought after.However，those who are friendly and trustworthy are more likely to be selected than those who are known for just their skill competence and personal reputation，according to a new research from Binghamton University.

"We assume that people are selected due to their knowledge，skills and abilities.However，this research suggests that people may often get picked because team members feel comfortable with them，"said Cynthia Maupin，assistant professor in Binghamton University's School of Management."People may be willing to sacrifice a bit in terms of performance in order to have a really positive team experience."

Maupin and her colleagues focused on a group of MBA students to conduct their study.Students were randomly assigned to different teams to carry out class projects.Toward the end of the semester，they were asked to form their own teams and evaluate why they selected each member.

"To find out how the students signaled to others that they might be someone who would be good to team up with in the future，we studied their use of either challenging or supportive voice，"Maupin said.

•Challenging voice：Communicating in a way that challenges the present situation and is focused on new ideas and efficiency.

•Supportive voice：Communicating in a way that strengthens social ties and trust.

The researchers found that students who exhibited both voices were the most in-demand people when it came to assembling teams.However，students who only used supportive voice to exhibit their friendliness and trustworthiness were more sought after than those who only signaled    their competence through the use of challenging voice.

Maupin said the findings have major implications(影响) for the workplace."People should realize the way they speak up can have a strong effect on informal teaming up at a later point and that supportive voice helps establish harmonious relationships and a sense of trust amongst individuals."

Whether you want to have more successful relationships，a better career，or just be able to turn down chocolate，pushing your boundaries is essential.You will have to start by working through weaknesses when they arise.

Develop a brief plan of action. Set goals for yourself with time limits.Under each goal，create actionable steps that allow you to stay on track and succeed.For example，if your public speaking skills are weak，make it a goal that you can give a confident presentation.You can plan out actionable steps like writing a speech，delivering the speech to an empty room，then to one person，and then to several people.

Use your strengths to build confidence.While you are working to overcome a weakness，work on things you are good at，too. It also keeps you looking competent and skilled while you build your skillset even more.

Rely on your network.Networking with others is a strength in any situation.Admitting that you need help in a certain area will help you to include team members and other partners in your tasks. If you find it difficult to reach out or to rely on others，this might be your weakness! You can take steps to learn how to depend on others.

 Your weaknesses are called weaknesses for a reason.It takes hard work and devotion to overcome them.Even if you fall short of a goal，acknowledge any progress that you did make.This will keep you in a positive frame of mind and help you pick up and continue overcoming the weakness.

A. Celebrate every success.

B. Be patient to figure out your weaknesses.

C. With a plan in mind，you will be better at speaking to others.

D. To overcome your weaknesses，you need a plan to beat them.

E. Eventually，you'll be confident enough to deliver the speech to the public.

F. You can also learn to overcome your weaknesses by observing how others handle those tasks.

G. This will keep your confidence up and help you get back to work to overcome your weakness.

From a young age，many of us learn the benefits of being an extrovert—those individuals who always seem to be the life and soul of the party，often outspoken and able to express their opinions fluently.However，not all of us are wired that way—so is being an extrovert really better?

While thinking of an extrovert，we imagine a character who is determined，approachable，cheerful and charming.We are taught to admire these personalities early on.Kids are often encouraged to interact，play and communicate with other children.It seems at times as though children are made to have a more outgoing lifestyle，with some people becoming false extroverts—introverts who copy extrovert behavior.While externally(外表上) they may seem to enjoy the company of others，or being in the center of public attention，they can still become over-extended in intense social situations.

So，while the positive aspects of being an extrovert are plain to see，what are the benefits of introversion？Although extroverts depend on social interaction，introverts are more comfortable with levels of isolation.According to Dr Berit，a college professor，extreme isolation such as times like the lockdown，does not affect introverts as much as extroverts.Lack of social contact，something extroverts rely on，can lead to depression，loneliness，and even death.

But it's not just in an extreme situation that an introvert shines through.These people seem to have more time for deep thought and thus can become more balanced.They also tend to be good listeners and think before they speak，meaning they could become great friends.Finally，introverts are often fantastic observers，as sitting out of the focus can give them more time to watch the behavior of others.

So，whatever your personality，either introvert or extrovert，there are clear advantages to being either，and if you meet an introvert，you might just end up with an amazing friend.

To fight against the ballooning waistlines among people，several U. S.cities have instituted taxes on drinks with added sugar aiming to reduce consumption，but new research suggests these policies currently have one fundamental flaw.

The study found sugary drinks only reduce purchasing if price tags at stores mention consumers are paying that tax when they buy the drink.

The research included a field study at two convenience stores in San Francisco，which currently has a tax on sugary drinks of 1 cent per ounce.Researchers varied the price tags placed on the sugary drinks over the eight-week study：one tag that simply said the price for the 12-ounce drink($1.52) and one that had the price and the message "Includes SF Sugary Drink Tax". All non-sugary drinks，which weren't subject to the tax，simply had the price of the drink($1.40).

The researchers compared sales of the drinks during the study period to the two weeks before the study began when the sugary drink tax was in effect but there were no price tags on any drinks.Results showed sales of sugary drinks weren't lower during the two weeks，compared to sales before the tax，indicating the tax itself didn't reduce purchases of sugary drinks.

The researchers then looked at the effects of the two different price tags.Results showed the share of sugary drinks purchased when the tags simply showed the price wasn't significantly different from that of the two-week period before the study，but did decline slightly when the tags mentioned the price included the added tax.

In a separate online study，the researchers asked participants to estimate what the tax would be on a can of their favorite drink that cost $1.52.The average estimate was 40 cents—much higher than the 12 cents actually demanded in San Francisco.When told the tax was only 12 cents，they reported they'd still purchase the drink.

The findings suggest price tags should mention the tax but not the amount，for consumers tend to overestimate how much the tax is."If cities want these policies to be effective，they need to regulate how sugary drinks are labeled at stores and they currently don't do that，"said Donnelly，lead author of the study.

What could driving a race car and pointing a camera at the Milky Way have in common？More than you might imagine.Race car driver Bubba Wallace and photographer Batak Tefreshi journeyed together to remote Gooseberry Mesa for an adventure aimed at capturing the night sky.

Gooseberry Mesa，far from population centers，is protected from the nighttime light pollution，which makes it perfect for star photographers.Natural night environments such as this are rare.

Camping，hiking and shooting stars in mountainous Mesa highlight the similarity between photography and racing.Bubba notes，"Once you fire up the engine there's no turning back—I know I'll be in that seat for more than three hours." Batak agrees，"I have the same feeling as soon as I touch my camera—I'm ready to continue through the entire night." For Bubba，developing patience allowed him to mature as a driver and is equally essential to Batak's photography.

Seizing the moment is crucial too."Every minute things are changing—the Earth's shadow，the moonlight，the rise of stars，" Batak explains."If you lose the moment，it's gone forever." Bubba finds the physical and mental demands of racing as crucial when travelling in Utah's rugged landscapes under freezing temperatures.

Think incoming clouds，wind，or mist will ruin your chance at a perfect shot？According to Batak，"With wide-angle nightscapes，every unexpected weather condition can be an opportunity.Our photos show oranges and blues around the moon you wouldn't see under a clear sky."

The team discovered shared interests that go beyond photography."We're both passionate about bringing cultures together and using our work to break down boundaries，"says Batak."The night sky has a unifying power.The sky connects the whole world under one umbrella."

Buried deep in the ruins of the Shang Dynasty，specifically in Anyang City of Henan Province，bones of the rhino were found.

A collection of archaeological evidence has confirmed the (exist) of rhinos in ancient China.The animal (distribute) across China's Central Plains， Chinese civilization originated.

Nevertheless，the rhino was no longer wandering in the region after the Han Dynasty.One explanation is that it was the colder climate of Northeast Asia that saw the creature (appear) from the pages of history.However，Zhou Yu，the writer of History of Chinese Armor(盔甲)，offered up  explanation：the crafting of armor.

Armor was (original) made of bamboo but the material possessed limited (defend) capabilities.Leather armor later became popular during the pre-Qin period.Zhou's book (read) that the rhino's thick skin was a primary material for the creation of warriors'armor.Many ancient accounts recorded the killing of rhinos and (turn) their skin into protective covering."The huge demand rhino skins might have caused the animal's disappearance or at least its migration from the Central Plains to the southwestern regions，"Zhou told Beijing Review.

Castillo wrote a letter to her father for his 50th birthday.Her father，who suffers from Down's syndrome(唐氏综合征)，had at one point been a(n) 1 in her life.But in her letter，she wanted the world to know how much she 2 and loves her father.

Castillo said it took years before she had the courage to 3 the truth about her situation and her father.She got bullied at school because the other kids saw her father as "4 ". She didn't understand at the time why the kids were bullying her.5 ，she thought of herself as a "coward daughter".

"You 6 love，understanding，patience and acceptance as any individual with Down's syndrome should，"she wrote.

Besides having Down's syndrome，her father has a wide 7 of health complication(并发症). Therefore，her father has been in and out of the hospital getting all sorts of 8 .Castillo wrote that her father is the "most 9 person"because of what he went through，yet he rarely complained.But there were times when he couldn't 10 the pain and broke down in tears，which hurt her greatly and made her cry.But her dad kept persisting(坚持)，which gave her 11 .

"Dad，no words can sum up how 12 I am for being a(n) 13 daughter.If there is one thing I regret，it is 14 you from my life because I was afraid of getting bullied.But I love you more than you could ever 15 and I am always inspired by you，"she wrote.

A native of Florida，U.S.，Hannah Herbst，17，uses water power to deal with energy poverty.Herbst has risen to fame with the development of BEACON，an ocean energy probe(探测器) that seeks to offer a stable power source to developing countries by using untapped energy from ocean currents.

She told Teen Vogue ， "I was really involved in theater and athletics and I'm still really into those things.When I was in the seventh grade，I was put into a summer camp.The minute I got there I realized that I was the only girl in the program.I wanted to quit at that moment.But my dad told me，‘Just try it.'I tried it for that day and it changed my life."

"At the camp，we started building the robots，which is something I had never done before but many of the boys had，and I realized it was a platform for problem-solving.We were solving simple tasks like how to push a robot off a platform.Learning from my partners as well as online articles about how to program and build was really interesting to me，"said Herbst.

Later that year，she received a letter from her pen pal，Ruth，who lives in Ethiopia，and learned that she was living in energy poverty with minimal access to electricity and medical supplies."I knew that I wanted to do something to help，so I created BEACON，"she said.

The device is made from 90% recycled materials easily found throughout the world，including 2-liter bottles and recycled spoons.It costs $ 12 to make and can produce enough electricity to power an LED light.Hannah imagines BEACON being used in developing countries to power pumps for fresh water and she is working on polishing it to get it available to people all over the world.

American Express Gold：Best"non-travel"travel card

Why it's great in one sentence：The American Express Gold card earns tons of valuable Amex travel points on practically all the food-related purchases you're making even when you're not traveling，and the credits available on the card nearly offset(抵消) its annual fee.

This card is right for：People who can use all of the card's various credits and who spend significant money at restaurants，on food delivery services or at U. S.supermarkets while they're not on the road.

Highlights：

First，with the Amex Gold，you'll earn 4 points for every dollar you spend on restaurants worldwide，and on up to $25，000 in annual purchases at U. S.supermarkets(1 point per dollar afterwards). Most food delivery services count as "restaurants"on this card，so that means the vast majority of your food purchases will earn 4 points，regardless of how you're eating.

You'll also earn 3 points per dollar when you book airfare directly with an airline，so if you're looking to jump on any sales for flights later in the year，you can pay for them with the Amex Gold and earn extra points on those as well.

The points earned on this card are American Express Membership Rewards points，which are extremely useful.You can redeem(兑换) them directly for flights via Amex Travel at 1 cent each，but if you put in some extra effort and research，you can potentially get much more value from them by transferring them to any of Amex's 21 airline and hotel partners，which include Delta Air Lines，JetBlue，Marriott and many more.

Sichuan Opera，one of the oldest local operas in China，is popular in Sichuan Province and some regions of Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces. a stage entertainment，it conveys the idea of time and space to the audience through performances.

The opera is characterized by its unique solo singing，refined acting，rich percussion and (irresistible)funny comedians.It also displays its amazing (skill)：face changing，spitting fire，and rolling light.

The face changing or "bianlian" in Chinese，is unique stunt(绝技) in Sichuan Opera that (use) to express the changing emotions of characters.Only a few masters have grasped this skill.On the stage，they change their painted masks in magically quick succession by twisting their heads and (wave) their arms.

Face changing got its start 300 years ago.At the beginning，opera masters (change) the color of their faces during performances by blowing into a bowl of red，black gold powder.The powder would stick to their oiled skin quickly.By the 1920's，opera masters began using layers of masks (make) of oiled paper or dried pig bladder.At present the masters use the full face，painted silk masks, can be worn in layers，and be pulled off one by one in the blink of an eye.

The COVID-19 distances people from each other.However，it also 1  friendships between people who would have otherwise never become friends.In the case of 92-year-old Mary，that friend happens to be her two-year-old neighbor，Ben.

The lockdown this year was particularly 2  for Mary，who has been living 3 .With nobody around her，she had to spend most of her time watching TV.Ben was also 4  at home，unable to play with other kids.

Their unusual friendship developed 5 .At first，Mary would 6 at Ben from her window whenever she saw the boy in the yard.Then，she began going outside to 7 him in person.The 8 eventually expanded to daily gatherings by the fence that separated the two homes.The pair even invented a socially distanced 9 that Mary called "stick ball". Ben threw his ball towards the fence and Mary got her walking stick，10 over the fence and hit the ball back.

When the two were unable to meet in the yard in bad weather，Ben's mother kept the friendship 11 by calling at Mary's porch with the baby.

The bond has blossomed even further since Mary got vaccinated earlier this year.Mary 12  Ben with a colorful toy truck collection that had once belonged to her grandson.The boy returned the 13  with a gift of his own—a pile of sand that he carefully carried in his small hands and dropped at her door.

Now the pair are often seen high-fiving across the fence or sitting outside Mary's house，blowing bubbles.What a 14 scene! Friendship really knows no 15 .