16． In our life, many people love to eat peanuts (花生), and Steve Casino is among them. We call him a special artist (1)       the US. He is very fond of peanuts. And eating peanuts is not enough for him. He likes to (2)       strange things out of peanuts.
Steve has already changed peanut shells (3)       about one hundred little statues (雕像). Among these statues, (4)       are famous people such as Elvis Presley, Albert Einstein, Bruce Lee and Johnny Depp. He also makes statues of characters from (5)      , like Batman, Robin, Superman and Captain America. When we look through his website, we can find his steps to make his artworks. First, he takes away the nuts from the shells. (6)      , he glues the shells back together. After that he gives his statues arms and legs, and paints them (7)      . It usually takes him twenty hours to paint a statue. At last, he puts the statue in a glass dome (圆顶状物) and people can (8)       it for a long time.
Steve Casino calls himself a "Painter of Nuts". "I eat peanuts every day and they're always around. I (9)       happy to use peanuts to make things," he said. Steve has even turned this art into big money. He makes statues of anyone such as people's friends, family and favourite stars. However, his artworks are (10)       because it takes him a lot of time to make them. But we must remember these statues are special arts and they look very beautiful. What do you think of his art? Let's buy one to have 'a look.

17． Now, more and more mothers wear the same clothes as their daughters, so people often mistake them for each other. According to a new study, mothers today look to their daughters for fashion(时尚) and beauty ideas. The study questioned 343 mothers and daughters, with an average age of 44 for mums and 16 for daughters.
A report from Temple University, Philadelphia also says that many children act older than their years. But they don't listen to the opinion from their parents in wearing.
Some mothers buy the same clothes as their daughters do. They like the same colour and style as their daughters. They do so because they want to keep as young as their daughters. And now many more mothers compare (与......比较) beauty with their daughters. So a strange thing happens: the woman may look like a teenager from behind, but she is already middle－aged from the front.
The report shows that if a mum is young at heart and fashion, she is more likely to view (把......视为) her daughter as a style expert and copy her. So what are the mothers going to wear in the future? This may depend on their daughters.

19． It was August in Paris. Most Parisians were out of the city, enjoying their summer holiday. The streets were empty and restaurants were closed.
But on a Saturday morning at 9 a. m. , I was standing in a queue (队伍). I was waiting to see Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the world's most famous artwork. I bought the ticket in advance (提前). However, by the time I arrived at the Louvre (卢浮官), there had been a very long line.
It took me around 30 minutes to pass the security check (安检). As I entered the museum, I found the second airport-style queue of the day. The line moved forward slowly and silently. It's just like a trip to Ikea. You only need some glasses. However, you have to walk, eyes-down, past lots of sofas and tables before you reach what you need.
The only sign (迹象) the Mona Lisa was close was a forest of security officers. Only ten people were allowed to view the painting at a time. A poster (布告) outside the pen (围栏) warned, "The Mona Lisa has many admirers. Please keep your visit short and sweet to give everyone a chance to meet her."
"How short is short and sweet?" I wondered. Very short, it turned out.
My watch clocked only 22 seconds from entering the pen before two staff members told me it was time to go. "One photo and go, " they said. I tried to take a selfie (自拍), but an arm quickly came to guide me onwards. Behind me, the queue slowly moved forward, ten by ten, to take a photo and leave.
I was almost alone as I admired the other artworks in the Louvre. I couldn't help wondering: Why are we so eager to see the Mona Lisa? Are we really going to appreciate the famous artworks or are we just "checking in" at the "popular" attractions?

20．
A: Hi, Carol! I want to talk to you about my vacation.
B: OK. (1)      
A: In August. I have one week of vacation time.
B: Lucky you. Where will you go?
A:(2)      
B: That would be nice. A week is enough time to do that.
A: Well, I also like to cook. So I want to do that on vacation.
B:(3)      That's a good idea.
A: Yes. Several countries offer cooking vacations.
B: That sounds fun. I also have a plan for my vacation. (4)      
A: Oh! You can do volunteer work like collecting or serving food or building houses. What a wonderful idea!
B: Yes. But to do that, I'd like one thing.
A:(5)      
B: A longer vacation!

26． Where does Harry Potter come from? He's from the United Kingdom, an island country in Western Europe. It is an amazing country with a long history and rich culture.
Many people think of the Queen Elizabeth II when asked what they think about the UK. Though she is a queen, she doesn't actually run the country. The royal family has little real power.
People in the UK are proud of their literature(文学). There are many great British writers.
William Shakespeare is probably the most famous one. His writing is over 400 years old and is a bit difficult to read. But his plays teach important values(价值观念). That's why they are so popular.
British music, movies and TV shows are enjoyed by people all over the world. Bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin have had a huge influence on modern﹣day musicians. The James Bond films, as well as TV shows like Sherlock and Downton Abbey, are beloved by many.

27． Great, super, wonderful, excellent... People from all over China choose different adjectives to talk about the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team. It (1)s             that the women's volleyball heroes have a special place in the nation's heart.
On 29 September, the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team (2)w             the World Cup in Japan. It's China's fifth World Cup success (3)f             1981 to 2019. The good news made Chinese people prouder and more (4)e             at the time of China's 70th birthday celebrations.
"This year is the 70th anniversary of the founding (建立) of our country. We should pay back (回报) our nation, because she has given so much support to our (5)t            , " said Lang Ping, the first person to win Olympic volleyball gold (6)b             as a player and a coach. "If we have the (7)c            , we will try our (8)b             to win the game."
The Chinese Women's Volleyball Team always keep the never-say-die spirit. They never gave up, even in (9)t             or difficulty. For example, the players started to practice soon after they (10)a             in Japan. Next, they will take part in the 2020 Olympics, which will take place in Tokyo. Let's look forward to their greater success!

28．假如你是李津, Tom是一名要来中国学习的英国留学生. 在留学期间, 他将要住在你家, 因此他发邮件向你询问你家的家规(family rules). 请你根据以下提示内容, 给他回复一封电子邮件.
提示内容:
(1)早上六点半起床, 晚上九点半前必须回家.
(2)周末需要打扫卧室.
(3)饭前必须洗手.
(4)吃饭的时候不能说话.
(5)自拟一条家规.
要求:
(1)语句通顺、意思连贯、语法正确.
(2)包含所有提示要点, 可适当发挥.
(3)80词左右(邮件的格式及结尾己给出, 不计入总词数).
Dear Tom,
________________________________________
Hope you'll enjoy your life here.
Yours,
Li Jin