Sleep is very important. It _____1_____ everything from our feelings to our physical health.

Firstly, sleep helps our bodies _____2_____. While we are asleep, our bodies produce a hormone melatonin (褪黑激素), which helps repair and grow our cells (細(xì)胞).

  Secondly, sleep is very important for our _____3_____. It helps us learn new things and remember them better. This is _____4_____ students often perform better on tests after a good night’s sleep.

However, many people have difficulty getting enough sleep. Some common reasons include stress, _____5_____ lifestyles, and watching videos before bedtime.

  To improve our sleep quality, we should form a good sleep habit. This means going to bed and _____6_____ at the same time every day, even on weekends.

  What’s more, we should create a _____7_____ sleep environment. This includes keeping our _____8_____ dark, quiet, and cool.

  Lastly, we should _____9_____ eating big meals before going to bed, which can also help us sleep ______10______.

   In short, sleep is important for our health. By these methods, we can improve our sleep habits and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

B

    Nezha is a famous hero in Chinese stories. He is known for being very brave and having magical powers.

    One of Nezha’s most famous stories is about his fight with the son of the East Sea Dragon King. The dragon prince was causing problems and harming people in the area. Nezha decided to stop him. During the fight, Nezha killed the prince. This made the East Sea Dragon King very angry and caused a big conflict (沖突).

   To protect his parents from the Dragon King’s anger, Nezha gave up his own life. But his teacher, Taiyi Zhenren, saved him. Taiyi Zhenren used lotus (荷花) flowers and lotus seeds to bring Nezha back to life. After this, Nezha became even stronger and continued to fight against evil (邪惡) and protect people.

Nezha is often shown with six arms, each holding a different arm. He also rides on a special wheel called the wind-fire wheel, which makes him very fast and powerful in battle.

   Nezha’s stories teach us about courage and the importance of fighting against evil. He is a beloved character in Chinese culture, and people celebrate him through stories, art, and festivals.

C

   In a village close to a desert, the villagers depend on farming near the desert’s edge. Every year, they were struggling with poor harvests due to sandy soil and heat. Among them was an elderly man named Carl, who spent his days planting trees deep in the desert. The villagers laughed at him, saying, “Only a fool would waste time here! The desert kills everything!” Carl paid no attention to their laughter and kept working silently, digging holes and watering young trees under the burning sun.

    Years passed. The villagers’ crops continued to fail, and many began to lose hope. One spring, a strong sandstorm swept through the area. When the storm ended, the villagers found their crops destroyed. At the very moment, a young woman named Lisa remembered Carl. “What about his trees?” she wondered.

    Then Lisa walked into the desert. To her shock, she discovered a green forest-rows of tall trees stood firmly. The sandstorm had barely affected them. “How is this possible?” she asked Carl, who was calmly looking after the trees.

    Carl smiled and knelt (跪) beside a young tree. He gently brushed away the sand, showing thick, winding roots buried deep underground. “In soft desert soil, roots grow shallow if life is easy,” he explained. “But here, the sun and storms force the roots to dig deeper, searching for water far below. The harder the environment is, the stronger they become.” He paused, adding, “These trees grew strong because of the desert.”

    Lisa stared at the roots, understanding the meaning. The villagers always avoided challenges. Meanwhile, Carl’s trees grew strong by facing hardship. She returned to the village and shared Carl’s wisdom. Inspired, the villagers began planting trees around their fields. Over time, the desert’s edge turned green, and harvests improved. Challenges, they learned, were not enemies but teachers.

D

   In today’s digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a popular tool in our daily lives, including education. Many students, especially those in junior high school, are turning to AI tools to help with their homework. While these tools can offer convenience, they also come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

    AI does bring some advantages for students. First, AI saves time. Students can quickly find answers to difficult math problems or grammar questions. Second, AI provides learning resources. For example, some tools explain solutions step by step, helping students understand topics better. Third, AI supports personalized learning. Struggling (掙扎) students can practice repeatedly with AI feedback (反饋), while advanced learners can explore harder tasks.

    However, there are also some disadvantages. Depending too much on AI can make students lazy and may stop them trying to solve problems independently. It’s not helpful to improve their thinking skills. This can hurt their learning in the long run. Another problem is that AI tools sometimes give wrong answers, especially for open-ended questions like essays. Lastly, using AI can lead to cheating. Copying AI-generated work without learning breaks trust between students and teachers.

    AI can be a helpful study tool if used wisely. Students should treat it as a guide, not a replacement for their own efforts. Balancing AI assistance with active learning is key to success.