Surely there are now reasons why (1)____ book ought to be dead, or at least very badly injured. If so, why does it not show proper respect for these reportedly less literate times (2)_____ die out? There is clearly more than a single answer to this question. Firstly, we have more leisure time than we (3)______ to, and people are generally living longer, which means there is more time to do more (including reading books). As (4)______ as this, there is the strength of the book as a tradition. We are all too dismissive of traditions in our modern world, but they can have very strong pull (5)_____ us.

To many people, their friends are the most important things in their life. Really good friends (1)___ the good times and the bad times, help you when you have got problems and never turn their backs on you. Your best friend may be someone you have known all your life, someone you have grown up with and been through lots of (2)_____ and downs with. There are all sorts of things that can (3)______ about this special relationship. It may be the result of enjoying the same activities, having the outlook on life or sharing experiences. Most of us have met someone that we have immediately felt relaxed with as if we had known them for years. (4)_______, it really takes you years to get to know someone well enough to consider your best friend. To the majority of us, this is someone we trust completely and who understands us better (5)______ anyone else. It is the person you can turn to for impartial advice and a shoulder to cry on when life gets you down.

It can take a long time to become successful in your chosen field, however talented you are. One thing you have to be aware of is that you will face criticism along the way. The world is full of people who would rather say something negative than positive. If you’ve made up your (1)______ to achieve a certain goal, such as writing a novel, don’t let the negative criticism of others prevent you from reaching your target, and let the constructive criticism have a positive effect on your work. If someone says you’re totally in the (2)_______ of talent, ignore them. That’s negative criticism. If, (3)________, someone advises you to revise your work and gives you a good reason for doing so, you should consider their suggestions carefully. There are many film stars who were once out of work . There are many famous novelists who made a complete mess of their first novel – or who didn’t, but had to keep on approaching hundreds of publishers before they could get it
(4)_______. Being successful does depend on luck, to a certain extent. But things are more likely to (5)_______ well if you persevere and stay positive.

To the majority of us, this is someone we trust completely and who understands us better (5)______ anyone else. It is the person you can turn to for impartial advice and a shoulder to cry on when life gets you down.

Being successful does depend on luck, to a certain extent. But things are more likely to (5)_______ well if you persevere and stay positive.

If someone says you’re totally in the (2)_______ of talent, ignore them.

Wind, water, air, ice and heat all work to cause erosion. As the wind blows over the land, it often (1) ______ small grains of sand. When these grains of sand strike against solid rocks, the rocks are slowly worn away. In this way, even very hard rocks are worn away by the wind. When particles of rocks or soil became loosened in any way, running water carries them down the (3) ______. Some rocks and soil particles are carried into streams and then into the sea. Land that is covered with trees, grass and other plants wears away very slowly, and so loses very (4) ______ of its soil. The roots of plants help to (5) ______ the rocks and soil in place. Water that falls on grasslands runs away more slowly than water that falls on bare ground.