[*] The ancient art of reading someone’s palm has always been【C1】a______the most popular ways of foretelling the future. After all, you don’t have to believe it, and the best thing about it is that it doesn’t require a lot of time or expensive【C2】eq______either. But many are skeptical that palm reading has any scientific basis at all. 【C3】______ could be more ridiculous than the idea that our future can be predicted from the random lines and creases on our hands? Cynics claim that palmists use other clues to gain their “ amazing“ insights. In【C4】______ words, the more experienced and observant the reader is, the better they become at noticing things which help them to “predict“ the future. While the more cynical the “victim“ is, the【C5】______likely they are to believe a word of it! However, scientists at the University of Barcelona have discovered that palmistry may have some basis in scientific truth.【C6】______(compare)the palms of 140 children, they discovered that the more arches and loops children have on their palms, the more likely they are to be【C7】______(intellectual)impaired. And the existence of a Simian line—a rare crease across the palm—appears to be one of the most reliable【C8】______(indicate)of mental deficiency. This may be connected with events between the thirteenth and eighteenth weeks of pregnancy, a crucial time for brain【C9】dev______and the period when fingerprints are formed. So maybe there is some truth in what the palm reader says and there is nothing more guaranteed to cheer you up than the news that you are about to meet a tall dark stranger【C10】w______will change your life for the better.

Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are the【C1】of______ residences of the Sovereign and, as such, serve as both home and office for the Queen, whose personal flag【C2】f______whenever Her Majesty is in residence. These buildings are used extensively for State【C3】ce______and official entertaining and are open to the public as much as these commitments allow. They are furnished【C4】______fine pictures and works of art from the Royal Collection, assembled over four centuries by successive sovereigns. Many of the State A-partments and rooms in these residences have been in continuous use since their conception and many of the works of art are【C5】dis______in the rooms for which they were originally intended. [*] The residences are in regular use and the style and manner in【C6】______they are shown to visitors reflects their working status. Rooms are kept as close to their normal【C7】app______as possible. Inevitably, opening times are subject to change at short notice【C8】______(depend)on circumstances. The Royal Collection, which is owned by the Queen as Sovereign in trust for her【C9】suc ______and the Nation, is administered by the Royal Collection Trust to which a proportion of admission and other income from visitors is directed. The remainder of this income funds the majority of the cost of restoring Windsor Castle which was badly【C10】______by fire in November 1992.