The sheepskin raft (羊皮筏), the oldest ferry tool along the Yellow River in Northwest China, boasts a history of nearly 2,000 years. The airbag of the raft is made of a whole sheepskin and undergoes many processes including heating     1     (remove) hair, soaking in salty oil, sewing, drying and blowing. Then the airbags are fastened to a wooden stand, enabling its use for transporting people and goods     2     the water.

It is said that the largest sheepskin raft in old times     3     (consist) of more than 600 sheepskin airbags, with an impressive length of 22 meters and a     4     (wide) of 7 meters. It was capable of carrying around 30 tons of goods and drifting over 200 kilometers in one day.

In the early 20th century, before the1950s,     5     railways were not yet in operation and road traffic was     6     (convenient), the sheepskin raft served as the most important means of transportation for residents     7     (live) along the Yellow River.

However, with the rapid development of society, the sheepskin raft has     8     (large) fulfilled its historical role in transporting people and goods. Nowadays, it can only     9     (find) along the banks of the Yellow River in some cities in Gansu province. It has become     10     tool for people to ferry on the Yellow River for sightseeing and leisure.

China speed is amazing the world. While other countries are struggling     1    (make) high-speed railway a reality, the China Railway Corporation has engaged     2    (it) in laying down over 25,000 km of high-speed tracks over the past ten years — accounting for roughly two thirds of the world’s total length of high-speed rail lines.

Up to now, China     3    (build) the largest high-speed rail network worldwide. The impacts go well beyond the railway sector. It also includes changed patterns of urban development, increases in tourism,    4     growth of regional economy. To boost regional integration and economic growth, plans for high-speed maglev (磁悬浮) lines with trains traveling     5     a speed of 600 kph or more are taking shape in more Chinese cities.

“China started operating its first maglev railway more than a decade ago. However, for lack of critical technologies at that time, we only concentrated on conventional high-speed rail,” said Sun Zhang,     6     is a leading railway specialist. But the research team     7    (lead) by him, tried their best to learn advanced technologies from foreign countries and eventually developed our own innovations, greatly     8    (transform) our way of life.

There is no denying that all of these achievements make our travel     9    (convenience) and reliable, especially during “Chunyun”, an annual test on the China’s transportation system. Thanks to “China speed”, people can go back home for reunions with families and    10    (friend) in time.

The idea that animals can sense earthquakes     1    (be) a popular one, and stories about animals behaving strangely before earthquakes     2     (tell) for centuries.

Researchers     3     believe that animals can sense earthquakes suggest that animals may be able to feel the earth vibrate( 振动) before humans. It has been proved that animals are     4    ( easy) to be influenced by small environmental changes than humans. Other researchers have suggested animals may sense chemical or electrical changes in the field of the Earth which could be signs of     5     earthquake.

However, other scientists think the animals’ ability to sense earthquakes is very     6    ( doubt) , saying that animals react to various things, like being hungry, protecting their land and enemies. Animal behaviorists also point out that human psychology may have an effect on pet     7    (owner), as they prefer to believe that     8     (they) pets have the power of giving warning before earthquakes.

Can animals sense earthquakes? The answer     9     this question is not clear. So far, debate over     10    animals can truly sense earthquakes has not solved the question.

In Chinese culture, tigers are considered the king of all beasts. They symbolize power, energy, protection,     1     (generous) and unpredictability. Tigers are regarded as fearless creatures, so that’s     2     in China you can see images of tigers on the walls of temples and houses     3     (resist) disasters and danger.

Tigers have an important cultural significance not just in China,     4     across Asia. As they     5     (most) live in Asia, they have become a cultural symbol of Eastern countries for many westerners. For example, in the last century strong economies in the East—Singapore, South Korea, China’s Taiwan and Hong Kong—    6     (call) “The Four Asian Tigers”.

Instead of tigers, lions are considered as the king of all beasts in the West. But in the West, tigers are also seen as a very     7     (power) animal. In English, if you want someone to calm down, you can say to them, “easy tiger”. Another famous phrase is: “Eye of the Tiger”,     8     means fierceness and strength.

China has its animal zodiac system,     9     (show) the connection, understanding and respect that humans can have for animals. Just like tigers serve as a symbol of protection in Chinese culture, we hope that in the Year of the Tiger more people can help protect them and their habitats     10     further destruction.

Therapy dog earns degree

People graduate from college and are awarded degrees every year, but what     1     a dog finished the same?

    2    (recent), an 8-year-old therapy (治疗) dog named Moose     3     (receive) an honorary   doctorate (荣誉博士) from Virginia Tech’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia, US.

Moose has been at the school’s Cook Counseling Center since 2014,     4     (serve) as a therapy animal and     5     ambassador (大使) for mental health awareness.

As one of four therapy     6     (dog) in the center, he has taken part in more than 7,500 counseling sessions (咨询时段) and over 500 outreach events in six years.

“Some humans haven’t had the     7     (good) experience with other humans, or even other dogs. In both cases, Moose provides a     8     (complete) safe and comforting force in the room,” Trent Davis, a licensed counselor at the center told CNN.

“These students see Moose as someone     9     is going to accept them. They don’t worry     10     him judging them.”