China’s Grand Canal(大运河)

For centuries, the power of Chinese emperors rose and fell with     1    (they) control of the Grand Canal. Today, this important waterway is shorter than it once was,     2     it is still the longest man-made river in the world and continues to play an important cultural and     3    (economy) role in modern China.

The original canal system began around the year 605,     4    Emperor-Yang realized that-in order to feed his army--he needed a way to move food quickly from China’s southern rice -growing region to the country’s north.     5    (complete) in 611, the canal grew more and more important throughout China over the next 500 years. In 1279, Kublai Khan began to repair and build new parts of the canal. This rebuilding work created a more direct north-south route to and from Beijing. Future     6    (rule) then continued to expand and improve the canal. In addition to     7    (move) rice around China, the Grand Canal was also an important cultural waterway. Ideas, regional foods, and cultural practices were transported from one part of China     8    another along the county’s watery highway.

Today, boats still carry tons of coal, food, and other goods to points between Hangzhou and Jining. In 2014, the historic Grand Canal was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.It     9    (hope) that Grand Canal, one of the world’s great engineering accomplishments, will continue to link north and south China for centuries     10    (come).

The term “metaverse”(元宇宙) is the latest buzzword(流行词) to capture the tech industry's     1     (imagine)-so much so that one of the best-known Internet platforms, Facebook, is changing its name to signal its embrace of the futuristic idea, which perhaps has been the     2    (big) thing to happen to the metaverse since science fiction writer NealStephenson created the term for his 1992 novel Snow Crash.

Zuckerberg has described it     3     a “virtual environment” you can go inside of—instead of just looking at on a screen.     4    (essential),it is a world of endless, interconnected virtual communities     5     people can meet, work and play, using virtual reality headsets, smartphone apps or other devices.

Things like going to a virtual concert, taking a trip online or buying digital clothing. The metaverse also could be a game-changer for the work-from-home shift during the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of     6     (see) co-workers on a video call, employees could join them in a virtual office. Tech companies still have to figure out how to connect their online platforms to each other.

Some people who     7    (think) about it for a while have concerns about a new world     8     (tie) to a social media giant. The giants can get access to even more personal data and are accused of failing to stop     9     spread of dangerous misinformation and other online harms that     10     (worse) real-world problems.

Elon Musk’s Tesla has been outperformed by its Chinese rival, BYD, as the world’s top-selling electric carmaker. This is a sign of China’s emerging strength in the     1     (globe) electric vehicle market.

BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, said it produced 3.02m new energy vehicles in 2023. Since 2008, BYD     2     (beat)   Tesla’s production level for a second consecutive year. However, BYD’s sales figures include 1.6m battery-only cars and 1.4m hybrids,     3     means Tesla is still the leader in the production of electric battery-only cars. But in the final quarter of last year BYD outsold Tesla in battery-only cars-526,000 to 484,000-for the first time. Most of BYD’s vehicles sell     4     a lower price point than Tesla.

BYD has won the favor of     5     (consumer) around the world with its     6     (advance) technology, excellent product quality and innovative business model. The company aims     7     (become) a major player in the international market and plans to sell 800,000 vehicles     8     (annual) in Europe by 2030. In December BYD announced plans to build     9     new factory in Hungary. Chinese electric carmakers such as BYD and Nio have set their sights on     10     (be) major players in international markets, with a particular focus on Europe.