I was honored to be invited by Nadim to his sister's wedding in India. The wedding ceremony took place in a brightly     1     (decorate) hotel room. There were hundreds of guests, all     2     (dress) up in formal, colourful clothes. A few traditional customs made a deep     3     (impress) on me. One was the bridegroom's entrance on a beautiful white horse. Another was the part     4     Nadira’s father proudly led his daughter through rows of seats to her husband.

The Rio Carnival was very impressive, too.     5     (experience) the spirit of the Rio Carnival for myself I went to a street party. I could see a group of around 20 Brazilian dancers and a band in fancy costumes     6     (stand) in the street. Some of them carried flags,     7     blew in the wind. Then there was an     8     (explode) of bright colours and lively music, and the group jumped into action. The band started playing an energetic samba beat, the dancers twisted and turned, and the crowd began to cheer, clap and sing. I was so caught up in the party fever     9     I hardly noticed five hours fly by!     10     an amazing first day in Rio!

Winter Solstice Festival

As early as 2,500 years ago, about     1     Spring and Autumn Period, China decided the point of Winter Solstice by observing the movement of the sun. The time will be each December 21 or 22 according to the Gregorian calendar.

The Northern hemisphere on this day experiences the     2     (short) daytime and longest nighttime. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, positive things, will become stronger and stronger after this day,     3     it should be celebrated.

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties. The Han people     4     (regard) Winter Solstice as a "Winter Festival", so officials would organize celebrating     5     (active). On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer sacrifices (祭品) to Heaven and ancestors. The Qing Dynasty even had the record that "Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival",     6     (represent) the great importance attached to this day.

In some parts of Northern China, people eat dumplings,     7     will keep them from frost in the upcoming winter. But in parts of Southern China, the whole family will get together to have a special meal     8     (make) of red-bean and rice to drive away bad things. The Winter Solstice dumplings could     9     (use) as sacrifices to ancestors, or gifts for friends and relatives. People of the same family name gather together to honor their ancestors     10     age order. After the ceremony, there is always a big dinner.

Holi is the ancient Hindu festival of colours and love. It     1    (celebrate) in India and Nepal and many parts of South Asia. There are also lots of Holi celebrations in the UK, organized     2    the large British -Hindu community.

Holi marks the beginning of spring. The dates change each year according to the full moon, but it is     3    (normal) in March and sometimes in late February. Its celebrations happened as early as the     4     (five) century. It is a celebration of good winning over evil, and a time to give thanks for the good harvest.

In recent years, holi -themed events have become popular with a new generation in Europe and North America. Every year, large     5    (crowd) of people go to Holi events in London andall over the country. There are paint -throwing parties at music festivals and races like the five-kilometre ‘ Colour Run’ ,     6     is celebrated in more than 35 different countries. It does not matter     7    you are rich, poor, old or young ,everyone can throw coloured paint powder at each other. They arrive dressed in white T -shirts and return     8    (cover) from head to toe in bright colours. In the UK, restaurants and cultural organisations also offer their own Holi celebrations, with special menus, Indian music and dance.

There is a spirit of togetherness and     9    (equal) in Holi. It is a time     10     (forgive) people and repair broken relationships, as well as meet with other people, play and have fun.

A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall, and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it     1     it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is absolutely dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as tough a training to become a performer as a medical student needs    2    （become） a doctor. Most training is concerned    3     technique, for musicians have to be as muscularly skillful as an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords（声带） would be inadequate without    4    （control） muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow back and forth with the right arm,    5     are two entirely different movements.

Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists     6    （spare） this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, and it is the piano tuner’s responsibility to tune the instrument for    7     . But they have their own difficulties; the hammers that hit the string must be dealt with carefully not to sound like drum or bass, and each tone, even if played very fast, has to sound clear.

The problem    8    （face） student conductors is that they have to learn to know every note of the music and    9     it should sound, and they need to aim at controlling these sound with enthusiastic but selfless authority.

Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music    10       they can enjoy performing works written in any century.

A Chinese dance drama has made its global debut (首映) on social media platforms abroad,     1    (create) a new wave of discussion on the beauty of Chinese culture among art lovers from all over the world.

“Li Bai”, a classic production by the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater,     2    (strike) a chord (弦) with global audiences through the telling of a lifelong journey of the literary (文学的) giant Li Bai so far. After a year of improving, that     3    (remark) work has returned to center stage.     4     was updated of “Li Bai” provides the audience with a fresh new feel. The new music skilfully combined orchestral symphony was scored     5     (integrate) with the dance and drama. When you turn off the music and watch the dancing and     6     (perform) of the actors alone, it has no impact.

The classic piece greeted audiences at the National Centre for the Performing Arts three months ago with sold - out shows. Art has no borders. “Li Bai”     7    (view) more than 5.5 million times with more than 1. 33 million responses. In the history of Chinese poetry, Li Bai was not “one of”     8     “the one”. In telling the story of     9     great poet, China has once again passed     10     its fine tradition and carried Chinese culture forward in its own way.

Confucius(孔子)is honored     1     setting the tone for much traditional Chinese music for thousands of years. He    2    (think)to be a music teacher and a     3     (talent) musician who was able to play several instruments expertly. Perhaps for other people around the world, music was meant mainly for amusement.     4     during the time of the Zhou Dynasty about 500BC, music had an important role in making society stable.

How music was used and performed is expressed in several main Confucian books. Confucius taught that     5    (educate) somebody, you should start with poems, emphasize ceremonies, and finish with music.

Musical knowledge was     6     matter of higher learning. It is said that he thought of the six most important     7    (subject) to study, ranking music higher than the other five necessary subjects like writing and mathematics.

Music was so important because the ideal society was to be governed by ritual (礼制)functions, but not by law. In a culture     8     people function according to ritual, music is used to help govern them. So music wasn't really     9    (entertain), but a means for musicians to accomplish political and social goals. Music is     10    (eventual) a means for social happiness.