Festivals hold a special place in our hearts and they     1     (celebrate) all around the world. They bring joy, togetherness, and meaning to our lives. But why do we celebrate them?

Firstly, festivals provide an opportunity for people to come together and strengthen social bonds. Whether they are family gatherings during Thanksgiving     2     community festivities during Chinese New Year, festivals unite us in celebration. They promote harmony among communities,     3     (encourage) a sense of belonging and mutual respect.

Secondly, festivals offer a break from the routine of daily life, allowing us to relax. They provide an escape     4     the stresses and worries of work or school. During festivals, we enjoy delicious food, engage in fun activities, and take part in colorful traditions, all of     5     contribute to our overall well-being.

Additionally, festivals serve as a platform for     6     (culture) exchange and understanding. They offer the opportunity     7     (learn) about different customs, traditions and lifestyles. Through participating in or observing festivals from various cultures, we gain a deeper appreciation for diversity and multiculturalism.

Furthermore, festivals often carry symbolic meanings. For example, the rebirth symbolized by festivals like Easter     8     (reflect) our desire for growth and transformation.     9     (similar), the Chinese Qingming Festival symbolizes people’s longing for their deceased loved ones.

In conclusion, festivals play a vital role in our lives. So, let’s continue to cherish and celebrate these special     10     (occasion) with enthusiasm and gratitude.

Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has its roots in the Chinese civilization. It is a    1    (science)understanding that has been explored by generations of Chinese in their long struggle against various diseases. TCM contains thousands of years of Chinese concepts and    2    (theory)about health. In a sense, it is the essence(精华)of Chinese culture    3    has passed down for thousands of years. At present, the wisdom    4    (keep)in ancient TCM is playing a key role    5    the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In other words, TCM has made    6    great contribution to the pandemic. The decoction(煎药)is included in the first choice of TCM clinical treatment and    7    (it)total effective rate is more than 90%. In 2020, more than 4,900 traditional Chinese medical workers    8    (send)to support Hubei Province. Besides, some experts went to Italy, Iraq and other countries with TCM products    9    (fight)against the pandemic. This has    10    (effective)helped experts explore more possibilities for Traditional Chinese Medicine and find new ways to combine Chinese and Western medicine.

Will the coronavirus bike boom lead to greener cities?

The coronavirus pandemic (新冠疫情) has led to an explosion of interest in bikes and biking. With the pandemic     1     (continue) to spread, people began looking for ways of getting around that didn’t involve crowded forms of public transportation. Because biking happens in the open air, and the chance of catching the coronavirus while riding     2     (be) very low, biking is seen as a safe way to travel.

In many places, governments are encouraging bike use. In Italy, for example, the government itself is offering up to $575 for people to buy new bikes, while France will chip in $55 to help riders with their bike repair costs.

Families appreciate biking, too. With schools     3     (close), and kids unable to hang out with their friends, biking is a welcome activity. For many people,     4     encourages them to ride bikes is that biking is fun.

But bikes are also practical. Experts say that for people in some cities, roughly 60% of their trips can be made by bike. Many cities are seeing this as an opportunity     5     (make) their streets safer and greener. Cities around the world are adding miles and miles of bike lanes     6     their streets to encourage biking.

New York says it will close off up to 100 miles of roads so they     7     be used by bikers and walkers. Oakland, California plans to close 74 miles to traffic,     8     accounts for almost 10% of the streets in the city. Paris has set up over 400 miles of new bike lanes. Cars and trucks     9     (ban) from 75 miles of streets in Bogota, Colombia.

    10     many of these bikes lanes are only being added for the time being, if changes in biking habits become permanent, they could seriously cut down car traffic and help make cities a lot greener.