China has nearly 5,000 years of     1     (record) history. However, the history of Chinese furniture is even longer than     2     of its writing, which can be traced back to the Hemudu Culture more than 7,000 years ago.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the furniture was hand-made using high-quality hardwood     3     raw materials, which are now rare and expensive. Ordinary people often use wood such as pine, elm, and beech, but the quality between the woods     4     (differ) greatly.

Classical furniture is mostly made by hand. Modern machines cannot     5     (complete) replace handwork. The shapes carved by the machine are neat but the lines are rigid and lacking vitality.

The most delicate aspect of Chinese classical furniture is the structural part of the furniture—mortise-and-tenon (榫卯) work. Combining pieces of wood together,     6     (use) nothing more than the wood itself, is a basic skill of all carpenters (木匠) in ancient China. It was first discovered in the wooden structure of the Hemudu site     7     the ancestors lived more than 7,000 years ago. This structure is the wisdom of the Chinese working people and fully represents the     8     (create) and artistry (艺术性) of humanity.

Ancient Chinese     9     (philosophy) have been expressed in traditional Chinese furniture. For example, Confucianism emphasizes gentleness and moderation.     10     (achieve) that, skilled carpenters properly matched the curves and straight lines of the furniture. That’s why Chinese furniture always displays both balance and stability.

As a working mom with three young sons，keeping the house clean is a big challenge.     1     we clean the house every week，one hour later after cleaning our bedrooms and bathrooms are back to their     2    （mess）look. When asked, my boys will help neaten their room, clear their plates from the table and pick up their school junk. But I need to remind them     3     it again and again.

If I don't remind them, I will step over all the things     4     make my house look like a garbage can. This is quite     5     change from my pre-kid years when I never     6     (leave) any waste in the house.     7     seems that I cannot get these days back again at my own house.

When last week I found a program     8     (call) Share a Healthy Habit in a newspaper, I saw a great chance to engage my sons in doing chores. Why not encourage these behaviors during the     9     (relax) life in summer vacation?

The goal for my boys is to clean their own bedrooms themselves when they are free. The rewards for clean habits start young and continue as they get     10     (old), so I need to start my plan as soon as possible.

Xiaoxihu block, once a run-down area in Nanjing, housed 810 families in an area of 46,900 square meters. Life there was     1     (convenient) due to narrow roads, old buildings with no kitchen and bathroom, and poor access to public services     2     water, gas, electricity, and internet.

However, with a history of over 600 years, the Xiaoxihu neighborhood had abundant historical remains, and many residents were     3     (extreme) attached to their ancestral houses and the memories of several generations.

After several rounds of surveys and     4     (consult), the local government adopted a new approach to improve living conditions while     5     (preserve) the historical elements. In 2019, the renovation project broke ground.

The developer first improved water, electricity, internet, and gas access with a utility tunnel that fits the narrow roads. The residents     6     (give) options of remaining in their homes or moving elsewhere. Those who chose to leave could rent their old houses to the construction company for commercial purposes after renovation,     7     those who stayed would be offered a specialized renovation plan     8     (base) on the house’s practical conditions, usually including adding a kitchen and a bathroom.

With more empty rooms and space, coffee shops, restaurants, and other kinds of businesses have opened up. To date, 402 households still live in the community, but their lives have become much more comfortable. A cultural square     9     stage is shaped like a semi-circle has been built, and the neighborhood     10     (become) more organized and attractive.

【推荐1】We are calling on people around the world to create a “Million Acts of Blue” — actions to push retailers, corporations and businesses to reduce single-use plastic. That is, we are going to take actions to deal with the current plastic pollution. Every action to reduce single-use plastics     1     (send) a message to the industry that it’s time to change. We can no longer allow products that     2     (use) for a few seconds to pollute     3     (we) planet for a lifetime.

The Li River is one of the     1     (destination) tourists won’t miss. However, with the number of tourists increasing, the river’s water was polluted. Some tourists     2     (frequent) threw garbage into the river. Kitchens on the tour boats were using lots of oil,     3     was often thrown into the water. Besides, more chemicals were used to increase crop production,     4     (cause) water quality issues and a decrease in the number of fish species. These problems made the local officials worried about the natural environment. They felt urgent steps should be taken     5     (restore) the river to its original beauty.

The waste water treatment facilities were constructed, which helped improve the water quality and water     6     (conserve). Dozens of polluting enterprises     7     (close) or moved. What’s more, the local government set up strict regulations regarding further industrial development. New rules were also introduced regarding tour boat routes and garbage disposal methods. With these measures,     8     is believed that the beauty of the Li River will come back soon.

What is     9     most amazing is that the “Water Ten Plan” is now tackling water pollution across the country. With such campaigns     10     effect, China’s waterways are heading towards a clean and sustainable future.