What is classics literature? Classics are the     1    (antique) of the literary world. They are novels, plays and poems     2     were written a long time ago and were     3     well-written that people still read them nowadays. They are examples of great writing and wisdom, and even those written centuries ago can still be found in bookshops and libraries today.

Because a lot of classics     4    (write) so long ago, their language characteristics are quite different     5     those of modern works. This makes them difficult for some people to read, so they are often left to gather dust on shelves. Many people do not read them, because they think classics are old and     6    (bore) and have nothing to do with life today.

However, if this is true, why do we still find these classics in bookshops and libraries? They have not disappeared and still have     7     place in the world. Why else would many films adapted from them be successful? In 1995, an award-winning film     8    (base) on Jane Austen’s novel Emma came out. Three years later, in 1998, a modern     9    (adapt) of Charles   Dickens’s novel Great Expectations appeared in cinemas. Nobody would   bother     10    (make) these classic novels into films if they had nothing to do with contemporary life.

【推荐2】Nowadays, there are a lot of reminding days in the world. World Read Aloud Day is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday of March. It    1    (start) by the LitWorld.org website in 2010 and has now reached 65 countries.    2    aim is to encourage people worldwide who cannot read to enjoy the benefits of a book. The website asks everyone    3    (celebrate) the day by taking a book, finding an audience and reading out aloud. It is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write    4    (belong) to all people. The website asks visitors to join in the movement to reduce the number of illiterate (不识字的) people in the world. It is    5    (absolute) necessary to help those    6    cannot read. The website says, “It’s time to start by reading aloud to    7    might like it. Share a book with a child who might need it, share a story with someone who would treasure it, listen patiently    8    someone else’s story as they share with you.” The United Nations says, ”Literacy involves a    9    (vary) of learning in    10    (enable) individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and to participate fully in society.” In that way, World Read Aloud Day does help make a difference.

Many people may throw away the pits (核) or nuts after eating fruits, but inheritors of nut carving have instead collected them and turned them into artworks.

“One nut,     1    (range) from 0.8 to 6 centimeters, can be made into delicate fan pendants (扇坠), earrings, buttons, seals, ect,” said Tan Wanhai,     2     inheritor of Weifang nut carving.

Weifang nut carving     3    (date) back to the Qing Dynasty. During that time, retired imperial craftsman Wang Dayan spread the skill to the local people in Shandong Province. Craftsmen back then often used peach pits to show off their artistic skills. Due to the rigorous (缜密的) carving skills     4     its rich artistic content, Weifang nut carving     5    (list) as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Tan couldn’t forget     6     impressed he was when he first saw a nut carving. Yet, the 48-year-old craftsman also admitted that the Journey of bringing this kind of masterpiece to life is not all smooth sailing. “Unlike some pits     7     a flat surface, each peach pit has its own unique texture,” Tan said, adding that craftsmen have to study and trace each peach pit to carefully plan out their artwork.

“Now, the number of inheritors     8    (follow) the tradition is about 1,000. But I believe it could be     9    (high) as more craftsmen give up the tradition of passing down the skill only through the family and open up the     10     (occupy) to anyone who is interested,” added Tan.