【推荐1】阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Chinese calligraphy (书法) is an art form that    1    (involve) the skilled and deliberate use of brush and ink to create beautiful and expressive characters.

The origins of Chinese calligraphy can be traced back thousands of years to the Shang Dynasty, making it one of the     2     (old) continuous artistic traditions in the world. Its evolution is accompanied with the development of the Chinese writing system,     3     consists of thousands of characters, each with its own artistic structure and stroke order (笔顺).

Calligraphy in China    4    (regard) as one of the highest forms of artistic expression. It is not only a means of communication     5     a way to develop one’s character, discipline, and spirituality. The practice of calligraphy requires     6    (patient), concentration, and a deep understanding of the balance between empty space and solid forms.

Different styles of calligraphy have emerged throughout history, each with its own distinct characteristics and artistic conventions. The most famous    7    (style) include regular script (kaishu), running script (xingshu), cursive script (caoshu), and seal script (zhuanshu).

Chinese calligraphy has a profound influence     8     other art forms, such as     9    (paint), poetry, and seal carving. It is often considered as an important part of the Chinese traditional culture, where scholars and artists would gather in a     10    (culture) salon to appreciate and discuss calligraphic works.

【推荐2】Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Poetry: beauty of the past?

The victory of Wu Yishu, a 16-year-old student from Shanghai, at the Chinese Poetry Conference has sparked a storm of media attention to the topic of Chinese poetry. The girl has won     1     much applause and admiration with her extensive knowledge and fast reactions. Her performance, however, also posed some food for thought: As Chinese, are we spending too little time     2     (learn) the literary gem(精品) of our nation? Will we be able to pass on this brilliant piece of culture to our future generations?

Some people are saying that memorizing hundreds of poems is useless in real life, and I beg to differ. No knowledge is ever useless. Oftentimes one     3     grow up and wonder, “Why did I learn that? I won’t ever use it.” Take calculus(微积分) for example. You may never use calculus again,     4     it is not worthless. The process of learning calculus trains your brain to spot patterns and solve problems using logic.

The advantage of learning poetry might be a little more abstract. Just like many of the arts, poetry is seemingly     5     (practical) than subjects such as maths or science. However, it represents mankind’s appreciation of beauty. Just as “A picture is worth a thousand words,” poetry can paint a thousand pictures. In a day and age when individuals are swept up in the hustle and bustle of city life, poetry and literature provide a refuge, a little reminder     6     (slow) things down and enjoy the beauty present in the everyday life.

What point is there moving forward if nothing is left behind?     7     many of us may know, China     8     (label) many heritage sites as “protected”, spending millions to preserve them. These sites are part of China’s history and culture, things that should not be forgotten or destroyed just     9     the country is modernizing. Poetry is just like these cultural heritage sites, except     10     spending money doesn’t really protect it. The only way to keep it safe is to pass on the knowledge through generations. Do not think of poetry as part of schoolwork; think of it as a piece of culture, just like receiving red packets or getting together with your family every Chinese New Year—you wouldn’t want that to disappear, would you?

【推荐3】阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Have you ever eaten a “painting”? Here it is, the     1     (tradition) Chinese folk art—sugar painting. Spoon as pen, liquid sugar as ink, everything in the world can be drawn quickly.

As is said, Chen Zi’ang, a great poet in the seventh century (Tang Dynasty), liked to eat brown sugar. But he ate it in     2     unique way. He melted the sugar on a clean and smooth table,     3    (make) it into     4     (variety) of shapes of small animals. After cooling down, it could be held in the hand, eaten and enjoyed. Later, Chen went to the capital city,     5     he brought this art. Since then, sugar painting has become a lasting craft. In the 17th century (Qing Dynasty), sugar painting became     6     (increase) popular, and the production skills     7     (be) more advanced. The objects include flowers and birds, fortune symbols and the 12 zodiac signs and other designs. The art of sugar painting combines food, culture and handicraft. The painting is done in one go without any draft.

The sugar painting     8     (create) today shows greater creativity in forms — Cartoon sugar painting, 3D sugar painting, bringing new life     9     conventional ones. The culture of China, and the spirit of sugar painting,     10     (pass) down through the sugar spoons of generations of craftsmen.