More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Chinese people created     1     overall system to mark the annual passage of time     2     (base) on observations of the sun’s motion, called “The 24 Solar Terms”. In 2016, the 24 solar terms     3     (include) in the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In ancient times, this system guided agricultural production, instructing farmers to expect the changes in temperature, spring planting and autumn harvest,     4     directed Chinese folk customs. Nowadays, the 24 solar terms can not only be applied     5     farming, but also guide Chinese in everyday life. They remind people     6     (adapt) to the changes in the seasons through     7     (suit) foods and cultural customs. In the past years, with the deepening of people’s understanding of traditional culture, cultural products inspired by the 24 solar terms     8     (emerge). This ancient time system has gained new charm and vitality in the new era.

The 24 solar terms reflect the emotional bond, the     9     (wise) and creativity of the Chinese,     10     respect and live in harmony with nature. It has a great impact on the way people think and their norms of conduct.

I won't call myself the most accomplished person when it comes to     1     (hold) chopsticks.In fact, I'm pretty sure that my technique looks clumsy at times.I tend to hold     2     (I) in the middle, more beginner than expert.

Still, since I eat almost every meal with the eating utensil(器皿) of choice in China, it's not uncommon for a new friend or acquaintance to come to a simple     3     (conclude) after observing me that my Chinese husband, Jun, must     4     (show) me how to use them.

They are wrong.I've used chopsticks ever since I was a teenager, a time when my sister and mother were both fond of Chinese cuisine and introduced me     5     many new dishes, along with the utensils     6     (prefer) by Chinese.We always kept bamboo chopsticks along with our     7     (knife), forks and spoons, ready for whenever we happened to have Chinese food for dinner.It was my closest family     8     observed my first mistakes I made in using chopsticks.

Plus, I had lived over two years in China before Jun and I started dating and I was expected to use chopsticks in almost every restaurant, stand and bar.Trust me, when you're     9     (hunger) you figure out pretty fast what it takes to down(咽下)     10     meal with these utensils.

Consisting of a bamboo frame and a     1     (beautiful) painted paper surface, Chinese oil-paper umbrellas have long been viewed as a symbol of China’s tradition of cultural craftsmanship and poctic beauty. Not just are they an instrument to keep off rain or sunlight, but also works of art     2     (possess) rick cultural significance and aesthetic (美的) value.

The first oil-paper umbrellas appeared during Eastern Han Dynasty. Later, they     3     (bring) overseas to Japan and ancient Korca during the Tang Dynasty, which is     4     they are known as “Tang umbrellas”.

It takes quite a lot of time and effort to make a traditional Chinese oil-paper umbrella    5     hand. For example, in Fenshui township in Luzhou, Sichuan Province, craftsmen must complete more than 90 steps and use over 100 different tools     6     (create) a single handmade oil-paper umbrella.

Since the     7     (appear) of modern mechanical umbrellas, traditional oil- paper umbrellas     8     (suffer) from declining sales and     9     number of craftsmen has been on the decrease. Fortunately, with the inclusion of Fenshui oil-paper umbrellas as one of China’s national intangible cultural heritages in 2008, things have been improving. These great items appear in many fashion shows and media publications due to the positive publicity     10     they have received.