【推荐2】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。

The Great Wall of China is a symbol of ancient Chinese civilization. It is one of the world’s     1     (old) and most impressive man- made scenes. It enjoys the same reputation with two other landmarks of China — the Forbidden City and Terracotta Army. Given     2     (it) outstanding architectural achievement and remarkable historical influence, the Great Wall was listed as     3     UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage site in 1987.

The Great Wall,     4     served as a functional military defense, was originally built during the West Zhou Dynasty, since when it     5     (play) a crucial role in wars in ancient Chinese history. Therefore, the walls were continually to be extended in the next 2,000 years     6     the end of the Ming Dynasty. As a result, the Great Wall was expanded to 15 provinces and municipalities (自治区) in China, and formed     7     a beautiful shape of “Long”(Chinese style dragon). With its original thousands of miles in length (Northern Great Wall), it was widely named “Wan Li Chang Cheng”.

Through thousands of years and the replacement of the dynasties, many parts of the Great Wall have been damaged     8     (severe) from erosion (侵蚀), and some are even endangered and have disappeared. The present preserved Great Wall was mainly built in the 14th century, hence     9     (call) the Ming Great Wall, which starts in Hushan and ends in Jiayuguan. Today, Chengde, Yulin and Jiayuguan are the top     10     (destination) for Great Wall sightseeing or hiking.

【推荐3】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.

The Year of the Ox is coming. In China, you will find various ox figures     1    (make) of gold, wood, plastic, paper, shell and stone on sale in stores and on streets     2    (celebrate) the return.

    3    why was the ox chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?

Centuries ago, most people earned their living     4    farming. The ox was used to help plow, cultivate and carry heavy goods.

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese poets and writers frequently described the ox in literature. In the Classic of Poetry,     5    (old)   the existing collection of Chinese poetry, the animal was mentioned in nine out of the 305 pieces.

The ox is considered a symbol of diligence and earnestness in Chinese culture. To this day, the phrase “the spirit of ox” still refers to conquering anything that may present     6    as an obstacle. The spirit is highly praised and many people follow it as their work ethic. When someone achieves a great accomplishment through hard work, people often use “niu”,     7    (mean) “awesome”, to describe him or her.

Seldom     8    oxen bully the weak or fear the strong. They work hard and make sacrifices.

This is reflected in a couplet from a poem by Lu Xun(1881—1936): “Fierce-browed, I coolly defy a thousand pointing fingers; Head bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children”,     9    fully expresses the poet’s loyalty to the people.

So naturally, often those who were born in the Year of the Ox     10    (expect) to be hardworking, reliable and loyal. “They never seek to be the center of attention and do not look for praise,” the website China Highlights noted.