For thousands of years, people     1    (try) to predict the weather. In China, during Shang Dynasty, people recorded weather forecasts on animal bones and tortoiseshell. Centuries later, in Greece, the philosopher Aristotle wrote his theories about     2     weather conditions formed. Weather forecasting advanced over time, with more and more instruments     3    (use) to measure temperature, humidity and air pressure. Today, satellite data and computer technology help scientists predict the weather more precisely.

The “Twenty-four Solar terms” is the Chinese     1    (tradition)way of dividing and marking time. It shows the relationship between the universe, seasons, climate and agriculture, which is uniquely created     2    Chinese ancestors. The Twenty-four Solar Terms are important instructions for the agricultural production as well as people's daily lives. At the initial stage of agricultural development, people began to explore rules of nature and used     3    (they)to guide sowing, harvesting and other agricultural activities. Until now, it     4    (become) an essential tool to guide the agricultural production in China. And its charm and value have been increasingly recognized by the public.

The strongest sandstorm in recent 10 years     1     (strike) the Chinese capital Beijing on the morning of March the 15th with a visibility (能见度) of less than one kilometer.     2     (lucky) the city's meteorological department (气象部门) had issued     3     yellow warning in advance and connected departments had made full     4    （prepare） for the severe sandstorm, people in affected areas had been reminded to close windows and doors ahead of lime.

Inspite of all the great efforts, this sandstorm still caused great inconvenience to local residents, work and lite. People had to travel to work wearing masks or scarves     5     (prevent) possible damage to their eyes and respiratory tract(呼吸道).Drivers paid     6     (much) attention to road safety than usual due to poor visibility. In response to the dusty weather, Beijing Daxing International Airport took a series of measures, which     7     (affect) a number of flights. What’s more, this sandstorm had a bad effect     8     the environment.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Protecting the environment is one of the most important things     9    we human beings stick to forever. After all, only by protecting the environment can we protect     10    (we).

Beijing and large areas of northern China woke to     1     (choke) sand and dust, as a winter sandstorm sent many of the air pollution     2     (level) off the charts.

The sandstorm originated in Mongolia and     3     (gradual) moved south, covering much of northern China, from the eastern city of Tianjin to Xinjiang region in the far west. The sandstorm is expected     4     (last) for two days.

In the spring of 2021, Beijing was hit by the biggest sandstorm in nearly a decade,     5     turned the skies a shade of orange. In previous decades, each May     6     (see) at least two rounds of sandstorms. The     7     (frequent) and severity of sandstorms was partly due to drought, growing population pressure and poor progress in revegetation (再种植), which caused rapid desertification of land in the north and northwest. But sandstorms     8     (decrease) sharply ever since. The annual number of sandstorm-affected days in Beijing fell     9     a peak of 26 days in the 1950s to just three days after 2010.

Since 2000, the Chinese government has spent billions of dollars on sandstorm prevention, started     10     (vary) reforestation and ecological projects and sent up satellites to monitor sandstorms and alert weather agencies ahead of time.

Strange things were happening in Tangshan. For a few days, the water in the village wells rose and     1     (fall). Deep cracks appeared in the well walls. Chickens, pigs, dogs, mice and even fish became nervous. However, people did not pay any attention to them.

At 3:42 a. m. everything began to shake. It seemed as if the world were coming to     2     end! One of the most     3     (dead) earthquakes of the 20 century had begun.     4     less than one minute, the city lay in     5     (ruin). Two thirds of the people who lived there were dead or injured. The number of people who were killed or badly injured     6     (be) more than 400,000.

But hope was not     7     (lose). Rescue workers, including soldiers, doctors, nurses, and workers came to help. The soldiers dug out the people who     8     (trap) and buried the dead. Workers built shelters for survivors     9     homes had been destroyed.

Slowly, the city began to breathe and revive     10     (it). With strong support from the government and the tireless efforts of the city’s people, a new Tangshan was built upon the earthquake ruins.

【推荐3】Earthquakes are a kind of natural disaster. They usually come     1     warning. An earthquake is dangerous,    2     there are still things you can do to protect     3    .

• Slay calm as the earth begins to shake. Your chances of     4     (survive) in an earthquake go up if you can keep calm.    5     (stay) calm is not easy, but it can save your life.

• If you are inside when the earthquake starts, get under     6     table or a bed. You need to have something     7     (strength) around you to protect you from     8     (fall) objects. Do not stand near walls or windows and stay out of the kitchen. The kitchen is dangerous because of many glass objects.

Remember to always hope for the best but prepare for the worst.