Tea comes from China, and Chinese tea culture has a long history. Now, enjoying a nice cup of tea is a habit around the world. Not only is drinking tea a     1    (relax) moment, but tea is an endless drink with so many different types to get, each with     2    (it) own unique flavor (味道). But if you’re a tea-time beginner and find yourself just     3    (put) an old tea bag in hot water and steeping (浸泡)     4    (simple) and carelessly, you could be missing out on tons of flavor and the chance to experience the moment of tea-drinking     5    (happy). There are a few important     6    (thing) that can affect the taste of tea, including the types of tea, the water temperature, and the steeping time. To make a cup of perfect tea, firstly, instead     7     tea bags, you’d better prepare loose-leaf tea     8     has a strong and lasting flavor. Loose-leaf tea also produces generally     9    (little) rubbish than tea bags. Secondly, you should start with fresh water and not let the water get too hot. Remove the water right when it     10    (start) boiling for the best flavor. Finally, set a timer and start steeping according to the suggested time on your tea’s packaging.

I remember that every year in lunar December in my hometown, Xinyang, each family begins to prepare bunches of bacon and sausage hanging from yard to yard     1     (embrace) the upcoming New Year. Walking in such a street view and sniffing the smell of pickled bacon(腊肉), I always have a sense of    2     (happy).

Xinyang, located on the boundary between the north and the south, is rich in rice, wheat and fertile land due to its unique     3     (geography) position and climate. Therefore, it cultivates the characteristics of Xinyang people who have a good appetite     4     delicacies. According to relevant records, the history of Xinyang’s pickled bacon dates back to the Ming Dynasty,     5     the locals learned to keep its special taste by preserving it in a special bean. People in Xinyang love their life so much that even during     6     (tough) times, they still inherited the soul of taste and made delicious pickled bacon. Actually, Xinyang’s pickled bacon is made in     7     seemingly simple way by drying the meat in the shade but it brings out the flavor of the food     8     (it) and stays with our memory for long.

You’ll never become fully conscious of how much you value it until you     9     (tear) apart from it. Such is Xinyang’s pickled bacon, one of my unforgettable memories of my hometown despite time     10    (tick) by.

Shoushan Stone was first discovered in Shoushan, Fuzhou. For centuries, craftsmen have been carving stones primarily     1     (mine) from the Shoushan village. The stones are carved     2     figures, animals and many other artworks.

The Charm of Shoushan Stone,     3     ongoing exhibition at the National Art Museum of China,     4     (gather) antique and modern objects which introduce the tradition of stone carving in Fujian. It offers a visual introduction to both the fine quality of Shoushan Stone and the superb skills required     5     (process) it. On show at the exhibition are seals(印章) made from excellent examples of the stone,     6     were sought after among the literati (文人墨客) of the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are also mini sculptures which show craftsmen's different     7     (approach) to carving Shoushan Stone based on its rich color schemes: a red and yellow stone that is suitable for sculpting mountains, flowers and fruits, a black one for trees and stones     8     a grey one for clouds.

So far, Shoushan Stone,     9     (official) named “China National Stone”,    10     (become) a symbol of elegance, dignity and wisdom, which is worthy of collection.