Japan-born female giant panda Xiang Xiang arrived at the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base, a giant panda research and breeding facility (繁育基地) in the city of Ya’an, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, at 9:50 pm on February 21st, 2023.

Hundreds of people waiting outside Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo took photos,     1     (wipe) tears with handkerchiefs and waved at a white truck    2    (carry) Xiang Xiang as it slowly drove past them to the airport. Others trooped to Narita International Airport to wave     3     (they) last goodbyes as a plane carrying Xiang Xiang took off.

“Xiang Xiang” is very popular in Japan, and many people are sad to leave it. Among the     4     (tour) who came to visit on the 19th, many people said goodbye to “Xiang Xiang” while saying “goodbye” and “thank you” during the prescribed (规定的) visit time of 2 minutes     5     average.

Xiang Xiang was escorted (护送) by two zoo staff on the flight to Chengdu. She was in good health and     6     (relax) during her departure proceedings at the airport,     7    Xiang Xiang happily ate her     8     (favor) snacks of bamboo shoots and apples, the Ueno Zoo tweeted.

“Daqiao Naozai, director of the Ueno Zoo, said,” Our keepers have been carefully raising Xiang Xiang. She has not been     9     (serious) ill, and I hope she finds a good partner and give birth    10    a healthy child.”

Confucianism (儒家思想),     1     (develop) from thoughts by Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period, is a philosophical system which has become     2     important part of Chinese culture. It was first set up by Confucius (551–479 BC) and later was developed by philosophers, including Mencius, Dong Zhongshu, Wang Yangming and others.

Confucianism means a lot not only to China, but also to the world. In 1988, 75 Nobel prizewinners said that     3     mankind is to survive, it must go back 25 centuries in time to tap the wisdom of Confucius. Today, sentences from Confucianism     4     (hear) frequently in speeches or talks given by famous foreign people. Besides, people around the globe can have access     5     Confucius ideas in Confucius Institutes and Chinese Culture Centers abroad     6     (free). The institutes and centers serve as non-profit public institutions to help foreigners better understand China     7     before through language teaching and culture introduction.

So far China     8     (found) 465 Confucius Institutes in 123 countries and regions. There are also 713 Confucius classrooms operating in middle and primary schools.   What’s more, Chinese Culture Centers in Cairo, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo and Denmark, to name a few, are introducing China by holding cultural     9     (activity), opening training classes, and     10     (build) libraries.

The Lantern Festival is the first significant festival after Chinese New Year. It falls on the     1     (fifteen) day of the first month of the lunar year.

The main activity during the Lantern Festival is looking at lanterns. Most cities will organize lantern shows     2     the evening of the festival, which add to the festive atmosphere. Guessing riddles is also one of the most popular     3     (activity). Yuanxiao is the special food of the Lantern Festival. The round shape of Yuanxiao symbolizes reunion, harmony,     4     happiness.

The Lantern Festival,     5     (know) as Chinese Valentine’s Day, was especially attractive to the young in the past. In the old days, it was unusual that the girls     6     (allow) to leave their houses, except during the Lantern Festival when they could join the crowds, so the festival became a rare chance     7     only happened once a year for single people to find love while looking at lanterns. Chinese poets     8     (write) a lot of poems about the Lantern Festival since ancient times, which describe happy moments and also the stories of young lovers. However, in most parts of China today, the festival has lost these     9     (origin) meanings.

As a tradition a Chinese festival, now the Lantern Festival is celebrated both in China and abroad,     10     (enjoy) increasing popularity.