Spring festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month,     1    (be) the most important traditional Chinese festival. Before this festival, people always clean and decorate     2     houses carefully.

Blood is     3    (thick) than water. No matter how far they study or work, all family     4    (member) will try their best to go home to get together and show their respect for their parents and grandparents. They will also call on relatives and close friends,     5    (especial) will call on the old generation.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, family members tend     6    (eat) a rich dinner together, jiaozi     7    (include), then watch Spring Festival Gala. Children may feel happiest during this holiday because they can wear new clothes and rely     8     grandparents to give lucky money     9    (wrap) in red paper. In order to celebrate this festival, there are many activities, for example, the lion dance.

In       10    (conclude), every Chinese wants to enjoy this relaxing and meaningful festival in his or her own home.

The French author Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin once wrote,“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are,”     1     means “You are what you eat.” In fact, Brillat-Savarin was actually     2     (refer) to our personality, character, and culture. In many ways, this seems to be true. Chinese cuisine is a case in point. China is a country with vast     3     (area) and a large population. So the food is as     4     (vary) as the people. For example, people in Shandong like boiled dumplings     5     (serve) with vinegar, because the process of making dumplings can bring the family members together.     6     (traditional), people in Xinjiang spent most of their time     7     horse backs, and that is why they prefer their food to be cooked over an open fire. In     8     (conclude), through food, Chinese people everywhere show their culture as well as their friendship and     9     (kind). So what we can say is that culture and cuisine go hand     10     hand, and if you do not experience one, you can never really know the other.

Revival of Ancient Arts: Craft Blossoms in Modern Age

As a country with splendid civilization, China has witnessed the passing down of numerous forms of intangible cultural heritage,     1     continue to flourish today. China Daily recently launched the documentary series Revival of Ancient Arts, filming     2    (craftsman) and artists who are committed to preserving and reviving ancient arts.

Ronghua, or velvet flowers that are made of silk and copper wire, hold its unique historical     3     (significant) in Chinese culture. The tradition of wearing velvet flowers is believed     4     (date) back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the artistic flowers were once offered to the imperial court     5     a tribute (贡品). The intangible cultural heritage of velvet flower making has been passed down through the generations,     6     (preserve) its timeless artistry.

The second episode of the documentary series     7     (focus) on the efforts of a velvet flower master and a young artisan who are     8     (enthusiastic) integrating the craftsmanship into modern life. In this episode, inheritors from Nanjing of East China’s Jiangsu province, one of the birthplaces of velvet flower production, perform     9     process of crafting velvet flowers, and share their endeavors in advancing this     10     (tradition) handicraft and their dedication to preserving and reviving the ancient technique.