Every year thousands of tourists flock to China. They come to see the grand sights of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, but     1     leaves the strongest impression is the ancient Chinese architecture     2     (feature) the hutongs. Nowadays, the word “hutong” has come to mean more than just the alleys that connect the courtyards. It also refers to the courtyards     3     (they) and even to the communities that live there.

The majority of Beijing’s hutongs     4     (build) during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. To help them keep control over the city, the Emperors placed guards at the     5     (enter) of hutongs, which made it easier to keep an eye on people’s movements.

By connecting people’s homes, the hutongs in fact connected people’s lives,     6     the lives of the rich or the lives of the ordinary citizens. Because of the hutongs, courtyards were joined together for miles around,     7     created a network of people working, playing and living together — a real community.

Hutongs are still an important part of Beijing’s life and it is not surprising that tourists love the hutongs. They can walk up Sanmiao Street — a     8     (historic) significant street in central Beijing. The hutongs not only link Beijing’s streets and communities, but also its past and present, showing that Beijing is truly     9     ancient yet modern city. Thanks to the increasing importance     10     (attach) to cultural heritage protection in recent years, the tourists have the chance to feel connected to the past.

In China, paper-cutting is one of the treasures of traditional culture. It uses paper     1     a material and creates various patterns and shapes through the cutting and carving of scissors or knives. The history of paper-cutting     2     (date) back to the Han Dynasty, when people began to use paper-cutting to decorate doors, windows, and screens. With the passage of time, paper-cutting     3     (gradual) developed into a unique art form and spread throughout the country.

The themes of paper-cutting are very extensive,     4    (include) animals, plants, characters, fairy tales, and so on. The most common themes are zodiac signs and the character “fu” (good fortune),     5     symbolize good luck and happiness. The production process of paper-cutting requires patience and skill. First, artists need to draw sketches (草图)     6     (base) on the theme and shape to be expressed on paper. Then, they use scissors or knives     7     (cut) and carve along the lines of the sketch, cutting out various shapes and patterns. Finally, the cut patterns     8     (stick) to paper or other items to complete a beautiful paper-cutting work.

Paper-cutting is not only     9     art form, but also a cultural heritage. It shows the     10    (wise) and creativity of the Chinese people, conveying the values and beauty of Chinese culture. Therefore, we should treasure and inherit (继承) this valuable cultural heritage.

As a cold wave hits and     1    (temperature) drop, Chinese capital Beijing has seen     2     first snow of this winter.

Beginning of Winter is the     3    (nineteen) solar term. Beginning means the season begins from then on. Hence, Beginning of Winter    4    (see) as the arrival of winter. It is not the beginning of winter in terms of meteorology (气象学). The climate every year is different, so the beginning of winter could be quite different. And with the vast territory (领土)   of China, the winter in every area doesn't begin at the same time.

Beginnings of winter, spring, summer, and autumn are known    5     the "Four Beginnings",     6     were important festivals in the ancient, farming-dominated society. Before the day of Beginning of Winter, the ancient emperor(皇帝) would take a shower and have no more meat. On that day, he would lead his officials to the suburbs and perform the ceremony of     7    (welcome) the winter.

The Northern part of China     8    (celebrate) Beginning of Winter as the “Small Spring Festival”, an occasion for a dumpling feast. In the north, there goes a saying, “Eating dumplings     9     the winter begins helps one    10    (good) resist the upcoming bitter cold”.