Wang Qian,79, is the creator of the world’s first life-size Terracotta Warrior replica (兵马俑复制品) in 1979. She is as passionate (充满热情的) as ever about historical sculpture (雕塑) today as she was over 40 years ago.

Wang was born into a family of artists. Influenced by her family, Wang was interested in traditional culture. She studied at an art school in Xi’an and worked as a researcher at the Xi’an Beilin Museum for more than 20 years. During this period, she produced thousands of terracotta replicas. In 1979, she produced the world’s first life-size Terracotta Warrior replica, creating a sensation (轰动) at home and abroad. So far, Wang has developed a complete set of techniques for replicating terracotta sculptures and has copied more than 6,000 pieces.

Although Wang has been a master of arts and crafts, replicating terracotta pieces from ancient times is no easy task. “It is challenging. From preparing to shaping, coloring and aging, each step must be done with care,” she said. Many of the techniques (工艺) were lost. ______ “Replicating musical and dancing figures not only shows its real forms, but also continues and passes down traditional culture,” she said.

She has led many students on visits to museums to watch pieces from different times. She said, “I want to write my 40 years of experience into a book to let people learn about the history of ancient Chinese music and dance. I hope these traditional techniques can be passed on.”

An “air taxi” seems like science fiction, but you’ll probably be able to take one in the near future. On February 27, 2024, an eVTOL aircraft finished its first test flight in Guangdong and got a lot of attention from around the world.

The flight started from Shekou Cruise Homeport in Shenzhen to Jiuzhou Port in Zhuhai. The distance (距离) between these two places is about 60 kilometers. The whole trip took about 20 minutes while traveling by car usually takes about two to three hours. It will be a better choice for passengers to travel between Shenzhen and Zhuhai in Guangdong.

The eVTOL aircraft looks like a small plane. But unlike a plane, it doesn’t need a long runway to take off from and land on the ground. Instead, it can go straight up and down. This new aircraft is powered by electricity. It can work for 250 kilometers on a single charge. It can carry up to five people at a speed of up to 200 kilometers per hour.

The eVTOL aircraft was developed by a high-tech company and was named Prosperity. The company is asking for a permit (许可证) for operation. If everything goes well, it is hoped that the aircraft will start carrying passengers in 2026.

Besides, Guangzhou is making efforts to encourage low-altitude flights (低空飞行), which will be used in many areas such as low-air tourism, delivery (运输), and farming in the future. Many experts believe that the achievements of low-altitude flights will make a great contribution to the city’s development.

Are you a “P” person or a “J” person? You might be wondering what I’m talking about. These two labels come from the popular MBTI test. The test produces a four-letter result. The last letter is either “P” for Perceiving (知觉) or “J” for Judging (判断).

Many people around me have described me as a classic “Judging” type (类型). I am good at making plans. For example, I have measured the time it takes to walk from my office to the closest subway station and noted when the subways usually arrive, especially when it’s not rush hour. It often happens that I get to the platform just as the subway is arriving, which gives me a sense of satisfaction.

I admire people who are like me, but I’ve met a lot of “P” types too. Years ago, I climbed Mount Hua with some friends. As a “J” person, I planned carefully beforehand. I packed my backpack with ten bottles of water, plenty of mini-bread and even five raincoats. To my surprise, on the day of the hike, two of my friends set out, empty-handed.

Working and traveling with people of different personality types can be challenging at times. But I have to say that those with a “P” on their MBTI test have their advantages. They are often more creative and resourceful. While I would often struggle (挣扎) when things don’t go as planned, these people usually stay calm, because they are good at finding solutions to problems. And a world where everyone is either a “J” or “P” person will be boring. The mix of different personalities certainly adds excitement to life.

This winter holiday, I went to Anji and enjoyed the skiing. Honestly, I didn’t want to try skiing because I was afraid of falling down. But my mom told me that skiing     49    (be) full of fun.

After I was     50    (full) dressed, I had my first try at skiing. When I stood up, I found I couldn’t walk even if I tried my best. I     51    (fall) down over and over again. I told my mom I was going to give up skiing.

My mom then showed me a video about Gu Ailing, who once won two gold     52    (medal) and one silver medal. Through the video, Gu’s story cheered me up. After a lot of practice, I succeeded     53     skiing down a 40-meter-highslope(斜坡). At that moment, I felt a sense of achievement.

Now, I can ski better than before. I believe that difficulties will be overcome and goals will be achieved through persistence.

Tianshui malatang, a kind of spicy hot pot (麻辣火锅) in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, has recently become popular on the Internet. Many tourists from all over the country come there to taste the dish. It all started when a local girl posted a seven-second video on Feb. 13 that received millions of views. Since then, there has been a heated     54     about “Tianshui’s spicy hot pot” online.

Earlier, Ga Haiying’s restaurant in Qinzhou wouldn’t open until 11 am. To     55     a number of customers, Ga and her family now work from 6:30 am to 10 pm every day. They are too busy to eat lunch. More than 1,000 customers come to her restaurant daily,     56     they may wait for about two hours. Except for eating delicious malatang, many young     57     also take photos. Ga has hired (雇佣) more workers to cut the waiting time and added more seats.

Tianshui has made     58     ways to serve tourists than before. Tourists arriving by train are greeted by welcome banners (横幅) and offered free bus rides. Free parking lots are provided for people. Some local workers     59     free tickets and gifts at the malatang restaurants. Feng Wenge, a government official, said that the popularity of Tianshui malatang has provided a good chance for the city’s development. He added that every effort should be made to meet visitors’ needs by     60     service. He also said that the whole city should work together to provide better service for tourists.

French theater director Patrick Sommier is working on passing on the true meaning of Chinese operas to the French public. He thinks the operas are the collection of all art forms.

When Sommier first arrived in China, he didn’t like Chinese operas. But he was quickly attracted by the beauty of Beijing Opera. For the first time, Sommier was moved by the vigor (活力) of the actor hidden behind the make-up and costumes (服装), and the characters of strength from the Chinese classics.

He was also touched by the Chinese teachers who passed their professional knowledge to their students by acting together with them. That is different from how the French did in the theater world.

Since then, Sommier started studying many kinds of traditional Chinese operas and introducing them to French people. In 2004, Sommier was invited to work on a project with the Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts(BVCOA)(北京戏剧艺术职业学院) to perform Beijing Opera in France. Following Sommier’s suggestion, the BVCOA in 2005 staged new performances. And the performances were a great success.

Sommier hopes that people can truly understand the beauty of Beijing Opera. He thinks that the differences between Chinese operas and French theater enrich the public’s views and the image of a country. Sommier also hopes that the French and Chinese will show each other with more good shows.