Luoyang is both an ancient and a modern city in China. It     1     in the west of Henan Province and got its name since it is located on the northern bank of the Luohe River. It is also very popular among     2    . Ask anyone from China what they know about Luoyang and they will     3     say, “Peonies ( 牡 丹 ),” as the city is famous for peonies in China. Luoyang has     4     the Peony Culture Festival for many years. It’s     5     yearly festival to celebrate the blooming (盛开) of the beautiful flowers. Here you can see all kinds of peonies of different colors, from red, pink and white     6     the rarest dark.     7     spring comes, the whole city is full of a sweet smell of peonies. The peonies have provided     8     for poets and painters in China for centuries.

However, there is a lot more to Luoyang     9     just peonies. According to the research, Luoyang was the capital of thirteen dynasties, so there are lots of historic and cultural sites. The     10     site is the Longmen Grottoes. If you have the chance to visit the Longmen Grottoes, you are sure to be shocked by them.

Andy lives on a quiet street with his parents. One year ago, his parents sent him to a local private school. They     1     hoped that Andy would study hard and get good grades. However, things didn’t go     2     they wished. Andy was not interested in his lessons and was quite stressed at school.

His father knew for sure why his son was upset and tried to     3     him up. One day after school, his father asked him to put the big paper boxes in order in their yard. “You mean the     4     boxes will be used to hold things later?” asked Andy. “Yes”, answered his father.

“That’s easy. “He began to     5     the boxes quickly. However, the wind was blowing too hard to put the boxes tidily. Gradually, Andy soon became a little impatient. Behind him stood his father, watching his son in     6    . He knew it was the time.

“Is everything going well, son?” the father asked. “Not really. Dad. I couldn’t do it in such a strong wind.” “Why not make them     7     by putting rocks in?” his father encouraged. Andy tried a     8     time and finished the job soon.“Thanks for your good idea, Dad. It really worked. “Andy said     9    .

“We are all like the boxes,” continued his father, “If we want to face challenges and     10     in life, we should add some weight to ourselves”. From that day on, Andy began to work hard at school.

China covers large areas and has a great population. Different     1     habits have always been an interesting topic in the country. Recently, another difference     2     northerners and southerners became hot: the way they shop at markets.

People from southern part of China say they always buy what they need for just one or two meals. It is normal for them to buy half of a Chinese cabbage, two     3    , 0.25 kilograms of beef at a time. However,     4     you do this, you may be laughed at in the north. Instead, buying vegetables and meat enough for a     5     is usual, reported by China Daily.

Also, you can buy a very small amount of fruit, such as a single apple or pear each time in the south. Shop owners even help you peel and cut them. But shop owners in the north hardly     6     such service. And many fruits are     7     in baskets and boxes. The difference could be due to the different climate. Food can be kept for a long time in the     8    , as it is usually cold and dry there. Many northerners have the habit of stocking-up (囤货) on food,     9     for the long winter.

But the hot and     10     weather in the south makes southern Chinese buy just enough food for one meal or one day, or the food may go bad.

Did you hear about “Survival (生存) Holidays”? It is for children to go into a lonely place for exciting activities. Now about 1,100 companies have the chance to take children into the outdoors     1     their parents.

The reason why people like “Survival Holidays” is     2     they think being close to nature is good for children. Many children in big cities spend all time watching TV and     3     computer games. “Survival Holidays” brings them     4     important change.

Is “Survival Holidays” a wonderful idea? Maybe it is. Children need more free time to play. They need to be left alone. Parents care too     5     about their children. They like to see their children being busy with activities that are controlled by adults (成人),     6     causes many problems. Children don’t know what to do when they are in danger. Even something like crossing a small river seems to be a hard challenge. Children are not comfortable with danger. Even small dangers like getting     7     feet wet or falling down seem terrible to them.

Many people think the survival activities are     8     for children. Even many     9     later they will still remember what they have learned. Some have learned to stay calm in dangerous times. Some have learned how to     10     safe. Others have learned how to work in a team. All these skills will help them a lot in their lives.