China’s taijiquan, also known as Tai Chi,     1     (add) to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Dec 17, 2020. On its website, UNESCO describes taijiquan     2     “a traditional physical practice characterized by relaxed, circular movements     3     work in harmony with breath regulation and the cultivation (培养) of a righteous mind. Influenced by Taoist and Confucian thought and the     4     (theory) of traditional Chinese medicine, Tai Chi has developed into many schools, usually     5     (name) after a clan (宗派) or a master, such as Chen-style and Yang-style.

Chen-style taijiquan has the longest history, and other styles directly or     6     (directly) branched out from it. Chen Bing, one of the inheritors (传承人) of the Chen-style taijiquan     7     (practice) it since he was six years old under the guidance of his uncles. Chen Xiaowang and Chen Xiaoxing, two iconic figures of Chen-style taijiquan in Henan province.

In recent years, public enthusiasm for Tai Chi has grown greatly throughout the world. To popularize taijiquan, Chen has developed     8     simplified version of some of the moves to help people relax at the office       9     held back nothing in imparting (传授) his taijiquan     10     (wise) during all of his online sessions. He has nurtured more than 400 followers, who, in turn, have passed the knowledge on to their students.

Once celebrated as “the sport of kings”, polo, a unique sport with ancient roots,    1     (play) on horseback with a ball. Its exact origins remain uncertain,    2    one early version of this sport emerged in ancient Persia around the 6th century BC. It also has a deep historical connection with ancient China, a fact     3     (show) through the discovery of numerous artifacts (古器物).

Polo’s noble characteristics have won it many passionate players, among     4    is Jackie Wang. She and her family     5     (spend) the past three years researching and writing Polo in China,    6     book that documents the lengthy history of the sport in China. Published by the Cultural Relics Press, the book gives a     7    (detail) introduction to polo in China, with photos of artifacts and events, and an engaging storyline which brings the sport     8    life.

As a combination of historical     9    (refer) and artistic representation, the book serves both as an academic work and a general interest publication,    10    (contribute) to the study of polo in China while sharing the sport's charm through its design and presentation.

Did you know many adults sit for more than nine hours a day? Whether it’s working at a desk, sitting in a car,     1     lying on the sofa watching TV, we have     2     much more sedentary (惯于久坐不动的) lifestyle than our parents and grandparents did. The question that this raises is: what is it doing to our bodies?

The news isn’t good. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you have a     3    (high) chance of being overweight, having diabetes or heart disease, and experiencing depression and anxiety. A study carried out in the 1950s     4    (compare) bus drivers with the conductors,     5     walked around the bus selling tickets. It showed that drivers were twice as likely     6    (have) heart attacks than the more active conductors. In fact, prolonged     7    (sit) has been connected with a number of different conditions. If you sit all day, you burn far fewer calories than someone with a more active job.

One possible answer to this problem is for desk workers     8    (use) standing desks, to spend at least part of a day on their feet. Other experts point out that standing all day can also have negative     9    (impact), such as leg or back pain, recommending that if people do want to use standing desks, they should     10    (gradual) increase the amount of standing time. They also point out that walking is a better choice because it burns far more calories than standing.

My occupation is an     1     (architecture). I had only swum in open water a few times, and always in gentle lakes, so how rough Lake Windermere appeared on a cold day was not     2     I was prepared for.     3     was acknowledged that the water might feel colder than it had been measured, and that the water was a bit rough. But I, along with 10,000 others, was about to face the challenge. The task might sound     4     (ambition). I said to my family members, “At this time tomorrow I will be swimming in the lake.”

Most of the participants were doing a one-mile race, and 10 races were planned over the weekend. The participants ranged from very old people to very young swimmers. The oldest woman competing was 77, taking part in the two-mile race, alongside a man who last year swam in every one-mile race.

It was the third one-mile race of the day that     5     (chose) by me three days before. There were over 600 participants in my race. After being taken through a preparation area, we felt how cold the water was. “Not too bad” was everyone’s thought! Then we headed out towards the middle of the lake.

I stared at the lake for some time, wondering if I could finish the competition smoothly. Though     6     (warn) that the first 100 meters would be really rough, somewhere near the 750m mark I was still waiting for the calm. It felt more like swimming in the sea than a lake. I tried to focus on my breathing and skill, and just constantly made an effort     7     (swim). Hardly had I approached the 400m-to-go mark when my lower right leg became incredibly painful. I began to feel the entire le g tight and exhausted. No matter how terrible I felt, I didn’t want to stop, so I bent my right knee and just kicked with the left leg. The     8     (consume) of my energy was so high.

My finishing time was 38 minutes 25 seconds but that didn’t matter—the atmosphere was absorbing and everyone felt a sense of achievement, whatever their time was. It was my perseverance that contributed to my finishing the race. The success could boost my     9     (confident). I’m attracted and want to give it another go. If possible, I will sign up for my next open-water swim. Now this is an activity I am willing to engage     10    .

Fusong County in northeast China’s Jilin Province was abuzz (热闹) with activities last winter,     1    (especial) when the World Robot Contest Finals 2023 were held there. The finals attracted over 5,000 youngsters from across the country     2     competed fiercely with their self-designed robots.

“We need to compete in assembling, programming and operation. I believe that maintaining a resilient mindset is the key to     3    (win) out,” said Yu Yiyang, who is a fifth grader from Shanghai and has a profound passion     4     robots. Yu said that from robotics class, he acquired knowledge beyond     5    (convention) textbooks, refining his practical skills and fostering innovative thinking.

Many of the contestants     6    (receive) robotics education before participating in the robot contests. Their skills, mental strength and the sense of team work improved a lot as a result of their     7    (expose) to such competitions.

The young contestants, from various places and with diverse     8    (background), offered a glimpse of the popularity of robotics education among Chinese students. For many, learning robot programming and participating in robot contests not only offer opportunities     9    (sharpen) their cognitive abilities and their skills, but also serve as     10     effective means to boost their spirit of teamwork.

On February 10, 2024 young scientists flooded into Brown University’s classrooms and laboratories, ready to put their knowledge to the test at the 7th Annual Brown Science Olympiad tournament,     1     provided a truly enriching and enjoyable experience for all involved.

The STEM competition welcomes nearly 1, 000 high schoolers from across New England. Featuring a lineup of 23 diverse challenges, the single-day academic tournament integrates written assessments with hands-on design and build tasks. Each challenge     2     (score) individually, with points awarded based on performance, accuracy       3     completion of tasks. Teams win by accumulating (累积) the highest total score across all 23 challenges in the tournament.

Contestants get     4     (them) involved in various scientific disciplines, from fundamental subjects like biology, chemistry and physics     5     specialized areas such as astronomy and robotics. Throughout the event, students engage in a series of activities in a day filled with curiosity and creativity,     6     (explore) the wonders of science and pushing the boundaries of their     7     (intellect) capabilities.

But the Brown tournament isn’t just about becoming a strong competitor. It also offers a platform for young scientists     8     (wander) Brown’s campus. “With the tournament, you can get an insight into college life and     9     great understanding of the whole college experience,” Golditch a contestant, said. “Participating in the Science Olympiad has been the most valuable experience that allows us to explore fun science     10     (concept),” added Golditch.