Beijing is a city bridging the ancient and the modern. From Buddhist temples to museums, narrow hutong     1     royal palaces, it is home to more than 3,000 years of glorious history even down to its layout, with the city keeping its carefully     2     (build) system of ring roads.

But for all its ancient buildings, Beijing is also a place     3     welcomes the fast-paced development of modern life, with 21st-century architectural     4     (wonder) standing side by side with historical buildings of the past.

It is a distinct visual contrast (反差) that shouldn’t work,     5     somehow these two very different worlds make a good combination.     6     (visit) several times over the last 10 years, I     7     (amaze) by the co-existence of old and new, and how a city was able to keep such a rich heritage (遗产) while constantly growing. As a photographer, I have spent the last two years     8       (record) everything I discovered.

The     9     (remark) development of this city, which is consciously designed to protect the past while stepping into the modern world,     10     (mean) there is always something new to discover here, and I could be photographing Beijing for the next 50 years.

Liu Ruying,     1     grandfather is a huge fan of Peking Opera, has been interested in Peking Opera for much of her young life. Her grandfather is a great influence     2     her. At the age of 8, she     3    (begin) to practice the classic art. It wasn’t easy for a little girl     4    (experience) the difficult training, as performances combine martial arts, dancing and acrobatics(杂技).

“Sometimes I was tired,“ she said. ”I had to balance my studies and other     5    (course) I was interested in, such as dance. But the great charm(魅力) of Peking Opera made me always practice it.”

When Liu got the news that her region would have a cultural exchange with other countries, she had the idea of     6    (introduce) Peking Opera to the world in English. With     7     help of her mother, she took part in the activity after several months of practice.

“I     8    (extreme) love traditional Chinese culture,” she said. “Peking Opera has a long history of about 200 years and     9    (consider) a treasure of our nation. We should let     10    (we) make great efforts to carry forward our culture and protect the cultural diversity of the world.”

Despite being 75 years old, Chai Tixia’s expertise in Jianzi is truly impressive. With quick kicks, he effortlessly sends the Jianzi into the air and gracefully guides it to land    1     (gentle) on his head.

Jianzi,    2     game that dates back to the Han Dynasty, is surprisingly simple: players must keep the Jianzi in the air,    3     (use) any part of their body except their hands and arms. However, to master this game    4     (require) a lot of practice.

While enjoyed throughout China, Jianzi     5     (describe) by Chai as an important aspect of hutong culture. The narrow alleyways, situated within Beijing’s inner city, provide the setting for the game’s    6     (popular). Each mormning, Chai and his fellow hutong residents gather for their shared passion for Jianzi.

Chai’s spirited matches with his neighbors have a big audience     7     (draw) to the artistry and excitement of the game. The onlookers who watch them playing with great athleticism are amazed at     8     Chai and his fellow players can achieve.

Having practiced Jianzi for over 30 years, Chai cherishes the physical and social     9     (benefit) the game brings. Engaging in lively matches with his neighbors energizes his body, enhances his flexibility,     10     promotes unity within the community. Through Jianzi, Chai harvests not only health but a sense of belonging and friendship.

The first “forest library” in Shanghai recently opened to the public, giving readers the chance     1     (relax) and read in a natural environment.

Known as Read & Joy Forest, the forest library that was     2     (joint) launched by Pudong New Area and Shanghai Library     3     (locate) in an urban green space area near Shanghai Library East. Covering an area of 20,546 square meters, it allows visitors to take a pleasant walk in the quiet and green forest,     4     includes many different kinds of trees.

The design of the forest library ensures minimal (极少的) disturbance to the forest, with existing green spaces     5     (connect) by wooden walkways. The library is in the open air and equipped with facilities such as benches and     6     information desk.

    7     (have) a library in the woods is an extension of reading indoors, according to Xu Qiang, one leader of Shanghai Library. “It offers different reading experiences to readers,” Xu added.

Most of the visitors to the forest library were young people and parents with their children, who either immersed (沉浸在) themselves in reading     8     took wanders leisurely in the forest. “The fresh air and the scents of the trees here are really     9     (impress). I’ve spent the whole morning indoors, and wanted to get some fresh air. The library makes it possible to enjoy reading in natural surroundings. I must say I have a     10     (prefer) for it,” said one reader sitting on a bench.

The artists of Dafen can paint like Van Gogh

The village of Dafen was once thought     1     (produce) the most oil paintings in the world every year.     2     (recognize) as the “world’s art factory”, Dafen impressed visitors with its many workshops, in which painters created mock masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Warhol. But the village was always seen more as a production line     3     a place of culture. Today the future of Dafen may depend on     4     it is able to earn respect of the art world.

Things started to change for Dafen in 2008,     5     the global financial crisis cut down overseas orders. With more demand     6     (come) from domestic market, artists began painting different subjects. New customers preferred Chinese styles, says     7     painter in Dafen. He learnt the art of Shan Shui which involves representing natural landscapes. In some ways Dafen reflected the broader economy. As exports start to decline as a share of GDP, domestic     8     (consume) plays a larger role in driving growth.

China is the world’s second-largest art market.     9     it is not clear where Dafen fits in. Li Jinghu, an artist from nearby Dongguan, often visits the village hoping to discover new talent. But locals say the demand for their paintings     10     (decline) in the past two pandemic-struck years. “Most people would probably be surprised that Dafen still exists. It does and it will,”says Lisa Movius, a writer in Shanghai who covers art.

Some teens consider high school to be terrible, taking up their time and loading them with many endless     1     (responsibility); however, for teens who can see the bigger picture, they can appreciate     2     high school is so important and how to make the most of it. The time     3     (spend) in high school can be viewed as the final “incubation(孵化)period” in which teens can learn, explore, and prepare for the future     4     (high) education, professional career, and adulthood that is to follow. High school is the perfect opportunity     5     (figure) out your strengths and interests and set yourself up for a future of success, for those who use their time wisely.

High school is valuable for many reasons, but     6     (primary), this is the last low-stakes time in a person’s life when they can learn, and explore in a variety of subjects and activities, prior     7       stepping into the real world. In high school, students can attempt     8     activity or a subject and determine that it isn’t their favorite; however, once a student is pursuing a major in college or professional career,     9     (decide) the topic or industry is no longer of interest has greater consequences.

Additionally, the high school prepares students in areas far beyond the classroom curriculum. High school helps teach students to research, listen, collaborate, lead, be     10     (create) and innovative, and put forth consistent and prolonged time, effort, and hard work into activities ,classes, and subjects that matter.

Locally     1     (know) as “mosquito writing”, Nüshu looks like dancing Chinese characters at first glance. On     2     (close) inspection, however, it is unreadable to readers of Mandarin (普通话).

Nüshu was used by women who lacked access     3     education in reading and writing. It enabled them to express themselves freely. It was taught mainly by mothers,     4     daughters then practised among themselves and friends.

Surprisingly, for hundreds of years, Nüshu remained unknown outside of Jiangyong. It wasn’t until the 1980s     5     Nüshu was learned of by the outside world. There are only a few remains of Nüshu texts, as most were traditionally buried or burned.     6     (lucky), after years of research, over 95% of all       7     (exist) original documents written in Nüshu have been collected and translated.

Now, this little-known written language     8     (experience) something of a rebirth. Local governments are inviting Nüshu specialists to prepare easy-to-understand manuals (手册)     9     (promote) Nüshu culture as well as stress the need for its preservation.

Nüshu represents a typical Chinese traditional female culture and remains an empowering means to appreciate women’s beauty and     10     (strong).

A new chain of coffee shops has sprung up in the city of Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu province, themed on the ancient Huishan clay figurine (泥人) culture—with a few modern adaptations. The Nanimomo Cafe chain has expanded     1     (rapid) since May last year and now has 11     2     (branch) in operation. The coffee shops display     3     range of figurines and related creative cultural products. In addition     4     drinking coffee, visitors can choose whether     5     (have) a go at making clay sculptures on site.

Huishan clay figurines are made from the black clay found at the foot of Huishan Mountain in Wuxi. They are said to have a     6     (record) history of more than 400 years. And they     7     (list) among the first batch (批) of China’s national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in 2006. In Wuxi dialect, Huishan clay figurines are pronounced nanimomo. The two most famous     8     (tradition) figurines are A Fu and A Xi, meaning “good fortune” and “joy”, and the factory has designed and produced several new figurines, such as Nani and Momo,    9     are more modern and attractive to young consumers. There are also several cute and colorful characters,    10     (carry) different types of food for which Wuxi is famous: spare ribs (排骨), peaches and steamed buns.

The full moon lights up the sky on the evening of the Lantern Festival. The festival, which falls     1     the 15th day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of more than two weeks of Chinese New Year     2     (celebrate) each year.

Solving “lantern riddles” is among the many popular traditional activities for the festival, which include eating tangyuan, enjoying the full moon, and     3     (lose) in colorful lighted lanterns. These guessing games     4     (refer) to as lantern riddles because they involve riddles     5     (write) on lanterns or on slips of paper attached to lanterns. They often contain messages of great     6     (wise) and good fortune, and give children and others of all ages the opportunity to have fun while practicing language and problem-analyzing skills. A good many of     7     classic riddles connect with Chinese characters, historical figures, literary references, or names of cities and other places in China. People must guess the answer by thinking about the     8     (variety) meanings of the words and phrases that make up the riddle.     9     (basic), a tip may be provided, such as indicating     10     the answer is a person, a place, or a thing.

When was the last time you blew too high     1     a swing and lost your stomach, or burst out laughing so hard that you start crying?

A lot of us may be still recovering from antisocial habits     2     (form) in the tough time. And so far, some events out of our control     3     (have) a bad effect on our health. Last fall, 76% of adults surveyed by the American Psychological Association said stress from politics. race relations and violence had affected their health. They reported     4     (experience) headaches, depression, nervousness and exhaustion.

But     5     (solution) may be hiding in plain sight. Two recent books argue that making room for more fun in your life could counteract (抵消) both the stress and the tendency       6     (escape) it by zoning out online.

In a book published in January, psychologist Mike trucker makes the case that pursuit of fun experiences may be even more valuable than seeking the sometimes abstract goal of happiness. In Rucker’s opinion, happiness is     7     state of mind. But fun is something we can do for     8     (we). It doesn’t require education, money or power. All it requires is intentionality. We     9     (actual) ignore the importance of fun. We are so casual and careless about     10     we use things around us to make us fun, but it is important for our happiness and health.