Over a decade ago, Wu Kai, an enthusiast of ancient pagodas (塔), was looking for a book     1     comprehensively detailed the total number and locations of pagodas with quality introductions and images.

“I read extensively but found the books available had limited information and few good pictures,” he explains. Dissatisfied with the     2     (exist) options, Wu decided to create his own. Despite an estimated 10,000 ancient pagodas nationwide, many remain unaccounted for due to    3     (they) remote locations and poor conditions.

Visiting hilltop or cliff-top pagodas, or those hidden in deep forests,     4     (require) great determination, physical strength and even luck,     5     few people get to see them in person. For those who do, there’s the added challenge of taking good pictures, especially those suitable    6     print.

    7     (fortunate), Wu’s plan was applauded by like-minded enthusiasts, who generously contributed great     8     (photo). In 2019, Wu published a 500-page book introducing over 300 ancient pagodas in Beijing. He then continued to work with Wang Xuebin, one of the enthusiasts. In 2023, their weighty 960-page book     9     (release), entitled The l,001 Chinese Ancient Pagodas You Must See Before You Die.

“In each pagoda, I see the beauty of our heritage and the     10     (lose) values of simplicity, perfection, and respect for nature in modern life,” Wu writes in the introduction. “Across the vast land of China, no two pagodas are completely identical.”

Each year on July 17th, the world comes together to celebrate World Emoji Day, an annual event     1     recognizes the global phenomenon of emojis and their impact on communication.

    2     (create) in Japan in the late 1990s, emojis quickly gained popularity worldwide and have since become a universal language. The     3     (significant) of emojis lies partly in their ability to convey emotion that might get lost in text-based conversations. They add humour and personality to our messages,     4     (make) them more appealing.

Besides, emojis now include     5     wide range of skin tones (肤色) and cultural symbols, allowing individuals to express their identities and values. What’s more, emojis have also found     6     (they) way into advertising and marketing strategies, with companies using their visual appeal     7     (connect) with audiences on a deeper level.

The popularity of emojis has even led     8     the creation of the World Emoji Awards, where the best and most creative uses of emojis     9     (recognize), ranging from “Best New Emoji” to “Emoji Art of the Year.”

All in all, whether you’re sending a heart emoji to express love     10     a laughing face to share joy, take a moment on this World Emoji Day to appreciate the impact of these colorful icons in our digital world.

Word came that the annual school sports meet would take place next Friday through Saturday. At the exciting news, the whole class burst into cheers. Without any hesitation, we set about making     1     (arrange) for the grand gala for us students.

With the sports meet approaching, we could hardly concentrate on our daily routine. Every day, we spent much of our spare time     2     (talk) about the weather for fear that the sports meet might be postponed again. Then finally came the big day, when the sports meet was held as     3     (schedule). The sports meet was pretty impressive. One of the highlights     4     (be) the parade before the start of the race. Students were marching past the podium with slogans high up in their hands, while spectators were screaming    5    (crazy). Shortly after the parade was over, the race started. Well known for running in junior high school, I     6     (recommend) to enter for the 3000-meter running race, representing my class.

Time was ticking away. Before I knew it, it was my turn to step onto the track. But all of     7    sudden, I felt a bit panicky. As I hadn’t received any training recently, I puffed and panted halfway. I was about     8     (quit) when my classmates cheered me on all the way. Anyway, I made it to the finishing line. Unable to earn a single point for my class, I was     9    low spirits. However, my friends came over and encouraged me to cheer up. It was their encouragement    10    helped heal the pain of failure.

Now two weeks have passed, but the memory still stay fresh in my mind. Disappointed as I am, I never regret taking part in the race. After all, being part of the sports meet is what I really care about.

Our school, Chairo Technical School in Australia, has a strong service idea that covers two of     1    (we) core values, namely “life-long learning” and “life-long serving”. All the students are encouraged to become     2    (active) involved in these programs and many opportunities exist at all the     3    (level) through the country.

Teams of teachers and students from the school     4    (send) to every part across the whole country and other countries regularly to participate     5     different programs, including a regular English teaching tour of our sister school in China. As a school we are always seeking different service opportunities,     6     will encourage our students to devote their time and efforts to     7    (assist) those more needy than themselves.

As     8     matter of fact, many programs     9    (aim) at helping the needy and elderly within our local communities also occur throughout each year, including an annual activity, Service Week. While these programs do assist those in need, it is also exciting to see the    10    (person) growth that occurs among our participating students. The real-life experiences strengthen our teamwork effectively in order to better serve the society for life.

It’s difficult to try to get people’s attention on the Internet. However a granny has managed     1     (do) it. The star here today is     2    70-year-old granny named Chen Jifang, with 3 million likes on her Douyin videos. So far, she     3     (win) many people’s hearts with her excellent workouts on Douyin. And she once even     4     (appear) on one of reality shows on CCTV.

Chen’s health used to be poor when she was young. She even had to give up her job because her health was     5     (bad) influenced by the pregnancy (怀孕). “In the past, when I felt     6     (comfortable), I had to lie at home for a whole day,” says Chen. After three months of     7     (train), Chen lost 28 kilograms and her BMI (身体质量指数) returned to normal. According to her trainer, Chen got more than 400,000 followers within just a few     8     (month).

“The main group of people I wanted to encourage was those aged 30 to 50,” says Chen. “I hope they     9     (encourage) to work out in the fitness centres after seeing that a granny like me can.     10     I want to say is that it is never too late to go for good health.”

The Icehotel is the world’s first ice hotel in northern Sweden. The hotel, including the chairs and beds, is constructed from snow and ice blocks,     1     are taken from the nearby Tome River. Artists are invited to create different     2     (room) and decorations built by ice. Besides bedrooms, there is a bar with glasses made     3     ice. Each suite is unique and the architecture of the hotel is changed     4     (annual), as it is rebuilt from scratch.   

    5     (design) the main hall and the imaginative suites, artists around the world send applications to the Icehotel each year. When spring comes,     6     is pitiful to see everything melt away and return to the Tome River.     7     the Icehotel only exists between December and April, it     8     (consider) as one of the Seven Wonders of Sweden recently.   

At the Icehotel the beds are bedded with furs and people are given special equipment to use while     9     (sleep) in the hotel. The guests sleep in polar-tested sleeping bags. Since there is no heating in     10     hotel, the bedroom temperature remain constantly around -5℃. The ice suites do not have any bathroom facilities but bathroom for guests can be found in a warm building close by.

With more and more children being overweight, we need to find     1    (create) ways to encourage them to develop healthy habits. How do you inspire teens to lose weight?

Overweight teens bear a heavy burden. Being overweight affects their     2    (popular), self-esteem, ability to make friends — everything important to a teenager. Bruce, son of dietitian Anne, describes his anxiety about being overweight. He was worried about     3     clothes made him look fat. When he finally lost weight, he felt that a huge burden     4    (lift).

At her STAR (Service for At-Risk Teens) Clinic, Anne finds that overweight kids are at risk for depression, poor self-image, and lack of friendship. Teens can’t succeed at weight loss alone. They need helpful parents, who create healthy home environments and serve     5     good role models. When parents succeed at weight loss, their children are more likely     6    (succeed) as well.

She suggests     7    (turn) off the television and limiting computer time. Studies show kids spending hours in front of screens are more inactive and that they have a strong tendency to be snacking     8    (mindless) while sitting.

She also says parents may need some additional guidance to help overweight teens get to the stage     9     they are ready to lose weight. Health care professionals can provide valuable     10    (suggest) that teens will listen to, as well as support for both parents and teens.

Young Chinese bring hanfu to the world during Spring Festival

Young people dressed in hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group in China,    1     (spot) in many    2     (locate) around the world during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.

An initiative launched in late January by Xiaohongshu,     3     Chinese lifestyle-focused social media platform, invited users to upload photos or videos of themselves and friends wearing hanfu at landmarks around the world from January 28 to February 19.

The first two weeks of the initiative saw some 10,000 Xiaohongshu users share their photos     4     (take) from around 30 countries and regions around the world. One user even posted photos from Antarctica.

Many young Chinese people working or studying overseas also invited     5     (they) foreign friends to wear     6     (tradition) Chinese costumes to celebrate the Spring Festival together.

Hanfu, as well as other traditional forms of Chinese costume,     7     (experience) a surge in popularity in recent years. Clothes featuring traditional Chinese elements combined with modern designs,     8     are dubbed the “new Chinese style” have developed into a fashion trend among the     9     (young) generations not only in China, but also worldwide.

Analysts say the rise     10     “China chic” reflects young Chinese people’s confidence in their own culture. Wearing Chinese-style costumes not only reflects the wearer’s Eastern temperament, but also presents Chinese aesthetics to the world.

From: chinadaily.com.cn

As a new school year begins,     1     (open) your mind to new people and experiences will help you make friends and discover new interests. Being open-minded means trying to understand other people’s thoughts and ideas, trying new experiences and     2     (explore) different ways of doing things.

There are lots of benefits to having     3     open mind. It enables you to learn new things about the world and the people around you. This makes you feel more positive and     4     (confidence) about facing challenges. Besides, having an interest in other people     5     (help) you understand and share their feelings. Being open to fresh ideas can also help develop exciting new ones of your own.

Then     6     can you be more curious and open-minded? Start by asking questions. So if you’re unsure about joining a new club, ask     7     (you) what’s stopping you.     8     (imagine) how it feels to learn a new skill, meet new people and make friends. Don’t jump to a sudden decision but give yourself time to think about it first. If someone says something with     9     you disagree, then instead of deciding they are wrong or arguing back, take a moment to consider why they have that opinion. Finally, open your mind to new ideas. Even if you think you’re an expert on a subject, there is always     10     (much) you can learn.

Goal setting is important to long-term success. Goals help students focus on their journey to a collection of achievements, meaning they make     1    most of their resources and time, and can have motivation (动力) during times when they may feel like giving up.

Writing clear goals into a calendar     2    (give) students something to work and plan toward. When written down, these goals area lasting reminder of     3    students want to achieve. Goal setting even improves    4    (confident) by encouraging determination (决心) through difficult periods and offering a sense of pride when success     5    (final) arrives.

Through goal setting, students learn that hard work and good     6    (habit) are the keys to success. Because     7    this, they discover a level of respect for the determination    8    (require) to achieve further important goals in life. Not only is goal setting important for     9     (help) students get more out of their academic (学业的) experiences, but it also means they will choose     10    (continue) using the same skills in the future to look for a good job or achieve new developments.