Xiao long bao (soup dumplings), those amazing constructions of delicate dumpling wrappers, encasing hot,     1     (taste) soup and sweet, fresh meat, are far and away my favorite Chinese street food. The dumplings arrive steaming and dangerously hot. To eat one, you have to decide whether     2     (bite) a small hole in it first, releasing the stream and risking a spill (溢出),     3     to put the whole dumpling in your mouth, letting the hot soup explode on your tongue. Shanghai may be the     4     (recognize) home of the soup dumplings but food historians will actually point you to the neighboring canal town of Nanxiang as Xiao long Bao’s birthplace. There you will find them prepared differently — more dumpling and less soup, and the wrappers are pressed     5     hand rather than rolled. Nanxiang aside, the best Xiao long bao have a fine skin, allowing them     6     (lift) out of the steamer basket without tearing or spilling any of     7     (they) contents. The meat should be fresh with     8     touch of sweetness and the soup hot, clear and delicious.

No matter where I buy them, one steamer is     9     (rare) enough, yet two seems greedy, so I am always left     10     (want) more next time.

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.

Henry Tyler made the catch of the year on the weekend. When he saw a young child hanging from a sixth-floor apartment balcony (阳台), Henry ran one hundred metres, jumped over a 1.2-metre fence, and held out his arms to catch the     1     (fall) child.

Eric Brown, only three years old, knocked Henry down when he fell. The boy is in the hospital and doctors say he'll be OK.

    2     Brown family live in an apartment building outside Toronto. On the day of the accident, Mrs. Brown was at work and Eric was at home with his father. They both fell     3     (sleep) while watching TV.

Eric woke up a little later when he heard children playing outside. He pushed a chair onto the balcony, and climbed up     4     (see) them. When he looked down, he     5     (accidental) slipped and fell over the edge. He hung on for a few minutes     6     screamed for his father, but his father didn't hear him.

Henry     7     (fix) his car when he heard the screams. He looked up and saw Eric hanging from the balcony. He quickly     8     (throw) his tools aside, and started running, arms out.

"He saved my     9     (son) life," said Mrs. Brown. "I don't know     10     to thank him.”

"I just didn't want the boy to be hurt," said Henry.

For Greek photographer George Doupas, Beijing is home now. During the past decade, he has been photographing the city, capturing its beauty     1     sharing these photos online and in exhibitions.

“This     2     (true) represents Beijing — the old and the new, nicely mixing together,” Doupas said while showing his photograph of the Zhihua Temple, a delicate Ming Dynasty building. It     3     (locate) in front of a modern office building, Galaxy SOHO, which features weaving bridges and interlocking passageways.

With rich historical heritage, Beijing     4     (be) an important center of traditional Chinese culture since the Ming Dynasty. Doupas often gets     5     (lose) in the city’s splendid ancient architecture. Meanwhile, he is also amazed by the modern city     6    (combine) high-end businesses and various industries. “It is fascinating to see a rapidly-developing city that invests so much effort in preserving its past, which is     7     I decided to pursue my career here,” he said.

Doupas is determined to continue with his career in China, hoping to serve as     8     bridge between China and the West. The     9     (display) that show his photos about Beijing have attracted a large audience in Greece and the Czech Republic.

“I call Beijing my home now,” he said, “I’ll keep sharing photos of China     10     the rest of the world.”

Whenever you have to write a paper, a letter, or any other document for work or school, you probably head toward the computer. Now, most people reach for     1     (keyboard) faster than they pick up pens. In a Scottish primary school, however, Mr. Norman Lewis is taking a different approach. He feels that neat handwriting     2     (be) still an important skill, so he has his students write not only by hand but also     3     old fashioned fountain pens.

Fountain pens     4     (use) in schools long ago and have been regaining popularity lately because they are refillable. Today, a writer     5     (simple) throws an empty pen away and gets     6     new one.

So far, Mr. Lewis is pleased with the results of his experiment. He reports that his students are taking more care with their work, and their self-confidence has improved as well. He is happy with the     7     (improve) he sees in his students’ writing     8     in his own writing. He knows that computers are here     9     (stay) and that they will not disappear. However, he believes that the practice with fountain pens helps students to focus, to write faster, and they can feel proud of     10     (they).

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.

A new branch of the Palace Museum is expected to rise on Beijing outskirts over the next few years to better showcase the     1     (museum) cultural relics.

After nearly a decade of preparation, construction of the new branch     2     (begin) last December. Located in Xiyehe, a village in Haidian District, the new branch will cover more than 100, 000 square meters, including     3     exhibition space of over 60, 000 square meters for cultural relics and more than 35, 000 square meters for relic     4     (restore).

At present, over 1. 86 million cultural relics     5     (house) in the museum. However, only about 10, 000 pieces are able to be displayed every year due to limited exhibition spaces     6     outdated offices.

Du Haijiang, deputy director of the Palace Museum, briefed the public on the project in an interview with CCTV on January 26th,     7     (explain) that calligraphy works and paintings couldn’t be put on display during rainy seasons, in winter or summer, because of strict temperature and humidity requirements. Some silk and cotton artworks     8    (current) cannot be exhibited at all for lack of the necessary environment.

On completion of the new branch, it will be possible     9     (display) between 20, 000 and 30, 000 individual relics each year. The new venue will be a modern exhibition space     10     multiple functions to provide relic preservation, repair work, and visitor services.

Eating Chinese food can be beneficial for your health. Chinese dishes are often packed with vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy grains like rice and noodles, which     1     (make) them a great source of vitamins nutrients, and other essential     2     (mineral).

Chinese food is also     3    (relative) inexpensive, making it a great option for eaters. Many dishes can be easily customized to meet dietary restrictions or preferences, and takeout options make it easy     4    (enjoy) a delicious meal without spending much time in the kitchen.

Chinese food is often thought of as a single type of cuisine,     5     there are actually many different regional variations. Cantonese cuisine     6    (characterize) by light and flavorful dishes that often contain seafood while Szechuan dishes are known     7     their spicy (辛辣的) flavorings. Hunan cuisine is typically     8    (heavy) than others, incorporating ingredients like chilies and garlic.

In conclusion, eating Chinese food can be a nutritious and economic way to get a variety of flavors and textures on your plate. With a little bit of research and knowledge, you can enjoy all the delicious flavors of Chinese cuisine in     9     healthy and safe way. So don’t be afraid to explore the world of Chinese food and discover all the     10    (wonder) tastes it has to offer!

Unless you’re actually in sales, the very concept of selling yourself during a job intervicw can be frightening. You don't want to sound arrogant (傲慢的),or worse, desperate. But learning how to be a self-promoter in    1    convincing manner is what the job interview is all about. The following tips can help you close the sale on a job offer.

Dress    2    (appropriate). Many hiring managers will form their first impression of you     3     (base) on what you’re wearing. The right interview clothing     4    (depend) on the company you are applying for and the culture of the    5    (organize).

Ask unique questions. The secret of distinguishing yourself    6    other job candidates is simple: Ask good questions    7    are valuable to the company. These pointed, yet uncommon questions mark you as an in-depth, curious, persistent researcher.

Prepare meaningful anecdotes (轶事). No matter     8     industry you’re in, you can expect    9    (ask) behavioral job interview questions. Normally, these questions require you to come up with examples from your past work experiences. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of job seekers stumble (支吾).To craft a fascinating anecdote, experts recommend    10    (use) real feedback to highlight your contribution.