Uniforms, dating back to 800 years ago, have always been a part of our society and have been widely used in various institutions, organizations, and even some companies.     1    (literal), they mean “U Need Form”,     2    regulate people in different walks of life in the same way and make a better society for us. Today, uniforms continue to play a significant role in numerous       3    (setting), particularly in schools.

Most people feel     4     necessary to standardize students’ uniforms because uniforms serve as a means to promote equality and reduce peer pressure. By dressing in the same way, students are not judged by their clothing choices or fashion sense, which     5    (remove) a significant source of bullying and allows students to focus on their studies rather than worrying too much about the external     6    (appear). Furthermore, uniforms contribute     7     a more disciplined and orderly school environment, cultivating a sense of respect and stimulating learning motivation among students.

Beyond their practical benefits, uniforms also have a psychological impact.     8    (dress) in school uniforms, wherever the students go, they see themselves as a member of a group, thus creating a sense of belonging and fostering a shared identity. In a way, uniforms     9    (consider) as a bridge between students, not only bringing them together under a common banner but     10    (promote) unity and cooperation among individuals.

Dear Patrick,

My dad is always very busy at work and rarely     1     (spend) time with me. I feel like he’s becoming more and more like a stranger to me. Sometimes I don’t even know     2     to get close to him when he’s around. Do you have any     3     (suggest)?

Hai

Hi Hai,

I’m Patrick McCarthy, but you can call me Pat. This is the space where I can help you with your daily life problems, one-on-one. Go ahead and ask away!

    4     (frank) speaking, my dad is very similar     5     yours. He is always busy and obsessed with work, also called a “workaholic (工作狂)”,   and I’ve never felt like I could have a close relationship with him,despite my best efforts.

Still, not every family relationship will end up     6     same way. In your case, you can suggest an activity you two could do together, like going to the movies. You could also talk about any interests you both have in common, such as history or art. Over time, you may end up     7     (encourage) him to “come out of his shell” more and more and help him realize that you two have things in common and     8     life is more than just work.

Also, it’s good to remember that our parents are still people like you and me. They have faults of their own. Be willing     9     (forgive) your father for his faults and missteps. This way, you won’t subconsciously (潜意识地) hold a grudge (怨恨) against him for acting like a stranger and thus avoid driving him away even     10     (far).

Patrick

Hanfu has experienced large     1     (grow) during the Spring Festival. The horse face skirt is     2     (particular) popular for its combination (结合) of traditional and modern beauty, especially among young Chinese.

During the Spring Festival, many performers and tourists in Luoyang, Henan province,     3     (wear) the horse face skirts. Impressive hanfu shows in Caoxian county, Shandong province, highlighted (凸显) the elegance of the long tradition of Chinese clothing. Consumers (消费者)     4     were interviewed expressed their wish     5     (promote) traditional Chinese culture.

The sales of horse face skirts are rising. Caoxian county is one of the major hanfu production     6     (base) in China, with sales of hanfu reaching over 7 billion yuan every year. The sales of new year’s clothes for the Year of the Dragon, mainly horse face skirts, were more than 300 million yuan in Caoxian county.

Data from e-commerce platforms (电商平台) show a great increase in the search for hanfu since January. Among the various hanfu styles, the horse face skirt has become     7     most popular one.

Zhang Mingqiang, the general manager of a factory, expressed both happiness and concern due     8     the growing daily orders (订单). So far more than 30,000 orders for horse face skirts     9     (put) off by the factory, which is taking measures to improve production     10     to meet the high demand. The new trend of Chinese-style fashion, led by horse face skirts, is gaining popularity among overseas consumers as well.

Chinese pastries (糕点) have a rich and divers history that spans thousands of years. Traditional Chinese pastries are popular     1     their beautiful shapes, delicate flavors and cultural symbolism.

The origins of Chinese pastries can be traced back to ancient times when they were primarily made for     2     (religion) ceremonies and special occasions. Over centuries of evolution, Chinese pastries    3     (develop), combining various regional flavors and techniques.

During the Tang dynasty, Chinese pastries experienced a significant     4     (grow) in popularity. The Tang dynasty emperors were known for their love of desserts and pastries,     5     led to the development of numerous delicate and complicated pastry recipes.

It was during this time     6     many symbolic pastries were created, and the art of pastry-making reached new heights.

Mooncakes, closely     7     (associate) with the Mid-autumn Festival, are among the most famous Chinese pastries. Mooncakes have a history     8     (date) back over 1,000 years. They were    9     (original) used as an offering     10     (honour) the moon goddess during the harvest season. Mooncakes are often imprinted with amazing designs and symbols that represent good luck and prosperity.

       Each region in China has its own pastries with distinct flavors, ingredients and making methods. Chinese pastries are an essential part of Chinese cuisine and cultural traditions.

Duolun county,     1     (locate) in Inner Mongolia, only 180 kilometers away from Beijing，once suffered severe erosion and desertification (沙漠化).

Ma Yunping, a retired soldier,     2     (sell) six cows to collect 7,000 yuan and decided to contract 3,700 mu of deserted sandy land. Due to Duolun’s unique geological (地质) environment, which consists mainly of shifting sand dunes (沙丘), the inexperienced Ma tried planting grass under the     3     (guide) of the forestry department. However, the sandstorms came frequently. He failed many times     4     continued trying, learning from his mistakes.

During the first three years, planting grass became his primary job. Slowly, the yellow sand was stabilized, and     5     touch of green appeared. In 2016, Ma established a     6     (profession) organization, which now has over 40 members. “I want everyone in my village to     7     (active) participate in preventing and treating desertification and to share in the green achievements,” he said.

So far, in this area, Ma has planted about 400,000 trees in total. All of them have grown into flourishing vegetation, and not a bit of yellow sand can     8     (find). Reflecting     9     the 20-year journey of fighting against desertification, Ma has long engraved the patches of green on the dunes into his heart. “I am so fond of the greenery, and I want to keep     10     (follow) it,” Ma said.

Alcohol or liquor, also called baijiu in Chinese, may be featured on special occasions    1     (ease) the expression of diners’ thoughts and feelings. But in the long process of Chinese history, it is not just an objective existence,    2     a cultural symbol. China is one of the earliest countries in the world to make alcohol and the history can date    3     prehistoric times. Since its appearance,    4     has been reflected in social life, literature, and aesthetic (美学的) ideas is its spiritual and cultural value. In this sense, to drink alcohol     5     (be) actually to taste a culture.

According to the    6     (history) records, as early as in the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC), Chinese people began to drink alcohol and use it to worship gods (祭神). All kinds of alcohol except yellow rice wine developed    7     (great) after the Han (206 BC–220) and Tang (618–907) dynasties.

Chinese alcohol has a wide variety of kinds. By the type of products, they can include yellow rice wine, white wine, medicinal liquor, fruit liquor and beer. By the alcoholic content, they can    8     (group) into 3 categories: strong, medium and low alcohol liquor. With the Chinese wine-making industry    9     (develop) every day, alcohol, over a thousand years,    10     (integrate) into the brilliant Chinese civilization as a basic necessity in people’s life.

Millions of people in China now share a common routine: a session with personal trainer Liu Genghong. The 49-year-old singer and composer has     1     (surprising) become     2     online hit for livestreaming fitness routines from his home. Liu’s workout sessions are so popular that they     3     (break) Douyin’s livestreaming record for 2022 so far.

In Liu’s livestreams, Liu and his wife appear     4     (energy), friendly, happy and super fit. They are usually seen exercising     5     the fast-paced tune (曲子) of pop singer Jay Chou’s Herbalist Manual (本草纲目) and others.     6     Liu’s dance moves look simple, they are often too intense for his audience     7     (follow).

Wei Fang, a student at Shandong Normal University, is one of Liu’s     8     (fan). “My major requires me to sit for a long time, sometimes for the whole day, ” she said. “So how can I refuse a star singer as a personal trainer? Besides, when     9     (watch) the live-stream, I feel like I’m working out with friends,     10     encourages me to keep going until the last minute,” added Wei.

The virus “Ebola” is named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That’s     1     the virus was discovered in 1976. A person can only get Ebola through direct contact with an infected person’s body fluids, for example, sweat or spit. Additionally, the virus can get into your body     2     your eyes and mouth. That’s why health care workers are supposed to keep themselves completely     3     (cover) while treating patients.

The deadliest Ebola outbreak is spreading fast in Western Africa, taking over 900     4     (life) so far. The health systems in this area are severely lacking in resources, and health care workers may not have enough protective clothing     5     working in rural clinics. For now, all doctors can do     6     (be) to treat the symptoms and provide some care.

There are several promising drugs and vaccines (疫苗) in     7     (develop), but since Ebola is less common — and research about it is not     8     (good) carried out — there is no drug or vaccine that     9     (approve) for use in humans. Many of the other drugs and vaccines have not yet been tested in humans. The WHO (World Health Organization) is meeting next week     10     (discuss) whether experimental treatments should be used during this outbreak.

The Qiang New Year Festival is the most important traditional festival for the Qiang ethnic group     1     (appreciate) nature, celebrate prosperity and show respect for their ancestors. It falls     2     the first day of the tenth lunar month on the Chinese calendar.And several celebrations are held by the Qiang people     3     (live) in Sichuan Province.

The celebration lasts from three to five days. During the festival, Qiang people wear beautiful traditional costumes to celebrate this grand occasion through a range of folk activities such as dragon dance performances, bonfire (篝火) parties, music and shows, ritual sacrifice     4     (ceremony) and other events. In the evening, Qiang women dress up in elegant clothes and accessories to attend a grand occasion around a central bonfire,     5     forms the heart of the celebrations.    6     (inspire) by the passions of the flames and music, dancers circle and sway to the rhythms to create     7     joyous atmosphere.

It is also an occasion for the Qiang ethnic group to celebrate the harvest of the year. A series of rituals are held to show their     8     (harmony) and respectful relationship with nature as well as strengthen the solid bonds within their community.

The festival was listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009 due to its     9    (high) valuable cultural significance. From generation to generation, Qiang people     10     (devote) their time to inheriting their own culture and keeping it alive after promising development in recent years.

Peking duck is an icon of Beijing cuisine and enjoying the treat is a must-do in the capital. Among the fast-changing trends of international cuisine, the dish is a rare, enduring classic,     1    (win) worldwide fame for its crispy skin and tender meat.

The stories about the origins of Peking duck vary, one of     2     dates back to the Ming Dynasty. In the 1420s, Emperor Zhu Di, also known as the Yongle Emperor,     3    (move) the country’s capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Chefs working for the royal family also migrated to Beijing, where they came up     4     new methods to cook duck.

If diners order roast duck in a restaurant, a chef will come to the table to provide     5    (serve). The chef skillfully cuts off     6    (taste) parts of skin first, with the meat then cut into juicy slices. Usually, the slices are     7    (delicate) served with a sweet bean paste (酱), rested on a bed of shredded (切碎的) cucumber, spring onions or radishes (萝卜) and wrapped in a bite-sized, thin pancake.     8    (roll) into little envelopes, these pancakes are a taste and tactile experience.

Taste is only one of the     9    (reason) for Peking duck’s unique status, though. In China,     10     is generally believed that duck is moderate and even slightly cold in nature, and therefore brings no excessive heat to the body.