Qipao, a traditional dress for females in China, is reputed as one of the paragons of traditional Chinese costumes. Though debated by experts about the exact time of its     1     (occur), it is generally believed     2     Qipao originated from a type of Manchurian female garment In the Qing Dynasty. It developed and     3     (popularize) soon during the Republican Period. Under the influence of celebrities in Shanghai and even politicians of the time, it reached its heyday (鼎盛时期) in the 1930s and 1940s.

Qipao mainly features a stand-up collar, Chinese     4     (knot) buttons, the left lapel (翻领) over the right, a tight-fitting waist, and hemmed slits on both sides. It is usually made from satin (缎子), brocade, silk,     5     cotton. Two major styles of modern Qipao were established in the progression,     6     (name) the Shanghai style and the Beijing style. The former,     7     (absorb) western elements of design and tailoring, leads the fashion trend.

Wearing Qipao,     8     was a natural result of women’s pursuit of intellectual freedom, carries a     9     (symbol) sense of promoting gender equality. Later on, the     10     (prior) of Qipao shifted from a political expression to ornamental emphasis. Till today, it is not just a symbol of fashion but a timeless classic, an irreplaceable cultural heritage in the fashion world.

For many centuries, tea     1     (be) an essential part of Chinese culture, with the country being one of the world’s largest producers and     2     (consume) of tea. However, in recent years, a new trend has emerged—the rise of the coffee culture. China has become one of the fastest-growing coffee markets globally,     3     an increasing number of coffee shops and cafes opening up in major cities.

When I first came to Shanghai in 2019,I had no idea that Shanghai has the title of the “capital of coffee” in China,     4     was a pleasant surprise for me. Moreover, Shanghai has the potential to become the global capital for coffee admirers, boasting over 8000 coffee shops. People in Shanghai visit coffee shops to     5     (genuine) enjoy a cup of coffee, even when they are having business meetings, dates or work sessions. You can see     6     (they) savoring their brew, creating a small moment, which is     7     personal treat that you can enjoy even during a hectic (繁忙的) day in Shanghai. Coffee unites us as we greet newcomers and get acquainted with other local students. I feel this is     8     the coffee culture works here—to make people a little bit happier and to warm you up when you feel cold or lonely. People come to coffee shops     9     (share) their own happy moments or to get cheered up. You can always see them smiling in a relaxed mood or peacefully scrolling (滚屏) on their phones while     10     (sip) their coffee. Even with coffee-to-go, you take that little piece of the warm atmosphere with you.

Today, the advancement of technology has taken a front-row seat in the creation of smart campuses. In recent years, many schools in China     1     (accept) technologies such as Al and big data to make school life     2     (simple) for students and teachers than before.

Using a smart campus system by the Chinese tech company iFlytek, Tianjin Eco-City School attached     3     Beijing Normal University has introduced     4     (innovate) applications to transform the educational experience. In aerospace classes, students use simulation (模拟) devices and VR glasses for immersive (沉浸式的) learning, enabling them     5     (find) out about rocket launches and a rocket’s internal structure through fun learning.

    6     (similar), in swimming classes, “by wearing smart earphones, children can receive real-time instructions from the coach underwater, ensuring maximum safety, said Li Rui,     7     leader of the school.

For PE classes, Yuwen School in Wuhu, Anhui, has installed (安装) self-testing kits with AI visual analysis technology for     8     (activity) such as long-distance running, standing long jump, sit-ups and skipping rope. Students’ faces     9     (register) in a facial recognition system,     10     (allow) them to receive voice reports and instant performance results after each exercise.

Smart campuses can reshape how and what students learn and how they study and interact with an institution.

Tea is one of the three major drinks in the world,     1    （produce）in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide and enjoyed by over 2 billion people. Huangshan in Anhui province has a long history of tea planting. The recorded history of Huangshan's tea can date back     2     the Tang Dynasty. In 1915, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black Tea were sent to the Panama World Exposition,     3     they were awarded gold medals. Huangshan city remains     4     key tea-production area in China and Huangshan Mountain in the city is known worldwide for its     5    （impress）scenery. The clouds that ring Huangshan Mountain     6    （believe）to create a natural shelter, blocking sunlight and allowing the tea leaves to produce more nitrogen（氮）which     7    （give）them their unique aroma.

Consequently, the celebrated Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black teas from Huangshan have gained worldwide     8    （popular）.     9     they were added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov 29, 2022, their cultural significance has been further acknowledged. Tea from Huangshan continues to delight and attract the world. In 2022, Huangshan city's tea industry achieved a remarkable output of 45,000 metric tons,     10    （create）4.6 billion yuan（$664.42 million）in revenue（财政收入）.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer. He is regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of music.    1     sets him apart is his ability to convey profound emotions through his compositions. In his twenties, he     2     (be) very famous for his skills on the piano, but then he began to lose his hearing.    3    he was challenged by the deafness, he continued to produce amazing pieces.

The “Understanding Contemporary China” Foreign Language Contests were held in Beijing from December 4 to 8．

Nearly one million college students from more than 1,300 universities participated , with about 2,500     1     (enter) the national final. The contests aimed to     2     (deep) college students’ understanding of China, enhance their linguistic (语言的) abilities and intercultural communication     3     (competent), and provide a platform for them to tell China’s stories well.

The champion of the English group     4     (determine) through a simulated (模拟的) “Global Youth Summit”. Three contestants discussed     5     (topic) including cultural diversity and the future development of mankind with Xinhua News Agency’s reporter Simon Keith Robinson,     6     tested their knowledge and ability to handle diverse subjects.

Xu Chengcheng, from Beijing Foreign Studies University, won     7     national championship of the International Communication Contest. She demonstrated a high-level of English proficiency(熟练)and strong communication skills in the prepared speech     8     the Global Youth Summit session(会议).

A special session of “Multilingual Champions Showcase” was part     9     the closing ceremony, where champions used their foreign language skills     10     (share) stories about their understanding of China and communication with the world, showcasing youthful insights.

A tea bag is a small, porous packet that contains     1     (dry) plant material, which, when soaked in hot water, helps to make tea. Tea bags are     2     (general) made of filter paper.

Tea bags range from a square or rectangular shape to a tetrahedral (四面体的) and even circular shape. There’s typically     3     small string attached to each tea bag with a paper label at the top.

Tea bags     4     (use) since the 8th century — in the era of the Tang dynasty. In those days, paper was folded and sewn into square bags so that tea flavors could be preserved for a long time,     5     (lay) the foundation for modern tea bags.

The modern version of tea bags first appeared in the Western World as early as 1903. Commercially, however, tea bags made their appearance around 1908,     6     coffee importer Thomas Sullivan shipped his silk tea bags all over the world. Those tea bags were supposed     7     (tear) before use, and their loose contents were then poured into hot water to brew tea.

However, people found that it was more convenient to brew tea     8     the tea leaves still enclosed in the bags. Since dipping tea bags into water didn’t seem to cause any change in the taste, people gradually did away with the practice of     9     (remove) the tea bag, and started dipping it directly into hot water instead.

It’s generally advised to not squeeze a tea bag soaked in hot water. When you squeeze a tea bag, more tannins (鞣质) are released into the liquid. The result of this is that the drink becomes too bitter, or     10     some call it, “too strong”.

During the long history of traditional Chinese clothing, changes and improvements happened all the time. However, Chinese clothing can still be easily told apart     1     others, all because of     2    (it) unique features. Some of the general features include: cross-collar with junction leading to right, no buttons but tying with sash (腰带) on the waist. In addition, there are many other detailed features     3     make the style of Chinese clothing unique.

Traditional Chinese clothing has two basic     4    (form): blouse plus skirt, and long gown (长袍). They are designed to drop     5     (natural) from collar, and the sleeves are long enough     6     (cover) the hands.

    7     earliest materials used in making clothes are kudzu cloth, ramie cloth, and hemp cloth. About 4,700 years ago, silk     8     (invent), and it gradually became a very popular material, especially with the upper class. By the time of the Yuan (1271-1368 AD) and Ming (1368-1644 AD) dynasties, cotton was introduced from India and became widely used.

It is a tradition for Chinese people to express good wishes by     9     (use) patterns. The patterns used on clothes can be animals, plants, flowers, mountains, etc. They are not only beautiful, but also     10    (meaning). One example, dragons on an Emperor's robe are saying that the Emperor is the "son of the heaven".

Ma Mian Qun, also known as Horse Face Skirt, is a traditional Chinese skirt dating back to the Han Dynasty. It shows     1     unique structural design that combines practicality with elegance. Traditionally, the Horse Face Skirt is composed of two parts of cloth that wrap (包裹) around the lower body with a series of pleats (褶皱),     2     (offer) a glimpse of the wearer’s grace with every step.

The Horse Face Skirt is not just a piece of clothing     3     a symbol of Chinese heritage. In Chinese culture, silk,     4     was the most revered (尊崇的) cloth in ancient China,     5     (choose) for making it in the past, particularly for the upper class of society, while the colors used, such as red and yellow, were     6     (deep) tied to luck and social rank then.

In today’s fashion world, designers frequently draw     7     (inspire) from the Horse Face Skirt, skillfully adding its traditional features     8     their designs, and broadening     9     (it) beauty to modern audience. Now, more and more teenagers are eager to introduce the traditional dressing to all over the world by     10     (wear) it in the public. It’s becoming a worldwide trend.

Maple syrup (枫糖浆) is made from the rising spring sap (树液) of    1     number of varieties of maple tree native to the US and Canada. The syrup     2     (reduce) by boiling in open pans, and was     3     (wide) used by Native Americans long before the arrival of Europeans.

The     4     (finish) syrup is about 66 per cent sucrose(蔗糖), and has a honey-like flavour. Because the process.of collecting     5     boiling down the sap to make maple syrup     6     (require) a lot of manpower and time, it’s quite expensive. There are many products available offering a similar taste and experience for less.

Any product labelled “maple syrup” must be pure maple syrup. While Canada and the US have slightly different grading     7     (way), the colour of the syrup is     8     (you)guide. Lightness or darkness of colour indicates the lightness or darkness of flavour, in turn reflecting how maple syrup changes according to the time of collection.

Maple-flavoured syrups, sometimes sold as “breakfast” or “pancake” syrups, will be cheaper, but these are made up of a sugar syrup     9     has been artificially flavoured and coloured.

There are other products made from maple syrup, including maple sugar. This can be used in baking without     10     (affect) liquid balances, and is excellent when put on fruits such as strawberries, pears, apples, plums and peaches before lightly baking.