Spring rolls, those crispy delights of golden pastry (油酥面团), featuring a mix     1     finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and sometimes meat, are among the most popular     2     (choice) for a quick and tasty snack. The rolls are fried to a perfect crunch and are     3     (typical) eaten when hot. To eat one, you have to decide     4     to dip it in a sweet and sour sauce first, adding an extra layer of flavor, or to enjoy it on     5     (it) own, letting the roll’s own taste shine through. While spring rolls     6     (serve) in many places, the classic version can be found in the busy street markets,     7     they are made fresh on the spot and provided straight from the fryer. Good spring rolls have a light crust, allowing them     8     (pick) up easily without breaking or becoming unpleasantly wet. The filling is carefully seasoned     9     (guarantee) a harmonious blend of tastes and textures (口感).

No matter where I get them, one is rarely enough, but two or three might be too much, so I am always left     10     (look) forward to my next spring roll experience.

As awareness of the human impact on the environment     1     (increase), people are becoming more willing than ever before, to accept clean lifestyles. But some people aren’t totally sure where to begin. While large steps require planning, smaller steps can    2     (take) right away.

In many cases, your choices will depend     3    various factors: where you live, the resources available to you, your lifestyle, and others. Therefore there is probably no “one-size-fits-all” solution to going green. But there are plenty of things you can do     4     (live) a greener life, through your day-to-day     5     (activity), and most of these apply to just about anyone.

Save water. Every drop of tap water you use consumes energy. It might just be water, but a lot of fossil fuel (矿物燃料) is consumed in processing it. You can turn the tap off while       6     (brush) your teeth and collect rainwater for use in your garden.

Wear the right clothing. Your choice of clothing can make a big       7     (different) to the environment. One of       8    most heavily grown crops is cotton. Chemicals       9    are used as insecticides (杀虫剂) harm the environment, and harm people’s health. Try to find and buy clothing that uses these       10     (nature) materials. Wearing such clothing is also better for your health.

In February 2022, I began learning Chinese with the     1     (intend) of enjoying Chinese culture. Almost a year later, I found myself in Beijing, the capital of China. Before coming here, I     2     (attend) Chinese classes, and I could sense my progress in the language. As     3     matter of fact, studying for just one year wasn’t enough to claim fluency. But full proficiency in the language is not necessary to lose     4     (you) in and enjoy many attractions of life in China.

The one thing that truly makes me feel comfortable is making friends and engaging     5     conversation. At Tsinghua University,     6     I pursued my studies in China, I made friends with many Chinese young people. I often     7     (invite) to have meals or leisure activities with them, such as going to KTV, which is a popular entertainment among Chinese youth. I felt that connecting with my Chinese peers through a shared passion, such as singing, was     8     (incredible) enjoyable and beautiful.

During breaks from study, I frequently travels across China. I’ve explored cities like Shanghai, Chongqing, and Changsha in Hunan province, among others. Though I have experienced traveling on overnight trains for over 12 hours several times and explored     9     (familiar) cities, I never felt fearful or unwelcome as a foreigner. Chinese people are warm and welcoming to foreigners, and eager     10     (offer) help.

Hanfu, the traditional Chinese clothing, has become increasingly popular as a symbol of Chinese culture,     1     (attract) enthusiasts (爱好者) from around the world.

Rian Neves, a 29-year-old Brazilian, is a hanfu lover. Six years ago, he traveled thousands of kilometers to China where he experienced a       2     (total) different culture, experiencing a huge culture shock (文化冲击).

To deal with his loneliness, Rian made Chinese friends     3     provided selfless support and introduced him     4     different Chinese cultures.

In 2019, Rian and his friends saw a group of youngsters dressed in hanfu in Hangzhou.     5     (impress) by hanfu, Rian developed a fascination (兴趣) for this traditional clothing. Then he moved to Xi’an,     6     starting point of the ancient Silk Road, where Rian discovered many people wearing hanfu while exploring historical sites, taking pictures, and making short videos.

Rian decided     7     (try) and experiment with making hanfu videos. He     8     (support) by his friends. He started on his first video shoot in 2022, in which he presented     9     (he) in hanfu on Chinese social media platforms, receiving words of encouragement from several Chinese     10     (viewer). Now Rian has more than 15,000 followers on Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle platform popular among young people in China.

The Water-Splashing Festival, also     1     (know) as Buddha Bathing Ceremony, is the New Year’s celebration of the Dai ethnic minority in Yunnan Province. For Dai people, the annual Water-Splashing Festival is the most important holiday, attracting tens of thousands of locals and     2     (tour).

Jinghong, the capital of Dai Autonomous Prefecture, usually     3     (celebrate) it from Aprill3 to 15. On the first two days, a grand celebration marks the beginning of the festival. An outdoor market is set up,     4     locals come for new-year shopping. At night, the banks of the river are     5     (colorful) lit, and locals float river lanterns on the river. The third day     6     (reserve) for water splashing. The Dai people will put     7     their newest and best clothes, and then gather at the local Buddhist temple. It isn’t until people splash the Buddha statue with clear water     8     they can flock to the streets, parks or squares with pots or bottles, to splash each other with water.

For Dai people, water is     9     symbol of holiness, goodness and purity. Therefore, splashing others with water during the Water-Splashing Festival is     10     (wish) that person good luck and happiness.

Thousands of years ago, Chinese characters appeared on animal bones and silk before they     1     (write) on paper. But now many     2     character has a “new container” in the modern age. 

Recently, a research team, drawing every little bit of     3     (inspire) from Xunzi, an outstanding Confucian philosopher during the late Warring States Period (475-221 BC), has rolled out Xunzi, a large language model (LLM) and Xunzi Chat in association with a leading ancient Chinese text publisher. When     4     (ask) why, the team leader explained, “Characters  set invertical layout (竖版), the absence of pausing and punctuation are all holding readers back.”     5     (create) Xunzi the LLM, the team first did a lot of research. Since2013, they’ve sweated     6     (heavy) to digitize Chinese classics like the SikuQuanshu. “The hard work involves a large-scale pool of two billion Chinese characters,     7     has laid a solid foundation for the LLM.” Their efforts seem to have paid off. Currently, Xunzi the LLM can translate, punctuate     8     understand some ancient Chinese texts. The model can help us mine for more information hidden in our cultural legacy and find unnoticed models and connections.

The team have shared the LLM on GitHub and other websites,     9     (allow) users to download and use it for free. They’re committed to the philosophy of making the data and model     10     (access) globally.

Brynn Ann Castle is a student from Muscatine High School in Iowa. At the     1     (invite) of Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School, she, along with 31 classmates and eight teachers, engaged in a study tour in Hebei from April 19 to 22,2024. She visited     2     home of Zhang Xinyi, a senior student at the school.

North China’s Hebei Province and the U. S. state of Iowa     3     (sign) their sister-state relationship in 1983. For over 40 years, Hebei and Iowa have written many praiseworthy tales of friendly exchanges.

In Zhang’s bedroom, pipa, a     4     (tradition) Chinese musical instrument, lying on Zhang’s bed,    5     (particular) attracted Castle’s interest. “This instrument has been in China for 2,000 years. It’s similar     6     a guitar,” Zhang told her. After Castle expressed her desire     7     (have) a try, Zhang shared the playing techniques with her. Soon, a beautiful sound of pipa filled the room. “It’s so     8     (amaze),” said Castle.

Teachers and students from the school held a welcome concert for their American guests,    9     (inspire) by elements such as Tang and Song poetry, and famous Chinese paintings. The American students learned ancient Chinese poems, practiced ping pong, made dumplings, planted friendship trees and visited ancient relics, among others.

The Muscatine High School delegation (代表团) is part of a China-initiated program,    10     will invite 50,000 American youths to China within five years for exchanges and study.

The cool night filled us with eager anticipation as we began climbing Mount Tai. Along the way, we met fellow travelers, all     1     (pursue) the same goal: the sunrise. In the moonlight, their faces seemed     2     (familiar), but our shared purpose united us. “Keep going; we are almost there!” someone cheered, giving us the     3     (motivate) to continue as we paused for a break, “You can do it!” added another voice. These words of encouragement were like a warm wind, refreshing our tired bodies and minds. After about four hours, we finally reached the peak,     4     the temperature was     5     (noticeable) lower. Wrapping     6     (we) tightly in rented coats, we found a suitable spot and settled down to await the sunrise.

The sky gradually     7     (transform), shifting from deep blue to rosy colors. Suddenly a red sun jumped out from behind the clouds,     8     thousands of rays of light shone on the peak.     9     golden clouds delicately suspended in the air, Mount Tai appeared like a fairyland, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. Bathed in the brilliant sunlight, the entire mountain seemed to come alive with birds singing and trees swaying, as if nature itself was joining in the celebration of the new day.

    10     (strike) by the beauty of the moment, we sat there, feeling proud to have witnessed such a magical sight.

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