According to legend, the Yellow River flooded during the period of Emperor Yao, and the people     1     (force) to leave their villages, and went to live in trees or on mountain tops. The flood     2     (bring) great misfortune to the people. So Yao assigned (指派) Gun to regulate it. Gun wanted to cut off the flood with stones     3     failed. Then, Shun assigned Yu, Gun’s son, to continue the work. Having learned     4     (he) father’s lesson, Yu dredged (疏浚) new river     5     (channel) as outlets, guiding water into river and river into sea. Day by day, year by year, Yu spent thirteen years     6     (govern) the flood without a break. It was said that during the thirteen years, he passed his home three times, but did not enter     7     his task was completed. His efforts not only solved the flood problem, but contributed to the     8     (develop) of agriculture.

In the face of difficulties, we should have the wisdom     9     (overcome) difficulties and the spirit of public selflessness. We also need powerful spirit and strong faith, only     10     that way can we work together to deal with a variety of difficulties.

The International Ice and Snow Festival kicked off in January in Harbin, capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang Province. Harbin came as the hottest     1    (attract)in winter throughout China.

Harbin Ice and Snow World,     2    (build)on the northern bank of the Songhua River which flows through the city, is     3     landmark ice-and-snow theme park as the country’s top snow and ice tourism site for New /Year holiday travel.

The theme park,     4    (cover)an area of 810,000 square meters, this year used a total of 250,000 cubic meters of ice and snow mined from the Songhua River for crafting various sculptures     5     castles and towers, which are illuminated(照亮)by colorful lighting.

“This year’s scale of ice-and-snow sculptures in the park is the     6    (large)since it first opened in 1999,”said Sun Zemin, a marketing director of a travel agency. The park offers more than 20 amusement     7     (activity)including ice kart racing, snowmobile racing, snow drifting and snow yo-yo.

Sun said the number of ice slides in the park     8    (increase)by the time of the festival     9    (satisfy)the growing tourist demand, from 8 last winter to 14 this winter.

“My wife and I had thought about going to somewhere warm for a winter trip, but we were attracted by short videos that went viral online about ice-and-snow fun in Harbin. That is     10     we are here now,” said Sun Chengzhe, a tourist from east China’s Fujian Province.

6 . Below is a list of the top and leading Theme Parks in London.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

It is a theme park and resort that offers a fun and enjoyable experience for both adults and kids. It’s a perfect place to visit to relax over the weekend with the different rides, attractions, zoo and sea life exhibits, shows and entertainment that they have. They house over 1,000 animals in their zoo and around 40 rides that will make your visit highly enjoyable.

Thorpe Park Resort

It is the go-to place for all thrill seekers that are looking for an ultimate experience near London. Famous for their different rides, you will certainly enjoy the unique experience that only they can offer. Seek the best adventure and leisure at this park and spend your day with your family, friends, and loved ones.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

As one of the best Christmas destinations in London, located in the heart of London, it is opening their doors every November 19 to January 3 to all individuals of varying ages and gender, who want to experience the festivity that Christmas season brings.

ClownTown

It is the largest indoor activity centre created for all kids looking for some fun and adventure. Established in 1994, this centre offers a safe, secure and wonderful surroundings where your kids can play and have a pleasant and amusing time. It can also help host your kids’ birthday party based on their personal likes and interests and can accommodate (容纳) a maximum of 25 children with the package including one and a half hours of play time and 30 minutes meal time.

7 . Loss of slow-wave sleep as you age may increase your risk of developing dementia (痴呆), according to a new study.

“We found that aging was associated with a decline in the amount of the deepest stages of sleep, known as slow-wave sleep. We then found that people with greater declines in slow-wave sleep over time had a higher risk of getting dementia over the next 17 years of follow-up,” said Matthew Pase, senior author of the study.

Slow-wave sleep is the third and fourth stages of sleep, which is important for brain health. During this stage, the body removes unwanted or harmful materials from the brain. “For the brain, this deep sleep is thought to be the most restorative,” said Dr Richard Isaacson, who wasn’t involved in the study.

The researchers wanted to know whether chronic (慢性的) reductions in slow-wave sleep over time are linked to dementia risk in humans and whether dementia-related processes in the brain may contribute to getting less of this type of sleep. They studied 346 people with an average age of 69 and completed two overnight sleep studies—one between 1995 and 1998 and the second between 1998 and 2001—during which their sleep was monitored. The researchers also investigated whether any change in the amount of slow-wave sleep that participants got was associated with developing dementia up to 17 years after they completed the sleep studies. By that time, 52 participants had been diagnosed with dementia. Each percentage decrease in slow-wave sleep per year was linked to a 27 percent increased risk of developing dementia. The rate of slow-wave sleep loss accelerated (加速) from age 60, peaked from ages 75 to 80and slowed afterwards.

“This is an important study yet again showing the impact of quality of sleep on a person’s risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” Isaacson said. “It’s important to not only pay attention to the total amount of sleep a person gets each night, but also monitor sleep quality as best as possible.”

8 . Four Art Study Abroad Programs in 2024

Whether you love art history, dance, photography, writing, or beyond, here are the top art programs to attend in 2024.

If you’re interested in studying artists, criticism, and painting techniques during periods like the Renaissance and styles like baroque, Romanesque, and modern art, then this program is for you. It prides itself on not simply teaching art but also culture and an appreciation of beauty.

If you’ve ever had an interest in pursuing a career in the creative industry, consider an internship opportunity with ArtBound Initiative. Interns can work in exciting overseas locations while getting one-on-one career coaching from professionals.

Explore your own areas of interest as you work side by side with local Irish artists, photographers, writers, and musicians, learning about Ireland’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Your hands-on experience goes hand in hand with day trips to galleries, museums, and castles, and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your works at the Le Cheile Art Expo.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced performer or artist, your interests and talents will be nurtured by industry professionals. During your time here, you will work on improving your skills which will end with a feature film or creative performance.

Every Wednesday afternoon, Le Duc An, a Vietnamese PhD student at Beijing University of Technology, practices calligraphy in the calligraphy group.

The 33-year-old     1    (study) Chinese calligraphy for nearly three years. “I     2    (expose) to Vietnamese calligraphy when I was a child, and it was one of the things that made the biggest impression on me,” An says.

When he came to Beijing in 2019 for his PhD studies focusing on the environment, he also spent time practicing Chinese calligraphy,     3    (commit) himself in earnest to the journey of learning the art.

    4    (initial), An says that he did not understand the techniques in Chinese calligraphy, but with the help of Professor Liu Hongli, he gradually came to understand the meaning behind the characters and the techniques in calligraphy.

    5    (gain) a deeper understanding of calligraphy, An has visited many ancient sites in Beijing, including the Confucius Temple and the Forbidden City. He has also participated     6     a number of calligraphy competitions, both at school and international events.

An says that places     7     he has seen treasured scrolls of calligraphy have left a profound impression, and are     8     major source of inspiration. “Calligraphy has become a part of me,” An says.“Whenever I see Chinese calligraphy from different     9    (dynasty), and on sculptures and at historical sites, I find myself     10    (impress) by the vastness and depth of Chinese culture.”