China is w    1     known for its ancient c    2     which has continued all the way through into modern t    3    , despite the many ups and downs in its history. There are many reasons why this has been possible, but one of the main f    4     has been, the Chinese w    5     system.

At the b    6    , written Chinese was a picture-based l    7     . It d    8     back several thousand years to the use of longgu-animal bones and shells on which s    9     were c    10     by ancient Chinese people. Some of the ancient symbols can still be seen in today’s hanzi.

In g    1    , doctors in those days had two c    2    theories to explain how cholera spread. One theory was that bad air caused the disease. Another was that cholera was caused by an i    3    from germs in food or water. Snow s    4    to the second theory. It was correct, but he still needed p    5    . Consequently, when an o    6    of cholera hit London in 1854, Snow began to investigate. He discovered that in two particular streets the cholera outbreak was so severe that more than 500 people died in ten days. He was determined to find out why.

Yuan Longping, known as the “father of h    1    rice”,   is one of China’s most famous scientists. Yet, he considers himself a farmer because he c    2    works the land in his research. Indeed, his slim but strong body is just like that of millions of Chinese farmers, to whom he ha devoted his life.

Yuan Longping was born in 1930 in Beijing. His parents wanted him to pursue a career in science or medicine. However, what c    3     him most was that farmers often had poor harvests and sometimes even had a serious s    4     of food to eat. To tackle this crisis, he chose to study agriculture and received an education at Southwest Agricultural College in Chongqing.

It is a great sport for beginners—you do not need a gym membership or any special equipment. Just a pair of good running shoes will do. Then, keep it up. There is also no     1    way to know yourself and to see what you are     2    . You are also somebody     3    worries about getting sick. Running will help you get fit and prevent diseases. It will give you good upper and lower body strength. Like any exercise, running increases the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It makes your heart stronger and allows more blood       4    around your body. It also strengthens your immune system and reduces the risk of serious health problems,     5    more common illnesses like colds. Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run to cheer themselves up. Even a thirty-minute run will provide relief     6    aches or tension that you may be suffering due to stress.

Bogues was only 1. 6 metres tall, which made him the shortest player ever in the NBA. Guess what? Paul was only 1. 6 metres tall, too! Paul knew that being shorter than other players meant that he had to practise more. During all those hours of doing jump shots on his own, he used Bogues as his     1    . Paul once said, “If Bogues could make it, why not me?”

Our coach was not so sure. Paul had to     2    many times just for making the team. He was still usually on the bench, being just a replacement,     3    was really tough on him. Everyone knew Paul had real skills, and was someone who worked really hard and had a strong     4    to play for the team. However, Paul didn’t get a chance.

This four-day walking tour will take you on amazing    1     through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After reaching your     2    , you will have a day to     3     and be amazed by this ancient city. Especially amazing is the Incas’ dry stone method of building. Inca builders cut stones to     4       sizes so that nothing was needed to hold walls together other than the perfect    5     of the stones.

As person, Lang Ping is loved by fans at home and    1    . When the Chinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her     2    was tested. The team that Lang Ping had built was    3         4    . One of the best players had been injured, and the team captain had to leave because of heart problems. Losing two important players was a big    5    , but Lang Ping did not lost    6    .

Jordan’s skills were    7    , but the mental    8    that he showed made him    9    . In the final seconds of a game, Jordan always seemed to find a way to win. Jordan says that the secret to his success is learning from his    10    .

Yuan longping, k    1     as the “father of hybrid rice” is one of China’s most famous scientists. Yet, he considers     2    a farmer because he continually w    3    the land in his research. Indeed, his slim but s    4     body is just like that of millions of Chinese farmers to whom he has d    5    his life.

Yuan Longping was born in 1930 in Beijing. His parents wanted him to p    6    a career in science or medicine.     7    , what concerned him most was that farmers had often had poor harvests and sometimes even had a serious s    8     of food to eat. To t    9     this crisis, he chose to study agriculture and received an education of Southwest Agricultural College in Chongqing. After graduating in 1953, he worked    10    a researcher and began to develop the first hybrid rice that could be use for farming.