Within the Qing (1644-1911) imperial court, a unique collection of paintings can be identified, which were created by European missionaries (传教士) working at the imperial court.

One outstanding example is Pine, Hawk, and Lingzhi Fungus   (《嵩献英芝图》),     1     (complete) in 1724 during the Yongzheng period, and crafted by Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), known by his Chinese name, Lang Shining. This artwork    2     (present) as a birthday gift to Emperor Yongzheng.

    3     are described in the painting-pine trees, a white hawk, and lingzhi fungus-is to symbolize longevity in traditional Chinese culture. Lang Shining perfectly combined Chinese themes of auspicious (吉祥的)     4    (bless), through tangible objects with Western painting techniques, such as point perspective. This combination brought    5    fresh perspective to traditional Chinese bird-and-flower paintings.

Perspective, the Western painting technique introduced by Lang Shining, also found its     6     (influential) in Principles of Visual Perspective (Shixue《视学》), authored by knowledgeable Nian Xiyao (1671-1738),     7     learned from Lang Shining about Western perspectives and drawing techniques. He also played a significant role in the history of Chinese painting,     8     (serve) as a pioneer in cultural exchanges between China and the West. By absorbing Western painting skills    9    traditional Chinese bird-and-flower paintings, he breathed new life into the Chinese painting field,     10     (particular) during the Qing Dynasty.

2 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Featuring a dynamic design, the horse-face skirt is widely preferred by fans of traditional clothing in China. Exploring ways     1     (promote) the culture, they prefer to wear traditional clothing when taking part in cultural activities and share the beauty on the Internet.

The horse-face skirt     2     (originate) in the Song Dynasty and grew popular during the Ming Dynasty due to its functionality and artistic style. It is     3     (traditional) composed of two identical overlapping (部分重叠) panels     4     (wrap) around the left and right side of the lower body. Each   panel is   composed of a   large   rectangular (长方形的) panel of fabric, a side piece made up of several smaller panels and another rectangular panel narrower than the first.     5     (attach) to a waistband by ties, the two sides overlap each other so that one of the large straight panels on each piece is in the front and back of the skirt. This overlapping nature leaves openings in the front and back of the skirt, making     6     very suitable for horse-riding.

While maintaining the essential design     7     (element) of the horse-face skirt, modern designers change its outline, length, or detailing to match current fashion trends, appealing     8     a broader audience for usual daywear or formal evening fashions.

“This kind of skirt shows the grand     9     (elegant) that is admired in Chinese culture. Knowing     10     we come from, we can then be clear about where we are going, ” Daben, a Chinese vlogger, told the Global Times.

Body language, one of the most powerful     1    (mean) of communication, uses the movements of our body to show our feelings and thoughts. Some body languages are     2     same throughout the world. For example, smiling shows happiness and puts people at ease,     3    (nod) the head up and down is to say agreement, and shaking the head from side to side     4    (suggest) refusal.     5    , others are totally different. Take greetings for example. English people do not usually stand very close to others, while the Canadians approach others closely and are more likely     6    (touch) them. Most people now greet each other by shaking hands     7     each other, but some cultures use other greetings as well, such as the Japanese,     8     prefer to bow.     9    (general) speaking, we ought to study international customs to avoid     10    (misunderstand).

For Ren Hongjuan, the meeting with her son was short but precious.

The 52-year-old is a sanitation worker (环卫工人) in Dingzhou city, Hebei province, and had not seen her son Ren Xunming for quite a long time a she boarded at school and had been busy    1    exam preparations. On June 8, the second day of the gaokao, she managed to arrive at her son’s test site after finishing a day of work. Wearing    2    orange uniform, she stood out from the crowd. As the English exam concluded, a wave of students walked out of the hall     3    , (look) for their parents. Ren Xuming didn’t expect his mother to meet him,    4    he ran to his mother when he spotted her Ren Hongjuan handed a bottle of water to her son    5    just finished his English exam in Dingzhou city, Hebei province, on June 8, 2023. Without saying a word, he gave her a big hug and they both cried    6    (quiet). Their meeting was fleeting (短暂) because Ren Xuming had to return to school    7    (continue) his exams the following day.

The heartwarming moment was recorded on video and has gone viral receiving many    8    (comment). One read, “Hardworking mother strongly supports her son. I hope he gets a good result.” Another read, “Now, I    9    (impress) by the mother’s love for her son and his gratitude to his mother.” And another netizen wrote, “She maybe the    10    (beautiful) parent in the gaokao.”

Next week, I’ll be traveling to Australia to visit a friend over the school holidays and I’m excited to explore this new country. I’ve already researched many iconic sites ,     1     (include) the Sydney Opera House and the Great Ocean Road, and animals like koalas and kangaroos. But as a social study student,     2     interests me most is experiencing the culture, food, and way of life of Australians and meeting new people. So far, my trip     3     (take) me to Sydney, where my friend took me to my first open-air barbecue and introduced me to many of the country’s delicious dishes. I’ve learned that many     4     (type) Australian foods, like the Sunday roast, have British origins, but Asian influences have also led to new food introductions like bean curd and dim sim. I have traveled to Katherine as well , a town in Australia’s Northern Territory,     5     (learn )about the customs and ways of life of the Aborigines, the native people of Australia.     6     their population may be small, their influence is still visible, as seen in the Aboriginal meaning of the name of Bondi Beach. The Aborigines’ close connection with nature is seen in their music, like the didgeridoo, which     7     (make) from a hollow tree branch and requires proper lip vibrations and air blowing techniques to play. I tried playing the didgeridoo but failed. As my trip comes to     8     close, I am most impressed by the multicultural influences that have shaped the unique Australian culture     9     (contribute) by immigrants and minorities. The warmth and     10     (friendly) of the Australian people have made me feel at home and I wholeheartedly agree with the tourism slogan, “There’s nothing like Australia”.