A piece of fossil sponge (海绵) that formed during the early Cambrian period was recently discovered in Changde, Hunan Province.

The     1     (discover) fossil sponge can date back to 540 million years ago. It ranges around 4 centimeters in     2     (high) and 3.5 centimeters in width. Paleontologist (古生物学家) Zou Hesi told the Global Times that the size is giant for a sponge from that period of time.

“Sponges become bigger and bigger over time; another fossil piece     3     (date) back to around 300 million years ago was also recently discovered in Ireland, for example. It was about 50 centimeters,” Zou told the Global Times. Found near the Cliffs of Moher, the piece     4     (name) as “Cyathophycus balori”. It is so far the largest known fossil sponge in the world.

    5     4-centimeter Chinese piece was unearthed     6     (unexpected) during a field survey that local researchers were conducting in the Taoyuan District, Changde. Tong Guanghui, a research fellow at the Hunan Museum of Geology,     7     (tell) the media that the team found a piece of rock on their way     8     research destination in the town of Sanyanggang.

“So we stopped, and used a geological hammer     9     (examine) the piece. It was unearthed in such a complete condition,     10     made us all thrilled about the discovery,” said Tong.

A concert     1    (mark) the 50th anniversary (周年纪念日) of China-Brazil diplomatic relations took place at the Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 21.

    2     outdoor event attracted over 300 audience members and featured Chinese musicians, including the music band of traditional Chinese music of the Central Conservatory of Music, bringing Chinese music pieces that     3    (particular) showcase (展现) the variety of traditional Chinese musical instruments.

Ancient Chinese musical instruments     4     guzheng, xiao and banhu were also played during the concert. The Chinese musicians also used their instruments to play folk songs of Brazil,     5     received warm feedback from the local audience. The concert also featured musicians from Brazil playing Chinese songs and Brazilian folk songs.

The concert, co-initiated by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and co-organized by Chinese Musicians’ Association and Brazil China Friendship Association, invited     6    (experience) conductors as well as the winners and judges of the Chinese Golden Bell Award for Music—a top Chinese music award—     7     (join) in the performances.

This event was part of 2024 “China Today” Arts Week that was first launched in 2004 by China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. During the past two decades, the art festival     8    (tour) around the world by visiting 23 countries and regions. This has been the first time that it came to Brazil. This year, the 2024 “Today China” Arts Week will also make     9    (it) debut (首次亮相) in Colombia. Cultural exchange     10    (program) such as film festivals, concerts and photo exhibitions will be held.

A pair of scissors, a piece of paper, and a pair of dexterous (灵巧的) hands. That’s     1     is needed to create delicate works of paper-cuttings.

    2    (originate) in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, this ancient form of art has not only survived through generations but has also become     3     important part of Chinese culture. It is often associated with the     4     (celebrate) of the Spring Festival, where complex patterns of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals     5     (create) to bring good luck and fortune for the new year.

The art of paper-cuttings goes beyond mere craftsmanship. It is a form of expression deeply     6    (root) in Chinese history and tradition. Artists, without the need for any drawn draft, use their imagination to create     7    (variety) patterns and images with scissors and burins. Animals, flowers, mythological and historical figures are meticulously (细致地) cut and carved, each carrying its own symbolism and meanings.

Today, paper-cuttings continue to decorate Chinese homes,     8    (especial) during the Spring Festival. The windows and walls come alive with vibrant patterns and scenes of family reunions and temple fairs. It serves     9     a reminder of the rich cultural heritage that the Chinese people cherish     10     pass down from one generation to another.

Have you ever been to Foshan city and visited China’s statue of liberty — the 30-meter-tall sculpture of Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee, known as Li Xiaolong in Chinese,     1     (introduce) Chinese kungfu to the world through television and film. In memory of him, artists in Foshan created this amazing and     2     (attract) sculpture in 2010.

The towering sculpture, which looks like a stop-motion capture of Lee     3     (do) one of his explosive high kicks, took more than 100 people six months to complete. “We hope it can compete with the Statue of Liberty of the US,     4     the sculpture of Bruce Lee, the Kungfu God of 1, 000 Legs,     5     (mean) to symbolize Chinese wisdom, creativity and health.” artist Shu Yong said.

Bruce Lee was the first actor     6     (bridge) East and West. His impact contributed to     7     shift in the overall culture of the West. Despite his short life, Bruce Lee challenged the     8     (establish) conventions, kicked down racial barriers and paved the way for future film makers and actors. His influence,     9     in martial (武术) arts, filmmaking, or in culture, social customs still remains in today’s     10     (increasing) interconnected world.

Jiangjun Village used to be a dull place during winter. But the development of art areas has spurred tourism,     1     (give) it a new lease of life and making the winter scene much     2     (bright) nowadays. Art galleries, museums, and theaters now can be found located among its small cottages. The dilapidated (破旧的) houses have been changed     3     restaurants and teahouses.

In 2021, the village government, the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and several other bodies established a rural artist construction pilot project, which centered on a dilapidated village courtyard     4     (call) Lotus Cave. The project planned to build 10 core art areas, aiming to integrate the new facilities into the village’s environment, culture     5     local characteristics.

When the project     6     (launch), Lotus Cave was a rundown collection of residential buildings in poor repair. But it has now been     7     (large) transformed by the hard work of artists and villagers.

The art museum in the center of the village used to be a dilapidated house     8     was overgrown with weeds. During the renovation work, the building’s original framework was restored and part of the adobe wall was preserved.

More     9     (exhibit) and art activities are now being held at Lotus Cave, attracting tourists from far afield. The injection of new life has tempted (吸引) many villagers who moved away to return and take a look at     10     (they) previous home.