At SIAL Shanghai, a major international food and beverage exhibition launched on May 18. Mario Garcia, a cheese supplier from Spain,     1     (surround) by visitors inquiring about his products. Some of them surprised him with their knowledge about cheese     2     his country. “As many Chinese have made trips to Spain, they have a better understanding of my country’s cuisine, including     3     (we) cheese,” he says.

Garcia’s company specializes in producing cheese of different ages and flavors, and     4     (do) business in China for about seven years. He says, participation in     5     (event) like SIAL can help him better reach potential customers and help them understand different cheeses and ways of enjoying them —     6     (particular) those with strong flavors unusual in Chinese cuisine.

“Our importers here have been hosting cheese tastings and offering     7     (variety) recipes for our Chinese customers to learn how to use cheese, not just with bread and wine, but also how to cook with it,” he says. Over the years, Garcia has found that Chinese customers have developed a fondness for European products,     8     benefits his business.

“They will learn about it and appreciate it once they find     9     new or strong flavor,” he says, adding that he is optimistic about the future of his business in China.

At the event, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council also displayed the country’s distinctive products,     10     (range) from ice cream to plant-based drinks, wine and fruit jams.

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.

Praised by international media as a “winter wonderland” and “China’s ice city”, the city of Harbin attracted a record number of     1     (visitor) over the New Year’s Day holidays. The city’s     2     (popular) continued after the holiday as the 40th China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival kicked off. Tourists from home and abroad     3     (draw) to the city by its grand and exquisite snow and ice sculptures. Among them, the 11 preschool children from Nanning, the subtropical capital city of Guangxi, over 3,000 kilometers away, were surely one of the     4     (high) profile guests.

Their trip, overloaded with cuteness, has become     5     online hit. Aged between 3 and 6 years old and accompanied by three teachers, the kids were affectionately given the nickname “little sugar tangerines (柑橘)” by netizens.     6     (express) gratitude for the great care and hospitality the kids received, Guangxi sent nearly 200 tons of fresh tangerines to Heilongjiang     7     a thank-you gift. The story continued with Harbin’s     8     (send) back more gifts to Guangxi,     9     gradually evolves (演变) to a “gift” and friendship exchange craze sweeping across the country.

More and more regions are joining in the exchanges between the north and south. The wave of exchanges     10     (bring) by the tourism boom in Harbin is a good sign and very encouraging.

What might your hometown look like in someone else’s eyes?     1     (fascinate) by the unique cultural atmosphere of Beijing, Russian illustrator Liuba Vladimirova draws romantic and peaceful images of the Chinese capital.

Since childhood, she     2     (develop) a love for drawing and painting.     3     attracts Vladimirova most is Beijing’s historic hutong. These narrow alleyways, rich in history and culture, serve     4     a source of inspiration for her art pieces. It allows her to observe the     5     (local) as they chat casually about the weather, savoring tea, and playing games.

Liuba’s fresh perspective allowed her to arrive in the city with fresh eyes and an eager heart, offering    6     unique blend of culture, history, and natural attractions. For instance, Vladimirova thinks    7     interesting that elderly parents will gather in parks     8     (find) potential marriage partners for their adult children. She also notes the absence of the 4th floors in some Chinese buildings due to the superstition (迷信) associated with the number four, the pronunciation of     9     is nearly identical to that of the word for “death” in Chinese.

“I wanted to share my personal experiences and observations of Beijing and Chinese culture in a fun and    10     (access) way, in the hope that readers would relate, reflect, and consider their own experiences,” Vladimirova said.

Qinzhen Mipi, a traditional snack originating from Huyi District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, is     1     (high) popular among food     2     (lover) for its unique texture (口感) and long history. In Shaanxi Province, Qinzhen Mipi has been one of the special snacks.

Qinzhen Mipi is made from high-quality rice grown     3     the west bank of the Fenghe River in Huyi District. The rice goes through a series of process, including soaking, grinding, and steaming. The     4     (finish) Mipi is seasoned with specially made chili oil, vinegar, salt, and other spices. Additionally, bean sprouts (豆芽) and shredded cucumber     5     (add) as toppings, making it refreshing and appetizing (引起食欲的). With every bite, you can taste the unique flavours of sourness, spiciness, chewiness, freshness and coolness,     6     (create) a distinctive flavour.

Although the way of making Qinzhen Mipi gradually faded away due to wars     7     disasters, Xue Shouxin, in the Qing Dynasty, successfully steamed Mipi based on historical legends and records. He invited his neighbors to taste it, receiving     8     (they) praise.

Today, Qinzhen Mipi has become a famous snack in Huyi District. There are many other special snacks in Shaanxi Province. Visitors from all over the world can enjoy the snacks,     9     can help them better understand the deep historical and     10     (culture) heritage of Shaanxi Province.

In the Artinno Town in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a group of talented designers have turned up as a result of the recent Asian Games. The designers, all     1     (deep) influenced by the same art academy, are the masterminds behind the Games’ emblem (会徽), known     2     “Surging Tides” and the medals, as well as the torch, mascots, and hostesses’ uniforms.

All of those in charge of the designs are professors of the China Academy of Art,     3     has its campus nearby Artinno Town. “People used to say in China that ‘real hermits (隐士) live in busy places’,” says Fang Hongzhang, a designer of the emblem. I think every designer hopes     4     (remain) an independent individual, but they also need to have a very strong     5     (connect) with society.”

Zhang Junjie, who led the design team for the medals,     6     (start) his studio in 2009 and moved it to Artinno Town in 2016. “I decided to settle there after     7     (visit) it for the first time and immediately seeing our current office,” says 41-year-old Zhang, who graduated from the China Academy of Art, and is now the director of the industrial design department of the college.

“Looking out of our office window, you can see a pond     8     (surround) by three mountains. This is one of the     9     (early) sources of inspiration for my design of the medals. I really like the environment here.     10     the office is located is quiet and natural,” Zhang says.

The Great Silk Road World Heritage Exhibition, being held in Japan, is the first large-scale event with the Silk Road as     1     (it) theme held outside of China. Hosted by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, the exhibition features a select ion of 237 precious artifacts (工艺品) related     2     the Silk Road from 27 major museums and academies in China,     3     (include) those in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Dunhuang, Gansu province.

The     4     (item) on display at the exhibition include gold and silver ornaments, bronze artifacts, paintings and statues. Many of them are being     5     (public) displayed in Japan for the first time. Of these, 45 pieces     6     (regard) as first class national cultural relics in China.

“The Silk Road themed exhibition is being held for the     7     (three) time in Japan. It was previously held once in the 1990s     8     again in 2004. After a gap of 18 years,     9     is roughly a generation, we feel it is necessary to hold another exhibition with the Silk Road as the theme to show the     10     (significant) of this cultural heritage. It represents the exchange of goods and trans-boundary communication-based interactions between people,” says Chen Jianzhong, president of the Kouzan Finearts Company, the exhibition planning partner.