Chang’an Tower, also known as the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, is an architectural wonder     1     (locate) in Xi’an, China. With its rich historical significance and stunning beauty, this ancient tower stands as a masterpiece of China’s cultural heritage.

    2     (original) built during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, Chang’an Tower served as a Buddhist pagoda, housing Buddhist materials that the monk Xuanzang brought from India. Its construction     3    (order) by Emperor Gaozong to promote Buddhism and facilitate (使……便利) the translation of Buddhist scriptures (佛经)     4     Chinese.

Rising to a     5     (high) of 64 meters, the square-shaped, thirteen-storey tower showcases the splendid craftsmanship of ancient Chinese craftsmen, each storey of     6     exhibits unique architectural features,     7     (reflect) the cultural influences of the time. Visitors can go up the internal staircase to the top for magnificent     8     (view) of the city. Surrounding the pagoda, the serene gardens and the Da Ci’en Temple offer a peaceful retreat as well.

Whether it is for experiencing a piece of history     9     exploring cultural wonders, Chang’an Tower is     10     essential destination for those exploring China’s vast historical landscape.

When you are going to visit Beijing, it’s likely that you’ll want to visit the Tiananmen Square.     1     square is impressively big and is located to the north, separating Beijing from the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is a breathtaking palace complex (建筑群) that     2    (house) the palace museum and was formally the Chinese royal palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. Covering 178 acres, the Forbidden City is made up of 980 buildings.

The Temple of Heaven, including Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple), the Beijing Temple of Confucius and Beijing Zoo,     3    (recommend) as well. Lama Temple is one of Beijing’s most attractive and best-preserved     4    (temple). The zoo is one of the oldest in China,     5    (date) back to 1906, and is home to a great variety of animals.

The Great Wall isn’t located in the city itself, but if you have made the trip to Beijing, you can’t leave     6     going to see it. There are many organized tours from Beijing     7     will take you to the Mutianyu Great Wall. If you don’t want     8    (sweep) away by big crowds in summer, visit the wall in winter. It will be     9    (extreme) cold, but you’ll have a better experience. It will be     10    (easy) to shoot nice pictures, too.

President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and delivered     1     speech on October 18, 2023. President Xi highlighted that China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China     2     (do) well, the world will get even better. From the     3     (achievement) in the past decades, we can learn that win-win cooperation is the sure way to     4     (succeed) in launching major initiatives that benefit all. Countries taking the lead in economic development should give a hand to their partners     5     are yet to catch up.     6     the saying goes, when you give roses to others, their fragrance lingers on your hand. Viewing others’ development as a threat or talking economic interdependence (相互依存) as a risk will not make one’s own life better or speed up one’s development. Belt and Road Cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood     7     the fire and that mutual support can get us far. The modernization we are pursuing is not for China alone but for all     8     (develop) countries through our joint efforts. Global modernization should be pursued to enhance peaceful development and     9     (mutual) beneficial cooperation and bring prosperity to all. Though “Belt and Road cooperation”.    10     (propose) by China at first, its benefits and opportunities are for the world to share.

Few discoveries are as amazing as discovering the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. But behind the lifelike masterpieces, there is a group of experts working hard     1    (keep) the more than 2,000-year-old historical relics in good condition.

Lan Desheng, 52, is among the     2    (dozen) of experts on the restoration (复原) team at the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an. “    3     process of restoring Terracotta Warriors is very similar    4     doctors treating patients,” said Lan, who has spent 25 years     5    (repair) more than 150 figures of the Terracotta Army.

Lan said that most of the Terracotta Warriors showed signs of decay (腐化) after being buried for thousands of years, which was made     6    (bad) by oxidization (氧化) after they were discovered. The broken pieces, whose weight could sometimes reach hundreds of kilograms,     7    (make) the restoration both difficult and challenging.

For Lan, the most challenging project was the restoration of a general,     8     took his team more than two years. Even so, Lan felt     9    (satisfy) with his job. “I hope that by restoring them, we are able to uncover historical facts     10     awaken the culture of Qin Dynasty.”

On October 15th, the 9th Silk Road International Arts Festival kicked off in Xi’an with the theme of “Silk Road New Movement, Beautiful New Future”. The event, which     1     (draw) artists from over 90 countries and areas, turned the city     2     a global cultural center.

“Ommi Chang’an”, directed by Zhang Yimou, made     3     (it) first appearance during the festival. This large scale performance is the fruit of nine artists     4     (lead) by Zhang Yimou. It is a mixture of tradition and modernity, history and the future, humanities and technology. It connects Xi’an with the world, bridging the present, future and past,     5     crossing distance and time to present the beauty of Silk Road culture.

This year’s festival had 37 outstanding performances,     6     (show) the achievements of the “Belt and Road” initiative (倡议).     7     unique addition to the festival was the “Silk Road Starting Point Cultural Tourism Experience” tour,     8     enabled artists to visit and experience     9     (variety) Silk Road themed cultural landmarks in Shaanxi, providing an opportunity to share the unique traditions and history with a global audience. The festival also hosted special events like Malaysia Culture Day and International Modern Art Week,     10     (far) enriching the cultural experience.

For adults who celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, it’s a time for tying up loose ends, and     1     (look) to the year ahead. But for the younger generation, myself     2     (include), there’s only one thing on our minds: the Tray of Togetherness.

For those who haven’t had the     3     (please) of fighting with their brothers or sisters over the last White Rabbit sweet, the Tray of Togetherness is a platter (大浅盘), each compartment (分格) holding an array of candies, fruits, nuts, and coins. It     4     (be) a part of Chinese New Year celebrations for centuries.    5     (tradition), the tray is made of wood, and on the inside it is divided     6     six or eight compartments to indicate fortune, because these are lucky Chinese numbers.

Each item in the tray has     7     (it) own special symbolic meaning. If you pick melon seeds, for example, you’ll be granted with wealth and happiness. Candied melon indicates good health and growth, coconut brings happy friendships and unity,    8     nuts represent a long life with strong family ties.

Of course, the Tray of Togetherness is about more than just the sweets     9     it contains. In some regions of China, the platters     10     (bring) out for marriages and other festivities, thanks to their ability to well bring people together.

Chinese wine culture has a long and rich history, dating back thousands of years. One of the most famous traditional Chinese     1     (wine) is Baijiu, which is made from grains such as rice and wheat. People often drink it during important celebrations. Another popular type of Chinese wine is Huangjiu, also     2     (know) as yellow wine. Huangjiu is a fermented (发酵的) rice wine and has a     3     (soft) taste compared to Baijiu. It is     4     (common) used in cooking and is a popular ingredient in traditional Chinese dishes. Huangjiu is also enjoyed     5     a drink, with different varieties and flavors available across different areas of China.

In Chinese culture, wine is often associated with toasting (祝酒),     6     is an important gesture in Chinese wine culture and helps to create a warm and     7     (harmony) atmosphere. Furthermore, wine is often used in traditional Chinese medicine. Certain types of wine     8     (believe) to have health benefits and are used for medicinal purposes. In recent years, imported wines, particularly red wine,     9     (gain) popularity among Chinese. Wine appreciation and wine-tasting events have become increasingly common,    10     (provide) opportunities for both locals and foreigners to learn and experience different wine cultures.