Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses     1     (take) advantage of the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much     2     (easy) for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not commercialized,     3     believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.

The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore,     1     can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions. Almost everywhere you go in the UK, you will     2     (surround) by evidence of four different groups of people. The first group, the Romans, came in the first century. Some of their great     3     (achieve) included building towns and roads.

Eight years later, Lin graduated     1     Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) with the Wehai Scholarship, the highest prize     2     (give) to graduates. She immediately became the first woman ever     3     (hire) as a resident physician in the OB-GYN department of the PUMC Hospital. Within six months, she was named a chief resident physician,     4     position that usually took four years to achieve.

La rou, or preserved meat, is a winter season specialty in China. They are customarily made during the last lunar month on the     1    (tradition) Chinese calendar when the temperature is cool     2     not freezing to dry and preserve these staples. La rou, generally refers to pork products while other cured meat, la wei, is made across China     3    (depend) on local availability, using goose, duck, rabbit, and even seafood.

The preserved meat     4    (consider) a form of cultural heritage in many places. Similar to bacon, the Chinese preserved meat is made with large quantities of salt, some of     5     are smoked over with fire     6    (achieve) more flavor. There are many kinds of preserved meat in China with     7    (incredible) diverse ingredients and recipes, bringing a wide range of flavors from sweet to hot.

Each region has its own seasoning and flavor profile. The Cantonese     8    (vary) is sweet, flavored with sugar, rice wine, and so y sauce. In Sichuan, it tends to be hotter, seasoned with chili pepper and Sichuan pepper powder. Both of them are great choices     9     ingredients for dishes like fried rice and vegetable stir-fry. Cured poultry products are commonly found in South China. They are slaughtered, butchered, and rubbed with alcohol before salting, which     10    (dry) out the meat and prevents bacteria growing on it.

Recently, New Dragon Gate Inn, a fascinating Shaoxing Opera show,     1     (become) a hit.

    2     traditional Shaoxing Opera, which often draws inspiration from ancient scripts (剧本) and folk legends, New Dragon Gate Inn is based on a film with a significant fan base and is adapted     3     (suit) the current context and the feature of the Shaoxing Opera in a better manner. For instance, the character Jia transforms from     4     elderly figure in the film into a charming young man. This is in line with the characteristics of a young kunsheng (坤生) role, or a female actor     5     takes a reversed (反串的) role in Shaoxing Opera.

The show is staged in a     6     (special) designed studio theater, where the audience sits very close to the performers,    7     (engage) with them and immersing (使沉浸) themselves in a unique viewing experience. According to Xu Yena, a performer in the show, having the audience closer to the performers allows them to appreciate more and finer     8     (detail). There are also many improvised (即兴的) interactions with the audience     9     (make) by the performers, making each performance unique.

“Today, we are putting in great efforts to make Shaoxing Opera more     10     (access) and relatable to the younger generation,” Xu added. “This is with the hope that operas can become a lifestyle.”

Ireland’s beautiful countryside excites and inspires all,     1     (offer) something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true feast     2     the eyes, with its rolling green hills     3     (dot) with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up     4     music of the coast.

Jan discovered that surfing the Internet could help her feel     1     (lonely) and bored. She could listen to music, watch films, play games, and explore the world. She also joined an online group     2     she could talk about her problems and get support and advice from others.