Chinese Loong Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is a vibrant and festive celebration     1     (mark) the beginning of the lunar calendar. This annual event is deeply     2     (root) in Chinese culture, symbolizing renewal, family reunions, and guiding in of good fortune.

The festivities typically span 15 days,     3     colorful parades, dragon and lion dances, and dazzling fireworks shining the streets. Families come together for plentiful feasts, exchanging gifts, and paying     4     (respect) to ancestors. The air is filled with the sounds of joyous laughter and traditional music.

One of the     5     (much) iconic features of Chinese New Year is the red decorations brightening homes and streets. Red symbolizes good luck and     6     (prosper) in Chinese culture. People also participate in the tradition of giving and receiving red envelopes containing lucky money, known as “hongbao,” as     7     gesture of good wish and well-being.

As the Year of the Dragon, Loong Year is particularly auspicious, believed to bring strength, vitality, and success. People across the globe join in the festivities, creating a sense of unity and     8     (share) celebration.

Chinese Loong Year is a time-honored tradition that     9     (exceed) borders emphasizing the importance of family, cultural heritage,     10     the hopeful anticipation of a prosperous year ahead.

African students who participated in a Chinese agricultural development program have returned to their home countries, aiming to use     1     they’ve learned to help local farmers increase grain yields.

In the Science and Technology Backyard program, which     2     (launch) in 2009 at China Agricultural University in Beijing, students conducted research in experimental fields in rural areas while using their     3     (acquire) knowledge to help Chinese farmers. Phiri, one student from Malawi in Africa, expected hopefully, “We are well on our way to establishing successful STBs,     4     purpose is to empower the farmers of Malawi with the knowledge and tools they need     5     (shape) their agricultural futures.” Due to poor soil quality and a lack of modern agricultural technologies, the yield for Malawi’s main crop, maize, is     6     (relative) low. Many farmers are not growing enough food to sustain     7     (they).

Phiri and other African students, together with their teachers often engaged in conversations with farmers in the fields. Jiao Xiaoqiang,     8     associate professor in charge of the program, said such     9     (engage) is very necessary. “The core of the project lies     10     bringing technicians and farmers together. Only by truly participating in this process and understanding how to spread technology to farmers can they make a real impact when they return to Africa.”

The early 1400s was a glorious era in Chinese history. In 1405, a fleet of over 200 ships navigated the blue seas, with almost 28,000 people on board. The largest ships, which     1    (be) over 140 meters long, demonstrated the advanced technology and special skills in constructing ships. On behalf of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He, a great explorer, made a total of seven     2     (voyage) between 1405 and 1433. The fleet, loaded with china, silk, tea and other treasures, paid friendly visits     3     more than 30 countries and regions. The navigators took compass readings, kept logs     4     charted the coast.

These journeys had     5     far-reaching impact on China and its neighbors. Legends have been passed on about Zheng He in the countries and regions     6     he set foot. Zheng He’s efforts helped develop     7     (harmony) relations with these countries and regions, introducing foreign people to Chinese culture, and     8     (allow) the Chinese to better understand overseas lands.

For many years, some historians dismissed the records of these explorations as legends. The final proof came when an enormous shipyard     9     (discover) in Nanjing, where the fleet had been built. With his accomplishments widely     10     (acknowledge), Zheng He is remembered as one of China’s most influential explorers.

Chinese archeologists have successfully unearthed an animal bronze statue at the Sanxingdui Ruins in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province.     1     (weigh) more than 300 grams, the mythical beast is about one meter tall and one meter long and it is also the largest animal bronze statue ever     2     (see).

The bronze statue looks like a mythical beast     3     a large mouth, slim waist and four feet. Of note, a human figure wearing a long coat stands     4     (exact) on the head of the beast. Researchers think that it may show that the person is riding or controlling the beast.

Zhao Hao, the researcher in charge, explains that since the excavation of the Sanxingdui Ruins first started in 1986, all the animal statues     5     (be) small, around 20-30 centimeters long, but the     6    (discover) of the new bronze statue sets a new record, and as of now, is     7     only large-sized animal statue.

The chest of the beast also sports the image of a tree. “This tree,     8     was directly cast on the beast, reflects a fact that indicates that the Sanxingdui people regarded     9     (tree) as a kind of remarkable thing,” Zhao said.

So far, nearly 14,000     10     (culture) relics have been extracted from the sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui.

Effect of green diets

Vegetarian and vegan (严格的素食主义) diets are popular, and many consider them to be overall healthier. However, a new study has showed those who remove meat    1    their diets may be at a    2    (high) risk of bone fractures (骨折).

    3    (Researcher) at Oxford and Bristol universities analyzed data from nearly 55,000 men and women    4    (live) in the UK, including people who eat meat    5    people who are vegetarians and vegans. The scientists    6    followed the participants for 17 years on average monitored their hospital records and death certificates.

Over the course of the study, the scientists    7    (find) vegans had more chances of total fractures. And it resulted in close to 20 more cases per 1,000 people over a 10-year period     8    (compare) to people who ate meat.

The finding has raised concerns. The National Health Service of the United Kingdom recommends that vegetarians    9    (careful) consider their intake of adequate calcium, iron and vitamin B12    10    (keep) a balanced diet.

The trade routes are of great importance. In march, the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important sea trade routes,     1     (block) by a ship, causing an epic maritime traffic jam of nearly 300 ships between Europe and Asia. Besides the Suez Canal, China's ancient Silk Road also played     2     important role in trade and cultural exchanges between China and Europe.

In early history, The Silk Road was the most important trade route,     3     (mark) the beginning of globalization. As the first route     4     introduced the Eastern world to the Western civilization, the Silk Road in China can date     5     the Han dynasty in ancient China. In the following years in history, many great figures had made significant     6     (contribute) to the development of the Silk Road.

Though the Silk Road was mainly a trading route, it was     7     (benefit) to each other in the first place. It     8     (actual) made great attraction to the development of the civilization of the world, opening long-distance political and economic communication between Europe and Asia. The ancient Silk Road is more like a historical textbook, enabling people from different cultures and regions     9     (comprehend) what happened during the ancient time. Up to now, the Silk Road in China     10     (bring) great attraction to the tourism in China even in the world.