A music concert “Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems” jointly performed by iSING! Suzhou and the Philadelphia Orchestra was staged at Kimmel Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia on Jan .6.

Another concert featuring Tang poetry was     1    (successful) held at the Lincoln Center in New York on Jan.7. Fifteen iSING! Suzhou singers from 10 countries led by Liao Guomin performed songs     2    (write) by young composers from 6 countries. The songs included many well-known poems dating     3     the Tang Dynasty, such as Luo Binwang’s Singing of Goose and Li Bai’s Quiet Thoughts by Night.

The iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival     4    (set) up in Suzhou in 2014 as     5     (China) first international vocal (声乐) art festival. Over the past eight years, the festival     6    (attract) outstanding young singers from all over the world, spread     7     promoted Chinese and classical music, and enhanced cultural exchanges between China and the West, becoming a cultural card for Suzhou to go     8    (globe).

The performances were also held to commemorate (纪念)     9     fiftieth anniversary of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s China tour in 1973. The Philadelphia Orchestra, as the first American orchestra     10    (visit) China, bridged the two nations in the field of culture.

Finding yourself at the doorway of any temple or ancient building in China, you may encounter y     1     attractive but seemingly odd piece of wall, only     2     (slight) larger than the entrance itself. You would be forgiven for thinking this is just the remainder of another building, with the rest lost to history, as was my initial assumption the first time I     3     (spot) one. However, the reality is far more fascinating.

Out of     4     (curious), I asked around,     5     (bother) friends for information, and was finally able to get not only the name, but also the purpose of these walls. Zhaobi, or spirit walls, have a long and storied history of 3,000 years. Zhaobi could be found outside the entrance of various buildings. They     6     (reserve) for only the highest members of society once. Seeing zhaobi outside a building would let passersby know this was the residence of someone of extreme importance, while protecting the privacy of     7     (it) residents.

In more modern times, zhaobi,     8     (adopt) by companies that practice fengshui, still exist.     9    zhaobi can help bring them good luck is questionable. But what can be said for sure is that these structures, like any other in history, stand     10     the development of Chinese history.

Despite being 75 years old, Chai Tixia’s skills in Jianzi is truly impressive. With quick kicks, he effortlessly sends the Jianzi into the air and gracefully guides it to land     1     (gentle) on his head. Jianzi,     2     game that dates back to the Han Dynasty, is surprisingly simple: players must keep the Jianzi in the air,     3     (use) any part of their body except their hands and arms. However, to master this game requires a lot of practice. While enjoyed throughout China, Jianzi     4     (describe) by Chai as an important aspect of hutong culture. The narrow alleyways, located within Beijing’s inner city, provide the setting for the game’s     5     (popular). Each moring, Chai and his fellow hutong residents gather for their shared passion for Jianzi. Chai’s spirited matches with his neighbors have a big audience     6     (draw) to the artistry and excitement of the game. The onlookers     7     watch them playing with great athleticism are amazed at     8     Chai and his fellow players can achieve. Having practiced Jianzi for over 30 years, Chai cherishes the physical and social     9     (benefit) the game brings. Engaging in lively matches with his neighbors energizes his body, enhances his flexibility,     10     promotes unity within the community. Through Jianzi, Chai harvests not only health but a sense of belonging and friendship.

Many foreigners are     1     (amaze) at Chinese characters. For the past three decades, Richard Sears has been focused on one thing: telling many     2     (story) behind Chinese characters. His interest in Chinese language and characters dates back to 1972, when he was a 22-year-old physics major in the USA.

He built a website in 2002 and named it Chinese Etymology (词源),    3     provides visitors with opportunities to check the development of Chinese characters in a variety of forms for free. Because of this well-received website, he became Uncle Hanzi, a nickname (昵称)    4     (give) by Chinese netizens.

In September, Sears set up his studio in Nanjing as part of the local government’s plan to promote Chinese culture. To help both Chinese     5     foreign learners have a better understanding of Chinese characters, the studio concentrates     6     telling stories behind Chinese characters with the aid of technology. So far, they     7     (make) over 60 videos in English with Chinese subtitles for Bilibili, a popular video website among young people.    8     (watch) the videos not only brings fun but also makes people know more about Chinese characters, leaving them a deep     9     (impress).

With the tireless efforts of people like Richard Sears and the government’s support,    10     (many) people will appreciate the beauty of Chinese characters fully.

The Huangmei Opera piece On Sun Mountain     1    (perform) by the Anqing Huangmei Opera Art Theater at the China Grand Theater of Pingju Opera in Beijing on Dec. 4, 2023.

The story takes place on Sun Mountain,     2     the story of Li Anben, a telegraph operator in a small town at the foot of the mountain, unfolds. Initially     3    (show) as greedy and lazy, as the plot progresses, Li undergoes a     4    (remark) transformation. Moved by the selflessness of the New Fourth Army soldiers, who sacrifice their lives     5    (save) his mother from Japanese invaders, Li’s character changes. In the end, he joins the New Fourth Army     6     becomes a courageous soldier.

This Huangmei Opera     7    (adapt) introduces audiences to the beautiful tunes, graceful dance movements, and singing style that characterize the traditional art form. The performance brings a fresh perspective to the stage, making viewers     8    (complete) absorbed in a heartwarming tale of bravery and sacrifice. There is no doubt     9     with this production, the Anqing Huangmei Opera Art Theater continues to ensure the vitality of the treasured cultural heritage.

It is part of a program of Anhui’s finest plays, which runs from November to next January.     10    (present) 12 exceptional plays, the program will tour major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, and Hefei in Anhui province.

Jan Tchamani, an English teacher in Birmingham, UK, suddenly developed a serious illness and had to quit her job. At age 50, she found herself out of work and     1     (stick) at home with only her computer to keep her company. After     2    while, she discovered that     3     (surf) the Internet could help her feel less lonely and bored. She could listen to music, watch films, play games, and explore the world. She also joined an online group     4     she could talk about her problems and get support and advice from others. She realised that one of the greatest benefits of the Internet was its     5     (able) to remove the distance that usually exists between people.

She was so inspired by the people she       6     (meet) online that she decided to start an IT club to teach older people how to use computers and the Internet. She and her friends now organise events and collect money to pay for private teachers. Many people have been helped by the club. A 59-year-old man learnt how to apply for work online and found a great job. Now that he works and can take care of     7     (him), his daughter has time to study at university. A 61-year-old woman who was living alone has started a small online company together     8     two friends. She no longer feels lonely, and her company has become quite successful.

Jan’s life has been     9     (great) improved by the Internet. “When you go through tough times, you meet others who are facing similar challenges,” Jan says. “Thinking about other people’s situations inspired me     10     (offer) help.”

Every year during the Spring Festival, a small village east of Beijing puts on a special show. It’s about -15°CS and a man dressed in a straw hat and sheepskin coat who     1    (throw) spoon after spoon of heavy molten iron (铁水)at a massive, icy wall. The collision (碰撞)between the l,600°C liquid metal and the frozen brick creates a waterfall of sparks (火花)     2    (fall) over him, equally beautiful and dangerous.

This is a very performance     3     requires extraordinary courage, skill and strength. Known as Da Shuhua, it has a history of 500 years in Nuanquan, a highly-developed steel town. Da Shuhua translates literally into “beating down the tree flowers,”     4     agricultural activity of hitting fruit trees to increase growth.

In ancient times, fireworks weren’t always     5    (wide) affordable. So people in Nuanquan made use of scrap iron and developed Da Shuhua as a way     6    (celebrate) festivals. As a result, they brought firework displays     7     a whole new level.

Today, Da Shuhua has become more popular than ever, because of     8    (rule) of banning on fireworks to reduce air pollution in some parts of China. Every year, this unique firework display attracts tons of people in spite of the freezing cold weather     9     draws attention for its protection. Since 2021, it     10    (list) as an intangible cultural heritage of China.