Incense (香) boasts a long history,    1    its roots in many cultures-ancient China, ancient Egypt, Babylon and beyond. People from all walks of life benefit from its countless qualities, whether they use it for pleasure    2    as medicine.

Since the Tang and Song dynasties, burning incense, hanging paintings, making tea, and enjoying music have been known as the “four arts for literati (文人)”.    3    (make) from seeds, leaves and flowers, incense has been used as an enjoyable     4    (pursue) for scholars.

Moreover, medical incense is an essential part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which considers preventative healthcare as     5    far superior form of treatment when illness strikes.

    6    (basic), medical incense can kill bacteria in the environment, protecting people against infections. It is also believed     7    (possess) the ability to balance the flow of Qi, a vital energy force within the body. Once the medical elements within incense are breathed in, they soon find    8    (they) way into the bloodstream. From there they go directly to the organs    9    treatment assistance is needed. The specific types of incense    10    (choose) based on the individual’s condition, aiming to restore balance and promote well-being.

Since the pre-Qin period, Chengdu    1    (be) an important cultural town in China. But    2    really sets the city apart, culturally, is its opera. An important aspect of Sichuan Opera is    3    magic of “face changing” where vividly coloured masks are changed within the blink of an eye. In opera gardens and tea houses across the town, audiences    4    (want) a glimpse of the local culture love to drink tea while listening to Sichuan Opera and watching face changing.

It is believed that “face changing” has its roots in evolution. Early humans needed survival strategies to avoid fierce animals and foreign    5    (invade). Often, aggressive facial gestures and non-verbal cues were part of it. The Sichuan Opera is said    6    (bring) this range of emotions on stage.

Once the performance starts, the actor keeps pulling down one mask after    7    in swift movements to convey different emotions.    8    (astonish), no matter how close one is    9    the stage, they just can’t tell how the masks change.

In fact, the different kinds of characters and personalities that Sichuan Opera brings alive can    10    (find) among common people. This is why its emotions will continue to resonate with people for a long time.

Shoushan Stone was first discovered in Shoushan, Fuzhou. For centuries, craftsmen have been carving stones primarily     1     (mine) from the Shoushan village. The stones are carved     2     figures, animals and many other artworks.

The Charm of Shoushan Stone,     3     ongoing exhibition at the National Art Museum of China,     4     (gather) antique and modern objects which introduce the tradition of stone carving in Fujian. It offers a visual introduction to both the fine quality of Shoushan Stone and the superb skills required     5     (process) it. On show at the exhibition are seals(印章) made from excellent examples of the stone,     6     were sought after among the literati (文人墨客) of the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are also mini sculptures which show craftsmen's different     7     (approach) to carving Shoushan Stone based on its rich color schemes: a red and yellow stone that is suitable for sculpting mountains, flowers and fruits, a black one for trees and stones     8     a grey one for clouds.

So far, Shoushan Stone,     9     (official) named “China National Stone”,    10     (become) a symbol of elegance, dignity and wisdom, which is worthy of collection.

2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar and it is the first time that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)    1     (include) the term “Chinese dragon” in its dictionary. The Chinese dragon has two definitions in the OED, with the first one about its physical image and the second one on its figurative and allusive (典故的) nature.

Emperors in ancient dynasties were dressed in a Dragon Robe, a traditional silk-woven costume with dragon designs,     2     (symbolize) imperial power and authority. Jade Seals (玉玺), often     3     (carve) with dragons, also symbolize the authority of the emperor.

Contrary     4     the Western dragon, the image of the Chinese dragon, despite undergoing constant changes, has represented various’ positive     5     (quality) including prosperity, authority, strength and good fortune.

In ancient Chinese belief, dragons     6     (associate) with the control of the weather, particularly rain. The dragon’s ability to bring rain was seen as crucial for agriculture, which made it     7     positive symbol for the fertility of the land.

With the rising China Chic trend and the country’s booming cultural creative industry, the Chinese dragon in folktale is now     8     (common) seen in creative products such as tear-off calendars, dolls, dragon-themed jewelry as well as the “dragon blind boxes”     9     appeal to young consumers.

Whether it is through the hands of a national-level intangible (非物质) cultural heritage inheritor     10     the hands of a Generation Z “blind box” designer, the Chinese dragon carries forward the Chinese cultural spirit.

Hangzhou will build a world-class ecological and cultural tourism corridor in connection with Anhui Province’s Huangshan City. Five towns in Hangzhou’s Chun’an County and five towns in Huangshan’s Shexian County    1     (include) according to the prepared plan. In ancient times, they were part of Huizhou region where the Xin’an River runs through. Dating back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), a trail    2    (link) Hangzhou’s Tianmu Mountain and Huangshan’s Yellow Mountain was formed to exchange goods     3     the two regions.

Over the years, Hangzhou and Huangshan     4    (preserve) their unique architecture and local ways of life in old villages, making this area popular with tourists. The villages have resisted the winds of change    5     swept across many other parts of China. In addition to architecture, also, the natural environment is being protected, with sewage(污水)    6    (treat) and new infrastructure being built.

These improvements are attracting more tourists and creating     7     engine for the local economy. Moreover, for those who love hiking, jogging or cycling, the Thousand Islands Lake in Chun’an County is an ideal destination    8     it boasts 1, 078 islands, winding roads and charming villages.

In     9    (add), Hangzhou will also increase forest coverage along the river in partnership with Huangshan, which perfectly matches President Xi Jinping’s concept of “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” to highlight a     10    (harmony) relationship between ecological protection and economic development.

The English word “garden” gives an entirely wrong idea of the Chinese yuan, for “garden” suggests a lawn and an infinite       1       (vary) of flowers, altogether too prim (呆板的) and tidy to suit Chinese taste. The Chinese yuan suggests first of all a wild landscape, perhaps better arranged and more artistically       2     (plan) than nature, but still a bit of nature itself, with trees, creeks, and flowers. Dotted in this natural landscape are the human structures like pavilions and long winding corridors, so       3       (perfect) belonging to the scenery as to become a whole with it. The Chinese garden       4       (characterize) by studied disorderliness. There are no even-cut bushes or symmetric (对称的) rows lining avenues as if in battle formation.

No Chinese mansion allows an outsider       5       (look) through theiron gates at along drive, for that would be against the principle of concealment.       6       (face) the   gate, we see a small courtyard giving no idea of the expansiveness of space inside, and leading one step by step into newer views, in       7       continual series of surprises and astonishments. With wooden framework       8       (bear) most of the weight of the house, windows, doors and walls are not restricted to certain locations. The essential idea of interior (室内的) decoration is the beauty of simplicity. Home designs are not something fancy we buy from a first-class firm. What distinguishes a home       9       a public building is the personal touch that we give it. It is only when the spirit of leisure and loving care exists       10       living at home can become an art and a pleasure.

Adaptation from My Country and My People by LinYutang

Quyi is a general term for all kinds of talking and singing arts in China. It originated from oral literature, the talking and singing performances of ancient people. It refers     1     (primary) to storytelling, accompanied by body movements. There are many different types of quyi-performance in China, such as comic dialogues, degu, pingshu and shuanghuang, among    2    the crosstalk is most popular,

The crosstalk, also     3     (know) as xiangsheng in Chinese, a kind of folk art with “comic” dialogues began as     4     form of Street performance and is generally thought to have taken form in the late Qing Dynasty, particularly during the rule of the Xianfeng Emperor and the Tongzhi Emperor in the mid-1800s.

The crosstalk realizes     5     (it) artistic presentation by means of imitation, talking, teasing, and singing. The jokes     6     (hide) in the baofu, or “package”. When the right time comes, they are suddenly spilled out, just like the funny stuff being thrown out of a carefully, wrapped package, thus unexpectedly but logically with a second thought,    7     (cause) the audience to laugh. Most of the crosstalk     8     (story) come from daily life. Others are based on folk jokes, historic legends, events and word games. The stage props (道具) are quite simple: a fan, a handkerchief     9     a table will be adequate. Normally, a crosstalk performance is done by two people. Up to now, the crosstalk has become a nationwide    10     (entertain) loved by different walks of people.

The Chinese couplet (对联) refers to two poetic lines obeying certain rules, often written on red paper for     1     (appreciate).

As a form of Chinese literature, the couplet     2     (vary) in content and style. Some express people’s love to their motherland, some describe the beauty of nature,     3     some convey best wishes for the coming year.

Chinese couplets originated in the Five Dynasties, and     4     (become) ubiquitous (无处不在) in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was a custom for people     5     (hang) peach wood charms to drive away evil spirits during the Spring Festival. Nowadays, couplets are used     6     a similar way.

It was said that the     7     (early) couplet was written by Meng Xu, king of Houshu State and it was     8     (extreme) popular in the Northern Song Dynasty. Since the Ming Dynasty, to write couplets     9     (regard) as a mark of the cultured life of scholars.

The couplet has two equal-length lines. However,     10       number of characters in each line can be from four to seven or more. The first and the second lines have opposite tone patterns. The last character of the first line is of an oblique tone (仄声), and its opposite in the second line, of a level tone (平声).