The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It     1     (build) originally to protect the city     2     the Tang dynasty and has now been completely restored (修复). It is possible       3     (walk) or bike the entire 14 kilometers.

We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.

After     4     (spend) some time looking at all the defensive equipment at the wall, we decided it was time for some action and what     5     (good) than to ride on a piece of history!

We     6     (hire) our bikes from the rental place at the South Gate. My bike was old and shaky     7     did the job. It took us about 3 hours to go all     8     way around the Xi’an City Wall. Supposedly you can do it in two hours, but we stopped at the different gates and     9     (watchtower) to take pictures or just to watch the local people going about their     10     (day) routines.

The shelves in most supermarkets are full of family-size this and multi-buy that. However, if you’re shopping for one, buying extra     1     (benefit) from price reductions doesn’t make sense. Either your shopping is then too heavy to carry home     2     you can’t use what you’ve bought while it’s still fresh.

Of course, shops are not charities — they price goods in the way     3     will make them the most money. If most of their customers are happy to buy larger quantities, that’s     4     they’ll promote. But that leaves the solo (单独) customers out of pocket and disappointed.

Many supermarkets are no longer doing “buy one get one free” promotions because of the     5     (criticize) that they lead to waste. Consumers prefer money off individual items. However, though it’s nice to get a few cents off a pack of sausages, it would help even more if they could sometimes     6     (offer) in smaller packs. Even the biggest sausage fan doesn’t want to eat them every day.

If your supermarket sells loose produce, then buying smaller quantities is easier. Over the last two years, some supermarkets     7     (start) selling chicken or salad in packs     8     (design) with two halves containing separate portions (份). Then, when you use one section,     9     other stays fresh.

Who knows, perhaps some of the more forward-looking     10     (one) may yet come out with a whole range of “just for you” pack sizes with special offers as well.

For Greek photographer George Doupas, Beijing is home now. During the past decade, he has been photographing the city, capturing its beauty     1     sharing these photos online and in exhibitions.

“This     2     (true) represents Beijing — the old and the new, nicely mixing together,” Doupas said while showing his photograph of the Zhihua Temple, a delicate Ming Dynasty building. It     3     (locate) in front of a modern office building, Galaxy SOHO, which features weaving bridges and interlocking passageways.

With rich historical heritage, Beijing     4     (be) an important center of traditional Chinese culture since the Ming Dynasty. Doupas often gets     5     (lose) in the city’s splendid ancient architecture. Meanwhile, he is also amazed by the modern city     6    (combine) high-end businesses and various industries. “It is fascinating to see a rapidly-developing city that invests so much effort in preserving its past, which is     7     I decided to pursue my career here,” he said.

Doupas is determined to continue with his career in China, hoping to serve as     8     bridge between China and the West. The     9     (display) that show his photos about Beijing have attracted a large audience in Greece and the Czech Republic.

“I call Beijing my home now,” he said, “I’ll keep sharing photos of China     10     the rest of the world.”

On recent weekends,visitors from surrounding cities, provinces and even     1     (far) away are rushing to try Zibo barbecue. A local citizen surnamed Wei said, “We locals can’t even eat at nearby barbecue restaurants on weekends due to the long queues.” Pancakes,scallions and table-top barbecues     2     (see) as essential items for customers, and the immersive barbecue mode has met the taste and social needs of young customers.

“Zibo barbecue going viral is not     3     (accident), ”Yin Qidi, head of the city’s commerce bureau, said at     4     news conference held to address the barbecue craze on March 10.

    5     terms of transportation, Zibo is known to have newly added 21 customized barbecue bus lines and cooperated with China Railway Jinan Group Co Ltd to add weekend railway lines fromZibo to Jinan of Shandong province.Arranging volunteers at Zibo railway stations, publishing maps marking recommended Zibo barbecue cateries,     6     providing accommodation discounts for out-of -town students are some of the convenient services Zibo provides.

Previously, the city’s culture and tourism bureau, along with 10 representatives from popular Zibo scenic spots,     7     (board) the special weekend train G9321 on April 8     8     (promote) tourism in Zibo and beneficial policies to passengers,     9     have made the low-profile industrial city     10     (expect) one of the most popular tourist attractions in China in the post-epidemic era.

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

This is a 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 stimulate 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,due to    8    (ban)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.

East China’s Shandong province, where the Yellow River flows into the sea, is promoting the deep integration of culture and tourism. So far, Shandong    1    (launch) many cultural tourism projects, making great progress in digging into the culture and value of the Yellow River    2    (boost) the high-quality development of the region.

One example is the Yellow River Tower in Binzhou’s Puhu Lake Scenic Area, which was open    3    the public last year. It has become a cultural landmark of the Yellow River Basin    4    visitors can view the river passing through the city and watch exhibitions showing    5    (it) long history and diverse cultures. The tower offers various types of activities, such as research tours, and undertakes Yellow River-themed video competitions.

One of the most    6    (influence) tourism brands in Yuncheng County is the Shuihu Film Studio. It integrates film shooting and performances. There are 36 courtyards and 108 scenic spots that    7    (vivid) display the diverse cultures of the Chinese classic novel Shuihuzhuan.

Yellow River culture is a product of the material and spiritual advancement of the people living by the river throughout time. The local artistic    8    (create) are playing important roles in the Yellow River culture. The most representative among them is Lyu Opera,    9    unique kind of the Chinese art form.    10    (root) in Dongying, the opera has become extremely popular among tourists.

Despite being 75 years old, Chai Tixia’s expertise 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    4     (require) a lot of practice.

While enjoyed throughout China, Jianzi     5     (describe) by Chai as an important aspect of hutong culture. The narrow alleyways, situated within Beijing’s inner city, provide the setting for the game’s    6     (popular). Each mormning, Chai and his fellow hutong residents gather for their shared passion for Jianzi.

Chai’s spirited matches with his neighbors have a big audience     7     (draw) to the artistry and excitement of the game. The onlookers who 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.

A new branch of the Palace Museum is expected to rise on Beijing outskirts over the next few years to better showcase the     1     (museum) cultural relics.

After nearly a decade of preparation, construction of the new branch     2     (begin) last December. Located in Xiyehe, a village in Haidian District, the new branch will cover more than 100, 000 square meters, including     3     exhibition space of over 60, 000 square meters for cultural relics and more than 35, 000 square meters for relic     4     (restore).

At present, over 1. 86 million cultural relics     5     (house) in the museum. However, only about 10, 000 pieces are able to be displayed every year due to limited exhibition spaces     6     outdated offices.

Du Haijiang, deputy director of the Palace Museum, briefed the public on the project in an interview with CCTV on January 26th,     7     (explain) that calligraphy works and paintings couldn’t be put on display during rainy seasons, in winter or summer, because of strict temperature and humidity requirements. Some silk and cotton artworks     8    (current) cannot be exhibited at all for lack of the necessary environment.

On completion of the new branch, it will be possible     9     (display) between 20, 000 and 30, 000 individual relics each year. The new venue will be a modern exhibition space     10     multiple functions to provide relic preservation, repair work, and visitor services.

Yangko, a rural Chinese folk dance with a history     1     (date) back thousands of years, originates from farming life in ancient times. The dance relates to sacrifices to the farmland god when people prayed for a good harvest. As time passed, the     2     (origin) dance developed, taking in various artistic forms and skills, including opera, acrobatics and martial arts, and eventually turned into the type of Yangko     3     is seen today.

    4     (preserve) this Chinese folk culture, it was included in the inaugural(首批的)items of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. It is     5     (common) performed in northern China during festivals, especially for Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival. Performances or competitions     6     (organize) in towns and villages to express people’s joy and their hope for a better life.

Yangko employs drumming, Suona, dancing and singing. Content is based     7     folk stories and legends. Costumes are richly-colored and opera-styled, enabling     8     (character) to be easily identified. During a performance, the actors will dance and sing, following lively rhythms. Highly. skilled and interesting acts such as stilt(高跷)walking     9     carrying a wedding sedan chair(花轿)are also included. As a part of traditional Chinese culture, Yangko     10     (concentrate) the group consciousness of the Chinese people, and has outstanding historical and cultural value.