Why modern music should quieten down

Quietness may be underestimated values in pop music.    1    (look) up “the loudest band in the world” and you will be confronted with a large number of rock giants from Manowar who proudly achieved a sound pressure level of 139 dB to Motor-head. The pickings are slim    2    we substitute “quiet” for “loud”.

In a way, increasing the volume of a song makes biological sense, something the music industry    3    (exploit) since the jukebox era. There is an organ in the inner ear called sacculus that is linked to a region of the brain    4    (associate) with pleasure and react to low-frequency vibrations over 90 dB．

On the other hand,    5    (focus) sorely on loudness ignores the infinitely more subtle appeal of being quiet. A French band called “Air”,    6    twenty-years collection was released on June 10, are masters of the art. As any teacher knows, quietness can be more effective than shouting to make people pay attention. Air employed this gentle persuasion on Moon Safari, an album that attracts the listener    7    the peaceful sound of rain and muted drums. Even when Air do increase the volume, the vocalist's voice remains one of    8    (gentle) noises in pop. Given its warmth and peacefulness, it is no coincidence    9    the album was a favourite among clubbers after a night out. It is a time when the desire for kindness, companionship and warmth prevails.

So forget the “loudness war”. Manowar may be happy with their 139 dB, but they are comprehensively defeated by fireworks, which reach 145 to 150 dB when they explode, and     10    call of the blue whale, which goes all the way up to 188 dB．Now that's something to shout about.

With the development of our     1     (social), the connection between people becomes unavoidable. People need to communicate with others as long as they are in the world. As a result, the interpersonal relationship becomes more and more     2     (importance).

A good interpersonal relationship promotes (促进) people's success. Throughout human history, we can know     3     no one can do everything well and become     4     (success) alone. Most great men have a good relationship with other people. For many people, the interpersonal relationship and their abilities are equally important to their success. By     5     (keep) a good relationship with others, people can easily get help from others     6     facing difficulties. In other words, excellent interpersonal communication skills can help people remove obstacles(障碍) on the way     7     success. Besides, a good interpersonal relationship can help people live a happy life.     8     (create) a harmonious environment, people should keep a good relationship with the people around them. These friendly people will form a happy atmosphere,     9     will make people work efficiently(高效的) and put them in a good mood in daily life. It is certain that people will receive     10     (happy) in the end.

Now, imagine the influence it would have on you to surround yourself with interesting and positive people. When someone has something interesting     1     (go) on in his life, he wakes up in morning     2     energy and enthusiasm(热情). These are the kind of people     3     are going to fill you up with great attitudes and behavior.

Anyone who is following their dreams has taken a risk himself and is confident that things will work out for him. These people are hopeful about their futures and are willing to do     4     is necessary to get things done. That's the exact kind of attitude and behavior you need to be exposed to on a regular     5     (base).

As you watch how they push themselves and do interesting things, you     6     (encourage) to do similar things. You'll start to wonder and imagine all the things you can do with your own life. Moreover, interesting people tend to fill their heads with new ideas and ways of seeing the world. As they expose     7     (they) to new books and ideas, they will share them with you.

As you can see, social norms(规范) formed by groups have a     8     (power) influence over the type of person you become.     9     (fortunate), it doesn't always have to be a bad thing. If you make sure to surround yourself with positive and interesting people, there is no telling how greatly     10     influence will shape your life.

Archaeologists uncover 3000-year-old gold mask in southwest China

The remains of a gold mask are among a huge storage of 3,000-year-old artifacts(手工艺品) found at an archaeological site in China's Sichuan province.

    1     (weigh) about 280 grams (0.6 pounds) and estimated to be made from 84% gold, the ceremonial mask is one of over 500 items unearthed from six newly discovered “sacrificial pits”(祭祀坑). Some experts say the items may shed     2     (far) light on the ancient Shu state, a kingdom that ruled in the western Sichuan basin(盆地)     3    it was conquered in 316 BC.

More than 50,000 ancient artifacts     4     (find) at Sanxingdui since the 1920s, when a local farmer     5     (accident) came upon a number of relics at the site.     6     major breakthrough occurred in 1986, with two ceremonial pits discovered.

Sanxingdui is believed to have sat at the heart of the Shu state,     7     historians know relatively little about due to insufficient written records.     8     (discover) made at the site date back to the 12th and 11th centuries BC, and many of the items are now     9     display at an on-site museum.

Though not yet recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sanxingdui is on the organization’s “tentative list” for possible future     10     (include). Along with other Shu archaeological sites, it is credited by the UN agency as “an outstanding representative of the Bronze Age Civilization of China, East Asia and even the world.”

The loquat(枇杷)is native to southeaster China. The    1    （leaf) of the loquat tree bear a similarity to the pipa,       2     ancient Chinese instrument. That's     3     it shares the same Chinese pronunciation with that of the instrument. The loquat was first planted by the Chinese people 1,800 years ago and spread abroad later on.

When    4    (study)in Japan in 1988, Lin Shunquan, a Chinese professor, found that the scientific name for the loquat was “Japanese plum” and that it was thought to be native to Japan. Since    5    (he) return to China in 1989, Lin Shunquan has been working to correct the name of the loquat. In 1998, his paper Loquat: Botanyand Horticulture was published in a    6    (profession) journal, arguing that the loquat originated in China. Since Japan acknowledged that the loquat originated in China in 2006, the name, “Chinese plum”，     7    (accept)worldwide.

In addition,    8    (commit) to advancing the loquat planting techniques, Professor Lin helped to develop the loquat industry. Due       9    the demanding techniques of growing Ioquat and the high cost of labor, few young people willingly take over. Lin Shunquan has also worked with Alibaba to establish a direct base,     10     has attracted young people to return to their hometowns to set up online shops.