Recently, the performance of “Secret Box from the Tang Dynasty” in Xi’an     1     (become) a hit. The performance features (以……为特色) two young actors as Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui,     2     were two prime ministers of the Tang Dynasty. During the performance, the actors dress in ancient costumes and speak in the tone (语气) of the ancients. They invite tourists     3     (take) part in a question-and-answer game. The interesting interaction (交流) between the actors and the tourists     4     (make) the performance very popular.

The questions in the game are often so “difficult”     5     most tourists can only win a consolation prize (安慰奖) of taking photos with the actors. Sometimes some “wise” people     6     (successful) pass the “test”, but the prizes are just cotton swabs, batteries or other everyday objects. This often makes tourists laugh loudly. The show has four performances each night, each     7     (last) about 10 minutes

“We’ve been doing this talk show for a while. If tourists can’t answer our questions, we will find ways to have fun interactions with them to cover their     8     (embarrass),” says Chen Yufei, the actor who plays Du Ruhui.

Wang Ze, who plays Fang Xuanling, says that although he doesn’t have a “doctoral degree (博士学位)” as some tourists jokingly call it, he still feels the pressure of playing the knowledgeable prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. This keeps him learning different things, from historical stories     9     poems, songs to brain teasers (脑筋急转弯).

The actors of the “Secret Box from the Tang Dynasty” hope that tourists can learn more about Chinese culture through these     10     (interest) performances.

In ancient China lived an artist,     1     painted the pictures almost lifelike. The artist’s reputation (名声) had made him proud. One day the emperor(国王) wanted to get his portrait (画像) done so he called all great artists to come and present their     2    (fine) work, so that he could choose the best. The artist was sure he would     3     (choose), but when he presented his masterpiece to the emperor’s chief minister, the old man laughed. The wise old man told him to travel to the Li River, perhaps he could learn a little from the greatest artist in the world.

Filled    4     curiosity (好奇), the artist packed his bags and left. When he asked the    5     (villager) on the banks of the river where he could find the legendary (传奇的) artist, they smiled and     6     (point) down the river. The next morning he hired a boat and set out     7     (find) the well-known painter. As the small boat moved along the river, he was left speechless by the mountains being    8     (silent) reflected in the water. He passed milky white waterfalls and mountains in many shades of blue. And when he saw the mists rising from the river and the soft clouds     9     (surround) the mountain tops, he was reduced to tears. The artist was finally humbled (谦卑) by the greatest artist     10     earth, Mother Nature.

Every year, at the end of October, tens of thousands of people flock to a Buddhist temple in China to see a huge gingko biloba tree (银杏树) drop its foliage (枝叶) and turn     1     temple from green to gold. The Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple,     2     (locate) in the Zhongnan Mountains of China’s Shaanxi Province, is home     3     a 1,400-year-old gingko biloba tree. It was said that it was planted by the Tang Dynasty (618-907) emperor Li Shimin,     4     is one of the greatest     5     (rule) in Chinese history. It towers superbly over the temple, and for a few days every autumn, it rains down a gold carpet of     6     (leaf), which stands out against the muted tones of the season. Because of its     7     (strike) appearance, it has been called the world’s most beautiful gingko biloba tree, and     8     (become) a tourist attraction in its own right.

Due to the increasing     9     (popular) of its ancient gingko biloba tree, the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple has been reported to have increased     10     (day) visitor capacity to around 7200, between 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon.

The short story “After Twenty Years” is set in New York on a cold, dark night. Everything was very quiet. A police officer on duty found a man with a scar on his face outside a shop, and they started to have    1     chat. The man talked about his best friend and the     2     (fine) chap, Jimmy Wells. 

One night twenty years ago, they     3    (dine) at “Big Joe” Brady’s. They grew up together in New York and got on very well.    4     (make) his fortune, he was to start for the West     5     Jimmy Wells stayed in New York.    6     was on that night that they agreed on the meeting date and place after twenty years, whatever their conditions might be or from what     7    (distant) they might have to come. At first, they corresponded     8     each other for a year or two, but then they lost track of each other. However, he thought     9    (confident) that Jimmy Wells would turn up as promised, so he came a thousand     10    (mile) to meet him.

There is a popular saying — All good things must come to     1     end. This, however, might not always be true. For the six friends in Friends, the “good things”— the friendships between them have never really ended. 

Perhaps you haven't seen Friends. The TV series (连续剧) tells the story of six ordinary young people    2     came to New York City to make their fortune and find love. Each of them had a different     3    (personal). However, they were able to put their differences aside and became good friends. 

Such a long time     4    (pass) since the last episode (一集) of Friends was on. Fans have been looking forward to     5    (see) the six friends' reunion on the screen. That wish finally came true. A special episode, Friends: The Reunion,     6    (broadcast) online on May 27,2021. 

Your English teacher once probably advised you to watch Friends. For sure, watching the series will help you learn English. But you can learn a little     7    (much) from Friends than the others. One thing it can teach us all is how     8     (gain) lasting friendships. As Rachel once said, “     9    (obvious), there were no cellphones back in the 1990s. It was just friends sitting around     10    chatting together.” If you want to have lifelong friends, don’t just chat online. Make sure to always be there — for your friends!